The UK gambling industry has been in the midst of a period of transformation, as it awaits what’s next for the implementation of the white paper following governmental changes in the country.

Speaking to SBCNews, Chief Commercial Officer of Sky Betting & Gaming Steve Birch underlined that they share the government’s ambitions to reduce gambling harm.

The journey for improved customer care is one that Sky Bet has been on for a significant amount of time, as Birch revealed they have adjusted marketing campaigns and sought to ensure they are placing focus on the most impactful areas.

He stated: “It is definitely a good thing that, as a sector, we are looking to raise standards, which can only mean a more sustainable future. There is no doubt there are things that happened in the past that, as a sector, we cannot be proud of.

“However, we need to ensure that the debate around igaming is balanced. Sports betting and slots/casino games are responsibly enjoyed by millions in the UK and ..

Betting and Gaming Council CEO Grainne Hurst has stated that she will focus on delivering “stability, growth and diversity” across the UK gambling industry as white paper proposals are implemented.

Hurst’s comments come as she officially becomes the new CEO of the BGC after being confirmed for the role in April, joining the organisation from Entain where she had been Group Corporate Affairs Director since March 2018.

Her appointment was also part of a wider restructuring of the BGC’s senior leadership, with former CEO Michael Dugher becoming Chair after Brigid Simmonds stepped down from the position in April.

Making her first comments as BGC CEO, Hurst committed to delivering the white paper to help bring stability, growth and diversity to the UK gambling sector.

“I’m absolutely delighted to get started as CEO of the Betting and Gaming Council, the industry champion for so many iconic brands, at home in the UK and around the world,” Hurst said.

“This is a crucial time for the BGC’..

Bally’s has partnered with EPIC Global Solutions to promote responsible gaming practices and raise awareness of gaming’s potential impacts.

The three-year partnership will see EPIC’s lived experience team educate Bally’s partners across the UK and the US as part of their “shared commitment to creating safer and more enjoyable gaming environments”.

The two organisations aim to “set new standards for responsible gaming and create a safer and more enjoyable gaming environment for all”.

Robeson Reeves, CEO of Bally’s Corporation, commented: “Bally’s and EPIC Global Solutions are committed to setting new standards for responsible gaming with a three-year commitment.

“Together, we are creating safer and more enjoyable gaming environments through educating multiple partners in the gaming ecosystem, harnessing the power of EPIC’s lived experience approach in both the UK and US.”

Through the partnership, Bally’s and EPIC aim to emphasise the importance of responsible gaming to “minimise th..

The Star Entertainment Group has stated that it is reviewing its financial and liquidity position after the publication of its preliminary financial report for the 2024 financial year was delayed.

The update follows the casino operator’s request for a trading halt on the Australian Stock Exchange last week, as an independent inquiry into the operator by Adam Bell SC highlighted continuing regulatory shortcomings.

Appointed by the New South Wales Independent Casino Commission, Bell conducted an initial investigation into the Australian casino operator in 2022, deeming the operator unsuitable to hold a casino licence due to serious regulatory failures.

Following these findings, the NICC tasked Bell with another inquiry into The Star, which was published on 30 August 2024.

According to a NICC statement, the second Bell report “validated the concerns that prompted the second inquiry”. The Star then postponed the release of its FY2024 results and requested a trading halt from the ASX.
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GAMSTOP has announced that more than 500,000 people have registered for its self-exclusion service since its inception in 2018 and that the age of those registering is falling.

The UK’s self-exclusion service allows consumers to exclude themselves from gambling sites licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, for a period of six months up to five years.

According to GAMSTOP, over 440,000 people are currently excluded, with approximately one in two opting for the longest time frame possible. April 2024 had the highest volume of monthly registrations since the service’s launch with 8,686 new registered users.

GAMSTOP noted that it uses insights from the UKGC’s most recent research to inform its outreach strategy.

Fiona Palmer, CEO of GAMSTOP, commented: “We have come a very long way since our launch in April 2018 and GAMSTOP is now widely recognised as an important tool to help vulnerable consumers take a break from their gambling.

“We are proud to have been able to help hundreds of t..

UK broadcasting regulator Ofcom has highlighted a positive change in Twitch’s accuracy for labelling mature content after evaluating the streaming platform’s classification guidelines.

In June 2023, Twitch updated its content classification guidelines after the platform witnessed an increasing amount of content targeted to mature audiences, including gambling streams.

The platform applied new rules to the ways in which content is labelled, requiring streamers to apply content classification labels to indicate that the streaming content they are broadcasting contains certain mature themes.

Streamers were given six mature labels to apply to their streams: mature-rated games; sexual themes; drugs, intoxication or excessive tobacco use; violent and graphic depictions; significant profanity or vulgarity; and gambling.

As the UK’s regulator for video-sharing platforms and online safety, Ofcom published an evaluation of Twitch’s rule changes earlier this month.

The 66-page report co..