Steve Hoare

GAMSTOP scores 75% success rate amid changing UK landscape

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GAMSTOP has expressed full commitment to supporting the shifting UK gambling landscape in the wake of a successful 2024.

The gambling self-exclusion scheme reported a 75% success rate with users who have stopped gambling online after registering with the service between April and June 2024. This was backed by an independent evaluation from Ipsos.

Within the same evaluation, “almost half” of users have stopped gambling altogether, while 75% reported feeling more confident in controlling their gambling choices.

Overall satisfactory rates with the service were found to be 74%, with a total of 78% saying they have achieved the results they’ve been looking for when reaching out to GAMSTOP.

The three main quoted reasons that people signed up to GAMSTOP last year were to stop online gambling, regain control over their lives, and control their gambling spend.

This is further explained by the negative impact that people reported gambling as having on their personal relationships before seeking support from GAMSTOP.

A total of 60% reported bad relationships with friends and family, 85% were in a bad financial situation, 58% reported having bad physical health as a result of gambling, while 80% believed they were negatively impacted mentally.

Another highlight that catches the attention is that out of the three optional self-exclusion periods of eight months, one year, and five years, GAMSTOP reported that most users selected the latter.

The five-year period option was upgraded in December with an auto-renewal function, excluding players automatically for another five years once the first interval is completed.

Moving forward, GAMSTOP will need to work in a somewhat different UK gambling market given the statutory levy on funding, research, education, and treatment (RET Levy) by the DCMS, which was introduced last year as an additional layer of player protection.

This measure aims to secure £100m in additional funding annually for organisations, projects, and initiatives related to the prevention of problem gambling.

On the new landscape and GAMSTOP’s active role within it, Fiona Palmer, CEO of the self-exclusion scheme, concluded: “While the newly-announced funding mechanism for research, prevention, and treatment in the UK, revealed in November, does not impact our funding model, we anticipate significant changes to the broader environment within which we work.

“We are well-placed to assist the new commissioners of prevention and treatment at national and local levels by providing GAMSTOP heatmap and demographic data, and have made a commitment to them to do this going forward.”

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BGC: Public response proves SGWeek is more relevant than ever before

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The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has underscored the relevance of Safer Gambling Week (#SGWeek) as an industry initiative informing the public about safer gambling tools and behaviours.

The UK gambling trade body cites new data from SGWeek 2024, stating that the “numbers of punters using safer gambling tools surged for another year running”.

A positive response to last year’s campaign saw over 1.5 million unique accounts use a safer gambling tool during SGWeek (18–24 November), representing a significant 22% year-on-year increase.
The 2024 campaign delivered 7.2 million safer gambling messages to UK adults throughout the week, a 10% rise on 2023. Campaign targeting was heightened across social media, generating over 60 million impressions on major platforms including X, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram a 21% increase on the previous year.

Research also found that user-established deposit limits rose by 14% compared to the prior year. Notably, 47% of those setting deposit limits were first-time users, reflecting a positive shift towards responsible gambling behaviours.

SGWeek serves as the gambling industry’s flagship social responsibility campaign, bringing together UK and Irish regulated betting and gaming operators across all businesses. The campaign is run in collaboration with charities, support organisations, and the Gambling Commission to promote safer gambling practices.

The 2024 edition received cross-party political backing. Key supporters included Baroness Twycross, Minister for Gambling; Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Stuart Andrew; and Shadow Gambling Minister, Louie French. Endorsements from these senior figures strengthened the campaign’s credibility and broadened its public and industry reach.

Premier League clubs Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Southampton FC also contributed to the campaign’s exposure, sharing safer gambling messages with millions of fans via matchday channels and digital platforms.

During the week-long campaign, the SGWeek website recorded over 500,000 visits. The site provides essential information on tools such as deposit limits, time-outs, self-exclusion, and reality checks, alongside resources for individuals seeking support.

Grainne Hurst: BGC
BGC CEO Grainne Hurst commented: “Safer Gambling Week has proved its worth once again by making a real impact encouraging even more punters to make the most of the broad range of safer gambling tools only available in the regulated sector.

These new figures are a testament to its ongoing success, and this industry’s commitment to raising standards and ensuring the millions of customers who enjoy a regular flutter, do so in a safe and responsible environment.

SGWeek continues to demonstrate its effectiveness in raising awareness and increasing use of regulated safer gambling tools. The latest figures highlight the initiative’s sustained success for UK gambling and its emphasis on high standards on player protection.

Looking ahead, BGC members will continue to promote safer gambling year-round — but the dedicated focus of Safer Gambling Week, combined with broad political and sector support, delivers unique impact.

Hurst concluded: Our members promote safer gambling every day of the year, but a single dedicated week, bringing together the whole sector with support from MPs, peers, the regulator and other stakeholders, promotes that work in a uniquely powerful way.”

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European Economic Congress: Polish gambling is stuck in the grey zone

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The 17th European Economic Congress, held in Katowice, saw Polish gambling executives acknowledge that existing regulatory shortfalls have enabled the black market to encroach on Poland’s beleaguered and disoriented gambling sector.

A panel of gambling stakeholders at the European Economic Congress recognises that “the online casino market in Poland is largely beyond the state’s control”.

An earnest assessment of Poland’s gambling status was provided at an event hosted under the auspices of the trade body Graj Legalnie Association (Play Legally Association) and Poland’s Sports Lottery – Totalizator Sportowy.

The dire scenario is underscored by market data: since the 2017 reform of Poland’s gambling laws, which granted Totalizator Sportowy exclusive rights to operate online casino games, approximately PLN 230bn (€50bn) has flowed to offshore operators. The figure reflects a disheartening setback for Poland’s Treasury, which is estimated to have missed out on PLN 5.8bn (€1.3bn) in unpaid taxes.

Despite the government’s intentions, the sector remains mired in regulatory ambiguity. Since the legislative shift eight years ago, which was designed to limit the shadow economy and enhance enforcement, critics argue the situation has only grown opaquer.

Wojciech Szpil, former head of Totalizator Sportowy and current chairman of the UN Global Compact Network Poland, highlighted the challenges faced by regulators. The pace of digital change, he argued, has far outstripped the state’s capacity to respond.

“We are talking about the internet now — a medium that reaches all of us through the phones in our pockets,” he observed.

Enforcement, he added, is ultimately in the hands of the Ministry of Finance and the National Tax Administration (KAS), but the operational capacity to track and prosecute offshore entities, operating from the likes of Malta or Curaçao, remains severely limited.

Zdzisław Kostrubała, President of Graj Legalnie, was more blunt. “We are not opposed to regulation — we are opposed to regulation that doesn’t work,” he said. The eighth anniversary of the Gambling Act passed on 1 April, whose stated purpose was to limit unlicensed activity and boost tax compliance.
Yet the Ministry of Finance now maintains a blacklist of nearly 50,000 domains hosting illegal games, many of which continue to operate. Blocking such platforms, Kostrubała remarked, has become a futile game of cat and mouse. “Monopoly is an anachronism,” he added.

Others echoed the sentiment. Piotr Palutkiewicz of the Warsaw Enterprise Institute noted that most Polish consumers are unaware that only one online casino – Total Casino is legally sanctioned. “The law has not kept up with the facts,” he said.

Even consumers who wish to play legally often find themselves inadvertently on illegal platforms. In contrast, most European Union countries have adopted licensing models that permit multiple operators under regulatory supervision — balancing consumer freedom with state oversight.

Olgierd Cieślik, who chaired Totalizator Sportowy from 2017-2024 and was the architect of Total Casino, warned that the legal market is growing far too slowly.

According to data from H2 Gambling Capital, legal operators are expected to gain just 4–5% of market share over the next five years. In 2024, legal gambling revenue stood at PLN 67bn (€14.6bn) — nearly matched by an estimated PLN 65bn (€14bn) from the illegal sector.

Cieślik also drew comparisons with other digital industries, noting that users are accustomed to accessing multiple platforms for entertainment – be it streaming, social media, or betting. A single-state monopoly, he argued, fails to meet these evolving expectations.

As regulators across Europe gravitate toward more flexible, market-based systems, Poland’s rigid approach appears increasingly out of step. The grey zone persists, not for lack of law, but for lack of effective governance.

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The “Grey Zone” panel was held as part of the European Economic Congress. The debate was held under the patronage of: Graj Legalnie Association (Play Legally Association) and Totalizator Sportowy (Sports Lottery).

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Brazil: Betting advertising a battle of sense vs sensitivity 

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Ricardo Assis: SBC Noticias Brazil
The Senate of Brazil has heard opposing views on whether to proceed with further legislation of gambling advertising as part of the ‘Bets’ regulating betting regime.

Last week, key stakeholders hearings in Brazilian advertising and media were summoned by Senators’ Carlos Portinho (PL-RJ) and Jorge Kajuru (PSB-GO). The session featured the participation of media figureheads, lawyers, Bets leaders and civil society organisations.

At present, the Bets regime applies the ‘fixed measures’ on gambling advertising of Law No. 14,790/2023, overseen by the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA).

The Law deems that only licensed operators may advertise. Advertisements must include responsible gambling messages and cannot target minors or use certain public figures.

Further criteria determines that Bets adverts must not present gambling as a personal or social achievement or financial success. All Bets adverts and promotions must contain a +18 symbol for audiences.

Though withstanding, the adequacy of Bets advertising rules, has been questioned by Senators. Legislators have proposed two separate Bills for Gambling advertising to be treated as a unique legislation to be governed separately to the Bets regime.

As such, the Senate’s Sports Committee is currently reviewing Bill No. 2985/2023, which proposes a complete ban on gambling advertising across all channels, and Bill No. 3405/2023, which seeks to prohibit gambling advertisements involving athletes, celebrities, sports teams, and influencers.

Urgency aside, the Senate’s hearings were not intended to choose between the Bills, but rather to gather feedback from key stakeholders on the scope of a framework aimed at protecting society’s most vulnerable populations and young audiences from gambling-related risks and addictive behaviours. The sessions revealed a stark divide between those demanding a total ban and those advocating measured restrictions.

Loud voices for full prohibition
Hermano Tavares, a psychiatrist from the University of São Paulo, issued a dire warning.

“Never in my life have I witnessed anyone handle a calamity with restraint,” he declared, likening gambling’s effect on the brain to that of alcohol and tobacco.

Brazil, he noted, “now leads the world in online betting accessibility — an unenviable achievement.”

Senator Eduardo Girão (Novo-CE), author of Bill No. 3405/2023, pressed for decisive action. “The evil must be cut at the root,” he insisted. With gambling prohibition politically unfeasible, banning its advertising, he argued, was the next best option.

Others echoed the alarm. Senator Magno Malta (PL-ES) lamented that online gambling had become “a disaster with no end”.

Advertising is fractured sector
Industry voices struck a more cautious tone. Eduardo Godoy of the Self-Regulation Forum for the Advertising Market argued that banning advertising would merely drive betting into the shadows. “Prohibiting advertising is the worst available solution,” he said.

The challenge, Godoy suggested, was compounded by the fast-moving media landscape. “Today we talk about influencers; tomorrow, it will be AI-driven avatars,” he said, warning that enshrining rigid advertising formats in law risked rendering legislation obsolete almost overnight.

Concerns about unintended consequences were shared by the betting industry. “If there is no advertising, how can users distinguish between licensed and unlicensed operators?” asked Heloisa Diniz of the Association of Bets and Fantasy Sport (ABFS).

Fernando Vieira of the Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR) concurred, stressing that most Brazilian gamblers still use unregulated sites. Advertising, he said, functions as “a mechanism for identifying lawful operators.”

Football reliance on Gambling Advertising
Football’s reliance on gambling money also loomed large. Sports lawyer André Carvalho Sica explained that lower-tier clubs, particularly in Serie B, depend heavily on betting sponsorships. “The true value today comes from advertising boards funded by betting companies,” he said.

Senator Portinho reflected the session’s ambivalence. While condemning the “predatory” presence of a dozen betting brands during the Carioca Championship final, he acknowledged that the sport’s financial survival depends on such sponsorships.

Digital platforms were notably absent from the hearings. Portinho criticised Meta, TikTok, and X for failing to engage, warning that uncooperative platforms could soon face stricter regulatory measures.

Despite the divides, there was consensus on the urgent need to better protect minors. Luiz Felipe Guimarães Santoro of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) outlined measures already in place to block underage access on legal platforms, but noted that illegal operators remain a threat.

Brazil now faces a critical choice. Should it impose a draconian ban for the sake of public health? Or should it refine the existing regime to balance commercial interests with societal responsibility?

The Senate’s Sports Committee will have to tread lightly as once more the regulatory development of Bets tests the boundaries of Brazil’s statute in providing a balanced settlement of economic necessity and social protection in Brazil’s digital age – another dual-natured challenge of a nascent gambling market…

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Flutter maintains laser focus on sustainable corporate governance

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Flutter Entertainment is making significant progress towards achieving its 2030 sustainability goals, corporate leadership asserts.

Initially set out in its 2022 ‘Positive Impact Plan’, the strategy focuses on improving four key areas revolving around Flutter’s impact on the environment, employment conditions, community support, as well as player safety.

Measuring each initiative against the importance it bears to stakeholders and the overall impact on the business, Flutter’s latest report identified safer gambling as ‘very high’ on the agenda, alongside staff inclusion and wellbeing.

Meanwhile, community investment, anti-money laundering measures and reduction of carbon emissions were classified as ‘high’ priorities for Flutter’s governing board.

Play Well
One of the main pillars of the Positive Impact Plan is the Play Well approach, where Flutter promotes RG education, engagement and use of safety tools among players – with the end goal being 75% of its customers using these tools by the end of 2030.

Since the launch of the sustainability plan in 2022, the percentage of Flutter customers using a Play Well tool seems to be well on its way to meeting the end goal. In 2022, that number was 37.7%. This then rose to 39.7% in 2023, only to reach 44.5% in 2024.

Peter Jackon, Flutter CEO, said: “Flutter is committed to sustainable growth and setting the agenda for positive change. Something I am particularly proud of is how we are continuing to help our customers to Play Well.

“We invested $139m to support and promote safe play across our global operations and saw 44.5% of our active online customers use one or more Play Well tools.”

Lifting communities
Flutter’s social impact is also on track to achieve its 2030 goal of improving a total of 10m lives globally. This includes the collaboration with new and existing partners to empower communities through fundraising and donations.

In 2022, Flutter managed to help 430,000 people, while in 2023 that number was increased to 1.53 million. For 2024, the number of cumulative lives improved stood at 2.55 million, with a total of $16.4m donated just in that year alone.

Sue Albion, Group Director of Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs, concluded: “Our Positive Impact Plan is at the heart of our business and I’m extremely proud of the progress we achieved in 2024, which wouldn’t have been possible without the shared commitment and passion from our colleagues across the globe.”

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Dutch offshore plague continues despite Google oversight

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Google asserts that it already has active anti-offshore gambling policies in the Netherlands in response to a motion filed by two Dutch politicians.

Mikal Tseggai, a member of the Dutch Labour Party, and Willem Koops, from the New Social Contract Party, requested a direct government intervention to restrict unlicensed operators from being shown to Dutch residents in Google searches.

“The House of Representatives heard the deliberation…requesting the government to include a ban on advertising and making gambling websites findable in search engines in the new gambling law, unless the Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit) has exceptionally certified a provider as a reliable organisation, the so-called whitelisting, on the basis of a careful review.”

In other words, the motion essentially asked for Google to refrain from giving advertising space to gambling operators unless the same ones have been explicitly cleared by the Kansspelautoriteit through the granting of a Dutch licence.

However, in an official response to CasinoNieuws.nl, Google confirmed that such measures already exist in the form of a whitelist incorporated within the US technology giant’s very own advertising policy.

This obliges the tech firm to only give region-specific advertising space to firms officially licensed by the relevant gambling regulators, including the Netherlands’ KSA.

Similar measures were most recently rolled out by Google across Nigeria and Germany.

Persistent issue
Despite this, illegal websites keep finding new ways to abuse Google’s search results to find new potential customers. In 2023, the tech firm reported a total of 5.5 billion ads taken down from its engine globally as they displayed content that violates its guidelines, including unlicensed gambling ads.

Earlier this year, Google’s EU headquarters in Ireland were contacted by the Dutch Quality Mark Responsible Affiliates (KVA) organisation that highlighted an increasing number of domains popping out after putting the term “casino without Cruks” in the search engine.

Dutch traffic towards such domains remains high, with the KVA reporting more than one million Dutch users lost to the black market by March of this year.

The development comes amid continuing political pressure on the Dutch gaming industry as the government looks at potential amendments to the 2021 Remote Gaming Act (KOA Act).

This review has been spearheaded by the State Secretary for Legal Protection, Teun Struycken, while proposed amendments have been subject to extensive parliamentary debate.

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Kindbridge teams with UCLA for cross-sector financial harm initiative in the US

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Nonprofit organization Kindbridge Research Institute (KRI) has launched the Financial Stability and Responsible Gambling Initiative in the US to confront gambling-related financial harm as a public health and financial stability issue.  Key elements of the initiative include a national working group spanning finance, health, and research;  a UCLA-led study on early risk patterns and effective…

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