UKGC: Third white paper consultation to focus on land-based sector

Andrew Rhodes, Chief Executive of the UK Gambling Commission, has stated that the next phase of gambling white paper consultations will focus on the land-based sector.

Speaking at the Bingo Association Annual General Meeting 2024, Rhodes mentioned that the third consultation period will arrive later this year, likely this summer.

No specific start date for the consultation was provided by the Chief Executive, as he stated that “this work is not operating in a vacuum and so the exact timings will to some extent be dependent on other work elsewhere”.

Alongside the UKGC, white paper consultations are also being conducted by the UK government’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport, working in tandem with the commission to establish the right future direction of the UK gambling market.

“I think this is a fair point to reflect on the strength of our collaboration with our sponsoring department, DCMS, and we will continue to do so,” commented Rhodes.

“Given the range of issues that DC..

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Andrew Rhodes: Third consultation to prioritise land-based reforms, but RET Levy remains with DCMS

UK gambling’s land-based venues and stakeholders have been warned to prepare for a summer of changes, adopting new rules to comply with the commitments of the Gambling Review’s White Paper.

Addressing delegates of the Bingo Association AGM – Andrew Rhodes, Chief Executive of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), stressed that the White Paper’s consultation phase will be followed by the Commission swiftly applying changes, impacting all gambling disciplines, whether land-based or online.

The Commission maintains progress on the consultation phase of the White Paper, fulfilling the remit of the UKGC’s new corporate strategy to secure ‘better data and better evidence’ supervising and governing UK gambling activities.

Of significance to land-based stakeholders, Rhodes noted that the White Paper’s third consultation phase will be focused on land-based elements and feedback.

“Later this year and likely this Summer, we will be publishing the next round of consultation responses and then movi..

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How Massachusetts is using research to rewrite the gaming playbook

In Massachusetts, like in many states, things are changing fast in gaming.

The state launched digital sports betting in March 2023 and experienced an immediate influx of sports betting products, services and advertising. To say Bay Staters took to online sports wagering enthusiastically would be an understatement.

“It’s been a shock to the system, for sure,” Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health (MCGH) CEO Marlene Warner told SBC Americasat the SBC Summit North America Player Protection Symposium. “Everyone had high expectations for online sports wagering in Massachusetts and the numbers have far, far, far exceeded those expectations.”

With more than 1.6 million sportsbook accounts active in Massachusetts since March 2023, the state has emerged as one of America’s fastest-growing gaming markets. It generated $594.9 million in gross gaming revenue in its first full year, with total tax revenue reaching $118.5 million. That latter figure is double what the state had expected pr..

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IBIA and PFA Canada to deliver sports integrity education to the CPL

The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) has partnered with the Professional Footballers’ Association Canada (PFA Canada) to design a sports-integrity education program for players and staff in the Canadian Premier League (CPL).

The program will touch on the dangers of sports betting-related match-fixing on the integrity of the league and their careers, as well as the potential to defraud operators and customers.

Approximately 300 players and staff will receive education from across the eight teams in Canada’s top-tier soccer competition. Training will be provided both in person and through online resources.

The program started in May and the agreement also stipulates that the program will also be delivered in 2025 to ensure new players joining the league also receive the education.

“IBIA’s members take their role – as responsible regulated betting operators – in protecting the integrity of sporting competition and of betting markets seriously,” said IBIA CEO Khalid A..

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ESG – should the industry drop the acronym?

What does it take to convince C-level that the numerous components that comprise ESG are intrinsically linked to revenue? For Leah Carnegie, Chief People Officer at Lottoland, the answer is a simple one – drop the acronym.

The moderator of ‘why ESG is your business bottom line’ at the Gibraltar Ethical Gambling Forum instead suggested that a basic shift in mindset, and language, could ultimately lead to gaining attention at a higher level internally.

“As soon as I use the word ESG in a boardroom, I get sleepy eyes,” she said. “But if I use the words accountability, responsibility and sustainability, I will get some action. I don’t know whether ESG has been forced.”

Rather than proceeding down the current path, Carnegie suggested that influence should be adopted from approaches taken across other jurisdictions, notably the US, where she noted that she has witnessed the industry “talking more generally” about the aforementioned trifecta of issues.

“I think until we change our mindset..

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Dutch watchdog warns against burdensome pressures of player limits

The Dutch government has been warned against implementing ‘playing limits’ as endorsed by Legal Protections’ Minister Franc Weerwind.

The warning came from the Dutch Advisory Board on Regulatory Burden (ATR), an independent watchdog scrutinising “regulatory burdens” on business, consumers, and stakeholders in healthcare, education and public welfare.

In February, Minister Weerwind launched a consultation on imposing playing limits as a mandatory requirement of the Remote Gambling Act (KOA).

Measures proposed by Weerwind, would see KOA-licensed operators adopt a mandatory monthly financial risk checks on customer accounts that spend over €350. The Minister further endorsed applying a compulsory loss-limit on player accounts under the age of 24, set at a threshold of €150 losses.

The playing limits will be further strengthened by operators ensuring that customers are contacted by trained staff on gambling addiction and the requirement for operators to provide customer ‘care warnings’..

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KSA orders Casinosky shutdown

Kansspelautoriteit, the Dutch gaming authority, has issued Sarah Eternal SRL with an order subject to penalty for offering games of chance without a licence on its website, casinosky.

If Sarah Eternal does not stop its illegal offering permanently, the operator will be fined €280,000 per week, with a maximum fine of €840,000.

The authority noted that its inspectors investigated the casinosky website to see if it was accessible from the Netherlands and if they could make an account, deposit funds and gamble, which they said they could.

In addition, the KSA claimed that players can play even if they clearly stated on their account that they were from the Netherlands, hence an order subject to penalty has been imposed.

“Providers who do not have a license for the Dutch market must do everything they can to ensure that Dutch players cannot come to them to gamble, for example by setting up an IP block,” stated the authority.

“Inspectors from the Ksa could indeed go to the casinosky.co..

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Brazil confirms 15% tax on player winnings

Brazil has introduced the tax framework applied to player prizes and winnings for the well-awaited launch of its Bets market.

Earlier this week, the Federal Revenue Service (RFB) of Brazil confirmed its ruling on personal income tax (IRPF) that will be applied to ‘net prizes’ obtained via betting, lotteries and online gambling.

The RFB approved the government’s modality to impose a 15 per cent personal income tax on prizes and winnings above BRL 2824 (around €530).

For net winnings/prizes below BRL 2824, the RFB will exempt the 15 per cent tax charge. The figure is reported to be equivalent to two average monthly wages for Brazilian consumers.

Net prizes of the Bets market will be determined as the difference between the prize amount won and the total amount wagered by the customer.

Replicating the same mechanisms as state lotteries, the 15 per cent tax charge will be applied ‘at source’ by operators when crediting customer winnings.

The framework will apply changes to Brazil’s..

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BetComply: industry must do better to tackle regulatory and compliance issues

One of the defining characteristics of the online gaming industry throughout the 2020s so far has been the increased focus on regulated markets. Around the world, governments from Latin America to Asia are establishing regulated frameworks for online gaming, while the world’s biggest operators are eager to tell the world about their operations in regulated and regulating markets.

As the importance of regulation and compliance is arguably bigger than ever, it is imperative for operators and suppliers to ensure that they are compliant with their licensed jurisdictions.

BetComply, a compliance and market entry consultancy, is leveraging its expertise to ensure that its clients are compliant with local regulations. The firm deems that regulatory compliance is not just a necessity; it’s the cornerstone of success.

Mike de Graaff, the firm’s Chief Compliance Officer, told SBC News how the compliance sector is keeping up with the fast-paced nature of regulations this decade.

“It’s crow..

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Gib regulator Lyman warns operators on ESG failings

“ESG is all that makes us feel good, isn’t it?” Andrew Lyman, Gambling Commissioner and Executive Director at Government of Gibraltar, began in a keynote address at this week’s Ethical Gambling Forum.

Picking up where Nigel Feetham, Minister for Justice, Trade and Industry, left off, Lyman took to the stage following a plea from event Co-Founder Adrian Sladdin to those organisations based in close proximity to the Sunborn held event.

“There are so many companies within a stone’s throw of this boat that I hope will actually take the message around ESG, responsible leadership from the top, and adopting the right policies to represent Gibraltar in the best light possible,” his segue noted.

Posing a starter for 10 to those in attendance, Lyman continued by asking delegates who could argue against the numerous advantages to be gained via the adoption of an array of ESG practices.

Those plus points touched upon, he elaborated, include taking measures to reduce climate change, for corpora..

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