FRA reaction: Gambling Commission slammed by figures in and out of the industry

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GambleAware stresses need to avoid disruption with statutory levy

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GambleAware has revealed the donations it received across 2023/24 as British betting operators contributed heavily to the charity’s total of £49.5m in voluntary donations.

However, CEO Zoë Osmond has reiterated the message that vital funding for gambling harm prevention and treatment programmes should not be disrupted as services wait for the implementation of the new statutory levy.

Britain’s largest four gambling operators – bet365, Flutter Entertainment, Entain and William Hill – contributed around 94 per cent of the total figure, donating £46.6m to support GambleAware.

This figure from the ‘big four’ represents an increase of £3.1m from the operators’ contributions of £43.5m across 2022/23.

Described as essential funding by the organisation, the donations will aid the organisation in encouraging responsible gambling and player protection with public health campaigns, education and training programmes, harm prevention tools, treatment services and research.

Osmond stated: “..

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Report by AU10TIX finds 250% increase in online gaming fraud

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Identity verification provider AU10TIX has released its Q1 2024 Global Identity Fraud Report with online gaming at the forefront of its research.

AU10TIX has found that the global online gaming market, which generates $26 billion in revenue annually, saw instances of fraud in Q1 2024 increase by more than 250% compared to the same period last year. The results were led by payment fraud, which accounted for 62% of all fraud attacks during the quarter due to its limited regulation. By comparison, payment fraud made up approximately 39% of overall identity fraud cases in Q1 2023.

“Organized criminal groups are increasingly using AI to commit large-scale, coordinated identity fraud,” said AU10TIX CEO Dan Yerushalmi. “Our advanced machine learning technology, multi-layered defense system, and consortium of 60+ tier-1 companies enable us to detect and prevent this sophisticated fraud, which most identify verification platforms miss. We are committed to protecting our customers and leading ..

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Netherlands launches new responsible gambling policy with immediate effect

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The Netherlands’ gambling authority Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has changed its Responsible Gaming Policy with the goal of tightening regulatory control.

According to the updates, additional clarity has been brought to the ‘real time monitoring’ responsibilities of operators, together with a new clause for financial deposit limits.

For example, if an operator determines that a player “can no longer bear the financial consequences of their player behaviour”, the Board of Directors must interfere if the following cases occur within a calendar month:

A player cannot make a deposit on their gaming account due to insufficient balance;
A player makes net deposits that make up more than the recreational part of their monthly net income;
A player makes net deposits that make up 30% or more of their monthly net income;
A player between the ages of 18 and 24 makes net deposits of more than €300;
A player over the age of 24 makes net deposits totalling more than €700.

The financial deposit ..

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GambleAware receives £49.5m in voluntary donations in 2023/24

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GambleAware has announced that it received a total £49.5m in voluntary donations in 2023/24.

Of this, 94% came from the largest four gambling operators in Britain, who donated a total of £46.6m. This represents an increase of £3.1m from the previous year’s contributions of £43.5m from these operators.

The amount goes towards the organisation’s continuing commissioning work including public health campaigns, education and training programmes, harm prevention tools, treatment services and research.

Zoë Osmond, GambleAware CEO, said: “While we await the implementation of the new statutory levy, donations from the voluntary funding system are key to ensure GambleAware can continue to deliver the essential gambling harm prevention and treatment programmes we commission.”

GambleAware described voluntary donations as essential for its continuing commissioning work.

The charity added the gambling industry “should be held accountable to contribute financially to the vital services that p..

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Malta strengthens regulatory collaboration with Ontario

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The Malta Gaming Authority has entered into a new Memorandum of Understanding with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario to bolster their relationship and collaboration regarding gambling regulation.

Both regulators share the same objectives and values regarding the gaming sector, including “protecting the public interest, safeguarding of vulnerable individuals from gambling harm and consumer protection”.

The MGA stated that the new MoU aims to strengthen the collaboration between the two regulators, helping to enable the sharing of vital information and best practices, as well as “mutual operational assistance concerning gaming operators” and create a safer and more secure gaming environment in both jurisdictions.

“Our ongoing collaboration with AGCO has yielded tangible results in the past, and through this MoU, we are committed to further bolstering our inter-jurisdictional relationship,” commented Charles Mizzi, CEO of the MGA.

“Our focus remains on fostering the exchang..

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Bill to require warnings in gambling ads advances in NY

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A bill aimed at educating the public on the harmful effects of gambling has passed in the New York Senate.

Assembly Bill 1118 unanimously passed in the Senate on Thursday by a 57-0 vote as a piece of legislation that ensures safe marketing practices for gambling and sports betting.

AB 1118, introduced by Assemblyman Clyde Vanel, amends racing, pari-mutuel wagering, and breeding law. The bill is also co-sponsored by Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara.

The measure, a substitute for Senate Bill 1550, requires all sports betting and gambling ads to “include warnings about potential harmful and addictive effects of gambling.” The bill also mandates the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) to provide advertising guidelines on its website. The NYSGC must also collaborate with the commissioner of addiction services to ensure that all gaming ads include a problem gambling hotline.

AB 118 will now head to the House for further consideration. Lawmakers in the House will have to move quickly ..

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Safe Bet Show: Martin Lycka with Underdog’s Adam Warrington

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This month’s edition of the Martin Lycka Safe Bet Show featured Adam Warrington, Vice President of Responsible Gaming at Underdog Sports.

During the episode, Warrington discussed his time at Michigan State, the lessons he learned leading responsible drinking campaigns at Anheuser-Busch, and finished by talking about his work at FanDuel and Underdog Sports.

Responsible drinking vs responsible gambling

After discussing what Warrington learned while studying at Michigan State, Lycka turned the conversation towards Warrington’s time at Anheuser-Busch which produces Budweiser.

Warrington explained how he led the Drink Wiser campaign that encouraged drinkers to plan a safe ride home and not drink drive, as well as the company’s emergency drinking water program which saw the brewery can fresh drinking water for use in emergencies.

Lycka then asked what he thought the differences were between problem drinking and problem gambling.

“The understanding isn’t there. We need to evolve the dia..

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EGBA believes incoming EU AML rules will benefit online operators

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The European Gaming and Betting Association has welcomed the finalisation of the European Union’s new anti-money laundering framework, as the organisation believes the standardised rules and reporting requirements will benefit online gambling operators.

Approved by the European Parliament in April and by the European Council earlier this week, the final step of the EU legislative process, the AML package includes the establishment of the European Anti-Money Laundering Authority, the sixth AML Directive and a new AML regulation.

Based in Frankfurt, the AMLA will have “direct and indirect supervisory powers to ensure compliance with AML requirements, working in tandem with national AML authorities” and will also be “responsible for a large amount of technical and implementing rules that will directly apply to the online gambling sector”.

The sixth AML Directive will contain “national provisions on supervision and the powers of national AML authorities, including their access to requis..

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Regulator launches plan to combat human trafficking near Massachusetts casinos

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The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) is taking steps to combat human trafficking.

On Thursday, the MGC announced its plan to provide grants to support law enforcement in preventing instances of human trafficking in regions that house casinos across the state. The MGC will also be funding a study of casino-related crime in Massachusetts.

“These initiatives underscore the MGC’s unwavering dedication to prioritizing the safety and wellbeing of individuals within our communities by prosecuting human trafficking and protecting vulnerable populations,” said Interim MGC Chair Jordan Maynard. “These grants represent a significant investment in our collective efforts to combat human trafficking by providing agencies with the necessary information and resources.”

The MGC is awarding grants through the Community Mitigation Fund allowing law enforcement agencies statewide to expand their teams. The expansion will allow the agencies to take on a higher volume of cases while being provided w..

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Flutter launches non-profit Foundation to improve 10 million lives

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Flutter Entertainment has unveiled the Flutter Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to meeting the company’s goal of improving 10 million lives by 2030.

Aligning with the operator’s Do More and Positive Impact Plan sustainability campaigns, the Flutter Foundation has established a base in Ceuta, Spain, where it will hope to support social action and generate positive change.

Dan Taylor, CEO of Flutter International, commented: “We are excited to see the start of the Flutter Foundation in Ceuta, and we aim today for this initiative to make a significant difference in communities, starting with Ceuta.”

As Flutter’s first foundation anywhere in the world, the organisation will focus on the community in Ceuta and has formalised two agreements to benefit the area.

These agreements have seen the organisation partner with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Youth to support disadvantaged families and promote gender equality in scientific careers, allocating €80,000 in sc..

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