ANJ orders operators to review problematic Ts&Cs 

French online gambling operators have been instructed to identify and remove ‘problematic clauses’ related to customer terms and conditions.

The command has been issued by Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), France’s unified gambling authority, as a part of its review of ‘general clauses’ used by online gambling operators.

The review was initiated due to customer complaints submitted to Mediateur des Jeux en Ligne’ (Mediateur) regarding the validity, context and content of certain clauses.

Established in 2019, Mediateur provides an independent dispute moderating service between French online gambling consumers and licensed operators, including monopoly incumbents FDJ (national lottery) and PMU (French horseracing).

The ANJ seeks to achieve a ‘satisfactory level’ of legal compliance on the general clauses of gambling operators – without the need to standardise a ‘contractual obligation’ on licensees.

As such, the review focused on identifying and removing illegal, ambiguous, or pot..

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Svenska Spel may appeal SEK 100m penalty fee for duty of care failures

Svenska Spel Sport & Casino AB has been given a warning and a penalty fee of SEK 100m (€8.7m) by Spelinspektionen, Sweden’s gambling inspectorate, for duty of care failures.

In response, Fredrik Wastenson, Svenska Spel Sport & Casino’s President and Business Area Manager, has stated that the operator does not share the same opinion as the authority and will be considering whether to appeal the decision.

In its report, Spelinspektionen noted that it began an audit of Svenska Spel’s operations on December 21, 2021, investigating how the operator complies with the Swedish Gambling Act’s duty of care.

The authority reviewed how Svenska Spel handled ten customers who lost the most money during the supervision period of October 17, 2021, to December 17, 2021.

In terms of the violation, Spelinspektionen declared that all customers during the audit period showed signs of excessive gambling; there was a lack of protection, follow-up and help to reduce gambling; and that the operator didn’t..

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Ohtani clears the air on sports betting and fraud allegations

MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani has denied any wrongdoing following allegations of his former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara stealing millions from him to wager on sports.

Ohtani spoke to the media on Monday for the first time since allegations were made against his former confidant, Mizuhara, who allegedly partcipated in an illegal gambling operation run by California resident and bookie Matthew Bowyer. According to the LA Times, Mizuhara allegedly siphoned at least $4.5 million from Ohtani’s bank account to cover gambling losses. Mizuhara had previously told authorities the money was transferred by Ohtani.

“I’ve never bet on baseball or any other sports or asked someone to do it on my behalf,” said Ohtani during Monday’s press conference. “I’ve never asked a bookmaker to do it on my behalf. Up until a few days ago, I didn’t know this was happening. In conclusion, Ippei has been stealing money from my account and has told lies.”

Ohtani was first informed of Mizuhara’s allegedly stealing la..

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OddsJam launches RG partnership with Birches Health

Sports betting data platform OddsJam has partnered with responsible gaming and behavioral health treatment company Birches Health to offer resources, education and care for problem gambling addictions.

All OddsJam users will now have easy access to a wide selection of responsible gaming resources and treatment services. Birches Health aims to help problem gamblers who would otherwise have been unable to access care through traditional channels immediately get the support they need.

The service provides a program covered by insurance and the government and run by a clinical team with decades of experience in gambling-specialized care.

“OddsJam is passionate about educating our users to bet smarter by focusing on value when it comes to decision-making, so working with Birches Health is a win-win,” said OddsJam CEO Matt Restivo. “We have a duty to partner with entities in our space who are doing the right thing, and Birches Health is the epitome of this philosophy.”

“We are thrilled ..

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NCPG awards Tipico first sportsbook compliance accreditation

Tipico Sportsbook is making history as an operator in America’s gaming market.

The Malta-based operator has earned Internet Compliance Assessment Program (iCAP) accreditation in New Jersey and Ohio becoming the first sportsbook in the U.S. to receive the accreditation for best practices in consumer protection. Tipico earned the iCAP accreditation following the launch of its Fair Play Pledge, a first-of-its-kind initiative that aims to foster a safe and enjoyable betting experience for users while maximizing value.

The National Council on Problem Gambling is the administrator of iCAP accreditations.

“ICAP accreditation is a meaningful award for Tipico because it validates our approach to make fair play a companywide initiative that requires buy-in by our employees,” said Tipico Compliance & Legal SVP Bryan Schroeder in a statement. “I am incredibly proud of our team for rallying around our efforts to continuously improve safety and clarity. Our primary goal is to ensure customers hav..

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ESPN host slammed for ‘risk-free’ betting comment

ESPN host Rece Davis is under fire for equating a college basketball wager to a “risk-free investment.”

During an ESPN Bet segment on Sunday, betting analyst Erin Dolan and Davis were discussing the rationale of betting the under for a team’s total points in a March Madness matchup between UConn and Northwestern. Dolan explained her decision to bet Northwestern to score under 60.5 points in which Davis replied with a controversial comment.

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

Davis describing a sports wager as a risk-free investment is an issue that continues to be a topic of discussion throughout America’s regulated gambling industry.

In 2022, FanDuel and DraftKings eliminated “risk-free” and “free bet” terminology in their marketing following criticism of advertising practices in gambling.

Last year, New York became the first jurisdiction in the U.S. to take le..

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Spelinspektionen threatens Yggdrasil over unlicensed customers

Spelinspektionen, Sweden’s Gambling Inspectorate, has issued a warning and a penalty fee of SEK 300,000 (€26,000) to Yggdrasil Gaming for non-compliance with regulations related to licensed supplier services/authorisations.

The regulator has stated that, through its investigations into unlicensed gaming websites on January 16, 2024, it determined that Yggdrasil had provided gaming software to an operator who didn’t have the necessary Swedish licence to operate in the country.

Within its report, Spelinspektionen said that it was told by Yggdrasil that the supplier had “internal flaws” within its monitoring system of dealer agreements which caused the violation and that it had promptly removed its games and other assets from the operator in question by January 23, 2024.

Spelinspektionen determined that the violation was “serious” and that Yggdrasil could have their licence revoked, but a warning was deemed “sufficient” as the regulator believes the supplier will conduct business goin..

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NCAA launches gambling harm education campaign

The NCAA is continuing to protect its student-athletes from gambling harm.

The governing body of college sports has launched Draw the Line, a campaign aimed at educating student-athletes on the effects of sports betting. The campaign, which debuted during the start of March Madness, will also address problem gambling.

“Sports betting is everywhere, especially on college campuses, so it’s critical student-athletes get the real story about how it can impact them and their ability to play,” said NCAA President Charlie Baker. “We know some bettors are harassing student-athletes and officials, so that’s why we are advocating for policy changes at the state level and launching monitoring tools around championships to refer serious threats to law enforcement.”

The NCAA’s new campaign comes during the governing body’s most profitable event, March Madness. The three-week men’s and women’s tournament will see the NCAA generate approximately $1 billion in revenue, which is roughly 85% of its a..

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Spelinspektionen to analyse risk of criminal activity on gambling accounts

The Swedish government has instructed Spelinspektionen – the country’s gambling authority –to analyse the risks of gambling accounts being used for money laundering and other criminal activities.

The Swedish gambling regulator noted that if there is a need, it must create proposals to counteract such activity, including providing a breakdown of socio-economic consequences.

In addition, Spelinspektionen has also been asked to see if gambling accounts should be covered by the account and safe deposit box system – Konto- och värdefackssystemet – and what would happen if such accounts were added to the system.

The account and safe deposit box system allows authorities to quickly identify accounts and safe holders at financial firms. This is achieved through the Swedish Tax Agency’s technical platform Mekanismen, which allows authorities to directly and immediately receive information about accounts and safe deposit boxes at credit and investment companies.

Earlier this month, Spelinspe..

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GambleAware highlights debt management importance for Debt Awareness Week

In time for debt awareness week, GambleAware has put out a statement emphasising the wide availability of free debt advice services and the need to lift the stigma barrier suggesting that such services affect credit score.

Collaborating with StepChange Debt Charity, which is running this year’s Debt Awareness Week from 18-24 March, GambleAware’s Money Guidance Service Manager Kathy Wade addressed the misconception that reaching out for debt advice has an impact on private credit score.

“Having a good credit score is important for a number of reasons, including when you want to borrow money, take out a mobile phone contract, or get home broadband,” Wade said. “Companies will check your credit file before making decisions. Factors can impact your credit rating but getting debt advice is not one of them.”

Some of the factors listed by Wade that could influence people’s credit score include missed credit repayments, maxed-out credit cards, court judgements, bankruptcy, or debt relief ..

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