OHID reveals first recipients of £25m gambling harm prevention grants

The OHID has published its first list of grants under the new statutory levy system, providing a clear contrast from the funding allocation of third parties previously led by GambleAware.

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has revealed the full list of the gambling harm prevention organisations awarded funding from the new statutory levy system.

Notable names on the list include Gamcare, Gambling Harm UK, BetBlocker, and YGAM, along with a number of other national and local organisations including charities, independent bodies, trusts, and others.

OHID is one of the three key levy funding decision makers under the new system, tasked with overseeing the direction of prevention funds – around 30% of the overall levy, or £25,441,281 in total.

The remaining 70% of statutory levy funds are divided between NHS England and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). NHS England oversees the 50% allocated to treatment and UKRI oversees the 20% allocated for research.

This is ..

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Labor breaks AUS gambling-ads deadlock for big reset in 2027

This morning, PM Anthony Albanese declared that Australia will implement “strong and decisive actions” to curb gambling advertising and protect young and vulnerable audiences.

A matter that has dogged Albanese tenure as PM since 2023, is resolved as the Labor government has committed to back five measures aimed at a ‘drastic reduction of exposure’ of gambling ads to the Australian public.

Beginning 1 January 2027, the government will restrict “gambling advertising on broadcast television to no more than three ads per hour between 6am and 8.30pm, alongside a full ban on such advertising during live sports broadcasts within those hours.”

The headline reform directly targets what gambling reformists describe as the “normalisation loop” between sport and betting — an issue that has driven a nationwide campaign calling for federal intervention.

Labor’s reset is built around five core restrictions that redefine how, where and to whom gambling marketing can be shown:

Broadcast TV limits:..

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Comment: New Steven Gerrard gambling deal raises black market questions

Another day, another dollar for a well-known UK footballer who signs to promote a betting company that’s definitely not supposed to target UK consumers.

With Michael Owen having a Punt Casino partnership on his record, and Teddy Sheringham doing the same with 8xBet, this time around the star of the show is Steven Gerrad – a prominent figure in Liverpool FC’s history.

Gerrard, who lifted the 2004 Champions League trophy with Liverpool, was just announced as the latest brand ambassador of a gambling operator that close to no one in the UK would have heard of, We88.

Not to be confused with W88, the sponsor of Sunderland FC, which is another cog in what has become a major trend of Asia-facing brands not licensed in the UK prominently sponsoring UK-related football clubs and footballers.

Just like W88, We88 is not licensed by the Gambling Commission. Instead, it holds an Anjouan license and is owned by MockingBird Technologies Pte. Ltd. As such, the brand is most definitely made to cate..

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Swedish research highlights positive impact of technology and regulation as problem gambling drops to 1.3%

Stakeholders of the Swedish gambling industry are being urged to align on more evidence-led approaches to problem gambling, as new analysis highlights the complexity of risk profiles shaping player behaviour. Coordination across regulators, operators and public health bodies is seen as critical to defending Sweden’s stable problem gambling rates against emerging and existing liabilities.

The findings draw on a report commissioned by BOS, Sweden’s Online Gambling Trade Association, led by economist Ola Nevander of Makrologik.

Covering 25 years of data, Nevander’s research titled “The Development of Problem Gambling in Sweden” provides a long-term view of the development of problem gambling in Sweden, while challenging assumptions about the impact of market expansion, regulatory change and rising accessibility on addiction rates.

On prevalence, the report finds that problem gambling in Sweden has declined and stabilised over the past two decades, despite the liberalisation of the mar..

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GambleAware closes: a legacy of innovation undone by political naivety

For UK gambling, Wednesday 1 April 2026 will be the most transformative and impactful date for all stakeholders. It is also one which will likely overshadow another hugely significant moment for the industry which occurred today.

Tomorrow, HM Treasury activates the increase in Remote Gaming Duty (RGD) from 21% to 40%. The hike is widely seen as the most consequential outcome of decades of regulatory changes brought by the Gambling Act review.

Today, another generational change occurred. As of today (31 March), GambleAware has ceased operations entirely, bringing to an end its 20-year existence.

Since 2018, GambleAware has served as the chief commissioning charity for the treatment, prevention and research of gambling harms.

April 2026… Grim times for everyone

From 1 April, operators will be forced to navigate the ice-thin margins of the “40% era”. The financial burden this will have on operators large and small has been widely discussed, and budget cutbacks are widely anticipated..

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DraftKings and FanDuel face ‘addictive product’ lawsuit in Massachusetts

The Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) is backing a new lawsuit filed in Massachusetts against DraftKings and FanDuel that alleges the gaming giants have created an addictive product for their users.

Bay State resident Daniel Arroyo’s filing in Suffolk County Superior Court takes issue with the promotion and design of DraftKings and FanDuel’s online wagering apps.

Arroyo alleges that FanDuel and DraftKings “exploit users’ vulnerabilities through constant accessibility on smartphones, turning a simple tap into an unlimited gateway for compulsive betting.” The suit also takes issue with DraftKings and FanDuel’s VIP programs, their deployment of “risk-free” bets and their delivery of promotional content.

The suit was filed by the same group of attorneys who were involved in a landmark California lawsuit against Meta and YouTube that found the companies liable for designing platforms that attract young people and include features that foster addictive behavior.

Suit claims operato..

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Policymakers move to tighten SG rules as NZ bill heads to third reading

Community calls in New Zealand led by an opposition MP to ensure that comprehensive player safety measures are included in the country’s new gambling bill were addressed during today’s reading.

Lemauga Lydia Sosene, a Labour politician and the party’s spokesperson, has become a key figure in campaigning for community returns to be prominently featured in New Zealand’s online gambling legislation.

Sosene, together with the community groups she represented, achieved success on that front late last year when the government agreed to include a mandatory 4% levy on online casino profits to be invested back into the public – with a following revision whether that rate should be put up.

Now, the Labour MP seems to have scored another win as her campaigning to ensure that sufficient steps are taken to minimise gambling harm appears to have contributed to the New Zealand government giving this extra attention in the upcoming bill, which passed the second-to-last-parliamentary stage today.

T..

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BetMGM emerges as latest US operator to ban credit card funding

BetMGM is the latest gambling operator to confirm it will prevent its customers from using credit cards to fund player accounts for online wagering.

During a regulatory hearing in Pennsylvania this week concerning several issues, including its recent fine in the state, the MGM Resorts and Entain joint venture disclosed that it will soon stop allowing credit card usage across digital sports wagering and online casino gaming.

BetMGM will begin phasing out credit cards in markets where it is licensed to operate from March 31. The new policy will prohibit the use of existing credit cards linked to player accounts for funding, as well as prevent the linking of new credit cards to accounts.

SBC Americas reached out to BetMGM for comment on the new policy.

BetMGM joins competitors with a ban on credit cards

BetMGM will join other online gaming giants in the U.S. in prohibiting the use of credit cards for gambling.

Last August, DraftKings stopped accepting credit card deposits for its s..

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BC unveils upgraded 24/7 provincewide gambling support system

TheBritish Columbia government announced on Wednesday that it is revamping the way it provides gambling support to residents.

Effective April 1, B.C. will upgrade its Gambling Support BC program with what it describes as a new integrated, provincewide service-delivery model, intended to provide people with faster and easier access to resources no matter where in the province they live.

Delivered through a partnership with Telus Health, the updated service will combine the existing 24/7 Gambling Support Line and clinical counselling services into one coordinated system.

“The evolving nature of the gaming industry, such as the growth of online gambling, means we need to change the way gambling supports are provided,” said B.C. Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Nina Krieger in a news release issued on March 25. “The new service-delivery model will make accessing supports easier and more responsive for British Columbians in the moments when they need it most.”

Immediatel..

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