UK Gambling Commission Chief Executive Andrew Rhodes has highlighted the challenge of finding the right balance for the industry as it navigates the Gambling Act Review.

During his speech at ICE London 2024, Rhodes defined the governance of UK gambling as being in “constant motion” and “like a wave, with peaks and troughs between tightening regulation to minimise the risks of harm and to maintain a fair market, through to unrestrained consumer choice and industry innovation”.

He stated: “Gambling then never stands still. Through innovation, changes in regulation and of course consumer behaviour itself, the eco-system of gambling is, if not in constant flux, at least always changing as each of us look to change the balance to better suit how we think it should be.”

With the UK being a mature market with 22.5 million – 44 per cent of the adult population – gambling in one form or another each year, the UKGC Chief Executive acknowledged the duty of protecting “the small proportion of p..

Responsible gambling officers will be introduced at gambling venues in New South Wales later this year to support people displaying gambling harm behaviour.

From July 1, Liquor & Gaming NSW has stated that venues in the Australian state with more than 20 gaming machines must have a responsible gambling officer on duty while poker machines are in operation.

These officers will be tasked with identifying people who are at risk of gambling harm or who are showing signs of concerning gambling behaviour, providing them with support information and services, including facilitating self-exclusion requests.

David Harris, Minister for Gaming and Racing, commented: “The NSW Government is committed to gambling reform, reducing gambling harm and stopping money laundering and criminal activity associated with poker machines.

“Harmful gambling not only impacts individuals but also their loved ones and the broader community. We know there is no single solution to address harm from gambling, which..

Kansspelautoriteit Chair Rene Jansen has warned operators regarding cashback bonuses, stating that “any bonus that is in any way linked to a loss is prohibited”.

Jansen’s message comes after the Dutch gaming authority released the results of market-wide research into cashback bonuses, where they stated that they will now be defined as ‘“a bonus based on loss” as “all forms of this type of bonus are in conflict with the Gambling Act”.

The KSA noted that bonuses where players receive part of their loss back as a bonus are not allowed in the Netherlands, as they “contribute to taking more risks and lowering the threshold for gambling”.

Following its investigation, the authority issued a formal warning to one licence holder for offering a cashback bonus, in addition to sending a letter to two other licence holders regarding bonuses “in which losses were compensated in some way other than through a cashback”.

In conclusion, the KSA determined that several bonus types are linked to losse..

GamCare has announced that the National Gambling Helpline has taken more calls and online chats to provide gambling support in 2023 than any other previous year.

Following its uptick in usage, Samantha Turnton, Head of Remote Support Services at GamCare, has described the helpline as an “invaluable” step for those looking for gambling support.

The helpline received 52,370 calls and online chats during the year, a 24 per cent increase year-over-year, with August 2023 becoming the helpline’s busiest month on record.

December 2023 saw a 39 per cent year-over-year uptick in comparison to the previous year, becoming the busiest Christmas period ever. There was an increase in calls from people concerned about someone else’s gambling during the holiday season, while others said they struggled to watch TV with their families due to the number of gambling advertisements.

In addition, on 117 calls and online chats to advisors, people stated that their gambling was related to financial press..

GambleAware has published a new scoping study which has revealed that some members of the LGBTQ+ community may be at an increased risk of gambling harm.

The study – ‘LGBTQ+ People and Gambling Harms: A Scoping Review’ – was commissioned to build an understanding of the lived experience of gambling harm amongst the LGBTQ+ community in Great Britain.

Researchers from the University of Brighton completed the study by analysing articles published between 2000 and 2023 on gambling harms in the LGBTQ+ community and its impact on people’s mental health, finances, relationships and employment.

Evidence on experiences of LGBTQ+ people accessing support services for gambling harms was also examined, as well as any barriers faced in doing so.

The study noted that “gay and bisexual men and young lesbian and bisexual women may be at increased risk and may experience greater harms associated with gambling”.

In addition, gay and bisexual men could be 3.4 times more likely than heterosexual men..