Stakelogic handed six-figure GC settlement for slot speed violation

New Spanish betting deposit limits approved as gov’t keeps up pace of changes

Predictions, finance and a brewing storm of problem gambling

Dutch regulator slams Unibet for customer due diligence violation

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Unibet has been criticised in the Netherlands for violating the country’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act (Wwft).

Optdeck Service Limited, which operates the FDJ United brand in the market, has been issued an AML/CFT directive from the Dutch gaming authority Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) after an investigation found that customer due diligence was ‘not being performed well enough’.

The KSA noted that transaction monitoring and control measures don’t align well with Unibet’s policy in practice and that it must adjust its policy to make the monitoring of players and their transactions more effective.

In particular, the regulator highlighted that policy adjustments are needed regarding financial thresholds.

With the directive, Unibet has been told by the KSA that it must cease the various violations. However, the regulator spotlighted that the operator had ‘a cooperative attitude and proactively worked on a remediation plan’, with some violations stopped during th..

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Portugal unveils new look self-exclusion platform

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Portugal’s gaming regulator is aiming to simplify the self-exclusion process as it embarks on a system overhaul and a new user experience.

Launched by the Gaming Regulation and Inspection Service (SRIJ) yesterday (8 April), players and non-players will be able to use the platform to self-exclude from all licensed online gaming operators in Portugal.

According to the regulator, the new system features a ‘simpler and more intuitive interface’ to allow for quicker and more efficient self-exclusion requests, and has also been optimised for mobile devices.

SRIJ stated: “With this new platform, SRIJ reinforces the quality of its digital services and the effectiveness of the gambling control mechanisms available to players.”

Players can self-exclude for a specific period of time, with a minimum period of three months or indefinitely.

Portugal’s gaming market has grown to 17 licensed operators since the regulation began in 2015. In Q4 2025, the market generated €337.6m, growth of 4.5% co..

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OHID commits £12m funding for local councils to reduce gambling harms  

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The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has disclosed the funding allocation it will distribute to local councils across England to support efforts to reduce gambling-related harms.

Booked on 2026–2027 accounts, OHID plans to distribute £12m in dedicated funding to upper-tier local councils in England. Councils have also been informed that OHID has reserved an additional £12m in funding which will be allocated for the 2027–2028 period.

Funding for local councils to reduce gambling harms is fully guaranteed by the New Statutory Levy on gambling licences. Since April 2025, OHID has taken its guardianship, overseeing the prevention and treatment of problem gambling across England.

The direct funding of councils via the statutory levy system underscores a shift to a centralised system led by the NHS, moving away from the previous voluntary framework under GambleAware.

In support of the new system, local councils must complete two mandatory requirements to secure the al..

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EDGE Boost and Choctaw Casinos offer cashless funding option

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EDGE Boost and Choctaw Casinos & Resorts are collaborating to deliver a new funding option that promotes responsible and safe financial transactions for players.

Choctaw Casinos & Resorts and responsible gaming-focused solution EDGE Boost have expanded their existing partnership to offer a new cashless funding option for brick-and-mortar wagering. The expanded deal allows EDGE Boost account holders to withdraw cash directly at Choctaw Casinos & Resorts, dissolving a need for customers to carry large amounts of money when visiting Choctaw Casinos & Resorts’ portfolio of properties.

EDGE Boost, powered by EDGE Markets, allows its Visa debit card owners to withdraw cash directly at betting cages and kiosks at Choctaw Casinos & Resorts properties. As part of the pact, EDGE Boost cardholders can withdraw up to $1m per day at the retail casinos.

“Our focus is on making the guest experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible,” said Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Senior Director of Cage, Credi..

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Gambling satisfaction may offer a simple new signal of problem betting, study finds

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Researchers say a single-question measure of “gambling satisfaction” could help identify harmful gambling behaviour – without the stigma or complexity of traditional screening tools. The big picture: Gambling harms are already known to erode wellbeing across finances, relationships and mental health. But this study introduces a new lens: how satisfied people feel about their gambling…

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How to bed AI into CRM for a more effective responsible gaming strategy

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The iGaming industry is approaching a pivotal operational shift, as the convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Responsible Gaming (RG) moves beyond compliance into the core of long-term customer retention strategy. Industry stakeholders are increasingly warning that treating player protection as a regulator-driven obligation rather than a customer relationship function risks alienating players, weakening trust,…

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OHID reveals first recipients of £25m gambling harm prevention grants

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The OHID has published its first list of grants under the new statutory levy system, providing a clear contrast from the funding allocation of third parties previously led by GambleAware.

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has revealed the full list of the gambling harm prevention organisations awarded funding from the new statutory levy system.

Notable names on the list include Gamcare, Gambling Harm UK, BetBlocker, and YGAM, along with a number of other national and local organisations including charities, independent bodies, trusts, and others.

OHID is one of the three key levy funding decision makers under the new system, tasked with overseeing the direction of prevention funds – around 30% of the overall levy, or £25,441,281 in total.

The remaining 70% of statutory levy funds are divided between NHS England and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). NHS England oversees the 50% allocated to treatment and UKRI oversees the 20% allocated for research.

This is ..

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Labor breaks AUS gambling-ads deadlock for big reset in 2027

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This morning, PM Anthony Albanese declared that Australia will implement “strong and decisive actions” to curb gambling advertising and protect young and vulnerable audiences.

A matter that has dogged Albanese tenure as PM since 2023, is resolved as the Labor government has committed to back five measures aimed at a ‘drastic reduction of exposure’ of gambling ads to the Australian public.

Beginning 1 January 2027, the government will restrict “gambling advertising on broadcast television to no more than three ads per hour between 6am and 8.30pm, alongside a full ban on such advertising during live sports broadcasts within those hours.”

The headline reform directly targets what gambling reformists describe as the “normalisation loop” between sport and betting — an issue that has driven a nationwide campaign calling for federal intervention.

Labor’s reset is built around five core restrictions that redefine how, where and to whom gambling marketing can be shown:

Broadcast TV limits:..

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Comment: New Steven Gerrard gambling deal raises black market questions

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Another day, another dollar for a well-known UK footballer who signs to promote a betting company that’s definitely not supposed to target UK consumers.

With Michael Owen having a Punt Casino partnership on his record, and Teddy Sheringham doing the same with 8xBet, this time around the star of the show is Steven Gerrad – a prominent figure in Liverpool FC’s history.

Gerrard, who lifted the 2004 Champions League trophy with Liverpool, was just announced as the latest brand ambassador of a gambling operator that close to no one in the UK would have heard of, We88.

Not to be confused with W88, the sponsor of Sunderland FC, which is another cog in what has become a major trend of Asia-facing brands not licensed in the UK prominently sponsoring UK-related football clubs and footballers.

Just like W88, We88 is not licensed by the Gambling Commission. Instead, it holds an Anjouan license and is owned by MockingBird Technologies Pte. Ltd. As such, the brand is most definitely made to cate..

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Swedish research highlights positive impact of technology and regulation as problem gambling drops to 1.3%

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Stakeholders of the Swedish gambling industry are being urged to align on more evidence-led approaches to problem gambling, as new analysis highlights the complexity of risk profiles shaping player behaviour. Coordination across regulators, operators and public health bodies is seen as critical to defending Sweden’s stable problem gambling rates against emerging and existing liabilities.

The findings draw on a report commissioned by BOS, Sweden’s Online Gambling Trade Association, led by economist Ola Nevander of Makrologik.

Covering 25 years of data, Nevander’s research titled “The Development of Problem Gambling in Sweden” provides a long-term view of the development of problem gambling in Sweden, while challenging assumptions about the impact of market expansion, regulatory change and rising accessibility on addiction rates.

On prevalence, the report finds that problem gambling in Sweden has declined and stabilised over the past two decades, despite the liberalisation of the mar..

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