UK Gambling Harms Research Centre to assess efficacy of regulations 

Gambling Commission admits faults but backs credibility of Young People and Gambling Survey

France adds new obligations to sign off gambling ad campaigns 

Study in AMA journal warns online betting has more gamblers seeking help

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A new study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) concluded there has been a steady rise in people seeking help for sports betting and gambling addiction.

The study analyzed Google searches per 10 million queries that mentioned gambling and addiction and other related terms made from Jan. 1, 2016, through June 30, 2024.

The report, led by researchers from the University of California San Diego and published Feb. 17, found that since the repeal of PASPA in 2018 and the legal sports betting market growing from only Nevada to encompass 38 states by 2024, online searches for help with gambling addiction have increased 23% across the U.S.

The study found there were approximately 6.5 to 7.3 million such searches, with a peak of 180,000 monthly searches.

Online sportsbooks much greater concern than retail, say authors

Breaking it down state-by-state, the data showed that Ohio (67%), Pennsylvania (50%), Massachusetts (47%), Michigan (37%), New York (37%), Il..

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Lawmakers in Iowa file bill to criminalize proxy betting

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Lawmakers in Iowa are introducing a measure aimed at cracking down on sportsbook account sharing and proxy wagering across the state.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety has proposed Senate Study Bill 1097 as a measure aimed at protecting the public from deceptive practices by considering account sharing and proxy betting as illegal gaming. SSB 1097 proposes an amendment to Iowa’s gambling games and sports wagering rules to include definitions of account sharing and proxy betting. Patrons who have violated state rules by meeting the standards of account sharing and proxy betting are in violation of Iowa law and are subject to criminal penalties.

SSB 1097 aims to provide law enforcement with the proper authority to penalize account sharing and proxy betting by providing a clear definition. Iowa’s current gaming rules do not include any mention of account sharing or proxy wagering providing no pathway for law enforcement to charge patrons who have violated the state’s existing rules o..

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Report: Fresno State basketball players allegedly bet on team

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Another college basketball program is embroiled in controversy related to sports betting.

According to an ESPN report, the Fresno State men’s basketball program is under investigation by the NCAA and university over alleged illicit betting activity. The investigation has led to the indefinite suspension of two Fresno State players, Jalen Weaver and Zaon Collins. The two athletes are “being withheld from competition as the University reviews an eligibility matter,” according to a statement from Fresno State.

The school and NCAA are also investigating Mykell Robinson, who is no longer a member of the basketball program after transferring from North Texas and two junior colleges.

According to ABC30 Action News, Robinson and Weaver allegedly wagered against the performance of Fresno State’s men’s basketball program for points and rebounds.

As a result of Weaver’s alleged wagering on his own team, the senior from Colorado is expected to be dismissed from the team but remains on the team..

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BetNow the latest offshore operator told to pack up in Michigan

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The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has issued a cease-and-desist order to BetNow.eu, which offers sports betting, horse racing wagering and online casino games.

A notice on the BetNow.eu website notes that it is licensed and regulated by The Autonomous Island of Anjoun Union of the Comoros. It is not approved as a gaming operator by the MGCB.

The board wrote in a notice that BetNow is breaking state laws including the Lawful Internet Gaming Act,the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act and the Michigan Penal Code. The MGCB also noted that while BetNow offers a wide range of payment options for players to deposit funds, they only become eligible to withdraw funds after wagering their entire initial deposit.

The company has 14 days to go offline in the state before potentially facing further legal action.

“This unlicensed operator not only violates Michigan law but also exposes consumers to significant risks,” said MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams. “Our job is to protec..

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Mississippi bill would raise casino tax to offset illegal sports betting

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A bill in Mississippi that would increase taxes on land-based casinos in an attempt to help offset lost revenues from illegal sports betting is making progress in the House.

HB 1881, the Integrity in Gaming in Support of Honest Taxpayers Act, would impose an additional 4% tax on gross casino revenue. That would take the casino tax ceiling in the state from 12% to 16%. Currently, 8% of casino revenues go to the state and 4% to local schools and government.

Rep. Trey Lamar’s bill asserts that the State of Mississippi is losing approximately $50 million dollars annually due to illegal gambling. The purpose of his legislation is to generate revenue that will be used to replace that lost revenue.

The bill originated in the House Ways and Means Committee, which Lamar chairs, and was approved on Tuesday. It will subsequently be read and debated in the full chamber.

The act would be effective July 1 of this year.

Local media including The Clarion-Ledger reports that Lamar said at the comm..

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Spelinspektionen audit latest step in Swedish gambling reshape

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The government of Sweden has agreed that there have been periods where the Spelinspektionen has not conducted sufficient market supervision, highlighted in a new national audit.

In its 105-page report, Sweden’s National Audit Office raised key points about the gambling regulator’s recent supervisory work, highlighting potential areas of improvement in the cooperation between the government and the authority.

The audit, which was commissioned in late 2024, reached the conclusion that the control of the Swedish gambling market has not fully met the expectations set out by the Riksdag (Parliament) and the government in the 2019 re-regulation of the market.

One of the report’s key takeaways is that Spelinspektionen has failed to carry out a sufficient number of inspections, individual checks of operators were not based on well-founded risk analysis, and there hasn’t been enough follow-ups to determine whether deficiencies have been resolved.

In this context, the Audit Office has rec..

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KSA says Dutch match-fixing on the rise in 2024

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The Dutch gambling regulator, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has revealed that match-fixing incidents have more than doubled YoY in 2024.

In its latest match-fixing trends report, the authority highlighted that while 2023 was a noticeably calm year in regards to sports manipulation – with only 6 incidents on record – this number rose to 13 in 2024.

While it may not seem like a significant number, the cases are worrying in nature because they’ve all occurred on the platforms of licensed sports betting providers.

In its report, the KSA reminded that while it is not legally obliged to actively detect match-fixing, it ensures that licensed gambling operators have all necessary measures in place to prevent such cases.

One of these measures includes consistent communication with the Sports Betting Intelligence Unit (SBIU) – a branch created within the system of the KSA whose job is to investigate reports of potential sports manipulation risks that have been forwarded by the licensees.

It..

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Murder suspicion leads to license refusal by The Hague and KSA

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The Hague Court has sided with Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Dutch gambling authority, in a lawsuit filed by a Malta-based operator after it was refused a license.

In 2023, the unnamed Maltese online gambling provider tried to obtain a certification which would’ve allowed it to target consumers in the Dutch market, only to be turned down by the regulator.

The reason behind the refusal was that the operator in question failed to pass the KSA integrity test required for the evaluation of each application’s viability to enter the Netherlands.

Details from the test procedure into the operator revealed that the KSA requested crucial information about the involvement with the company of a former shareholder.

After reviewing the provided documentation, the regulator concluded that the information in the company’s statements was either incorrect or incomplete, prompting the licence refusal.

The information was in connection to the shareholder’s suspected involvement in the murder of an..

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GamCare hires healthcare delivery expert Victoria Corbishley as new CEO

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GamCare has welcomed the appointment of Victoria Corbishley as Chief Executive of the UK’s frontline provider of treatment support services for gambling harms. An expert in the management of public health services, responsibilities, and the delivery of treatment and care, Corbishley is a former Senior Director of the British Red Cross, where she led the charity’s health and care…

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