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Google has issued an update specifically for Germany, informing advertisers that it will restrict the promotion of gambling services to businesses licensed by the Glücksspielbehörde (GGL), the Federal Gambling Authority of Germany.

As part of the update to its German market Gambling and Games policies, advertisers were informed that GGL licensing certification for gambling services will be required from 25 September 2024.

The update stated: “Only gambling operators and brokers licensed by the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL) will be eligible to apply for advertising certification for the gambling products specified in our Gambling and Games Policy.”

The requirement for GGL certification will be adopted as a mandatory measure for all gambling advertisers in Germany, including affiliates. Those offering gambling aggregation services, such as linking to multiple offers from different operators on their landing page, will no longer be accepted.

As a result of these change..

To mark the start of New Zealand’s Gambling Harm Awareness Week, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey has urged citizens to share their opinions on the country’s gambling harm prevention strategy over the next three years.

“While many New Zealanders enjoy gambling as a pastime without issue, the statistics are clear that harm from gambling can have a significant impact, therefore it is important that we put in place initiatives and interventions that prevent and minimise harm from gambling,” the Minister clarified.

“I would encourage you to have your say on this consultation document by 6 October 2024 to help inform its development. In talking to people about mental health and addiction, I’ve become firmly of the view that the ideas we need to solve the issues we face are already in the community, so please make your voice heard.”

The ministerial speech gave special acknowledgement to those with lived experiences of gambling harm, with Doocey clarifying that vulnerable groups and thei..

The government of Belgium has been urged to increase funding and resources available to the Kansspelcommissie to help the Gambling Commission enforce new rules and penalise illegal gambling websites.

The recommendation was endorsed by researchers conducting an evaluation of “Belgium’s Gambling Advertising Ban” – primarily funded by the Federal Ministry of Justice.

On 1 September, Belgium adopted new rules raising the minimum age for all gambling segments (online and retail) to 21 years and adding an outright ban on bonus inducements to its Royal Decree on Gambling.

In July 2023, Belgium’s government authorised a Royal Decree banning gambling advertising across all mediums, including TV, radio, outdoors, magazines, newspapers, and in public spaces. Online advertising on websites and social media was further prohibited.

Further restrictions are set to follow as Belgium will apply a ban on gambling advertising in sports stadiums from 1 January 2025 and on all forms of gambling sponsor..

The government of Belgium has been urged to increase funding and resources available to the Kansspelcommissie to help the Gambling Commission enforce new rules and penalise illegal gambling websites.

The recommendation was endorsed by researchers conducting an evaluation of “Belgium’s Gambling Advertising Ban” – primarily funded by the Federal Ministry of Justice.

On 1 September, Belgium adopted new rules raising the minimum age for all gambling segments (online and retail) to 21 years and adding an outright ban on bonus inducements to its Royal Decree on Gambling.

In July 2023, Belgium’s government authorised a Royal Decree banning gambling advertising across all mediums, including TV, radio, outdoors, magazines, newspapers, and in public spaces. Online advertising on websites and social media was further prohibited.

Further restrictions are set to follow as Belgium will apply a ban on gambling advertising in sports stadiums from 1 January 2025 and on all forms of gambling sponsor..

Members of the Dutch Parliament continue the debate around the adoption of a motion to ban online gambling advertising over target audience concerns.

As reported by Casinonieuws.nl, Dutch Secretary of State for Legal Protection Teun Struycken responded to a number of questions during a Parliamentary Q&A session regarding a research done by media firm De Groene Amsterdammer.

In it, the news publisher suggested that there is currently a high number of online gambling ads circulating in the Netherlands that are “explicitly aimed at young adults”.

The July report predicted that the State Secretary will most likely be faced with ensuing questions, which did eventually happen during last Friday’s House of Representatives meeting.

Struycken, who is a member of the New Social Contract Party (NSC), became a central figure for the gambling industry as soon as he was appointed State Secretary as part of the new cabinet under PM Dick Schoof following the last election cycle.

He is tasked..

AI-powered gambling solution supplier Mindway AI has partnered with igaming platform provider Finnplay in an effort to advance safer gambling practices.

Finnplay will integrate Mindway AI’s technology onto its platform to provide igaming operators with the necessary tools to detect and monitor at-risk gambling behaviours in real-time.

Jaakko Soininen, Managing Director of Finnplay, said: “Our strategy in Finnplay is to be a Platform of Cooperation and bring together the best operators, the best providers and the best solutions to ensure players and regulators have the best and safe experience for gambling.

“We’re excited about partnering with Mindway AI. This partnership is at the core of this strategy, bringing world class responsible gambling tools available for our operators to enhance the player experience.”

Rasmus Kjaergaard, CEO of Mindway AI, added: “Mindway AI is dedicated to creating innovative solutions that enhance the safety and enjoyment of gaming experiences. By par..

The ongoing debate on how Australia will choose to reform its gambling advertising laws has reached the boardrooms of TV networks.

This weekend, the Alliance for Gambling Reform (AGR) launched a campaign targeting the shareholders of Australian TV networks to support a blanket ban on gambling advertising.

The campaign is led by the ‘chief advocate’, Reverend Tim Costello, who is the brother of Nine’s former Chairman, Peter Costello, as gambling advertising conflicts turn into family affair.

The campaign urges shareholders of Nine and Seven West Media (SWM) to bring forward a resolution for a blanket ban on gambling advertising to be voted on at the broadcasters’ upcoming AGMs.

The AGR states that it requires 100 shareholders to mobilise and propose its shareholder resolution to Nine and SWM as a matter of ethical investing and shareholder advocacy.

The investors and boards of Nine and SWM will decide whether to end all gambling advertising across the broadcasters’ networks, includ..

Glücksspielbehörde (GGL), the Federal Authority of German Gambling, has initiated a new coordination strategy with state authorities to combat gambling addiction.

Coordination meetings began last week as GGL Chairman Ronald Benter met with Konrad Landgraf, Managing Director of the State Office for Gambling Addiction in Bavaria (LSG).

Benter is scheduled to speak with individual state authorities to improve cooperation and exchange ideas on how to strengthen the laws of the Fourth Interstate Treaty on Gambling (GlüStV) to combat gambling addiction.

The GGL’s individual meetings aim to “better understand the challenges faced by state coordination offices and to develop joint approaches for intensified cooperation.”

The leadership of the GGL identified coordination challenges during its first meeting of interstate authorities in Halle in January 2023, shortly after the Saxony-Anhalt agency assumed the role of Federal Authority for German Gambling.

Seeking to apply a new strategy, Ben..

The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) has published its evaluation report on the ‘Credit Card Ban for Gambling in Great Britain’.

In April 2020, Great Britain became the first nation to implement an outright ban on the use of credit cards for gambling transactions. The ban was implemented based on evidence that the use of credit cards was associated with greater harms amongst people who gamble.

Research pointed to GambleAware data gathered between July 2018 and July 2019 from 139,152 gambling accounts across seven gambling operators, which detailed that 5.7% of overall deposits into online gambling accounts were made using credit cards.

Although credit card transactions remained relatively low in usage, GambleAware noted that gamblers with significant wins or high losses were more likely to use credit cards, as indicated by 26% of players with losses exceeding £5,000.

Furthermore, evidence showed that 19.8% of account holders who had received an intervention had used cre..

The government of Sweden has granted additional powers to the Gambling Inspectorate, Spelinspektionen, to intervene directly in cases of ‘excessive online gambling.’

Yesterday, the government announced that the Inspectorate would be allowed to set individual “requirements on the content of license holders’ action plans to counter excessive gambling.”

This measure was described as a ‘sharper tool’ for Spelinspektionen to ensure that operators maintain consistent online safeguards, protections, and customer care duties for gambling consumers.

“This decision represents a tightening of efforts against gambling problems and strengthens consumer protection.”

Effective from 1 October , the Inspectorate will be permitted to change or modify the action plans of individual licensees concerning duty of care requirements.

Under the terms of the Gambling Act, Swedish online gambling operators are required to maintain an action plan outlining their duty of care procedures, protocols, and routin..