Hard Rock Digital to aid IBIA in strengthening US sports integrity

The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) has welcomed Hard Rock Digital as its latest integrity partner focused on the US market.

Hard Rock Digital’s online sports betting platform (Hard Rock Bet) will now take an active role in contributing to IBIA’s betting integrity network with data feeds that will monitor for and flag potential sports betting threats.

Matt Primeaux, President and Executive Managing Director of Hard Rock Digital, commented: “Hard Rock Digital is committed to protecting the integrity of sports and ensuring a responsible gambling environment for our players.

“We’re proud to join the International Betting Integrity Association and support its mission by helping to detect suspicious activity and ensure fair play on a global scale.”

Through its IBIA partnership, Hard Rock Digital joins a network of more than 70 companies and 140 sports betting brands that are responsible for monitoring every penny out of their combined $300bn annual turnover.

Just..

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KSA takes aim at banned autoplay features

An unnamed operator offering autoplay has been approached by the Dutch gambling authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA).
The operator has been asked to take down the offering with immediate effect, as the feature is currently not allowed under the Netherlands’ gambling framework.

Automatic play enables customers to continue wagering after each placed bet without the need to manually bet again. The KSA highlighted that since the authority views this as a potential precursor of gambling harm, it therefore has forbidden it.

The operator in question was contacted after the KSA received a tip reporting that a punter was able to automatically continue playing an online roulette table after scoring a win, and was not removed from the table.

Since the KSA was notified, it has ordered the operator to take down the autoplay function immediately and review its offering before continuing servicing customers.
In addition, the regulator has also contacted all licensed gambling providers reminding t..

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GRAI begins duties as Gambling Authority of Ireland

The Republic of Ireland has commenced the mandate for the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) to become operational as of 5 March.

The formation of the GRAI is a statute of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, as sanctioned by the Houses of the Oireachtas in October 2024.

The Gambling Regulation Act will overhaul the Republic’s gambling laws, which to date have been governed by the near-century-old Betting Act of 1931.

Its mandate calls for the establishment of the GRAI as a dedicated gambling authority supervising the laws, standards, and protections of gambling in Ireland.

During the passage of the Gambling Regulation Bill (GRB), the government announced the appointment of Anne Marie Caulfield as the designated CEO of the GRAI.

Justice sign-off on GRAI board elections
An update issued by the Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, confirmed the appointment of seven board members to oversee the GRAI’s regulatory supervision of gambling.

The board of the GRAI will be led ..

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GambleAware elects ‘equality expert’ Andy Boucher as Chair of Trustees

GambleAware has elected Andy Boucher to serve as Chair of Trustees of the UK’s biggest independent charity preventing and researching gambling harms.

Boucher has served as a trustee of GambleAware since 2023, advising the charity on how to expand its network of stakeholders across local communities, businesses, and government ranks.

The appointment comes following incumbent Professor Sian Griffiths (CBE) announcing her retirement and stepping down from her role as Chair on 1 April 2025 when a new Statutory Levy on Gambling Harms Research Education and Treatment is applied to the UK.

Taking on the role of Chair of Trustees, Boucher is recognised as one of Britain’s leading experts in advocating policy changes to tackle social inequalities in the UK, where gambling harms are viewed as a problematic social issue.

GambleAware highlighted the broad experience of Boucher, who has served in diverse roles such as Chair of Sir George Monoux Sixth Form College, London Place Director for Busi..

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Romania faces call to apply 10% gambling expense cap

Ministers in Romania have been urged to back new regulations that will impose a limit on gambling expenditure to 10% of a player’s monthly income.

The proposal headlines a package of draft measures proposed by the Save Romania Union (USR), which deems that “new accountability is needed to govern gambling” due to the damaging fallout of the National Office for Gambling of Romania (ONJN).

USR will submit a bill to Parliament, demanding new oversight of gambling licences, to be monitored by the National Bank and the Tax Authority (ANAF).

The new regulations propose capping gambling expenditure for both online and retail accounts at 10% of a customer’s monthly income. It remains unknown whether USR seeks to impose this restriction as a permanent or temporary measure, as ONJN is facing a parliamentary investigation due to “severe regulatory negligence.”

This protection will require Romanian licence holders to report real-time customer spending data to ANAF for retail expenditures and to..

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Florida bills would toughen up illegal gambling definitions

Ahead of the start of Florida’s legislative session, a pair of bills are looking to enforce stricter punishments for illegal gambling in the Sunshine State and, in doing so, reiterate the Seminole Tribe’s exclusive position.

Rep. Webster Barnaby’s House Bill 953 and Sen. Corey Simon’s Senate Bill 1404 would make it a third-degree felony for anyone other than the Seminole Tribe to operate an online casino or online sportsbook in Florida. In Florida, that level of crime is punishable by up to five years in prison.

Anyone found guilty of using an online casino or online sportsbook not owned by the tribe would be charged with a first or second-degree misdemeanor.

The Seminole Tribe holds online gambling exclusivity in the state and has operated online sports betting via Hard Rock Bet since December 2023. It has successfully defended in court its right to offer the sole online sports betting platforms via a compact with the state.

Ostensibly, the new pair of bills would seem to reiterat..

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BetMGM expands responsible gambling referrals nationwide

MGM Resorts International and BetMGM have expanded their responsible gambling initiatives with an emphasis on providing critical resources, advancing research efforts, and strengthening supports for problem gamblers.

BetMGM is expanding its Kindbridge Behavioural Health referral program across the U.S. with the aim of ensuring players in all of the brand’s markets have direct access to mental health services. It already offered that resource in states including Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

To coincide with Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM), MGM Resorts is donating $180,000 to the Kindbridge Research Institute to support studies on the impacts of sports betting on consumers, as well as to help develop responsible gaming strategies.

“Responsible gaming is a focal point of our operations, and we will continue to invest in programs that promote player protection and well-being,” said BetMGM’s Chief Compliance Officer Rhea Loney..

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Fresno State athletes reportedly entered own DFS contests

Two men’s college basketball players who are under investigation by the NCAA for alleged gambling violations reportedly played in daily fantasy contests involving the team.

According to an ESPN report, former Fresno State basketball player Mykell Robinson allegedly played in DFS contests based on his own performance for several games. Robinson, who was dismissed from the basketball program amid the probe, reportedly entered DFS contests that included his “under” markets for points and rebounds.

Fresno State’s Jalen Weaver is also being investigated for playing in DFS contests.

Weaver admitted to ESPN that he participated in a DFS contest in December 2024 for total points scored in a game against New Mexico. The Colorado native wagered $50 for him to score over 11 points on fantasy app Sleeper. Weaver scored 13 points in the contest.

“I just made a bad decision, and I shouldn’t even have gotten involved with that. Now, I’m obviously paying for it,” Weaver told ESPN. “I bet on a game..

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BetBlocker establishes US division to expand market presence

BetBlocker is bringing its free-to-use responsible gambling tool to new U.S. markets.

The European responsible gaming organization has announced the establishment of a U.S. division allowing it to offer its anonymous gambling blocking software to new players.

BetBlocker, a UK-registered charity, will allow U.S bettors to manage their gambling habits responsibly at no charge with services offered both in English and Spanish. It is currently working to provide its services in Chinese adding to its total of 17 available languages.

“BetBlocker’s pioneering free support has been minimizing harm for tens of thousands of people all over the world for close to a decade now,” said founder Duncan Garvie. “By establishing the U.S. arm of the charity, it is our hope that we can raise the profile of the service in North America and support tens of thousands more people in the coming years.”

BetBlocker has solidified a footprint its America as a registered non-profit in Delaware. It also secure..

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NCPG offers new theme for Problem Gambling Awareness Month

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) is making a concerted effort to promote Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM).

March 1 marks the beginning of PGAM providing the NCPG with the opportunity to further reduce the stigma of problem gambling while providing access to a slew of resources.

“PGAM is intentionally aligned with the NCAA basketball tournament, a time when gambling is a frequent topic of conversation,” said the NCPG. “March is a prime opportunity for organizations to promote a better understanding of what is and isn’t true about problem gambling. As millions of people engage with the tournament, it offers a unique moment to raise awareness about the risks of gambling, educate the public, and challenge common misconceptions.”

This year, the NCPG is providing a new theme for its annual observance of PGAM. The theme, “Seeking Understanding,” aims to build a public understanding of problem gambling as a mental health condition by overcoming misconceptions to gain i..

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