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New Jersey Governor set to launch Responsible Gaming Task Force  

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Governor Phil Murphy has signed for the establishment of a Responsible Gaming Task Force in New Jersey.

As a result of Executive Order No. 360, the task force will provide advice and recommendations to the Governor’s Office and to the Attorney General when it comes to addressing safer gambling concerns in New Jersey.
It comes amidst a rise in problem gambling that has been observed over the past few years, according to a 2023 report from the Rutgers University Center for Gambling Studies.

Governor Murphy said: “New Jersey is known to be a gaming destination with historic locations like Atlantic City, amusement gaming at the Jersey Shore, notable horse racing venues and more.This Task Force will see to it that we maintain our global leadership in gaming by ensuring that we have the tools needed to address problem gaming for our residents.”

The Responsible Gaming Task Force will review several areas of the problem gambling landscape, including the effects on underage and vulnerable ..

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idPair announces rollout of universal self-exclusion tool in four states

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For years responsible gambling advocates in the gambling space have said a multi-jurisdictional self-exclusion program is something to aspire towards.

Today, the National Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program (NVSEP) took the first step towards making that aspiration a reality. Technology company idPair announced Tuesday that free self-exclusion assistance is coming to a quartet of states: Tennessee, Michigan, Iowa and Colorado.

“For the first time ever, individuals seeking a wider level of protection can self-exclude from multiple states in a streamlined fashion. While today we announce our ability to provide free assistance with self-exclusion in each of these 4 states, more jurisdictions are on the way, as we accelerate toward our goal of removing barriers for people seeking protection across all gambling jurisdictions and products,” said idPair CEO Jonathan Aiwazian.

Each state offers its own process for self-excluding from gambling and that process can often involve several barriers..

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Colombia enhances safer gambling protections 

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Colombia’s National Council of Games of Luck and Chance (Coljuegos) and the country’s National Superintendence of Health have announced a new agreement to strengthen protections from gambling harm.

Key to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is the “strengthening of surveillance of the operation of the territorial games”.

Furthermore, the link will also form an improved collaboration for the exchange of information and technical knowledge, tools for the surveillance and control of the lottery, as well as tighter control for providers of Raspa&Listo games.

As reported by SBC Noticias, Luis Carlos Leal, Superintendent of Health, commented: “After multiple days of work, today we signed an agreement to fight corruption and improve the collection to protect the fundamental resource to the health of Colombians. It is important to articulate efforts in the National Government to move towards health protection in the country.”

SBC Noticias further highlighted that Coljuegos has contribu..

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Spelinspektionen toughens sweep against skin websites

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Spelinspektionen, Sweden’s Gambling Inspectorate, has banned four businesses for targeting Swedish consumers with illegal ‘skin’ gambling platforms.

The inspectorate published a notice naming the businesses of Gamevio Ltd, Bigskin Trading Limited, Santeda International BV, and the website Samilland.co as infringing on Swedish gambling laws by providing ‘games without a necessary license’.

The Inspectorate detailed that both Gamevio Ltd and Bigskin Trading had promoted unlicensed games in the form of skins to Swedish consumers.

Skin gambling websites allow customers to purchase virtual goods and currencies, which can be used to gamble on their platforms.

Popular with younger gaming audiences, skin websites have caused problems for regulatory authorities in Europe, determining whether gameplay and interactions can be classified as gambling.

Spelinspektionen determines that “Skins are collectibles in many popular computer games that can often be redeemed for money outside of the comp..

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Stake encourages responsible gambling with BetBlocker

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Stake has announced a partnership with BetBlocker, a non-profit provider of free and anonymous software to help individuals manage and control their gambling activity.

The collaboration hopes to minimise gambling-related harm on Stake’s online casino platform while promoting responsible gambling, with Stake agreeing to promote the tool on its website.

A representative from Stake commented: “At Stake, we pride ourselves on delivering an entertaining and customer-centric experience, while acknowledging the importance of responsible gambling. Strengthening our relationship with BetBlocker plays an integral role in ensuring their product serves to benefit our customers.”

BetBlocker allows users to block access to thousands of gambling platforms. The tool uses a calendar feature, with players able to block themselves from gambling in advance by setting specific durations for their restricted access.

Pedro Romero, Chief of Safer Gambling Partnerships at BetBlocker, said: “BetBlocker i..

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Stake enhances player safeguarding with BetBlocker

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Stake has partnered with BetBlocker – a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing free and anonymous software to help individuals manage and control gambling.

The deal sees the Australian-Curaçaoan online casino look to enhance its player safeguarding measures with a view to minimising gambling harm for its customers.

Chief of Safer Gambling Partnerships at BetBlocker, Pedro Romero, commented: “BetBlocker is thrilled to collaborate with Stake to expand the reach of our software. We are delighted that Stake is taking a significant step forward in promoting responsible gambling.”

The free tool can be used as a safer gambling instrument for players experiencing problems with addiction, available through an anonymous software that allows players to stop access to a range of gambling sites.

The BetBlocker tool allows players to block themselves in advance and set a timeframe which ranges from several days to years.

“At Stake, we pride ourselves on delivering an entertaining an..

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Manifesto week leaves UK gambling in the cold

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The Labour Party has pledged to complete the outstanding affairs of the Gambling Review, needed to deliver the new terms of play for UK gambling.

Yesterday, the Party published its 2024 General Election Manifesto titled ‘Change’, promising an ambitious programme to return economic productivity and wealth generation to the UK.

Headline policies see Labour seeking to build 1.5 million new homes, reduce net migration, and cut down NHS waiting lists by adding an additional 40,000 appointments every week.

Within the 136-page document, just one paragraph was reserved for UK gambling, under the manifesto’s pledge to ‘Build an NHS for the future’ citing: “Labour is committed to reducing gambling-related harm. Recognising the evolution of the gambling landscape since 2005, Labour will reform gambling regulation, strengthening protections. We will continue to work with the industry on how to ensure responsible gambling.”

The commitment represents a repeat of prior reporting and statements by..

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Sam Antar’s BetMGM case set to head to Court of Appeals

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Sam A. Antar’s legal battle against BetMGM remains ongoing as the prosecutor filed his problem gambling case with the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

The case against BetMGM will be taken to the Court of Appeals after it was thrown out by New Jersey District Court judge Madeline Cox Arleo earlier this year.

Antar claimed that he wagered almost $30m across 2019 and 2020 after allegedly being solicited to play at Borgata Casino and on the operator’s online casino sites, despite VIP hosts supposedly being aware he was a problem gambler.

The prosecutor named VIP Account Managers Quinton Hogan and Jerry Liang in his complaint, suggesting they plied him with bonuses and encouraged him to keep depositing on-site despite showing several “fundamental and visible symptoms of problem gambling”.

Antar’s initial complaint also referred to games as being purposefully rigged to time out when he was close to a big win.

Arleo threw the case out in February, concluding that the state’s Consumer..

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Labour promises to ‘strengthen protections’ within UK gambling

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With the general election edging closer and Labour’s lead in the polls continuing to widen, eyes were nervously drawn to the party’s leader yesterday as he unveiled a manifesto that had the briefest of mentions of their plans for gambling industry reform.

After Rishi Sunak called a surprise election for July, the UK gambling industry was sent into something of a limbo as it awaited potential changes to the governing Conservative Party’s regulatory review.

Predicted to oust the Conservatives with a landslide victory come July 4, Labour leader Keir Starmer launched the Labour Party Manifesto 2024 on Thursday, June 13, with a focus on wealth generation, green energy and cutting NHS waiting times.

However, those hoping to gain an insight on Starmer’s plans for the gambling industry may be left disappointed, as just one paragraph referred to gambling throughout the potential PM’s plan for change.

Under the ‘Build an NHS fit for the future’ section, the Manifesto read: “Labour is com..

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KSA tightens anti-betting harm measures for EURO 2024

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The Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has highlighted three main areas which it will focus on during the Euros – prevention, supervision and enforcement.

In preparation for an expected surge in placed bets and gambling advertising during a summer of sports, the watchdog is tightening the control measures around youth betting.

Part of the regulator’s increased efforts is a campaign co-launched with the Dutch national support service Loket Kansspel and funded by the Addiction Prevention Fund (Vpf), which will provide additional educational material for people aged between 18 and 24 on safer betting practices and how to mitigate risk.

Titled ‘Don’t Play Games With Your Money’, the initiative uses a number of communication channels to invite young people to take a test and receive a ‘realistic’ analysis of their gambling behaviour, which then redirects them to Loket Kansspel in the cases of increased risks from gambling harm.

Not only that, but anyone who contacts L..

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