Gambling Commission admits faults but backs credibility of Young People and Gambling Survey

France adds new obligations to sign off gambling ad campaigns 

ARGN looks to harmonise player protection across Africa

Responsible gambling messaging in a multicultural Canada

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Practicing responsible gambling is not only about getting the message out. It’s about ensuring that message lands in an impactful way and engages players by supplying them with the tools they need.

In a jurisdiction like Ontario that has a multi-cultural and multi-faceted player base, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.

At this year’s Player Protection Symposium at the SBC Summit North America, several experts discussed the issue during a session entitled Conscious Commerce: The Interplay of Branding & RG. One of the speakers was Aaron GlynWilliams, Director of Policy, Research and Strategy at the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.

He noted that appealing to a varied audience like Ontario’s is a delicate act.

“How do we appeal to a very multicultural under-35 audience?” GlynWilliams asked during the panel session. “It’s important to first understand those elements in your player base.”

To that end, OLG conducts a quarterly survey of its users and has done so for the last f..

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UK election: Manifesto week may provide clarity on gambling industry framework 

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As we enter manifesto week in what has been a turbulent election campaign so far, the eyes of the UK gambling industry will once again be cast onto the country’s key political stakeholders.

Prior to Rishi Sunak’s surprise decision to call the election, the industry had found a degree of clarity in what the future holds for framework and regulation.

However, as we move forward into a new political era for the UK, the question remains of whether that work will be undone and previous decisions will be altered.

Imogen Moss, Solicitor for licensing law firm Poppleston Allen emphasised that the wider question for the industry is ‘whether changes of the review will be implemented as planned or confined to the legislative scrapheap?’

In all likelihood, there will be further knowledge outlined on this this week when the surging Labour Party, led by Sir Keir Starmer, detail their plans for the country should they be granted with the keys to number 10 on 4 July.

On the day that the Torie..

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Australia enforces credit card ban for online gambling

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Australia has enforced an online gambling credit card ban, meaning that players can no longer use them as a payment method.

Late last year, legislation was passed by the Australian Parliament to amend the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, bringing online gambling into line with land-based gambling by banning the use of credit cards.

Following a six-month transition period, the ban has now come into force. Any company that fails to comply with the regulation – ban on credit cards, credit-related products and digital currencies – may be subject to fines of up to A$234,750.

The new laws have also expanded the powers of the Australian Communications and Media Authority to ensure enforcement of the new and existing civil penalty provisions.

Communications Minister, Michelle Rowland, commented: “Australians should not be gambling with money they do not have. Last year, the Albanese Labor Government committed to banning credit cards for online wagering – and we’ve delivered.

“This ban build..

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Romania prohibition of gambling in small towns requires constitutional order 

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Land-based gambling restrictions ordered by Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu must be re-examined by the Constitutional Court of Romania to be applied as a federal law.

The judgment was announced by the Supreme Court of Cassation and Justice, tasked with evaluating new land-based gambling restrictions that will reform Romania’s Criminal Code.

To impose changes to Romania’s Criminal Code, the Supreme Court has ordered that a ‘constitutional review’ must be applied to the measure of the “prohibition of gambling localities in towns with less than 15,000 registered inhabitants.”

In April, PM Ciolacu authorised the executive order of the ‘Legea Păcănelelor‘ (The Pannel Law), approved by Parliament to impose the headline measure.

The law requires federal changes to Romania’s Criminal Code, making it a crime to operate slot-machine gaming devices without a municipal license, confirming a gambling venue is in a locality with over 15,000 inhabitants.

Penalties for violations range from three m..

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Massachusetts regulator awards City of Springfield grant to study youth gambling harm

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The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) is making an investment to combat gambling-related harm among the youth in one of the state’s largest cities.

The MGC has voted to award the City of Springfield a $275,000 grant to study the impact of gambling on the youth. The investment, which builds on Springfield’s Gambling Addiction Research Initiative, will provide the MGC with insights to address problem gambling following the launch of retail and online wagering in Massachusetts last year.

“Understanding the gambling-related harms experienced by young people will have a direct impact on strategies developed to prevent and mitigate those harms in the future,” said interim MGC chair Jordan Maynard. “Working directly with engaged young people in Springfield will help researchers and the commission fully understand the impacts of gambling on this population and lead to additional programs designed to mitigate potential harms.”

The grants are being awarded through the Community Mitigation..

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Revolutionising gaming: the simple science behind myStridePositivePlay

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Dr. Mary E. Donohue, CEO of the Digital Wellness Center, emphasises the usefulness of microbreaks for bettors who might feel their gaming is getting out of control. It’s a big reason, she advises, for gaming companies to demonstrate greater commitment to integrating safer gambling practices.

Imagine being a freshman like Shawn, discovering an exciting new world on a sports betting platform. Initially, placing small bets on his favourite sports teams was fun, but as time went on, especially during the isolating months of Covid, Shawn’s casual betting turned into a frequent, stress-inducing habit. This story, similar to those of many young adults, was a focal point during our panel discussion on player safety at the recent SBC North American Summit.

Shawn, feeling overwhelmed, reached out to me in confidence, seeking advice on managing his increasing urge to gamble. Knowing the benefits of microbreaks, which had helped my brother Tim navigate similar challenges, I provided Shawn with c..

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Michigan regulators put heads together on college sports integrity

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A variety of experts in gaming and regulation came together at a Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) panel this week to discuss the topical issue of integrity within college sports betting.

Experts from the likes of the NCAA, BetMGM, Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360) and the FBI convened for the event at Cadillac Place in Detroit to talk about regulations and compliance measures related to the oversight of college sports and related wagering.

Michigan has nearly 100 colleges and universities with thousands of students competing in NCAA sports. The Wolverine State’s online gaming industry consists of 13 online sportsbooks.

Given that landscape and the potential for college sports and betting to interact at every turn, the MGCB wants to ensure integrity remains top of mind for all.

“The Michigan Gaming Control Board is dedicated to fostering a transparent and compliant gaming environment, particularly in the realm of college sports betting,” MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams sai..

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EPIC to spread gambling harm awareness via William Hill-SPFL deal

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EPIC Global Solutions will spread gambling harm awareness across Scotland through the recently announced William Hill–Scottish Professional Football League sponsorship deal.

Last week, William Hill agreed to a five-year deal with the SPFL, becoming the title sponsor and official betting partner of all four divisions of Scottish football.

EPIC, a gambling harm minimisation consultancy, has been included in the deal to deliver a gambling harm awareness programme, educating players, staff and supporters at all SPFL clubs from the start of the 2024/25 season.

This programme will be delivered predominantly via face-to-face sessions, with audiences learning from the lived experience of those who have faced problem gambling. It will also be the first of its kind to encompass the entire competition across Scotland.

John Millington, Senior Director at EPIC Global Solutions, stated: “We’re proud that we’ve once again been seen as the perfect partner to raise awareness around problem gambling..

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EPIC to ensure William Hill SPFL deal creates “open culture” on gambling risks

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Last Friday, William Hill was announced as the new title partner of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL).

EPIC Global Solutions was also brought in on the five-year record-breaking deal to launch a programme in partnership with the league and bookmaker, to deliver courses on gambling harm to SPFL players, staff and fans.

The problem gambling consultancy’s Senior Director, John Millington, oversaw the company’s expansion in support to leading names in sport in recent years, now overseeing problem gambling awareness within Scotland.

He commented on EPIC’s new deal: “We’re proud that we’ve once again been seen as the perfect partner to raise awareness around problem gambling issues and we’re grateful to William Hill and the SPFL for bringing this opportunity together.

“We look forward to engaging with new audiences in Scotland from next season and helping to minimise the risks that gambling can pose in a high-risk sector like elite sport.”

EPIC Global Solutions draws on..

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MA regulators suggest ESPN ad lib was a regulatory violation

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Back in March, ESPN host Rece Davis made a flippant, off-the-cuff remark that could result in a regulatory fine for ESPN Bet operator Penn Entertainment.

Davis called bet “risk-free investment”

During a Massachusetts Gaming Commission meeting this week, the group’s Investigation and Enforcement Bureau (IEB) brought up the incident where Davis referred to a particular bet as “risk-free”.

During a segment with ESPN Bet analyst Erin Dolan, Davis said the following about Dolan’s recommended bet during the segment:

“Some would call this wagering, gambling. I think the way you’ve sold this; I think what it is, is a risk-free investment.”

Davis would later clarify that he made the comment in jest and clarified the nature of his statement in a post on Twitter.

MGC says comment violated “risk-free” language reg

While Davis nor Dolan are employees of Penn, the IEB nonetheless determined the incident was a breach of the following regulation in the state:

No advertising, marketing, brandin..

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