A.J. Koehn

The not-so-coveted upcoming affordability checks in the UK have led to Dr James Noyes leaving the Gambling Act Review Evaluation Advisory Group in an act of protest against the government, as reported by The Sun.

Noyes was invited to be a part of the Advisory Group on behalf of the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) due to his credentials as an expert in gambling policy and his advisory work as a Senior Fellow at the Social Market Foundation (SMF).

The Advisory Group itself was set up in coordination with the Gambling Commission to provide technical advice on the provisions of the 2023 Gambling Act Review White Paper, which Noyes alleged has fallen on deaf ears.

No agreement on affordability checks

What proved to be the straw that broke the camel’s back were the highly divisive affordability checks, which would require bettors to provide proof of financial stability if they are flagged by an operator for accumulating extensive losses – according to the government.

The ch..

The Gambling Commission is moving to strengthen the UK’s fight against illegal gambling with the creation of a Head of Illegal Markets role.

It will focus on leading high-profile investigations and disruption activity targeting black market operators, as the licensed industry in the UK continues to battle the ever-growing presence of unlicensed operators.

Reporting directly to the Commission’s Director of Enforcement and Intelligence John Pierce, the successful candidate will sit within the regulator’s Operations Directorate and play a central role in shaping and leading its response to illegal gambling across the UK.

According to the job description, they will coordinate resources across Enforcement and Intelligence functions while working closely with the Illegal Markets team, Sports Betting Integrity Unit, Legal, Policy, Strategy and Communications departments.

The regulator added that the role will play a “critical part” in supporting its broader strategy to combat illegal gam..

Entain has reiterated its calls for the UK clampdown on unlicensed betting advertising in English football, taking its case to the new Independent Football Regulator (IFR).

The LSE-listed gambling group’s urging of the IFR comes three months after its Chief Executive Officer, Stella David, made a similar request to Richard Masters, the CEO of the Premier League, to intervene on the promotion of unlicensed online gambling brands, promoted by EPL clubs.

Concerns around the visibility of unlicensed betting firms in English sports, and particularly in the Premier League, are nothing new, with the lack of intervention called out by Labour and Conservative camps.

Yet Entain acts on the frontfoot as its leadership makes a stand against black market gambling as principal tenant of its corporate strategy in 2026.

An intervention is required as 2026 sees UK gambling licences implement further compliance safeguards, with no restrictions or policies to counter black market encroachment.

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EPIC Global Solutions has appointed Chetan Pandya as Managing Director as it continues to scale operations around the world.

Pandya joins from DAZN, where he held senior leadership roles at the international entertainment firm, which operates both the world’s largest OTT sports streaming service and launched a betting proposition back in 2022.

His arrival comes as EPIC looks to strengthen its position as a strategic partner to organisations operating across high-risk sectors, particularly as regulatory scrutiny and expectations around player protection continue to rise.

He brings strong industry experience, having spent over 13 years at LSE-listed Entain, as well as a three-year stint at lottery provider ZEAL Network, where he served as Managing Director between 2018-2019.

In his new role, Pandya will help drive the company’s growth strategy, focusing on scaling operations and enhancing EPIC’s offering across sport, gambling and education.

“EPIC operates in a space that is bec..

Flutter Entertainment has invested a further £1.5m into responsible gambling and player safety, launching a new dedicated centre at one of its major UK headquarters.

Located in the firm’s Leeds, West Yorkshire, HQ, the ‘Centre of Excellence’ is intended as a place for collaboration, learning and experimentation in the field of responsible gambling and customer protection.

The move forms part of a wider focus on responsible gaming tools, with Flutter having set itself a target of 75% of its customer base using these tools by 2030. The current rate sits at 60%, according to the Sky Bet, Paddy Power and Betfair parent group.

Flutter’s new hub will host the company’s 450-strong customer safety team, and serve as an area for them to develop and test technological capabilities in this field.

The opening of the hub has been timed with Flutter’s Leeds office hosting the Ethical Gambling Forum, where the editor of SBC’s Player Protection Hub, Steve Hoare, will be moderating two sessions.

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