iGamingExpert

UK gambling self-exclusion service GAMSTOP has informed its industry partners of an increasing number of self-excluding persons under the age of 25.

The organisation behind the UK’s national self-exclusion service for online gambling has identified under-25s as the demographic most at-risk of developing problem gambling harms.

According to GAMSTOP’s statistics, a 31% rise has been noticed year-on-year for under-25s registering with the service during the latter half of 2024.

These figures signal that consumers aged between 16 and 24 now make up almost a quarter of new GAMSTOP registrants, while marking asharper rise than the 12% increase witnessed in the first half of 2024.

Fiona Palmer, CEO of GAMSTOP, commented: “The increase in the number of under-25s registering for GAMSTOP has become an accelerating trend, with a 31% year-on-year increase in the second half of 2024, following a 12% increase in the first half of the year.”

During the second half of 2024, GAMSTOP saw a 14% i..

Sweden’s Spelinspektionen has told operators to increase due diligence for high risk customers, as it outlines new guidelines for online operators.

Central to the guidance is the strengthening of protections against money laundering and terrorist financing.

Spelinspektionen’s Director General, Camilla Rosenberg, stated: “The gambling industry is a risk area for money laundering, and we have seen a need for further clarification and guidance in this area. We have therefore revised our guidance and are also conducting a new risk assessment.”

Operators have been told to increase checks around the source of funds for large deposits and determine whether the customer is a Politically Exposed Person (PEP).

Further requirements stipulate enhanced due diligence (EDD) for high-risk customers, which includes additional verification of income sources and bank statements.

To improve customer due diligence, operators are urged to implement ‘routine internal controls’ to ensure that thorough ..

The Betting and Gaming Council has criticised the Guardian over its use of quotes from “a concerned parent” in a story about Ladbrokes advertising appearing on a baby monitor app used by parents.

The BGC took issue with Tom Fleming, who “appears to be a public affairs and communications manager at campaign group ⁦GamblingWithLives⁩” being quoted by the Guardian as solely “a concerned parent” and his role at the group not being made clear in the article.

Central to the defence of Entain is that the app in question wasn’t seen by anyone under the age of 18, and was strictly targeted towards adults.

A spokesperson from the group added that they have compliance processes in place to “help ensure that adverts do not appear on apps that are targeted at anyone under the age of 18. The app in question, YCC365 Plus, is a home monitoring camera system and has therefore not been deemed to be targeted at under-18s.”

According to his Linkedin, Fleming has worked for GamblingWithLives since S..

BetMGM has been fined over $260,000 in the US state of Pennsylvania for allowing self-excluded individuals to gamble more than 150 times.

According to a statement on the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) website, the operator was given a $260,905 fine for “152 instances in which an individual on the Board’s Interactive Self-Exclusion List was permitted to gamble on their sites”.

“Licensed operators of iGaming sites in Pennsylvania must deny individuals on the self-exclusion list from establishing or maintaining an interactive gaming site,” noted the PGCB.

The PGCB’s Consent Agreement acquired by iGaming Expert mentions that BetMGM completed an “audit of the BetMGM and Borgata Pennsylvania Player Database against the IG Self-Exclusion List” in March 2021.

The audit found that 148 accounts had wagering activity while on the list with a total of $252,035.55 deposited and $82,460.30 withdrawn for a total difference of $169,575.25.

In a separate incident on 9 April 2021, BetMG..

Written by Viktor Kayed

The National Gambling Support Network (NGSN) has introduced a new service that unlocks a ‘more well-rounded’ road to recovery for people suffering from gambling harm.

In partnership with the EPIC Restart Foundation and Reframe Coaching charities, the NGSN now offers a lived experience service across Great Britain that brings additional expertise and insights into gambling disorders.

Richie Paxton, EPIC Restart Foundation Interim CEO and Head of Programmes, said: “We’re excited to join the National Gambling Support Network and continue to work with other providers to offer a seamless and supportive recovery path to those experiencing gambling harm.

“At EPIC Restart, we are dedicated to offering compassionate guidance and coaching, grounded in lived experience. Our mission is not only to help individuals navigate their recovery, but also to empower them to rebuild their lives with renewed hope and a brighter future.”

With EPIC’s and Reframe’s help, the NGS..

A new consultation has been launched by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) which will focus on gaming machine technical standards and their related testing strategy.

Running for 16 weeks from 29 January until 20 May, this is the UKGC’s third consultation as part of its implementation of the proposals from the 2023 Gambling Act Review White Paper.

Tim Miller, Executive Director for Research and Policy at the UKGC, stated: “The White Paper sets out that a top priority is ensuring that gambling happens safely. We share this commitment and today’s consultation proposes how we could implement gaming machine changes in the land-based sector.”

Proposals covered in this consultation include plans to introduce five new standards, a licence condition and a social responsibility code provision “designed to support and empower consumers to use gaming machines safely at every stage of the customer journey”.

This includes proposals on “time and monetary limit setting functionality and information..

Turkish authorities are ramping up efforts to combat illegal gambling websites, as the country’s Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek declared “Turkey is in a great battle against illegal betting and gambling sites.”

The National Lottery Administration (MPİ) reported that it blocked 233,000 websites in 2023 and 2024. Of these, 56% originated in the USA, 17% in Armenia, and 6% in the Netherlands.

The MPİ passed on its findings to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Cybercrime Department for further investigation. Legal actions are underway against 376,000 websites and over 6,700 unique domains.

Şimşek underlined the significant threat of these black-market websites when it comes to the prosperity of the Turkish economy, undermining tax revenues from state-owned enterprises like Milli Piyango (National Lottery) and IDDAA (sports betting).

He emphasised: “We are determined to prevent unregistered economic activities and financial crimes that harm our citizens…

Sky Betting and Gaming is “considering” an appeal after the high court ruled the group did breach data regulations following direct marketing sent to a problem gambler.

The player in question, who reportedly lost more than £45,000 over 10 years, made the case that the now Flutter-owned operator should have been aware they were a problem gambler and therefore should not have enabled their data to be utilised for third party marketing.

SBG emphasised on site that it “never shares data with companies outside of its group for them to use for their own marketing.

Sky Betting and Gaming stated: “We fundamentally disagree with this judgment. We have made significant changes to our controls and processes over the past six years as part of our ongoing investment behind safer gambling and will continue to do so.”

Whilst remedies were deferred, the judgement does hold up in terms of declaratory relief for the claimant, with further submissions from both parties anticipated in the event tha..

Neosurf CEO Andrea McGeachin was joined by Craig Cornforth, Senior Business Development Manager for EPIC Global Solutions, to share his journey with gambling addiction and recovery on the latest episode of iGaming Daily.

Reflecting on his experience with problem gambling, Cornforth explained that it began for him during the rise of online gambling.

He said: “The emergence of online gambling really suited my personality. The challenge of that and the accessibility, I think, was the main difference for me. So it manifested in me [losing] my house, my job and I very nearly went to jail. I had a really good job that I loved and was very successful at, and I ended up stealing money from that business to fund what became the only thing in the world that was important to me which was gambling.”

Cornforth began his road to recovery in October 2017 when he placed his last bet and since then he has joined EPIC Global Solutions, a company that delivers solutions to prevent gambling-related ha..