SBC News

Svenska Spel will begin publishing new data revealing its revenues generated from customers with a low-risk gambling profile.

The new leadership team, CEO Anna Johnson and Chairman Erik Strand, has pledged to sustainable reporting figures as a commitment from Sweden’s state-owned gambling firm.

Reporting will start at the end of August, with Svenska Spel revealing its sustainable percentage revenues for April to June 2024.

Svenska Spel will base its sustainability metrics on the risk models of its proprietary Playscan tool, developed with the safer gambling studio Sustainable Interaction as an independent party.

CEO Anna Johnson stated: “We are reporting our share of healthy revenues and our efforts to counter gambling problems to show that it is possible to run a gambling company sustainably.

“It is an important step to increase trust in the gaming industry in general.”

2023 figures by Spelinspektionen, Sweden’s Gambling Inspectorate, show that 75% of Swedes engaged in some form..

The Senate of Brazil has advanced plans to modernise laws governing the gambling disciplines of land-based casinos, bingo, horseracing, and the sale of jogo do bicho (instant win games).

On Wednesday, the much-delayed Bill No. 2,234/2022 was approved by the Senate’s Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ), securing 14 votes in favour and 12 against, advancing a federal project to modernise land-based gambling laws.

Following two years of delays in its mediation, Bill No. 2,234/2022 will progress to the State Plenary for further revisions of how land-based gambling modalities can be applied to federal law.

Abreu revives marginalised Bill
The passage of the Bill is credited to Senator Irajá Abreu (PSD-TO), who picked up the project from the shadows, stating: “After studying this issue in depth, it is impossible that the whole world is wrong and only Brazil is right in not addressing and not establishing criteria and limits with this so important, necessary, and present project in th..

Spelinspektionen, Sweden’s Gambling Inspectorate, has banned four businesses for targeting Swedish consumers with illegal ‘skin’ gambling platforms.

The inspectorate published a notice naming the businesses of Gamevio Ltd, Bigskin Trading Limited, Santeda International BV, and the website Samilland.co as infringing on Swedish gambling laws by providing ‘games without a necessary license’.

The Inspectorate detailed that both Gamevio Ltd and Bigskin Trading had promoted unlicensed games in the form of skins to Swedish consumers.

Skin gambling websites allow customers to purchase virtual goods and currencies, which can be used to gamble on their platforms.

Popular with younger gaming audiences, skin websites have caused problems for regulatory authorities in Europe, determining whether gameplay and interactions can be classified as gambling.

Spelinspektionen determines that “Skins are collectibles in many popular computer games that can often be redeemed for money outside of the comp..

Stake has partnered with BetBlocker – a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing free and anonymous software to help individuals manage and control gambling.

The deal sees the Australian-Curaçaoan online casino look to enhance its player safeguarding measures with a view to minimising gambling harm for its customers.

Chief of Safer Gambling Partnerships at BetBlocker, Pedro Romero, commented: “BetBlocker is thrilled to collaborate with Stake to expand the reach of our software. We are delighted that Stake is taking a significant step forward in promoting responsible gambling.”

The free tool can be used as a safer gambling instrument for players experiencing problems with addiction, available through an anonymous software that allows players to stop access to a range of gambling sites.

The BetBlocker tool allows players to block themselves in advance and set a timeframe which ranges from several days to years.

“At Stake, we pride ourselves on delivering an entertaining an..

The Labour Party has pledged to complete the outstanding affairs of the Gambling Review, needed to deliver the new terms of play for UK gambling.

Yesterday, the Party published its 2024 General Election Manifesto titled ‘Change’, promising an ambitious programme to return economic productivity and wealth generation to the UK.

Headline policies see Labour seeking to build 1.5 million new homes, reduce net migration, and cut down NHS waiting lists by adding an additional 40,000 appointments every week.

Within the 136-page document, just one paragraph was reserved for UK gambling, under the manifesto’s pledge to ‘Build an NHS for the future’ citing: “Labour is committed to reducing gambling-related harm. Recognising the evolution of the gambling landscape since 2005, Labour will reform gambling regulation, strengthening protections. We will continue to work with the industry on how to ensure responsible gambling.”

The commitment represents a repeat of prior reporting and statements by..

The Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has highlighted three main areas which it will focus on during the Euros – prevention, supervision and enforcement.

In preparation for an expected surge in placed bets and gambling advertising during a summer of sports, the watchdog is tightening the control measures around youth betting.

Part of the regulator’s increased efforts is a campaign co-launched with the Dutch national support service Loket Kansspel and funded by the Addiction Prevention Fund (Vpf), which will provide additional educational material for people aged between 18 and 24 on safer betting practices and how to mitigate risk.

Titled ‘Don’t Play Games With Your Money’, the initiative uses a number of communication channels to invite young people to take a test and receive a ‘realistic’ analysis of their gambling behaviour, which then redirects them to Loket Kansspel in the cases of increased risks from gambling harm.

Not only that, but anyone who contacts L..

Armenia continues to modify its gambling regime, as Parliament has approved a package of new amendments to rectify existing laws related to gambling.

Approved on Wednesday, 12 June, legislative changes will introduce new tax charges on ‘gambling winnings’, categorised as “large win” and “regular win” for customers.

A “large win” is defined as any single win exceeding 5 million drams (approximately €11,000), which will be subject to a 5% income tax, sanctioned as a measure intended to ensure that significant gambling profits are ‘adequately taxed’.

For smaller wins, consumers will be required to calculate the net winnings, as the difference between the total winnings and the bets placed. The ‘net win amount’ will then be subjected to a 10% income tax.

The distinction aims to simplify the taxation process for frequent, smaller wins, and ensure that gamblers pay their fair share based on actual profits.

The changes mark a shift in Armenia’s approach to gambling taxation. Previously, ..

Armenia continues to modify its gambling regime, as Parliament has approved a package of new amendments to rectify existing laws related to gambling.

Approved on Wednesday, 12 June, legislative changes will introduce new tax charges on ‘gambling winnings’, categorised as “large win” and “regular win” for customers.

A “large win” is defined as any single win exceeding 5 million drams (approximately €11,000), which will be subject to a 5% income tax, sanctioned as a measure intended to ensure that significant gambling profits are ‘adequately taxed’.

For smaller wins, consumers will be required to calculate the net winnings, as the difference between the total winnings and the bets placed. The ‘net win amount’ will then be subjected to a 10% income tax.

The distinction aims to simplify the taxation process for frequent, smaller wins, and ensure that gamblers pay their fair share based on actual profits.

The changes mark a shift in Armenia’s approach to gambling taxation. Previously, ..

GamCare has issued new guidance to British banks on how to spot and prevent gambling-related financial harms impacting their clients’ businesses.

The problem-gambling treatment support charity has published its “Business banking, debt and gambling harm” report, produced from insights gained from workshops and research on gambling-related financial harms.

The report emphasizes the importance of raising awareness and training staff within the banking sector. Banks should utilise their vast data resources to better understand the scale of gambling harm across business accounts and analyse how to foresee and prevent such financial issues.

Another key recommendation is the blocking of gambling transactions on business accounts. The report highlights that while only a small number of business bank account providers, such as Monzo and Tide, currently block gambling transactions by default, and some others, like Santander and NatWest, offer an opt-in gambling block at the customer’s request..

The formation of a new four-party coalition government in the Netherlands has brought sweeping changes across government departments.

As expected the change sees Franc Weerwind removed from his position as Minister of Legal Protections, overseeing the regulatory reform of Dutch gambling under the laws of the Remote Gambling Act (KOA).

Engaged in six months of negotiations, the Party for Freedom (PPV) led by populist Geert Wilders, secured its majority in the Kamer, ending the Netherlands political stalemate by agreeing governing terms with conservative counterparts the Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), the New Social Contract Party (NSC) and the Farmer-Citizen Movement (BBB).

A fragile ‘conservative alliance’ has been established on the condition that Wilders will not serve as Prime Minister with the seat reserved for ‘Wilders-endorsed’, non-populist Dick Scoof – who ends PM Mark Rutte’s 14-year premiership as Dutch PM.

With the leadership agreement settled, the four parti..