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Louisiana regulator Christopher Herbert on linking legal, regulatory and treatment communities

SBC Americas040 views

As chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, Christopher Hebert deals with the constantly evolving challenges in reaching and helping problem gamblers every day.

Hebert played a key role in creating Louisiana’s Problem Gambling Resource Services (PGRS) program that pairs Louisiana’s gaming regulation division with the state’s Office of Behavioral Health. He also led the state’s effort to develop sports betting regulations.

SBC Americas spoke with Hebert in advance of his appearance at the upcoming SBC Summit Americas about his state’s efforts to lead in responsible gaming:

What can other states learn from your work in helping to develop the Problem Gambling Resource Services (PGRS) program in Louisiana?

Christopher Hebert: Other states can learn that responsible gaming programs are strongest when they are built through collaboration. In Louisiana, the Problem Gambling Resource Services program was developed through a partnership between the Louisiana Department of Justice Gam..

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A non-head banger makes the case for a public health approach

Steve Hoare059 views

The phrase ‘public health approach’ is frequently used and abused but a new paper argues introducing a systemic approach to preventing gambling harm does not need to be about “banning gambling or regulating the industry out of existence”. The problem with people: Heirene writes: “Gambling operators, like all companies, must grow and retain their customer…

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French regulator claims 60% of GGR comes from high-risk players

A.J. Koehn039 views

The Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), France’s gambling regulator, has unveiled a new algorithm designed to estimate problem gambling activity across France – and initial signs are those which cause concern.

Findings revealed that players identified as high-risk generated 60% of total operator gross gaming revenue (GGR), which the regulator described as “concerning”.

The ANJ has warned of a dual upward trend in both the number of problem gamblers and their contribution to operator revenues.

According to the ANJ, the algorithm identified approximately 600,000 players with a high probability of excessive gambling during the second half of 2025.

This represented 8.7% of the total online account-based gambling population across licensed operators, including accounts at FDJ United and Pari-Mutuel Urbain (PMU) accounts – two of the country’s biggest gambling businesses.

Of those 600,000 players, the regulator said around 300,000 were classified as “manifestly excessive” gamblers whose..

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Flutter’s Cash4Clubs scoops grassroots prize at Women’s Football Awards

Steve Hoare035 views

Flutter and Sported’s Cash4Clubs programme won the Best Grassroots Initiative award at the prestigious Women’s Football Awards, recognising its contribution to women’s football and community sport across the UK and Ireland. Flutter fought off competition from Liverpool, Manchester City and McDonald’s to the top prize, awarded by Gabby Logan and Jamie Carragher. Sported CEO Sarah…

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Groundbreaking study challenges links between socioeconomic status and loss chasing

Steve Hoare064 views

Online gamblers from wealthier backgrounds are more likely to keep betting after wins, while gamblers from poorer backgrounds are more likely to continue after losses, according to new research from the University of Sydney, but the researchers found little evidence of loss chasing. “Our working paper finds that the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and…

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Q&A: Responsible Gambling Council CEO Sarah McCarthy on Canadian gaming’s next challenges

CanadianGamingBusiness043 views

As Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) Chief Executive Officer, Sarah McCarthy plays a leading role in tackling player protection challenges and helping to shape a responsible future for the Canadian gaming industry.

Ahead of her speaking appearance at SBC Summit Canada 2026, we chatted with McCarthy about life since joining RGC in early 2025, and how she assesses the state of play in modern Canadian gambling.

Parts of this interview have been edited for length and clarity.

Canadian Gaming Business: You’ve now been in your role for more than a year. What are some of the biggest points of pride of your time at the organization so far?

Sarah McCarthy: It’s been a remarkable first year. Honestly, what stands out most is the excellence of the team at the Responsible Gambling Council. It’s such a deeply committed organization, and that’s clearly exemplified in our work towards our vision of a world where gambling never comes at a human cost.

Last year was very successful on multiple fro..

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Interview: Reformed fraudster Alex Wood on the Wild West of unregulated gambling sites

A.J. Koehn045 views

A study of the recent Cheltenham Festival commissioned by Flutter Entertainment has raised fresh concerns over fraudulent activity from the unlicensed gambling market.

The study was conducted by former fraudster Alex Wood, who has now turned to protecting the public against frauds themselves. Wood was a fraudster for over 25 years, spending eight of those behind bars, but now works as an anti-fraud consultant with a range of stakeholders. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of fraud awareness course provider Reform Courses.

When discussing his findings, Wood described the nature of the unregulated market very plainly: “It’s like the Wild West. They don’t give a sh*t.”

During Cheltenham week, he found that he could place bets on sites which aren’t legal in the UK, whilst signing up under various pseudonyms which ranged from the bizarre to the unsettling.

Whilst conducting the research, Wood, is currently part of BBC Radio 4’s Scam Secrets team, was able to sign up to the unlice..

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How NBA path on prediction markets differs from US leagues

SBC Americas041 views

The NBA’s public comment to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) regarding prediction markets paints a stark contrast to other pro leagues.

The CFTC published a notice in March inviting the public, corporations, and leagues to comment on whether to amend or issue new regulations governing event contracts.

The agency set an April 30 deadline for public comment submissions, with some of the largest stakeholders in gaming and sports sending letters to the CFTC on prediction markets. In total, the CFTC received over 1,500 public comments regarding the platforms.

While some leagues are already in partnerships with prediction markets operators, the NBA sent a letter to the CFTC doubling down on its concerns regarding event contracts.

“There is no higher priority for the NBA than protecting the integrity of our games and preserving public confidence in our league and in our sport,” said Dan Spillane, NBA Executive Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, League Governance ..

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Safe Bet Show: Fisayo Oke, CEO, Gamble Alert

Steve Hoare055 views

Is responsible gambling actually holding the industry back… or is it the key to its future? In this episode of The Safe Bet Show, Martyn Lyker sits down with Fisayo Oke (Founder & CEO of Gamble Alert) to break down one of the biggest debates in the global gambling industry: player protection vs profit. From…

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