The good, the bad and the ugly of the media outcry over US research paper A San Diego university research paper, which concluded that Google searches for ‘gambling’ and terms such as ‘addiction’ and ‘helpline’ have increased 23% since PASPA, has been garnering a lot of attention Stateside. The study also noted an increase in…
In this episode of iGaming Daily, supported by Optimove, Viktor Kayed, Senior Journalist for SBC News, is joined by Ted Menmuir, SBC’s Content Director, and Danny Lee, Senior Journalist for Slotbeats, to delve into the latest news from across the gaming industry. The trio begin in the Netherlands where the government will embark on a…
In this episode of iGaming Daily, supported by Optimove, Fernando Noodt is joined by Lucia Gando and Ricardo Assis, Editors of SBC Noticias and SBC Noticias Brasil respectively, to discuss the significance of International Responsible Gambling Day. The trio discusses the various initiatives and challenges of implementing responsible gambling in Latin America and delve into…
A new study by University of California San Diego researchers reveals an increase in internet searches for ‘gambling addiction’ and terms such as ‘helpline’ since the repeal of PASPA by the US Supreme Court in 2018. The study counted Google searches per 10 million queries that mentioned ‘gambling’ and ‘addiction’, ‘addict’, ‘anonymous’, or ‘hotline’ (for…
UK banks Barclays, First Direct, HSBC UK, Monzo, Starling and Virgin Money join Nationwide in committing to the Money & Mental Health Policy Institute’s Gambling Harms Action Lab. The Lab is an 18-month project that aims to explore new ways for financial institutions to protect their customers from gambling-related harm. “Banks and other financial firms…
A major update to the regulatory framework for Thailand’s casino bill could see the exclusion of the vast majority of Thai nationals from integrated resorts.
Reported by the Bangkok Post, the changes have come as a significant surprise and will have a major impact on the landscape of Thailand’s gambling sector.
One of the key developments is the entry fee that is set to be applied to Thai citizens, charging them US$150 for access to the integrated resorts.
Furthermore, Thai residents would also have to have at least US$1.5m in fixed deposits in order to play at Thailand’s casino venues.
It’ll inevitably lead to venues becoming tourist destinations rather than venues for Thai citizens.
The landmark shift in the bill comes off the back of a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Thai Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who took the surprising step to intervene and enquire about the bill being put forward in Thailand.
Shinawatra revealed that Jinping issued stark..
The Ministry of Finance in Rwanda has moved to significantly raise taxes on the country’s gambling sector.
Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Yusuf Murangwa revealed during a press conference that GGR tax would be elevated from 13% to 40%.
Furthermore, adding the woes of regulated operators in the country, withholding tax on winnings will grow from 15% to 25%.
A statement from the country’s Minister of Finance and Economic planning said: “As we continue to build a robust economy and transform the livelihoods of all citizens, the reform of the gambling tax regime is a pivotal part of our medium-term strategy.
“These measures not only strengthen our resilience, but also promote self reliance, allowing us to meet our development goals effectively.
“In these challenging times, we recognise the importance of collaboration with our taxpayers. Our commitment to a prosperous future for all Rwandans remains steadfast, and we will work diligently to ensure that these reforms bene..
The Netherlands will embark on a “fundamental change of course in gambling policy”, with a new gambling bill set to be proposed to the House of Representatives (Kamer) by the end of 2025.
The announcement was made by the State Secretary for Legal Protection, Teun Struycken, in response to the “worrying results” of the evaluation of the Remote Gambling Act (KOA), undertaken by the Kamer’s policy agencies in 2023 and 2024.
In a statement submitted by Struycken to the government on 14 February, he declared: “The most important principle in the new vision is the protection of all citizens against the risks of negative effects of gambling, such as addiction or debt.
“Special attention must be paid to minors and young adults. The reason for this change of course is that the current gambling policy does not yet sufficiently protect people against the risks of gambling.”
Responding to the KOA evaluations, the Kamer detailed that the current regime was grounded in policies set in 2011, whic..
Spillemyndigheden, Denmark’s Gambling Authority, has published its market statistics for Danish gambling in 2024.
The report covers the key segments of gross gaming revenues (GGR) for online casinos, sports betting, gaming machines, and land-based casinos. Lottery wagering is kept separate from gambling segments reported by Spillemyndigheden.
The Danish market’s gross gambling revenues totalled DKK 7.27 billion for the 12 months ending 31 December 2024, exceeding the DKK 6.80 billion recorded in the previous year.
2024 is deemed a ‘record year’ for online casinos in Denmark, as the segment generated a GGR of DKK 3,529m (€475m), up 14.5% on 2023 results of DKK 3,077m (€415m).
The report highlights a record December for online casinos, which generated a GGR contribution of DKK 347m (€47m). A breakdown of online casino activity in 2024 highlights the popularity of online slots over other games, generating 77% of GGR, approximately DKK 2,717m (€365m).
The sports betting segment (land-..
Gambling was recorded in 23 Irish coroners’ files, representing 0.6% of all suicides during the six-year period. Males were overrepresented and less than half were in employment at the time of death. Distal risk factors included co-occurring mental health conditions (notably mood disorders), a history of drug and alcohol dependency, past suicide intent and/or behaviour,…