SBC Americas - Player Protection Hub

NCPG survey says number of US sports bettors isn’t really growing

SBC AmericasJuly 17, 20250229 views

The National Council on Problem Gaming (NCPG) released its latest National Survey on Gambling Attitudes and Gambling Experiences providing key insights.

The NCPG conducted its latest survey in April 2024 building on two previous editions of the study, which were conducted in 2018 and 2021. The NCPG completed its first survey of gambling attitudes in 2018 following the U.S. Supreme Court overturning PASPA. Three years later, the NCPG surveyed gambling attitudes at the peak of COVID-19.

The NCPG leverages the survey to provide stakeholders in the gaming industry with insights regarding player behavior and how problematic wagering extends beyond sports. Its surveys also destigmatize problem gambling as the industry expands nationwide.

The NCPG collected responses from 3,013 American adults between January 2024 and March 2024 for its latest survey with representation from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. The council also used duplicate questions from its first two previous surveys.

P..

Woman who included children in suit against DraftKings reaches settlement

SBC AmericasJuly 16, 20250282 views

The woman who included her two children in a lawsuit filed in New Jersey against DraftKings for allegedly violating state consumer law has settled the case out of court.

According to court documents filed in Essex County Superior Court, Lisa D’Alessandro and her two minor children have amicably resolved their legal dispute with DraftKings, dismissing all claims against the operator. The suit was dismissed with prejudice putting an end to the legal issue between D’Alessandro and DraftKings that began in 2024.

This is the second settlement in the span of a week for attorney Matthew Litt, who represented D’Alessandro in addition to another client who sued DraftKings over its alleged VIP practices.

Husband’s gambling sparks lawsuit

Last December, D’Alessandro filed the lawsuit against DraftKings for allegedly breaching the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act for allowing her husband to lose more than $940,000 while wagering with the operator despite her spouse having a gambling problem.

D’A..

NCPG granted restraining order to keep 1-800-GAMBLER online

SBC AmericasJuly 16, 20250258 views

Conflict between the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ) and the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) could put the national 1-800-GAMBLER helpline in peril.

The NCPG has been granted a temporary restraining order to keep the national portion of the hotline online in the meantime.

NCPG in dispute with NJ problem gambling group

While NCPG operates and maintains 1-800-GAMBLER, the group actually licenses the number from the CCGNJ.

In a lawsuit filed in Mercer County Superior Court in New Jersey, NCPG summed up the situation regarding ownership of the number:

“As part of its operation of 800-GAMBLER, CCGNJ has obtained a registered trademark for the number itself and has a license that allows it to control the routing of calls that are made to that specific phone number.”

In June 2022, the NCPG entered into an agreement with CCGNJ to license the number for national use outside of New Jersey at a rate of $150,000 a year. That three-year agreement technically ..

Iowa regulator fines FanDuel $125K for multiple violations

SBC AmericasJuly 16, 20250245 views

FanDuel is paying the price for multiple compliance violations in Iowa.

The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission levied a $125,000 fine on FanDuel for five violations pertaining to betting markets and the operator’s responsible gaming tools.

FanDuel received fines for allowing improper wagers on the Super Bowl, golf tournaments, Olympic events and soccer matches. The prohibited golf wagers totaled $89,000.

The illicit bets on Olympic events totaled $62,000, while the smallest violation was $330.

FanDuel was also penalized for a lack of RG protections. Its $125,000 fine included a $30,000 penalty for failing to provide customers with adequate “working options” for RG.

“We take responsibility for the matters represented in the settlement before the commission today and understand that we did not meet the high standard that we hold for ourselves,” said FanDuel spokesman Ben Roth in a statement.

FanDuel responded to the regulator’s fines by enhancing its business practices. The Flutter-..

Player Protection Stage puts RG in the spotlight at SBC Summit 2025

SBC AmericasJuly 16, 20250224 views

SBC Summit 2025 will once again shine a light on the industry’s responsibility of safeguarding players, with a dedicated Player Protection stage running throughout the event Sept. 16–18 at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL).

The Player Protection stage will offer the event’s 30,000 delegates an examination of how industry ethics intersect with regulation, technology and player behavior, featuring insights from experienced professionals across the sector.

“Player protection has rightly evolved from a regulatory checkbox to a core business strategy,” said Rasmus Sojmark, founder and CEO of SBC. “As global frameworks tighten and consumer expectations rise, the operators that succeed long term will be those that genuinely embed safety into their model.”

The Player Protection stage will tackle three core themes across the event. The first day will examine regulation, day two will explore emerging trends and day three will focus on innovative technologies that can better protect play..

Kalshi’s lawyer goes hard at state-regulated gambling

SBC AmericasJuly 11, 20250257 views

Anyone who has attended a gaming conference will tell you that panels are regularly devoid of conflict and debate.

That was not the case during a discussion on prediction markets at the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) summer meeting in Louisville, KY.

Josh Sterling, a lawyer from Millbank and former Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) employee, represents both Kalshi and Crypto.com in their legal challenges to cease and desist letters from gaming regulators in a trio of states. His comments on a panel regarding prediction markets both gave insight into Kalshi’s legal position and ruffled some feathers in a room full of regulators and lawmakers who believe sports contracts are infringing upon their turf.

Sterling stands firm: sports trading is federal territory

While the gaming industry tries to define where the line between prospecting and gambling is, Sterling found the issue crystal clear.

“The line is drawn in Section 281, Title Seven in the U..

DraftKings to pay back $3M to Connecticut players in promo settlement

SBC AmericasJuly 10, 20250248 views

DraftKings is returning $3 million to customers in Connecticut following an investigation by the state’s Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) into the operator’s bonus offers.

The DCP reached a settlement with DraftKings requiring the Boston-based sports betting and fantasy giant to return funds to approximately 7,000 consumers in Connecticut.

The department initiated an investigation into DraftKings amid allegations of the operator violating gaming law through its casino deposit and general bonus offers between October 2021 and January 2023. DraftKings allegedly violated Connecticut gaming laws by offering bonuses that promised a particular deposit match or bonus bet amount but included a playthrough requirement that was not expressly marketed by the company. DraftKings avoided any further legal or regulatory repercussions through its settlement with the DCP.

According to the settlement agreement, DraftKings “denies all allegations” and “denies any and all liability or wrongdoin..

Meta updates ad rules for real money and social gaming

SBC AmericasJuly 10, 20250241 views

Meta is changing its vetting process for online gambling ads on several platforms.

The tech conglomerate implemented new advertising rules for gambling-related marketing materials shared on its Facebook and Instagram social platforms. Meta adjusted its advertising rules to combat the prevalence of ads shared by illegal and unlicensed gaming operators. Meta defines online gambling and gaming as “any product or service where anything of monetary value is included as part of a method of entry and prize.”

Its definition applies to online sports betting, online casinos, poker and lotteries.

The company’s new advertising standards mandate entities that want to run a gambling ad to request authorization through Meta’s Permissions and Verifications portal offered through its Business Suite offering. Meta requires licensed advertisers to select whether they are an operator, aggregator or affiliate and the territories where they want to share ads.

All gambling ads shared through Meta’s platf..

Former MGC General Counsel Todd Grossman joins PrizePicks

SBC AmericasJuly 9, 20250247 views

A former gaming regulator is joining PrizePicks as fantasy operators across the country deal with legality concerns in one of the largest markets in America.

PrizePicks announced the appointment of Todd Grossman as the company’s Director of Gaming Regulatory Compliance to ensure the fantasy giant meets legal and compliance standards as it expands across North America. Grossman joins PrizePicks after spending more than 10 years in various roles at the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC).

“After an unforgettable chapter in public service, I’m thrilled to share that I’ve joined PrizePicks as Director of Gaming Regulatory Compliance,” said Grossman in a post on LinkedIn. “From day one, the welcome has been warm, the energy high, and the company’s commitment to building something truly exceptional has been unmistakable.”

At the MGC, he served as General Counsel for three years before being appointed as Interim Executive Director. Grossman was named interim director after Karen Wells st..

NJ Gov. Murphy signs bill banning betting partnerships with colleges

SBC AmericasJuly 9, 20250244 views

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has signed a bill into law banning public colleges and universities across the state from securing deals with sports betting brands.

Assembly Bill 4113 was signed by Murphy on Tuesday after first being introduced by Assemblywoman Linda Carter and Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly last April. It was carried over into the current year’s session.

The legislation is the same as Senate Bill 2155, which was introduced in January 2024 by Sen. Joseph Cryan. SB 2155 was passed by the Senate Higher Education Committee with amendments in May before being substituted by A4113 last month.

The bill was filed despite there being no active partnerships between New Jersey public educational institutions and gambling brands.

Still, Murphy’s approval of A4113 now writes a formal ban into law. Colleges and universities may not sign a sports wagering partnership that provides a gambling brand or operator with “access to advertise in the institution’s stadiums and other facilities…