SBC Summit: Providing the framework for leadership success

As the gambling and sports betting industry continues to evolve, with the emergence of innovative technologies, platforms and new burgeoning markets, the upcoming SBC Summit will provide 25,000 delegates with the latest leadership strategies to spur professional growth and global brand success.
The dedicated ‘Global Leadership’ conference track will take place across all three core days of the upcoming SBC Summit, held at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa from September 24-26.

Attendees can expect a variety of leadership-focused discussions addressing key issues such as the measured and effective use of artificial intelligence (AI), optimal marketing strategies for iGaming, the impact of the global economy on investment in the gaming industry, innovating traditional lotteries for the digital age, and more.

Underscoring the global reach of the event, the educational programme will also feature dedicated leadership panels focusing on key markets such as Africa, Asia, Brazil, Eurasia, ..

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KSA launches Duty of Care unit to ensure Dutch customers wellbeing

Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Netherlands Gambling Authority has established a Duty of Care Online department to enhance the supervision of online gambling operators’ with regards to up-keeping their customer safeguards and protections.

The establishment of a Duty of Care Department follows KSA investigation conducted last September into ten online gambling providers regarding their interpretation of duty of care rules. The investigation revealed significant differences between the operators and identified shortcomings on the rules of the Remote Gambling Act (KOA).

Since then, the authority has amended its Responsible Gaming policy, and the expansion of supervision of an online provider’s duty of care has followed suit with the creation of the new department.

The KSA stated that the duty of care expansion includes extensive file research on providers that stand out in the control data, as well as on the basis of signals received from players.

Additionally, the department will monit..

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Charity Commission closes case into GambleAware ‘without criticism’

The Charity Commission has closed its case into GambleAware “without criticism of, or findings against” the gambling support charity following complaints about its operations.

GambleAware CEO Zoë Osmond noted that the commission was “satisfied that the charity’s reliance on industry funding does not impact on decision-making about its activities” and that steps have been taken to ensure its independence from the gambling industry.

The Charity Commission told iNews in May that it had opened its case into GambleAware after receiving a complaint about the charity from The Good Law Project, an independent non-profit organisation.

The complaint, filed in March, accused GambleAware of a conflict of interest since it receives significant funding from the gambling sector. It also claimed the charity failed in its regulatory duties as chief commissioner of gambling harm research, education and treatment (RET) projects, services and organisations in the UK.

In addition, the complaint critici..

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Charity Commission closes GambleAware case with no criticism

GambleAware has informed the media that the Charity Commission has closed its case against the organisation and its trustees with no complaint summoned.

In March, a case was filed by The Good Law Project against GambleAware, citing that the charity had failed in its regulatory duties as chief commissioner of gambling harm research, education, and treatment (RET) projects, services, and organisations in the UK.

The Good Law Project, a public policy non-profit, criticised GambleAware for spreading false information on gambling-related harms and suicides and questioned the effectiveness of treatment services commissioned by the charity.

GambleAware refuted all allegations, with CEO Zoe Osmond commenting: “The Charity Commission has written to GambleAware to confirm the case has been closed without criticism or findings against the organisation.

The regulator has stated unequivocally that they are ‘assured that the trustees have taken appropriate steps to both ensure its [GambleAware’s..

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Pro bettor Billy Walters slams US sports betting industry

While many people would say the first few years of widespread legalized sports betting in the United States since the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) have been a near-universal success, famed professional bettor Billy Walters is not one of them.

Speaking to a room of lawmakers and regulators at last week’s National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) conference, Walters was highly critical of several aspects of the industry ranging from fairness to transparency to revenue to taxation.

Walters is arguably the most famous sports bettor in the country. Last year, his biography Gambler was a New York Times best seller.

Walters claims legalizing sports betting was done without experts

Like many other gamblers, Walters had high hopes for legalization, something he has longed for for some time.

“I wanted to see sports betting legalized. I want to see it regulated. I wanted to see the criminal element out of it. I wanted to see jobs creat..

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Kansspelautoriteit establishes Duty of Care Online department

The Dutch gaming authority, Kansspelautoriteit, has established a Duty of Care Online department to improve the supervision of online gambling operators’ duty of care.

The KSA noted that the creation of a Duty of Care Online department follows an investigation conducted last September into ten online gambling providers regarding their duty of care interpretation. The investigation revealed that there were “too many differences between providers” as well as shortcomings.

Since then, the authority has amended its Responsible Gaming policy, with the supervision expansion of an online provider’s duty of care now following suit with the creation of a new department.

The KSA stated that the duty of care expansion includes “extensive file research at providers that stand out in the control data, and on the basis of signals received from players”.

In addition, the department will monitor operators regarding the new duty of care and compliance policy rules. The new rules of the ministry wil..

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Kindred sees lowest harmful gambling revenue share since Journey to Zero launch

Kindred has taken a small step towards its Journey to Zero goal as the operator continues to strive for having a zero per cent revenue share from harmful gambling.

Revealing its Journey to Zero results for Q2 2024, Kindred confirmed that three per cent of its revenue share derived from high-risk players, a decrease of 6.25 per cent on the previous quarter (Q1 2024: 3.2 per cent).

This percentage also represents the lowest share of gross winnings revenue from high-risk players since Kindred began its Journey to Zero campaign in 2020.

Alexander Westrell, Director of Communications at Kindred Group, explained: “Our share of revenue from high-risk players has been stable over the past quarters, however we are pleased to see the long-term trend of a slow decline.

“We are working hard across the Group to ensure our customers enjoy our products in a safe and sustainable way, which includes educating customers, stakeholders and partners about safer gambling initiatives.”

Kindred’s lat..

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EGBA members concerned over illegal online gambling growth in Europe

The European Gaming and Betting Association has published its latest sustainability report, stating that 65 per cent of customers of EGBA members – a record 21 million – used safety tools in 2023.

However, a joint CEO letter within the report also raised concerns about the growth of the illegal online gambling market in Europe, with the CEOs mentioning that it “underscores the urgent need for national policymakers to take decisive action to protect their players”.

EGBA’s Sustainability Report 2024, the association’s fourth annual sustainability report, noted that over half of the 21 million customers used safer gambling tools voluntarily, which is a 14 per cent increase year-over-year.

The report – which “outlines the joint efforts and progress made by its members to promote a sustainable approach to gambling and contribute positively to society in Europe” – highlighted a record 67.6 million safer play messages sent by operators to customers, up 49 per cent YoY, of which 23 million ..

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Romania to take regional strategy to tackle problem gambling 

A new strategy is set to be implemented in Romania in a bid to tackle the threat of gambling addiction

In plans that were put forward on Friday July 19, President Klaus Iohannis promulgated a decree co-authored by Romania’s Ministry of Health and Ministry of Justice to launch eight ‘regional centres for the treatment of addictions’.

Key to the strategy is a localised approach for each region in focus, as the new strategy aims to address current ‘treatment inadequacies’ for drug, alcohol and gambling addictions within Romania, particularly for those under 25.

Minister of Justice, Alina Gorghiu, endorsed the project, citing that the current framework to combat addictions left Romanians exposed as treatment options were primarily offered by private clinics and NGOs.

Gorghiu stated: “I’m glad that the party I belong to, PNL, initiated this law because in Romania the state could not properly treat these big problems that are especially among the young generation.”

The Ministry of Just..

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Romania opts for regional strategy to combat addictions

Romania will implement a new strategy to tackle and minimise addiction harms across its administrative regions.

On Friday, President Klaus Iohannis promulgated a decree co-authored by Romania’s Ministry of Health and Ministry of Justice to launch eight ‘regional centres for the treatment of addictions’.

The project will see Romania adopt a new strategy to combat, minimise, and research addiction harms across its eight administrative regions.

The new strategy aims to address current ‘treatment inadequacies’ for drug, alcohol, and gambling addictions within Romania, particularly for those under 25.

Minister of Justice, Alina Gorghiu, endorsed the project, citing that the current framework to combat addictions left Romanians exposed as treatment options were primarily offered by private clinics and NGOs.

Gorghiu stated: “I’m glad that the party I belong to, PNL, initiated this law because in Romania the state could not properly treat these big problems that are especially among the y..

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