UKGC: New survey to reveal a ‘range of experiences’ of gambling harm

The UKGC’s Head of Research Laura Balla has asserted that Britain’s Gambling Survey will assist in “filling evidence gaps” around the impacts of placing bets.

Balla also stated that the data will provide a better evidence base to help “make gambling safer for all”.

The comments follow the commission’s first GSGB dataset publication earlier this year, in addition to the release of the commission’s Corporate Strategy 2024 to 2027, which was published last week.

The Head of Research also emphasised that the new questions on the GSGB were introduced to help the commission meet one of its key objectives of protecting children and vulnerable people from gambling-related harm through effective and enforced regulatory requirements.

Previously, screening instruments such as the Problem Gambling Severity Index were used as a way to determine the evidence base on the impacts of gambling, but Balla explained that “discourse in recent years has expanded to recognise the wider harms that can be..

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eCogra certified as testing lab of Brazil SPA

eCogra has been certified as a ‘technical assurance’ agency by the Secretariat of Betting and Prizes (SPA), the supervisory authority of Brazil’s imminent Bets market.

Ordinance 588 published by the SPA declares eCogra as a certified laboratory to carry out technical assessments of betting systems, platforms, gaming studios, and lottery terminals for the Bets market.

Founded in 2003, eCogra provides technical evaluation and regulatory assurance for all major licensed and regulated iGaming markets.

For Brazil, eCogra had worked on the necessary documentation and evaluation procedures of the Bets market, the framework that will be used to launch Brazil’s imminent federal sports betting and online gambling marketplace.

The certification for Brazil is valid for three years from the date of publication, provided eCogra maintains its legal, tax, labor (or ‘labour’ for British English), and technical qualifications as demonstrated in the accreditation process.

Previously, eCogra had been..

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UKGC: GSGB to help fill evidence gaps around impacts of gambling

Laura Balla, Head of Research at the UK Gambling Commission, has stated that the Gambling Survey for Great Britain will assist in “filling evidence gaps around the impacts of gambling” and provide a better evidence base to help “make gambling safer for all”.

Balla’s comments follow the UKGC’s first GSGB dataset publication earlier this year, in addition to the release of the commission’s Corporate Strategy 2024 to 2027, which was published last week.

The UKGC’s Head of Research emphasized that the new questions on the GSGB were introduced to help the commission meet one of its key objectives of protecting children and vulnerable people from gambling-related harm through effective and enforced regulatory requirements.

Previously, screening instruments such as the Problem Gambling Severity Index were used as a way to determine the evidence base on the impacts of gambling, but Balla explained that “discourse in recent years has expanded to recognise the wider harms that can be caused ..

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Spillemyndigheden highlights growth of self-exclusion register 

Denmark’s Spillemyndigheden has revealed the latest data from the country’s self-exclusion register, ROFUS, as 50,000 players are currently engaged with the safer gambling tool.

Forming part of the country’s safer gambling strategy, the initiative has grown significantly since its formation in 2012.

It has also been integral to a host of regulations that have been brought in to bolster the region’s overall approach to social responsibility.

At the start of 2020, licensed online gambling providers and land-based casinos became obliged to refer to the scheme across all of their gambling products. This practice also became a requirement for land-based betting in 2023.

When signing up for ROFUS, players are presented with multiple choices on the duration of the self-exclusion period. This varies between 24 hours, one, three or six months. Of these, the most preferred option seems to be six months, with 17 per cent of players going for that compared to the 12 per cent who choose three..

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VGCCC fines BlueBet $50,000 for gambling advertising breaches

The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission in Australia has issued a A$50,000 fine to BlueBet for gambling advertising breaches.

The VGCCC found BlueBet guilty of 43 charges of displaying gambling advertising on or above a public road, which is an offence under the Gambling Regulation Act 2003. 

The commission conducted an investigation into the operator following a complaint from a member of the public. BlueBet was charged in August 2023.

During a two-week period in August and September 2022, BlueBet’s gambling advertising was present on digital billboards in five different locations:

Princes Freeway on the Point Cook Road Overpass (Laverton)   

Princes Freeway on the Princes Highway Overpass (Point Cook)   

Western Freeway Melton – Werribee Road (Rockbank)   

Western Freeway before Ballarat Road Overpass (Ravenhall)   

Princes Freeway on Sneydes Road Overpass (Werribee)

The VGCCC stated that Magistrate Greg Thomas “found it difficult to accept BlueBet’s defen..

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Spillemyndigheden sees self-exclusion registry reach 50,000 in April 

The Danish Gambling Authority, Spillemyndigheden, has released the latest data from ROFUS, the country’s self-exclusion register, highlighting that the number of signees stands at 50,000 in April.

ROFUS was first established in 2012 as part of a wider political strategy to curb gambling harm in Denmark.

The scheme has since been quite successful in providing player support, going from the 1,500 registrants at the end of 2012 to the current 50,000 listed individuals.

This success has been significantly boosted by a number of regulations aimed at promoting ROFUS. At the start of 2020, licensed online gambling providers and land-based casinos became obliged to refer to the scheme across all of their gambling products. This practice also became a requirement for land-based betting in 2023.

When signing up for ROFUS, players are presented with multiple choices on the duration of the self-exclusion period. This varies between 24 hours, one, three or six months. Of these, the most pre..

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Spillemyndigheden issues three orders to Mr Green for AML failures

Spillemyndigheden, the Danish gambling authority, has issued three orders and a reprimand to Mr Green Limited for breaching the country’s anti-money laundering act.

Following an AML compliance inspection of the operator, the orders were administered to Mr Green by the authority on April 10 for AML breaches on risk assessment, on procedures for internal controls and for failing to ensure that controls are carried out.

In addition, the reprimand was handed to the operator for breaching the rules on notification in the AML act.

Regarding insufficient risk assessment, Spillemyndigheden stated that the decision was made as “no separate risk assessment has been made of the individual identified risks associated with Mr Green’s business model, including payment solutions, and the risk factors associated with it”.

The authority noted that section 7(1) of the AML act states that undertakings subject to the act must “identify and assess the risk that the undertaking may be misused for money ..

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Croatia snap election sees gambling overhaul become a bargaining chip

A pledge has been made by MOST, the ‘Sovereign Party of Croatia’, to overhaul the nation’s gambling laws by implementing a ban on advertising and introducing new protections to curb addiction.

MOST’s pledge carries significance as next week Croatia will hold a snap election on Wednesday, 17 April, due to the fallout of the coalition government led by the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ).

Party leader, Nikola Grmoja, MOST’s candidate for President declared that the opposition needed to wake up and recognize “Croatia’s problem with gambling addiction that is not discussed within political circles”.

Grmoja noted “frightening statistics” of gambling trends in Croatia, as “40% of juveniles are gambling on a daily basis” and public health agencies report that “40,000 Croats are addicted to gambling, a figure impacting 200,000 families”.

Ahead of next week’s election, MOST published its ‘programme to fight gambling addiction’, pledging to implement a blanket ban on gambling advertising, by..

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GambleAware national support network ‘rebuilding people’s lives’

GamCare has revealed that thousands of people have been supported through the National Gambling Support Network, as the initiative celebrates its one-year anniversary.

The charity also highlighted the GambleAware-commissioned network’s short waiting times, with people seeking support for problem gambling being offered a treatment session in three and a half days on average between October-December 2023.

Anna Hargrave, Chief Commissioning Officer at GambleAware, stated: “The National Gambling Support Network is designed to prevent the escalation of harms associated with gambling.

“The network provides people with easy access to treatment and support wherever they are across Great Britain. It is heartening to hear the positive impact the services have on people’s lives and the difference they make.”

The data also shows that organisations within the Network – which is highlighting the free support available ahead of this weekend’s Grand National – contacted those seeking treatment in..

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GambleAware spotlights short waiting times for treatment by NGSN

GambleAware has stated that people seeking gambling harm support are being offered a treatment session with a trained professional within three and a half days, according to National Gambling Support Network data.

The dataset, for the period October to December 2023, also showed that organisations with the GambleAware commissioned network are contacting those seeking treatment within 1.3 days on average.

GambleAware and other organisations involved in the NGSN are highlighting the free support that is available ahead of this weekend’s Grand National.

Data from the National Gambling Helpline has also revealed that 4,816 calls and online chats were made in January 2024, which is more than any previous month on record and it is the sixth time the record has broken since the beginning of last year.

Since the network was recommissioned in April 2023, the helpline’s data showed that 28,175 people have been supported via brief interventions – conversations of 20 minutes or more and involv..

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