Iowa athletes file federal suit against sports betting investigators

A group of 26 athletes from Iowa and Iowa State University are suing the state for its allegedly unconstitutional investigation into their sports betting activity.

Lawsuit alleges 4th and 14th Amendment violations

In a federal complaint filed in the Southern District of Iowa, the group claimed the state of Iowa, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and individual DCI employees Stephan Bayens, Paul Feddersen, David Jobes, Troy Nelson and Brian Sanger violated their 4th and 14th Amendment rights with warrantless searches and unlawful seizures.

Per the complaint, the athletes allege that the DCI launched a sports betting investigative division in 2021. As part of an investigation conducted in tandem with the state of Illinois, the DCI became aware of GeoComply’s geolocation tech and how it can be used to identify fraudulent activity and pinpoint when betting is taking place from a restricted location such as a prison or a school.

Before DCI was able to utilize this software, Ge..

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Safe Bet Show: Arthur Paikowsky talks his life in fundraising and the work of the ICRG

The Martin Lycka Safe Bet Show returned this month and Arthur Paikowsky, President of the International Centre for Responsible Gambling (ICRG), was the man in the hot seat.

In the podcast, the pair discuss Paikowsky’s life in fundraising and the work of the ICRG in progressing the industry’s knowledge of responsible gambling.

Paikowsky has spent over four decades working as a fundraiser for multiple organizations, in which time, he has raised over $1 billion. Lycka started by asking how fundraising has changed throughout Paikowsky’s career.

RG donors experiencing some fatigue

He noted that the main difference is that the industry has become more technology-driven, which he believes has not been for the better. Later in the podcast he also touched on how technology has led to donor fatigue due to people being bombarded daily with requests for money.

“When you talk to people in the fundraising world and you say how many of these hits do you get on your computer every single day [and..

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Charity amendments denied for Ireland’s stuck GRB

The passage of Ireland’s Gambling Regulation Bill (GRB) has become further muddied, as conflicts emerge on the framework’s rules and determinations related to fundraising activities connected with gambling.

Concerns were raised to Minister of State, James Browne, who oversees the GRB’s agenda, to exclude charity draws and schemes from being included in the Bill’s framework.

An amendment, carrying a specific exemption for charity purposes, was proposed by Labour Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin but was rejected by Browne, who stated that the GRB must remain as it stands.

Browne cited that “excluding charities could remove important safeguards against the misuse of charitable status for gambling.”

Furthermore, the minister scolded deputies for attempting to modify the Bill at its review stage before proceeding to the Seanad (senate) to be determined as a law.

Deputies were reminded that amendments can only be considered during the ‘committee phase’ and therefore cannot be reintroduced durin..

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Reformist Peers demand White Paper intervention on gambling advertising

Industry reformists at the House of Lords have stated that the Gambling Review’s White Paper falls significantly short on advertising policies and reforms to protect the public from harm.

This afternoon, the House of Lords hosted a short debate on the “Impact of gambling advertising, marketing and sponsorship on problem gambling”, put forward by Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrats).

As the Chair of the Peers for Gambling Reform, Lord Foster is pleased that the majority of the group’s recommendations ‘in whole or part’ were included in the Gambling Review’s White Paper. However, “except for the Gambling Commission taking a closer look at bonus offers such as free bets and spins, and the Premiership’s voluntary ban on front-of-shirt sponsorships, the White Paper proposes very little on gambling advertising reforms.”

The scarcity of advertising policies saw Foster state that the White Paper had failed to achieve one of its primary objectives: rectifying the conditions of the 2005 Ga..

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New illegal gambling prevention campaign launches in Colorado

The Colorado Division of Gambling is taking steps to combat illicit gambling.

As part of the Colorado Department of Revenue (CDOR), the state’s Division of Gaming has launched a new campaign aimed at preventing illegal gambling by Colorado residents and visitors. The campaign, “Play Legit. Gamble Only Where Legal,” is designed to educate bettors in the Centennial State about the risks of illicit wagering and the importance of betting with licensed online operators and brick-and-mortar casinos.

“With many certified and legal gambling sites available, it’s never worth it to put yourself in danger,” said Colorado Division of Gaming Director Chris Schroder. “Together, let’s play by the rules and ensure that Colorado remains a safe and responsible gaming destination. By recognizing and preventing illegal gambling, we all win.”

Colorado is taking steps to educate residents and visitors about the risks of illegal gambling to mitigate crimes associated with wagering, including fraud and bur..

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Pennsylvania legislators introduce bill to ban credit card use for online gaming

A bill has been introduced that would prevent players in Pennsylvania from using credit cards to fund their online gambling activities.

Senate Bill 1159, introduced by Sen. Wayne Fontana, proposes amendments to Title 4 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, which concerns gaming in the state.

The bill states that operators “may not accept a credit card as a form of payment” for sports betting, daily fantasy contests, iLottery, and online casino activities.

Fontana drummed up support in March

In March Fontana circulated a memorandum to garner support for his proposal which aims to curtail problem gambling amid the continued growth of iGaming and sports wagering in the state.

SB1159 ended up with six cosponsors, five of which are Democrats and one who is Republican.

As part of his memorandum, Fontana included statistics from a study produced by Penn State, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs and the state’s Gaming Control Board, which ..

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EGBA welcomes new AML framework approved by European Parliament

The European Gaming and Betting Association has welcomed the new EU anti-money laundering framework package approved by the European Parliament.

The EGBA believes the changes will strengthen the EU’s approach to tackling money laundering and “benefit online gambling operators by standardising AML rules and reporting requirements across member states”.

With formal adoption by the Council of the EU expected in May, before being published in the EU’s Official Journal, the new package will contain:

A single rulebook regulation – provisions on conducting due diligence on customers, transparency of beneficial owners and the use of crypto-assets.

The sixth Anti-Money Laundering Directive – national provisions on supervision and national AML authorities, as well as on the access of authorities to necessary and reliable information, eg beneficial ownership registers.

The establishment of the European Anti-Money Laundering Authority – AMLA – will have supervisory and investigative powers to..

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PrizePicks appoints first RG Director

Daily fantasy sports giant PrizePicks has announced new appointments to lead its HR and responsible gambling teams. Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health‘s Chief Communications Officer, Phil Sherwood, will take up the role of PrizePicks’ Senior Director of Responsible Gaming. At the MACGH, he was a driving force in the council introducing player protection measures such as the…

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Ex-CFL player Lemon suspended for betting on games

The Canadian Football League is the latest sports league to take action against a player for violating gambling policy.

The CFL announced on April 24 that retired defensive lineman Shawn Lemon has been suspended indefinitely for allegedly placing bets on league games while an active player. An investigation conducted by the CFL found that the University of Akron product bet on multiple CFL games, including one in which he played during the 2021 season while a member of the Calgary Stampeders.

The investigation found that there was “irrefutable evidence of Mr. Lemon’s participation” in betting on league games and that Calgary coaches, teammates or team personnel were unaware of his actions. However, it stressed that “no evidence was found to indicate matches were in any way impacted by his wagering.”

The league reiterated that players betting on league games is strictly prohibited by its rules.

“The integrity of our game is of the utmost importance,” said CFL Commissioner Randy Amb..

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