GamCare will stop providing its safer gambling service by the end of 2024 after failing to find an alternative home for the service. The resultant restructuring has meant a number of safer gambling professionals have left the organisation and are seeking employment elsewhere. In a statement released today, the organisation announced: “GamCare’s Board decided in…
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has published its first Code Handbook, as it looks to give a more in depth guide on raising standards in the UK betting industry, A trio of codes have become part of License Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) for members. These measures have already been implemented across the sector. At the…
The UK Gambling Commission has teamed up with Malta’s Gaming Authority to better regulate its gambling sector through a Memorandum of Understanding.
The agreement will see both regulators exchange information and intelligence to build up better consumer safeguarding measures, curb criminal behaviour and combat the rise of gambling harm.
Andrew Rhodes, UKGC CEO, lauded the agreement, stating: “We welcome this agreement as a sign of our continued collaboration between the MGA and the UKGC. We’ve been working closely for some time now, and following our successful visit this summer, it is only fitting that we formulate our working relationship.
“We are keen to continue strengthening our efforts to raise standards across the industry, tackling common challenges such as illegal gambling, while also exploring future collaboration, including initiatives like shadowing and addressing key issues in areas like AML and sports betting integrity.”
By sharing best practices through the partners..
Riksrevisionen, the Swedish National Audit Office, has completed its audit of Spelinspektionen and has determined that the authority’s supervision of the country’s gambling market is ineffective.
In response, the gambling regulator has stated that it welcomes the audit office’s review, noting that “several issues are still awaiting practice in court” and that it has also received increased budget funds for 2024, which were “a decisive factor” in developing its operations further.
‘Not sufficiently effective’
The audit of Spelinspektionen began in November last year, with Riksrevisionen tasked with assessing if the regulator’s management over the Swedish gambling market is effective. Part of the audit’s responsibility was to see how Spelinspektionen had supervised the country’s gambling since the market was re-regulated in 2019.
A licensing system was introduced during that year to allow for gambling to take place under public control, increase channelisation to licensed operators,..
Autorité Nationale des Jeux, France’s gaming authority, has launched a new information campaign about online casinos – “100% winner?” – to remind the French public about the dangers of illegal online gambling websites.
The campaign is part of the ANJ’s 2024-2026 strategic plan to tackle several objectives in the country’s gambling market, which includes combating illegal gambling.
It also follows a 2023 study conducted by the PWC for the ANJ on illegal gambling in France, which noted that between three to four million people have gambled on illegal sites, with online casinos being the most popular.
Beginning in October, the “100% winner?” information campaign aims to raise awareness amongst the French public about online casinos being illegal in the country, as only online poker, online sports betting and online horse racing are regulated.
The campaign will also provide education on the dangers of illegal websites in order to help reduce risky behaviours and problem gambling.
Isab..
Sitebee, Gentoo Media’s newly-rebranded compliance tool, has strengthened its brand protection services by gaining legal expertise from Quality Mark Responsible Affiliates.
Gentoo Media’s automated compliance and brand protection tool, formerly GiG Comply, will offer clients access to “deep expertise in igaming regulations” provided by QMRA to encourage compliance in regulated jurisdictions.
Rasmus Bank Nielsen, Head of Sitebee, commented: “By integrating QMRA’s extensive legal knowledge, Sitebee empowers our clients with the latest regulatory insights, allowing them to operate with confidence in a highly dynamic market.
“This partnership gives operators the clarity and foresight they need to manage risk and maintain compliance across all regions where they operate.”
Sitebee’s partnered operators will be able to leverage QMRA’s legal expertise simply by having access to the compliance tool, helping said operators to “anticipate and adapt to changing requirements in various regi..
The Betting and Gaming Council has released an International Best Practice Guide laying out key policy objectives for global operators and regulators.
Compiled by professional consulting firm Alvarez and Marsal, BGC’s best practices guide compares regulatory approaches across each market around the world, offering a single body of evidence to critically analyse each and every strategy.
Grainne Hurst, BGC CEO,explained: “For the first time, the BGC has brought together the lessons, both positive and negative, which have been learned by operators and regulators around the world when it comes to the online gaming sector.”
“This sector will no doubt continue to grow internationally, offering huge potential benefits to existing markets and those which are currently developing.
“Through effective regulation of this new growth sector, governments can achieve their core priorities of raising tax, boosting growth and jobs, while delivering high standards for player protection.”
Key objec..
The UK Gambling Commission has added to its Advisory Board for Safer Gambling (ABSG) with the appointments of Dr Virve Marionneau and Dr Spencer Murch.
Marionneau is a sociologist and Director of the Centre for Research on Addiction, Control and Governance at the University of Helsinki, Finland. Meanwhile, Murch is a cognitive psychologist and AGRI Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Calgary, Canada.
Anna van der Gaag, Chair of ABSG, commented: “We are very fortunate to have Virve and Spencer as our newest members. They are highly respected academics, both with a strong record of achievement in the field of gambling studies, and together they will expand the national and international research expertise we offer to the commission.
“Gambling is a global business and the regulatory challenges faced in different jurisdictions have much in common. I am delighted to be welcoming them and have no doubt they will bring valuable new insights to an ever-expanding range of topics which ..
GamCare is offering additional confidential, supportive and non-judgmental spaces for people affected by gambling-related harms with the introduction of night chatrooms.
Available every Tuesday between 1am and 2am, the gambling support charity has stated that the night chatrooms will provide more accessible support at night in a moderated, safe and friendly environment to individuals affected by gambling-related harm.
GamCare noted that the night chatrooms will offer individuals, affected by their own gambling or supporting someone else, an opportunity to “connect with others who truly understand what you’re going through” to receive and share support, advice and information.
The night chatrooms will be moderated by an experienced GamCare advisor to ensure a respectful and empathetic environment, guiding conversations and providing resources.
GamCare added that the night chatrooms will provide meaningful conversations about personal experiences, coping strategies and available reso..
Norsk Tipping has been fined NOK 4.5m (approximately €383,000) by the Norwegian gambling and foundation authority Lotteritilsynet for a payout error which resulted in a player being paid NOK 25m (approximately €2.13m).
Lotteritilsynet stated that back in March, Norsk Tipping paid a player NOK 25m by mistake from its online casino game KongKasino, despite the game only having a maximum prize of NOK 100,000 and a jackpot prize of NOK 5m.
The operator told the authority that it happened due to an unexpected error that was difficult to predict. However, the error had not been discovered until the player who received the money notified Norsk Tipping of the mistake.
The player paid back the prize to Norsk Tipping in line with its customer agreement.
In July, Lotteritilsynet sent a notice of infringement fees to Norsk Tipping, but the comments it has received from the operator haven’t changed its opinion on the matter.
Within its decision, the authority stated that it “understands that N..