SBC News

The Vulnerability Registration Service (VRS), an independent vulnerable people registry, has entered into a partnership with Gamban to promote the latter’s safer gambling software to individuals who register with VRS.

VRS aims to “help flag vulnerable individuals to companies to help keep them safe” and those who register for their services can do so to “make people aware of their circumstances, or they can opt to be declined financial or related services for a period of time”.

Helen Lord, CEO of VRS, said: “Those experiencing financial vulnerability have very often experienced gambling harm. That is why it is so important that services like the VRS and Gamban work together to ensure that people presenting to either of us are signposted to any additional support they need.”

The VRS software will be promoted through TalkBanStop – a collaborative gambling harm prevention initiative formed in 2020 by Gamban and the non-profit self-exclusion scheme GAMSTOP.

Gamban also has a partnersh..

On Thursday, 8 August, the Senate of Brazil will begin hearings on Bill 2,234/22, which carries the federal mandate to modernise Brazil’s land-based gambling laws.

The Bill will be presented by Senator Irajá Abreu (PSD-TO), as the chief sponsor, calling on Senators to back the project to modernise Brazil’s land-based gambling laws pertaining to casinos, bingos, horseracing, and the sale of jogo do bicho (instant win games).

The Senate’s debate of Bill 2,234/22 has been awaited for over two years since Abreu took over the project from former rapporteur Renato Vianna (MDB-SC).

Headline measures call for the government to annul the 1946 Decree Law of President Gaspar Dutra, which banned casinos from operating in Brazil’s municipalities and districts.

The Bill calls for Brazilian states to be granted ‘municipal autonomy’ to operate gambling venues, dependent on meeting legal criteria in relation to the population and socio-demographics of the district, and the size, location, and type ..

The Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) has completed the technical framework required for the government of Brazil to launch a federal online gambling market – commonly referred to as ‘Bets’.

On Friday, the SPA submitted ordinance No.1231 to the government, outlining its rules and technical guidelines for responsible gambling with regard to marketing, communications, and advertising of the Bets market.

The document supports previous SPA ordinances on IT securities, AML, licensing criteria, and game authorisations to guarantee the launch of a legal framework for “ethical and licensed gambling for the Federal Constitution of Brazil.”

SPA guidelines underscore that operating agents must observe Responsible Gambling as a duty of “promoting healthy, socially responsible gambling while preventing harm.”

Betting agents must adhere to statutory duties educating customers on the risks of gambling addiction/disorders and ensure compliance with age restrictions prohibiting under-18s from..

GamStop has recorded a period of record engagement with its national self-exclusion scheme for online gambling during the first half of 2024.

The non-profit organisation reports that more than 49,000 people have self-excluded from online gambling sites in 2024 so far.

In April, GamStop recorded its highest-ever month for self-exclusion registrations since its inception in April 2018, with 8,686 new registrants applying for self-exclusion from online gambling websites.

During the first half of 2024, GamStop registered a total of 49,500 new applicants, bringing the total number of users of its self-exclusion scheme to 482,815.

The UEFA Euros championship had a noticeable impact, with registrations increasing by 8% for the first half of July (knockout stages) compared to the same period last year. Registrations spiked on three particular days: the day after England’s group stage victory over Serbia, the day after England’s extra-time last-16 victory over Slovakia, and the day after th..

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has recorded a 12% increase in online total gross gambling yield (GGY), during the first quarter of the financial year of 2024.

The Commission sourced data on the gambling industry, covering online and in-person gambling with licensed betting operators found on Britain’s high streets. The commission has been collecting data from March 2020 to June 2024.

Providing data for Q1 2024 (April to June), the Commission declared that online total GGY, covering approximately 80% of the online gambling market, reached £1.46 billion, a 12% increase YoY.

Online growth saw Slots activity reach new highs across GGY, spins, and average monthly active accounts, as the segment GGY rose by 10% year-over-year.

The commission noted that it is “currently investigating the categorisation of certain products.” While this could result in some data changes between verticals, it shouldn’t impact the overall totals.

The number of bets and/or spins rose by 11% compared to the..

The launch of Brazil’s federal online gambling market is nearing its final stages, as the government has published technical ordinances to authorise online casino games and live gaming studios.

Yesterday, the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA), the department that will serve as the federal gambling authority of Brazil, submitted Ordinance No. 1,207 to the government.

The document outlines technical requirements for operating online games and live game studios as required by Law No. 14.790 (Betting Law) – which constitutes the regulatory framework of the Brazil Bets Market.

New ordinances are further required to amend rules and criteria related to fixed-odds games supplied by lottery operators prior to the Betting Law.

Significantly, the SPA provides its legal interpretations for the online criteria of multiplier systems, table games, fixed-odds games, live studio games, multi-player games, and fantasy sports. As such, the SPA provides two annexes to break down key requirements..

Michel Groothuizen has expressed that there will be a “continuity and inevitability” to Dutch gambling reforms, regardless of government changes.

Writing his first post as new Chairman of Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Netherlands Gambling Authority, Groothuizen underlined his commitment to concluding the reforms of the Remote Gambling Act (KOA).

Having taken office on 1 July, Groothuizen will oversee the remaining phases of the KOA review, under a new coalition government.

Despite changes KSA agents remain in place to finalise a near-three-year process to overhaul KOA laws, which launched the Netherlands online gambling marketplace in October 2021.

As noted: “The new ministers will also use largely the same underlying structure in the departments. And civil servants will support them, enthusiastically or not, but above all loyally, and provide them with expert advice, thereby contributing to a stable and predictable national government.

“And that is a good thing, because otherwise..

GambleAware has published findings from a study that looked into the engagement between people from marginalised communities and gambling.

The research, conducted by The National Centre for Social Research, suggests these groups may be more likely to use gambling as a ‘coping mechanism’.

This was found using data from 138 previous studies to explore how socially excluded groups are impacted by gambling.

Zoë Osmond, Chief Executive at GambleAware, said: “Our new report shows how people from marginalised communities, who are already dealing with many different issues in their lives, struggle with gambling harms.

“There needs to be more engagement with these communities to build awareness around the risks of gambling harm, and service providers need to ensure they can appropriately meet the needs of people in different circumstances.”

The research looked into several groups, including people who experience or are at risk of homelessness, older people, people living with disabilitie..

The New Zealand government has initiated plans to regulate online casinos, aiming to have the new regulatory framework in place by early 2026.

Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden stated that the government has agreed to a high-level approach for online casino regulation. This approach aims to minimise harm, support tax collection, and provide consumer protections for New Zealanders.

Van Velden explained that there will be a licensing system for online casinos. Operators must comply with specific criteria before offering services to New Zealanders. It will be illegal for unlicensed operators to provide services.

“We regulate most forms of gambling domestically through licensing. This regulation is not intended to increase gambling but to ensure operators meet consumer protection and harm minimization requirements, as well as paying taxes,” Van Velden said.

The government will allocate a limited number of licenses via auction, each lasting three years and conditional on me..

The National Gaming Authority of France (ANJ) has announced a new partnership with the Addiction Federation.

In 2019, France’s Gaming Observatory estimated the number of at-risk players at 1.4 million, with nearly 400,000 being at a pathological level. This means that problem gambling generates over 38% of the sector’s turnover and 21% for excessive players alone.

It was Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin, President of the ANJ, and Catherine Delorme, President of the Addiction Federation, who agreed to the deal last week.

The partnership now specifically looks to strengthen the prevention of excessive gambling and the protection of minors, through the implementation of joint actions.

Meanwhile, according to new data from the ANJ, sports betting in the country grew 24% as €5bn (£4.2bn) was placed on sports during Q1 2024.

In its 2024/2026 strategic plan, the organisation has prioritised reducing the share and number of excessive gamblers and to strengthen the ability of gamblers to better c..