SBC Americas

Report: NCAA to discuss lifting ban on students betting on pro sports

The NCAA is considering a change of stance regarding its rules related to gambling.

According to a Sports Illustrated report, the NCAA is discussing the removal of its ban on wagering on professional sports. Last month, the NCAA’s Division I Board of Directors proposed the rule change leading to the organization’s DI Council to consider the matter.

The board of directors voted 21-1 in favor of adopting bylaws to lift the ban.

The DI Council is planning to discuss the ban removal next week with a potential implementation of the rule change coming as soon as June 2025. The NCAA’s active bylaws regarding sports wagering prohibit betting by all players, coaches and team officials on pro sports that are also played at the collegiate level. The NCAA also bans wagering by players, coaches and team officials on all competitions sponsored by the organization.

The NCAA plans to maintain its current ban on college sports wagering as America’s governing body of amateur sports considers allowin..

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Rush Street Interactive announces teen gambling education program

BetRivers operator Rush Street Interactive has partnered with Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360) to launch a program designed to help educators improve high-school students’ gaming literacy.

The new initiative, titled Gaming Literacy Aiding Decisions (GLAD), aims to not only help teenagers understand online gambling better but also promote their responsible relationship with what RSI and IC360 note is an “ever more socially prevalent activity.”

The GLAD curriculum will initially launch in Delaware, where RSI’s BetRivers currently holds a de facto monopoly on online gambling, as well as in New Jersey.

This spring, both RSI and IC360 have been working with educational districts on creating and delivering an educational curriculum. Those initial efforts will help inform the full GLAD rollout. The GLAD program ultimately will be available to educators more broadly to curate the content that resonates best with students.

Operators have responsibility to teenagers, says RSI CEO

“Consumers..

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Player Protection Symposium will be part of SBC Summit Americas core agenda

SBC Summit Americas is reinforcing its commitment to promoting safer gambling by integrating the previously standalone Player Protection Symposium into the event’s core conference agenda.

This strategic move ensures that all registered delegates will have access to discussions, insights, and best practices around player protection, cementing the topic as a central pillar of the 2025 summit.

The Player Protection Symposium will be held on May 14 in the Palm Room (Level 2) at the Broward County Convention Center. Featuring a focused conference agenda and networking opportunities, the symposium will offer a dedicated space for operators, regulators, compliance experts and technology providers to share strategies for player protection.

“I think it’s clear to everyone that player safety is no longer a side conversation. It should be a central focus for every company operating in our industry,” said SBC CEO and Founder Rasmus Sojmark.

“That’s why we’ve integrated the Player Protection Sy..

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EDGE Markets to expand finance platform with Defy the Odds RG deal

Startup launchpad Defy the Odds is teaming up with a gambling-specific financial platform to promote responsible gambling and provide personalized payment processing.

Defy the Odds, a women-led launchpad with a focus on founders from underrepresented backgrounds, has landed a strategic partnership with EDGE Markets. Earlier this year, EDGE Market launched EDGE Boost, an RG solution that provides users with a dedicated credit card and bank account to separate gambling transactions from normal finances.

“EDGE Boost is focused on providing bettors with financial tools that enhance their experience while keeping responsible gaming at the forefront,” said EDGE Markets CEO Seni Thomas. “Working with Defy the Odds will allow us to introduce our technology to many more eyes and innovators in the betting and iGaming space, giving them the financial flexibility they need to succeed while also promoting responsible gaming.”

As part of the partnership, Defy the Odds will advise EDGE Markets and..

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BetMGM prevails over Antar in appeals court over VIP casino case

Sam A. Antar’s push to hold BetMGM accountable for his losses gambling on the site once again failed in court

The Third Circuit Court of Appeals sided with BetMGM, upholding the decision by the New Jersey District Court that the online gambling company was not liable for Antar’s losses on the site.

The lower court determined that the state’s Consumer Fraud Act (CFA) did not override the state’s casino laws and concluded that Borgata Casino and BetMGM were under no legal obligation to compel problem gamblers from not gambling.

Court said Antar knew what BetMGM was offering

Antar’s original complaint alleged the BetMGM VIP coerced him to keep playing on the site even though they allegedly knew he could not afford to gamble on the site anymore. Antar claims his VIP hosts kept him addicted to playing on the site and he wagered more than $24 million with the company.

The Circuit opinion noted that Antar argued that the online casino site violated the CFA by deceiving him into continuin..

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BetOnline hit with cease and desist order by Michigan regulator

BetOnline.ag and SportsBetting.ag have been issued cease and desist orders from the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) for conducting illegal gambling in the state.

The MGCB has determined that the two Panama-based operators are violating Michigan’s Lawful Internet Gaming Act, Gaming Control and Revenue Act and Michigan Penal Code by illegally accepting wagers from customers in Michigan without proper licensing.

“The Michigan Gaming Control Board is committed to enforcing Michigan’s gaming laws and protecting consumers from illegal gambling,” said MGCB executive director Henry Williams. “We encourage residents to only engage with licensed and regulated online platforms for a safe and fair gaming experience.”

The MGCB has ordered BetOnline and SportsBetting to exit Michigan following an investigation sparked by an anonymous tip. The probe found SportsBetting to be illegally accepting wagers on sports, politics, horse racing and online casino games. The platform also violates Michig..

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Michigan regulator orders 11 more offshore casinos to exit state

The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) is protecting players across the state by issuing cease and desist orders to a group of unlicensed offshore casino operators.

The MGCB has sent cease and desist orders to 11 offshore iGaming operators that are accepting customers in the Wolverine State without adhering to required consumer protection and fair play standards. The lack of protections and standards include the unregulated acceptance of digital wallets and cryptocurrencies as payment methods.

Michigan’s gaming regulator has also recognized the failure of the offshore operators to offer data protection to players, which is also required for licensed gaming operators.

“This should serve as a strong warning to illegal operators: Michigan does not tolerate unauthorized gambling activity,” said MGCB executive director Henry Williams. “We will continue our relentless pursuit of actively identifying and disrupting these operations.”

The operators that have received cease and desist le..

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Illinois regulator adopts rule to ban credit cards to fund online gaming

The Illinois Gaming Board is changing its policies regarding sportsbook payments.

The gaming regulator has announced that it has adopted a proposed rule to ban credit cards to fund gaming accounts for online sports wagering. The IGB has implemented changes to its practices to protect players and promote responsible gaming.

The regulator has adopted the new rule following a review of sports wagering practices and rules as Illinois reached the five-year mark as a regulated online sports betting market.

“As part of our review, we determined that prohibiting the use of credit cards to fund sports wagering accounts is a justified and impactful advancement in Illinois sports wagering,” said IGB Administrator Marcus D. Fruchter. “There is a growing body of recent research showing that restrictions on credit usage to fund wagering accounts encourages responsible gambling and mitigates the harms of compulsive gambling.”

The proposed rule adds to existing standards in Illinois regarding cred..

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New DraftKings lawsuit scrutinizes casino deposit playthrough requirements

Another lawsuit is taking issue with the large deposit bonuses DraftKings offers to users.

Filed in the Eastern Pennsylvania District Court, the new suit comes from five DraftKings customers and aims to be a class action others can potentially join in down the line.

Suit takes issue with complicated bonus offers

Like many other suits brought against DraftKings, this one centers largely around its $1,000 deposit bonus. As others have argued, the suit claims the terms to clear the maximum value of the bonus are difficult to understand, complex and require a substantial amount of play in order to maximize the value of the offer.

“DraftKings attracts new users and keeps existing users coming back by advertising an all-upside gambling experience, falsely promising users that they will get free money which they can wager without any risk. In reality, DraftKings has created an all-upside opportunity only for itself: the hidden terms of its promotions require users to deposit and gamble a..

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Indian Gaming panel discusses problem gambling in a digital-first world

The Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention is a premier event for gaming brands and tribes providing attendees with the opportunity to discuss and learn about key topics.

Earlier this month, the convention held an educational session about mobile betting and the challenges it presents for problem gambling in a digital-first world. A group of industry leaders spoke during the session about the evolving risks of problem gambling amid a digital-first world and where real-time data and AI are being leveraged daily.

The topic was discussed by a panel that included IC360 Co-Managing Director Dan Trolaro and Almond Digital Health founder Kevin Winters. The panel, moderated by Safer Gambling Strategies CEO Keith Whyte, also included California Council on Problem Gambling Executive Director Robert Jacobson and Cornell professor Dr. Soojin Ha.

Accessibility of gambling through mobile devices

Problem gambling is an aspect of the industry that regulators across the country have allocated time an..

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