French gambling upholds compliance duties ahead of new tax orders

l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) – France’s Gambling Authority – has detailed progress in compliance directives related to combating fraud, money laundering, and improving player protections.

In its latest update, the Authority has reviewed the ‘action plans’ of French licensees, who have outlined specific areas and conditions to combat financial threats and liabilities.

2024 Compliance Duties
The majority of licensees have complied with the guidelines and recommendations provided in 2024, indicating a general improvement in compliance. The ANJ also noted an upward compliance trend, with new measures introduced this year to enhance the effectiveness of anti-fraud and anti-money laundering initiatives.
The most significant advancement has been in the detection of abnormal behaviours within customer accounts. The ANJ stated that operators have strengthened their capacity to detect anomalies, which is crucial in preventing fraud and money laundering. Furthermore, operators have alloc..

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UKGC sees need for improvement in land-based staff training

Visiting Bacta’s SR Exchange conference, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) highlighted some areas where Adult Gaming Centres (AGCs) seem to be lagging.

Bryony Sheldon/LinkedIn
The regulator’s Director of Policy, Bryony Sheldon, addressed the fully-booked Bacta Social Responsibility Exchange venue in Leeds by opening up with an overview of the AGC shortcomings that the UKGC witnessed in 2024.

AGC on-site compliance
UK-wide venue visits and head office assessments conducted by the regulator last year revealed that AGCs have generally adopted responsible practices to prevent underage gambling on-site.

When it comes to adult customer interactions however, a number of staff members across multiple different venues were observed by the UKGC only to be concluded that some were not fully aware as to why customer interactions were being conducted.

Sheldon reminded shareholders present at the conference that knowledge is a key criteria in the education of staff. She said that every employee..

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Bulgarians required to self-exclude for a one year minimum under new rules

Gamblers in Bulgaria will now have to self-exclude for a minimum of one year instead of 30 days after a change in regulations.

This was announced on the website of the regulator, the Bulgarian National Revenue Agency (NRA), which confirmed that the new rules have been in place since 27 March.

The increase in minimum self-eclusion from 30 days to 365 is certainly a substantial one, and policymakers likely hope that it will have significant player protection impacts. However, the self-exclusion process is far from the most convenient options seen across Europe.

Those who suspect they are suffering from a gambling disorder have two options through which to seek self-exclusion – either emailing the NRA with a written request, or go to an NRA office to physically submit this request into a kiosk.

In both instances, the request must include all personal information associated with the self-excluded customer, including an electronic signature. To cover one year, this signature could cost..

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EGBA members keep balance between safety and play

Likely to no one’s surprise, igaming in Europe has grown – with €13.5bn to be exact, according to the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA).

The latest activity report from the trade association highlighted that casino games have represented 51% of combined online gross gaming revenue for 2024, which itself rose 15% year-over-year – and that’s just from EGBA members.

Meanwhile, the total number of online stakes was up 31% YoY, reaching 177.7bn (2023: 135.7bn), bringing in a value of €215.6bn, or 11% more YoY (2023: €194.4bn).

It is worth noting that the higher rates mentioned above can be attributed to EGBA’s expansion with the addition of Superbet Group and LeoVegas Group as members throughout 2024.

Spread across product GGR, casino games held the highest share of revenue generation among members at €7bn (51% of total GGR), followed by sports betting at €5.5bn (41%).

GGR from casino games were up 21% YoY, while sports betting revenue saw an increase of 15% compared to..

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Operators should ‘take note’ after Colossalbet handed £29k fine

Ryman Racing, trading as Colossalbet, has been hit with regulatory action after posting prohibited gambling advertisements to social media.

The Australian operator was fined AU$60,000 (£29,000) by a Magistrate at Downing Centre Local Court on 31 March. The court concluded that five of its posts across Facebook and Instagram pages failed to meet standards of ‘decency, dignity and good taste’.

Liquor & Gaming New South Wales (NSW) Acting Executive Director of Regulatory Operations, Bernadette Beard, said the decision highlights the consequences of breaching the state’s gambling advertising laws.

She stated: “This is the first time a wagering operator in NSW has been prosecuted and convicted for publishing ads which offend standards of decency, dignity and good taste.

“L&GNSW actively monitors gambling advertising across all platforms and will not hesitate to take enforcement action where necessary.”

A “serious penalty”

The ads in question were published by Ryman Racing’s sub-brand ..

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SPA to exclude Bolsa Familia from Brazil Bets regime

Nearly a third of Brazil’s adult population could be prevented from spending any money in the country’s newly launched gambling market, according to SBC Noticias – Brasil.

Concerns around social responsibility and financial vulnerability prompted Fux, a member of the Supreme Court of Brazil, to draft protective measures against people claiming certain state benefits from gambling.

This decision, made last November, was supported by the rest of the Supreme Court. Five months down the line, the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) of the Ministry of Finance is following through with regulatory measures.

“This is still in the final stages of alignment, mainly legal, but also technical, to see if it complies with the Supreme [Federal Court] decision,” said Regis Dudena, Secretary of Prizes and Bets at the Ministry of Finance, and ead of the SPA, in a recent interview with Brazilian media.

Regis Dudena: SPA
Nearly 60 million excluded from ‘Bets’
The measure specifically targets those w..

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EUROMAT warns of “concerning precedent” over sweeping Croatia changes

The European Gambling and Amusement Federation (EUROMAT) has lodged an objection to Croatia’s sweeping changes to gaming regulation, claiming lawmakers have incorrectly failed to notify the European Commission.

Among the measures outlined by Croatia’s parliament include new player protection rules, tightening rules on gambling venues and advertising, as well as increasing licensing fees and taxation.

EUROMAT argues that several of the proposed amendments qualify for EU Directive 2015/1535, or the Technical Regulation Information System (TRIS) procedures. A policy designed to prevent technical barriers to trade within the EU.

Under the directive, member states must notify the European Commission of any draft technical regulations that restrict market access or the provision of services. Failure to do so can result in the suspension of the law’s application and the initiation of infringement proceedings.

EUROMAT President Jason Frost urged the European Commission to intervene to avoi..

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Stake set for legal fight in California 

Online gambling operator, Stake is set to be hit with a lawsuit in California court.

Court documents revealed that Dennis Boyle is set to take action against the firm over allegations of the operation of an illegal gambling website in the US.

At the heart of the case is Stake’s social casino and sweepstakes offerings, with the plaintiff alleging that there is false marketing around free gaming from the firm, making the case that this is a violation of California civil code.

The complaint stated: “Because social casinos operate as if they are not subject to gambling regulations, they do not comply with the regulations that govern the operation of slot machines or other gambling.”

The plaintiff alleges that the gambling brand provides real-money, online wagering that is falsely marketed as free gaming. Stake’s alleged misconduct is considered a violation of California civil code as it provides unlawful online gambling and engages in unfair business practices.

Underpinning the cas..

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Bulgaria expands self-exclusion minimum period to one yea

Gamblers in Bulgaria will now have to self-exclude for a minimum period of one year following a shift in the country’s safer gambling framework.

The change, confirmed by the Bulgarian National Revenue Agency (NRA) to have been in place since 27 March, significantly extends the time period from the previous minimum of 30 days.

Players in the region suffering from gambling disorder can seek self-exclusion by either emailing the NRA with a written request or by going to an NRA office to physically submit this request into a kiosk.

In both instances, the request must include all personal information associated with the self-excluded customer, including an electronic signature. To cover one year, this signature could cost anywhere between £3 and £33, depending on the technology used. Players looking to self-exclude can pay more for a longer-lasting signature.

According to the NRA, there are currently 54,000 submitted self-exclusion requests. Operators found in breach of the self-excl..

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UK Levy must pinpoint a population approach to problem gambling

The UK government’s new strategy to enhance problem-gambling treatment and prevention will face a challenge in applying an effective population-led approach.

This morning, the Select Committee on Health and Social Care gathered feedback from UK experts on how gambling-related harms have evolved since the implementation of the Gambling Act of 2005.

Feedback is being taken on board as the government prepares to implement a Statutory Levy on problem gambling from 6 April, with funding administered by three bodies: the NHS, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Recognising significant changes, the expert panel noted that problem gambling treatment is at a point of inflection for all stakeholders involved, with the critical task of determining the right strategy to ensure effectiveness and improve outcomes.

Chaired by MP Layla Moran (Liberal Democrats), the committee seeks feedback to support the government’s “cultural shift in ..

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