Europe

GambleAware names new CEO to manage planned closure

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Zoë Osmond OBE will pass on the torch as GambleAware CEO to Anna Hargrave as the charity prepares for closure in 2026.

The historic commissioner of problem gambling research, prevention and treatment in the UK, GambleAware is set to close its doors in March next year as the delivery of this work transitions to new commissioners across Great Britain under a government mandate and a new statutory framework.
NHS England has been chosen as the commissioner of funding projects, taking over from GambleAware – although the public health body is due to be shut down by the government as part of a cost cutting initiative.

Regardless, with the government’s plan to hand commissioning duties over to some kind of public health body in mind, GambleAware is opting to call an end to its decades-long activity.

As a transition CEO, Hargrave will oversee day-to-day operations as the charity gradually moves to its planned closure on 31 March.

Hargrave is a GambleAware veteran
Hargrave has been integral to the work that GambleAware has produced over the years, having played a key role in the charity’s Executive Leadership Team as Deputy CEO and Chief Strategy and Commissioning Officer since 2021.

Among Hargrave’s long list of achievement milestones with GambleAware is the re-commissioning of the National Gambling Support Network, improving its efficiency and access for vulnerable people.

She also leveraged her previous senior experience with the NHS to engrain a public health approach into all of GambleAware’s work.

On her new venture, Hargrave said: “Firstly, I want to thank Zoë for her leadership and support over the years, which has helped GambleAware achieve its ambition to see gambling harm positioned as a public health issue.

“The final six months are critical for the smooth transfer and transition to the new system and I am delighted to be taking on this role.

“I look forward to continuing to work with the new commissioners as they get to grips with their new responsibilities within the statutory system and will work with them to ensure their efforts build upon the current system’s achievements and insights to ensure learnings are carried forward.”

When is the official change of hands?
Osmond has served as GambleAware CEO since 2021, and has been a part of the charity for a total of seven years. Her leadership has been marked by important advocacy work to designate problem gambling as a national public health concern that puts all corners of society at risk.

She will officially step down on 30 September 2025, with Hargrave subsequently taking on transitional CEO duties with immediate effect.

Zoë Osmond, GambleAware CEO
Commenting on the change and reflecting on her work so far, Osmond added: “It has been a huge privilege to lead and work at GambleAware over the past seven years. The sector has undergone significant transformation during this time, and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved – particularly our commitment to embedding the voices of the lived experience community at the heart of everything we do.

“Few charities can truly say they’ve delivered on their founding mission, but GambleAware and the exceptional team behind it have played a pivotal role in reframing gambling harms as a public health issue and helped to shape the foundations of the new gambling harms prevention and treatment system.

“I’m delighted that Anna will be taking the reins for the next critical period, leading the charity through the completion of its transition to the new system. Her commissioning expertise and insight as Deputy CEO means she is well-placed to complete our vital work.”

September 15 will see SBC organise a ground breaking charity football event in Lisbon. Make sure you get the chance to see some of the most legendary names in football by securing your ticket today at https://www.legendscharitygame.com/

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PM ally Caudwell backs call for higher UK gambling taxes

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Billionaire John Caudwell, a key ‘business ally’ of PM Sir Keir Starmer, has openly voiced support for the Labour government to significantly ramp up taxes on UK gambling activities.

The founder of Phones 4u expressed on Twitter (X) that Labour should follow through with tax proposals endorsed by former PM Gordon Brown. Caudwell argued that higher gambling taxes were appropriate given the “polluting nature” of the sector, which he claims generates vast social costs that outweigh its economic contributions.

With the Labour government yet to settle on the terms of its Autumn Statement, Brown wrote an open letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves instructing the Treasury to implement a ‘targeted strike’ on the gambling industry.

The former PM advised Reeves to adopt proposals from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), which called for a sharp rise in duties on remote gambling from 21% to 50%. Further increases would elevate machine gaming duty to 50% and general betting duty (sports bets) from 15% to 25%—with provisions excluding horseracing wagers.

Brown urged Reeves to ignore industry pushback, insisting that gambling tax reform was the logical step to fund Labour’s pledge to reduce child poverty. According to IPPR estimates, such increases could raise an additional £3.2bn annually, lifting around half a million children out of poverty.

While Caudwell has been vocal in his backing of the proposals, he is not listed as a Labour donor. Instead, he was a long-standing supporter of the Conservative Party before dramatically switching allegiance at the 2024 General Election, voting Labour for the first time. At the time, he criticised the Conservatives for losing their way on economic discipline and failing to win the confidence of the business community.

His actions were seen as a symbolic victory for Sir Keir Starmer, marking a broader shift in support from parts of the UK’s business elite towards Labour. Caudwell’s intervention on gambling tax has further cemented his role as one of the most high-profile business figures backing the government’s economic direction.

Yesterday on Twitter, Caudwell openly expressed that a “hugely damaging gambling sector” should face its polluter tax, urging Chancellor Reeves to adopt former PM Brown’s toughest measures.

The intervention has sharpened tensions as the Autumn Budget Statement nears, with the gambling industry pushing back hard against the prospect of steep duty increases.

In the comment section of The Sun, under the headline “Three-quarters of punters say betting is key to British culture amid new tax threat”, readers warned that higher taxes risk driving betting further underground. The poll suggested that three in four punters view gambling, whether on sports, racing or bingo, as part of Britain’s cultural identity.

BGC CEO Grainne Hurst reinforced the association’s viewpoint in the article, stating: “Punters are clear, betting is not just a leisure activity, but a valued and long-standing part of Britain’s cultural and sporting landscape.

“From casinos to bingo, horseracing, football, rugby league, darts, and snooker, millions of adults enjoy betting safely and responsibly each month.

“BGC members are proud to support jobs on the high street, invest in local communities and grassroots sport, and contribute billions in taxes to fund essential public services.”

Concerns over how far to push gambling taxes have already divided political ranks across all parties. Within Labour, Gordon Brown and business allies such as John Caudwell are pressing for a sharp escalation, while MPs representing racing constituencies remain wary of the impact on jobs and heritage.

A Racing Post survey found that among 23 Labour MPs in areas with racecourses or training centres, only six responded to inquiries — some backing modest tax harmonisation, which would lift betting duty from 15% to 21%, and others offering only non-committal responses.

In opposition, the Conservative Party remains split between calls for complete overhaul of regulation led by Sir Iain Duncan Smith and concerns over taxes impacting rural communities as stated by Kemi Badenoch.

With the Budget expected by late October or early November, Reeves has so far shed no insights on her tax strategy. The Treasury has only confirmed that gambling duties remain under active review, alongside wider reforms to council tax, pensions relief, and high-value property.

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Ukrainian Gambling Council: comprehensive approach needed to tackle illegal gambling  

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The battle against illegal gambling is becoming a global challenge as digital tech creates an environment for iGaming to prosper, according to Viktoriya Zakrevskaya, Founding Member and Deputy Chair of the Ukrainian Gambling Council (UGC).

Writing for SBCEurasia, she underpinned the importance of a comprehensive approach and flexibility in adapting to technological changes in the modern environment.

There are prevalent obstacles when it comes to detecting and subsequently tackling illegal sites, challenges only elevated by the prevalence of digital currencies in the offshore environment. As well as this, social media is tapped into to generate traffic.

She emphasised: “To counter these challenges, countries around the world are implementing innovative approaches that combine technological, regulatory, and social measures. In particular, Argentina is restricting access to gambling websites via public Wi-Fi networks.

“For this purpose, enhanced authorisation, identification, and verification [KYC – Know Your Customer] procedures are used, which require confirmation of age and identity before accessing platforms.

“Public Wi-Fi providers are required to block illegal websites using filters based on blacklists provided by the regulator. This approach reduces the accessibility of illegal platforms in public places, such as cafes or libraries, where minors are often present. The Argentine experience demonstrates the importance of cooperation between regulators and ISPs to limit access to illegal content.”

She pinpointed the efforts being made in Indonesia, where the government has undergone major efforts to strangle gambling market engagement.

At the heart of these efforts have been tapping into financial supervision tools, which blocked banking tools linked with the gambling market, which is illegal in Indonesia.

She continued: “In the United States, where gambling regulation is decentralised and depends on the laws of individual states, illegal websites are multiplying twice as fast as licensed ones [+64% vs. +36% as of 2024]. More than 80% of users see ads for illegal platforms, which often operate through offshore companies and use cryptocurrencies for transactions.

“To combat these challenges, the United States is working to regulate cryptocurrencies, impose restrictions on the use of offshore companies for the registration of gambling business organisers, and require IT giants to strengthen advertising moderation to limit the promotion of illegal sites in search engines and social networks. The US experience shows that the decentralised model of countering illegal gambling requires coordination at different levels: between the federal centre and the states; directly between the states; and between the federal centre, states, and IT companies.”

The regulator in Ukraine collaborates with Meta tackling Instagram accounts of bloggers who promote illegal online casinos through stories, showing fake “winnings” and leaving active links to banned sites.

September 15 will see SBC organise a ground breaking charity football event in Lisbon. Make sure you get the chance to see some of the most legendary names in football by securing your ticket today at https://www.legendscharitygame.com/

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Slovakia: Policy inconsistencies aid black market encroachment

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An independent report and audit detail that regulatory inconsistencies and fragmented enforcements have ceded the gambling market to unlicensed operators growing their scope in targeting Slovak consumers.

In Slovakia, questions are being raised about how effective the government is in tackling growing exposure to illegal gambling, which calls into question the policies enacted by the Valda (Parliament).

Concerns about the growing encroachment and engagement with black market operators have been raised by a damning audit from the Supreme Audit Office (SAO) and a detailed report published by the Institute for the Regulation of Gambling (IPRHH) an independent research agency on gambling.

Black Book of liabilities
Titled the Čierna kniha nelegálneho hazardu (Black Book of Illegal Gambling), by the IPRHH, its report presents the most comprehensive account yet of Slovakia’s growing vulnerability to illicit gambling.

Insights reveal a fragmented regulatory system that has failed to keep pace with a shadow industry that has gone digital with day-to-day engagements with national consumers.

The report identifies two key fronts: unlicensed online platforms and the growing infiltration of gambling mechanisms into mainstream digital culture. It estimates that the majority of illegal gambling activity in Slovakia now occurs online, facilitated by platforms that offer: Unlimited bet sizes, anonymous payments and zero identity verification.

The IPRHH describes this as gambling that has “moved from arcades into living rooms,” beyond the reach of any meaningful state control. The consequences are acute: minors, excluded players, and individuals receiving social assistance are all regularly able to access and spend money on these platforms.

Among youth aged 15–17, 31% reported having gambled online illegally, according to a 2023 IPSOS survey cited in the report. The findings further show that early exposure has lasting effects: individuals who began gambling before age 18 were four times more likely to develop gambling addiction and twice as likely to face debt collection before age 30.

The report also takes aim at so-called “loot boxes” embedded in video games — randomised digital rewards purchasable with real money. It labels them a “gateway drug to gambling,” particularly dangerous because of subtle integration into games popular with children.

Social media platforms add to the problem. Influencers are increasingly paid by offshore casinos to promote unlicensed platforms on TikTok, YouTube, and Twitch. These endorsements often depict gambling as glamorous, low-risk, and rewarding—distorting reality for young audiences. The IPRHH warns that these trends “erode the line between entertainment and exploitation.”

Technologically, the state is struggling to keep up. The report criticises the slow pace of enforcement and the overreliance on manual IP blocking. “The system is neither fast enough nor technologically capable to respond to the speed of illegal digital gambling,” the authors conclude.

Audit confirms the diagnosis
The SAO’s findings suggest that regulation is failing not because of bad policy, but because of non-enforcement. Between 2019 and 2025. URHH the Gambling Authority of Slovakia issued more than 600 fines — but allowed over 900 cases to expire without action, as deadlines lapsed. The root cause? Until recently, only one employee managed sanctions enforcement.

“It is not so clear why some received a fine of several thousand, and others avoided sanctions altogether,” admitted Ľubomír Andrassy, Head of the SAO. “There was no internal process. In many cases, the authority simply ran out of time.”

The audit also revealed a legislative loophole that allows gambling halls to continue operating for up to five years, even in municipalities that have banned them, if the local government fails to notify the regulator within five days. The SAO described this as “unreasonable and dysfunctional.”

Gambling is a lucrative business for the Slovak state. From 2018 to 2024, gambling contributed €1.8bn to the budget. Municipalities collected another €113m in licensing fees. In 2024 alone, online casinos generated €126m, up from less than €3m in 2019—largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which drove players online during the closure of land-based venues.

But this growth came without guardrails. The state “has no strategy to protect young people or addicts,” the SAO concluded. According to Lenčéš, “We are regulating the margins while ignoring the core problem. Without personnel, without tools, and without strategic direction, regulation becomes theatre.”

Dávid Lenčéš
Blunt enforcements
More than 54% of gambling activity in Slovakia now takes place online. Yet much of that occurs outside the bounds of the legal market. Illegal websites, often tailored for Slovak users with local language, support, and branding, offer frictionless access to high-stakes gambling without registration or restrictions.

Children can play. Addicts can relapse. And there are no limits, no age checks, and no oversight. According to the IPRHH, many platforms even simulate legitimate design features to lull players into a false sense of security.

“Regulated operators are held to high standards,” says Dávid Lenčéš, executive director of the IPRHH, “but that only works if unlicensed providers face real consequences. Right now, they don’t.”

These sites evade detection using VPNs, anonymous payments, and rapidly shifting web domains. Enforcement becomes a game of digital whack-a-mole that the state is losing.

ÚRHH focuses on blocking access to known illegal websites — through DNS filtering and cooperation with internet providers. But without more powerful tools, and with slow identification procedures, this tactic has proved insufficient.

“Blocking IPs is a blunt instrument,” says one analyst familiar with the enforcement framework. “The platforms adapt in hours. The regulators take weeks.”

Can regulatory incoherence be fixed?
At present, Slovakia’s gambling sector is increasingly characterised by contradictions. The government profits from legal gambling, while failing to contain its illegal cousin. It demands strict compliance from licensed firms, while tolerating systemic non-compliance from unlicensed ones.

The lesson from the IPRHH and SAO is sobering: it is not prohibition that fuels black markets, but regulatory incoherence. And unless Slovakia aligns its policy ambitions with the realities of the digital era, it may soon find that the market has already slipped beyond its reach.

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GambleAware goes for concrete but lands on glass in latest industry critique

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A study by GambleAware has claimed that operator safer gambling ads have a reverse effect, but it’s not without speculation.

Commissioned by the safer gambling charity, consultancy group Thinks Insight & Strategy looked at problem gambling campaigns produced by five different entities – GambleAware itself, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), Betfair, William Hill, and 888, the latter two owned by the evoke Group.

The research paper was conducted as a Randomised Controlled Trial with a total pool of 4,013 participants. The charity did note that this presents a risk of bias, as only 443 participants meaningfully engaged with the practical part of the exam.

Participants were presented with a random safer gambling video from the catalogue, after which a pop-up of a mockup betting app was shown on screen, prompting the viewer to claim a free bet.

According to the study, the ad by GambleAware had the lowest click-through rate (3%) towards the betting app. This was followed by Betfair’s ad (4%) and BGC’s (6%). William Hill (18%) and evoke (15%) ads had the highest rates.

Alexia Clifford, GambleAware Chief Communications Officer, said: “This new research shows that so-called ‘safer gambling’ videos produced by gambling operators could be doing more harm than good. It’s unacceptable that adverts claiming to help people reduce their risk of harm are encouraging people to gamble more instead.”

Clifford called for more monitoring of industry-led ad campaigns led by stronger legislation on gambling marketing and advertising.

Potential for biases
As noted above, the report highlights that there was room for biases, with the researchers pointing that there were a list of limitations as far as the methodology is concerned.

As mentioned previously, any concrete conclusions are impossible due to the small number of participants (443) that went through with the betting app.

Furthermore, the research measured click-through rates to the mock gambling app instead of actual wagers placed. The authors highlighted that it is difficult to get an accurate estimate of actual gambling harm risks without direct evidence of financial expenditure.

Finally, the survey acknowledged that questions were placed at the end of the experiment, which could’ve led to a “cognitive fatigue” that led respondents to answers which they would’ve otherwise answered differently – essentially inflating PGSI scores.

GambleAware will stop existing in March 2026 as a result of a new UK statutory framework which will see the NHS manage all research, education and treatment funding to combat gambling-related harms.

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ProgressPlay handed £1m UKGC fine for ‘unacceptable’ AML failures

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The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has issued a £1m fine to ProgressPlay Limited for compliance failures related to anti-money laundering and social responsibility.

Following a UKGC compliance assessment, the operator has also been handed a warning and is expected to undergo a third-party audit within six months of a licence review being concluded to ensure AML and social responsibility policies, procedures, and controls are being effectively implemented.

The Commission noted that the breaches took place over various dates between August 2021 and August 2024.

ProgressPlay, which operates 134 websites, has now faced enforcement action from the UKGC for the second time in three years, as the operator paid a £175,718 fine for social responsibility and AML failures in 2022.

John Pierce, Director of Enforcement and Intelligence at the UKGC, commented: “Gambling businesses must have robust policies and procedures in place to protect consumers and ensure appropriate anti-money laundering controls are maintained. These measures must be actively implemented and regularly tested to confirm their effectiveness.

“This case marks the second time ProgressPlay Limited has been subject to enforcement action by the Gambling Commission. Its failure to meet AML obligations, along with the gaps identified in its social responsibility processes, are unacceptable.”

According to the UKGC, AML failures by ProgressPlay included:

An appropriate Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (MLTF) risk assessment was not conducted and appropriate controls to minimise MLTF risk were not implemented.

Not considering all business-associated risks, failing to take a sufficient risk-based AML approach.

Transactions carried out during customer relationships, such as verifying source of funds, were not sufficiently scrutinised to ensure transactions were consistent with the casino’s understanding of the customer, their business activities, and their risk profile.

The Commission also stated that the operator’s social responsibility failures included:

Not having adequate systems and processes in place to monitor customer activity at the point of account opening effectively, early identification of potential gambling-related harm or the implementation of appropriate interventions was at risk.

Employing a customer interactions policy which didn’t adequately address the elements of identify, act and evaluate set out in the Remote Customer Interaction section of the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice.

Not implementing adequate processes to understand the impact of individual interactions and actions on a customer’s behaviour, the continued risk of potential harm, and whether further action is needed.

The UKGC noted that ProgressPlay cooperated with the investigation and took corrective steps to address the failings identified.

“As part of the regulatory outcome, ProgressPlay is now required to undergo an independent third-party audit to assess the adequacy of its compliance arrangements across these areas,” Pierce added.

“Operators should be in no doubt: repeated regulatory breaches will result in increasingly severe enforcement action. We urge all operators to examine the failings identified in this case and take proactive steps to strengthen their own systems and controls.”

September 15 will see SBC organise a groundbreaking charity football event in Lisbon. Make sure you get the chance to see some of the most legendary names in football by securing your ticket today at https://www.legendscharitygame.com/

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GambleAware calls for safer gambling video guidelines after industry advert study

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GambleAware is calling on the UK Government to produce safer gambling video guidelines after new research brings into question the impact of operator’s safer gambling adverts.

In addition, the charity is also calling for more effective monitoring and accountability for industry-led campaigns, as well as a consistent framework to ensure adverts are protective.

Conducted by Thinks Insight & Strategy with academic expert Professor Elliot Ludvig, the research examined the effectiveness of safer gambling video campaigns currently being used by major operators.

Videos used include a control video, ‘Magnets’ stigma campaign by GambleAware, Play at your best by Betfair, Top tips for positive play by William Hill, Take time to think by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), as well as Made to play safely by 888.

Participants were randomly exposed to the different safer gambling video adverts, followed by a simulated online environment in which the video’s effect on their subsequent inclination to gamble was captured. This was done to see what safer gambling message types affect gambling behaviours and attitudes, as well as how effective operator methods were in reducing harmful gambling.

‘Backfire effects’

The study noted that Top tips for positive play by William Hill and Made to play safely by 888 adverts had “backfire effects” and led to a significant increase in click-through rates compared to the control.

According to the study, these videos “may encourage gambling engagement, potentially due to their framing or the promotional nature of their messaging. Attitudinal survey results suggest the videos may reinforce the idea that gambling is safe, create a false sense of security, increase gambling intent, and, despite being perceived as trustworthy, subtly downplay gambling risks”.

The study noted that 45% of participants that were shown the Made to play safely by 888 felt as though it suggested gambling was harmless fun, while this figure was 38% for the Top tips for positive play by William Hill.

Ludvig stated: “The study suggests that some safer gambling videos from gambling operators have a backfire effect, encouraging gambling and having the opposite effect to their intended purpose of helping people control how much they gamble.

“The findings from this experiment should be used to help to guide the design of effective safer gambling advertising videos and establish standards for measuring their impact.”

Other results

The ‘Magnets’ stigma campaign video was shown to have ‘protective effects’, resulting in a significant decrease in click-through rates, as their personal narrative and serious tone may have helped to foster “greater awareness of gambling harms”.

In addition, the attitudinal survey results suggest that the video “effectively normalises gambling problems as widespread, encourages self-reflection, counters the idea of gambling as harmless fun, and is perceived as trustworthy, potentially enhancing its protective impact on behaviour”.

Of the participants, 15% thought the advert suggested that gambling was harmless fun.

Play at your best by Betfair and Take Time To Think by the BGC were said to not produce significant behaviour changes, as the study stated that the Take Time To Think messaging “had no effect” while the Play at your best “had a straightforward, clear communication style and did not backfire”.

The videos were also said to be able to provide “useful strategies for managing gambling but do not strongly encourage self-regulation or behaviour change, slightly increase gambling intent, and foster a sense of control without clearly influencing gambling decisions”.

Of the participants, 39% thought Play at your best by Betfair suggested that gambling was harmless fun, while this figure was 32% for Take Time To Think by the BGC.

Industry can’t ‘mark its own homework’

GambleAware also noted that the study found that the industry-produced adverts increase gambling intentions among communities most at risk, including younger people and those experiencing gambling problems, as on average, 14% of those aged 18-34 clicked on the “pop up” advert to place a free bet, compared to vs 4% of those aged 55+.

In addition, the charity mentioned that gambling operators are supposed to allocate 20% of their digital and broadcast advertising budgets to safer gambling messaging on digital channels, but prior to this study, there was a lack of monitoring this and a lack of published evidence showing the potential impact.

Alexia Clifford, GambleAware Chief Communications Officer, said: “This new research shows that so-called ‘safer gambling’ videos produced by gambling operators could be doing more harm than good. It’s unacceptable that adverts claiming to help people reduce their risk of harm are encouraging people to gamble more instead.

“The gambling industry cannot be left to ‘mark its own homework’ on such an important issue. We need stronger legislation on gambling marketing and advertising, including more effective monitoring of gambling industry-led advertising campaigns, health warnings on all gambling advertising, and for all adverts to signpost to where people can get help for gambling harms.”

September 15 will see SBC organise a groundbreaking charity football event in Lisbon. Make sure you get the chance to see some of the most legendary names in football by securing your ticket today at https://www.legendscharitygame.com/

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​​Greece orders legal strike to dismantle €1.6bn shadow gambling market

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The Greek government has stated its intent to eradicate illegal gambling (land-based and online), viewed as both an economic threat to the state and a societal danger to communities.

The Ministry of National Economy and Finance has been charged with drafting a new legislative framework to prosecute illegal gambling operators, with specific IT and data-driven measures to tackle illicit online gambling.

The mandate has been prioritised by Finance and Economy Minister, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, who told media that the government aims “to stop the loss of €1.6bn annually, including €500m in tax revenue.”

New Economic Threat
This pledge comes amid growing evidence that Greece’s black-market gambling sector has reached alarming levels. According to recent research by the Hellenic Gaming Supervision and Control Commission (EEEP) and Kapa Research, 800,000 Greek citizens — approximately 9.5% of the population, engaged in illegal gambling during 2024.

Among them, 390,000 gambled online, 215,000 did so at physical venues, and 194,000 used both channels. The average annual amount spent per player reached €1,934, and 28% of respondents reported gambling exclusively on unlicensed websites.

Most participants are men aged 25 to 44, though the research also found a troubling rise in gambling among students and young adults — prompting concern among social policy experts and health authorities.

Kyriakos Pierrakakis: Greece
Minister Pierrakakis said: “The numbers are shocking. This is not just a leak of public resources, but a deep social pathology. We are embarking on a determined effort to restructure the space with transparency, rigor and modern tools.”

The Ministry’s legislative package, set for public consultation in autumn 2025, is expected to introduce far-reaching structural reforms. These include the immediate closure of physical venues found facilitating illegal gambling, particularly internet cafés and private clubs.

Businesses proven to be complicit will face revocation of their operating licenses. Individuals obstructing regulatory inspections or enabling illicit activity will face criminal prosecution, including custodial sentences.

Focus on digital surveillance
To counter the digital dimension of the threat, the government will expand DNS filtering mechanisms to block access to unlicensed gambling platforms — over 11,000 of which have already been blacklisted.

A new real-time digital surveillance system, powered by artificial intelligence, will be introduced to identify suspicious activity. Authorities will also begin systematic cross-checking of user data, platform activity, and financial flows, with cooperation from the Bank of Greece.

Beyond enforcement, the government aims to promote prevention and legal alternatives. Public awareness campaigns will be launched to inform citizens of the risks, while self-exclusion tools will be made available for vulnerable individuals. The Ministry also plans to introduce tax incentives to support the legal gambling sector and encourage migration away from black-market platforms.

Hellas joint taskforce
In a significant development in July, the EEEP established a joint taskforce with the national police, the judiciary, and the financial intelligence unit to dismantle criminal gambling networks and prosecute offenders.

Spearheading what it described as a “collaborative approach,” the Commission has called for broader cooperation among government agencies, regulators, and public bodies to engage in unified action against illegal gambling.

Antonis Vartholomaios, President of the EEEP, stressed the importance of sustained institutional collaboration and long-term vigilance. “We are not dealing with isolated incidents, but with a deeply embedded and constantly evolving ecosystem of criminal activity,” he said.

“Our task is not simply enforcement, but building a resilient regulatory framework that can adapt to the digital age. This requires transparency, persistence, and inter-agency coordination — not as a one-time measure, but as a new standard of governance. We will not win this fight with legislation alone, but with unified commitment across the public sector.”

EU watches Greece’s early strike
The implications of Greece’s initiative are likely to be felt beyond its borders. With Poland assuming the Presidency of the Council of Europe in early 2025, it has already called for the European Union to explore the development of harmonised legislation and cross-border protections against black-market gambling and its ‘economic encroachment’.

Concerns and anxieties have been raised by regulators in the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands over the rapid growth of illicit online gambling — an issue fast becoming a shared regulatory dilemma across the European bloc.

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September 15 will see SBC organise a ground breaking charity football event in Lisbon. Make sure you get the chance to see some of the most legendary names in football by securing your ticket today at https://www.legendscharitygame.com/

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Survey design found to impact UK gambling participation estimates

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Fresh experimental research led by Professor Patrick Sturgis has shed light on why gambling surveys see varying levels of participation and generate differing estimates of problem gambling.

The news arrives just weeks after the Gambling Commission (UKGC) pledged to strengthen confidence in the outputs of its new Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) – a study that looks to determine the extent of gambling harm in the UK.

The study’s main output is determining how many Britons can be considered suffering from problem gambling, based on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), which their responses to survey questions are assessed against.

The GSGB, launched this summer, has already drawn comparisons with the Health Survey for England (HSE) and Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS), which have both been used to inform policy decisions around gambling harm in the past.

The new research shows that design choices in surveys – from how invitations are worded to whether questions are asked by an interviewer – play a major role in shaping the results.

Why survey mode matters
The study found that explicitly mentioning gambling in an invitation did not affect how many people responded overall, but did attract more people with a personal interest in gambling, resulting in a four-point increase in reported participation.

Meanwhile, when it came to PGSI scores, this effect was smaller at 1.8 points and not statistically significant.

A bigger difference appeared when interview style was tested. Participants completing surveys online were almost 50% more likely to score one or above on the PGSI compared to those answering questions over the phone, underlining how people tend to under-report sensitive behaviour when speaking to an interviewer.

Updating the list of gambling products to reflect new market entries, however, had little to no impact on results.

Ben Haden, Director of Research and Policy at the UKGC, said: “The research builds our confidence in the outputs of GSGB, helps to understand the differences between surveys published on gambling and will improve our guidance for users.”

He stressed that no single study can ever definitively measure participation or harm, but that the regulator will continue to refine the GSGB, expand its use of datasets, and work with other survey providers to build a rounded evidence base.

Next steps for Commission guidance
Professor Sturgis emphasised the experimental design means “strong causal conclusions” can be drawn about the reasons for wide variability across gambling surveys, while noting that no single piece of research can provide the “true” value of participation or harm rates.

The Commission has been advised to update its guidance on interpreting GSGB results to better explain the differences with health surveys such as the HSE and APMS.

The regulator has confirmed that this update will be part of its ongoing improvement programme as it looks ahead to the second annual GSGB report, due for release on 2 October 2025.

With gambling harms still central to the White Paper reforms and under scrutiny in Westminster, the Commission has said it is keen to ensure the GSGB provides the most reliable picture yet of British gambling behaviours.

This data could prove critical as the debate around gambling regulation and the industry’s societal impact remains as heated as ever. Although the government seems committed to seeing out the recommendations of the Gambling Act review, it is facing calls for another regulatory overhaul from a large group of backbench MPs and local governments.

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