North America

NCAA and Signify release gambling abuse data for March Madness

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The NCAA teamed up with Signify to study online abuse sparked by sports betting.

Signify and the NCAA used the 2025 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments to identify and study targeted online abuse directed at student-athletes, coaches, officials and committee members. Signify leveraged its Threat Matrix artificial intelligence service to monitor public comments directed at the social media accounts of 2,032 players and 346 coaches. Signify also monitored 136 teams and 269 officials and committee members.

“One of the first things student-athletes told me when I became NCAA president was that they were being harassed online by people who are following or betting on their games,” said NCAA President Charlie Baker. “From day one, it’s been a priority to study this issue, monitor the public interactions, protect student-athletes and allow them to focus on being students and competing at the highest level on the court with their teammates.”

Signify and the NCAA analyzed more than 1 mi..

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For fans and for athletes, we need to talk more about bettors harrassing players

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Matthew Wein is a former government security official who worked at DHS and the U.S. Committee on Homeland Security. He now writes the Secure Stakes Substack Newsletter and owns Wein Security Lab consulting.

At the end of May Olympic Gold Medal sprinter Gabby Thomas was heckled and harassed at a track meet by a man who had bet against her. Following her exit at the French Open, Jessica Pegula detailed the threats she receives via social media from gamblers. Earlier this spring, Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers and his family were on the receiving end of death threats from what turned out to be a drunken gambler who lost his wager. Liam Hendrinks also received death threats via social media connected to his play this season.

More and more athletes are starting to go on the record saying that there is a correlation between sports gambling and the threats they receive. To borrow a phrase from the national security world—it seems the lights on the alarm are all blinking red right ..

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Ontario regulator advises gambling platforms on how to spot players at risk

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Ontario’s online gambling regulator, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), has updated its advice on how licensed operators can identify and support players at risk of harm.

In a recent post on its website, the AGCO noted that its regulatory model places accountability on operators to actively shield players from gambling-related harm. The agency said its guidance helps clarify its expectations of operators in meeting their regulatory expectations.

In the updated guidance, the AGCO stressed that, based on players’ risk profiles, operators are required to intervene in timely fashion and in a manner that is commensurate with the level of risk and likely to have the desired effect of reducing that player’s risk of harm.

How to identify players who may be experiencing harm
In its guidance for Standard 2.10, the AGCO emphasizes that operators must have an effective mechanism for monitoring player behaviour and proactively identifying those who may be at risk of harm, enabling timely support once signs of risk emerge. The mechanism should address the different ways in which gambling-related harm can occur and draw on all available data sources to assess risk on a player-by-player basis.

The AGCO expects operators to use both automated and manual tools to monitor players’ behaviour and to utilize available information from various sources to effectively identify indicators such as:

Chasing losses, playing multiple products, choosing higher-risk products or erratic betting patterns.
Amounts wagered and lost
“Binge” gambling, changes in session duration or time-of-play patterns or late-night gambling
Failed deposits, cancelled withdrawals, higher-risk forms of payment or multiple payment methods
Expressions of financial or emotional distress, use of keywords associated with harm or indicators of vulnerability such as bereavement or job loss
Refusal to use tools after operator intervention, frequent increases or removals of bet limits, repeated use of play break tools or previous use of self-exclusion

In addition, operators are expected to regularly assess and evaluate the effectiveness of risk monitoring methods to ensure that players at risk of experiencing harm are accurately identified, as well as to promptly to correct and improve methods.

The AGCO specifically notes that having effective systems and processes in place to continually monitor, identify and promptly address high-risk player activity is important for operators that contract with one or more third-party providers.

How to help those in need
Meanwhile, the AGCO’s guidance for Standard 2.11 concerns helping gamblers who may be experiencing harm once they have been identified.

Operators should use tools to immediately identify potential player harm, intervene according to the severity of the situation, provide support for all players who may be at risk of experiencing harm, not just those already identified as high-risk and use technology to scale tailor interventions to more players, rather than relying solely on individual interactions for only highest-risk players.

The AGCO lists several examples of current practices for tailored and escalating interventions, including:

Interacting with a player to help inform the player’s risk profile
Conducting player self-assessment surveys
Sending reminder emails highlighting available resources, support services and responsible gambling tools
Personalizing communications of potential responsible gambling concerns identified by the operator through channels such as phone calls, email alerts or interactive nudges and pop-ups
Requiring active acknowledgement or response from the player
Providing players with information about their play, such as the duration of their play session since the last break
Restricting gameplay through measures such as operator-imposed breaks and limit-setting, or suspending or closing accounts

Following the execution of each intervention, operators are expected to take the necessary steps to assess the impact on the player’s behaviour and whether evidence of potential harm persists that necessitates further action, as well as to proactively and carefully monitor new players to identify early signs of concerning behaviour and provide immediate assistance.

The AGCO also stresses the importance of employee training, documentation of such training and continuous assessment in upholding these standards.

“We recognize that the ongoing evaluation of these expectations may indicate the need for adjustments to AGCO’s guidance,” adds the regulator. “As operators uncover such insights, we encourage open information sharing with AGCO to support future updates.”

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NY Senate bill requires insurance coverage for problem gambling

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New York State Sen. Joseph Addabbo introduced a new piece of legislation aimed at providing problem gambling prevention and treatment services to players.

Addabbo introduced Senate Bill S8352 on Wednesday as a measure requiring insurance companies to provide problem gambling services. The bill amends New York’s existing insurance law to require insurance policies that provide medical or similar coverage to offer outpatient coverage for the diagnoses and treatment of problem gambling.

Addabbo has filed his latest bill as he anticipates an increase in New Yorkers seeking help for problem gambling as the gaming industry continues to diversify across the country.

Under current New York law, insurance providers are not required to cover problem treatment offered by the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS). Problem gambling treatment is only covered if the person has an associated substance use disorder. The office oversees more than 1,500 addiction prevention ..

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NFL pledges $600,000 to research college athlete gambling behavior

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The International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG) has partnered with America’s most popular professional sports league.

On Wednesday, the ICRG announced it reached a deal with the NFL to address the impact of gambling behaviors on college athletes and students. As part of the pact, the NFL Foundation is donating $600,000 over three years to fund research on the risk factors and impact of gambling on college athletes and students. The research, led by the ICRG, will help identify strategies to reduce gambling-related harm through education and policy.

The research will focus on how college students interact with gambling platforms.

“The NFL has once again demonstrated its commitment to player and fan protection by supporting this critical research targeting young adults,” said ICRG President Arthur Paikowsky. “The NFL and ICRG together will make a meaningful contribution to understanding and implementing policies and programs that support a safer gambling environment.”

The NFL ..

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Player Protection Symposium, Toronto: Not just a box to tick

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As Canada’s market matures, player protection challenges are multiplying — from rising offshore activity to the ethical use of AI in responsible gambling.

The Player Protection Symposium at Canadian Gaming Summit 2025 brings together the key minds shaping regulation, technology, and player safety to ask: “How do we protect players without pushing them away?”

Taking place on Thursday, 19 June at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, this focused track will unite leading policy experts, operators, and responsible gambling specialists to examine how Canada’s regulatory and commercial frameworks are developing to safeguard players in a maturing market.

Six expert-led sessions will cover the full spectrum of contemporary challenges, from AI-driven player protection to national self-exclusion models. The symposium offers delegates insight into evolving policies, technologies, and collaborations driving the next generation of responsible gaming in Canada.

Rasmus Sojmark, Founder and CEO of SBC, said: “Protecting players should never be viewed as a compliance box to tick. It’s a complex, developing challenge that spans tech, policy, and empathy. This symposium brings together the people on the frontline of responsible gambling to share the insights that will help us build a truly sustainable gaming industry across Canada.”

The track will open with a special edition of Martin Lycka’s Safe Bet Show, featuring the very special guest, NHL legend Nick Kypreos. Kypreos will regale attendees with tales from his storied career, which included spells at the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers, and Toronto’s very own Maple Leafs!

Among the key panels on the track is Regulation and Responsibility: How the New Politics Affect Player Protection, which will explore what Alberta can learn from Ontario’s approach to responsible gambling and why one in five Ontario gamblers still use unregulated platforms to gamble. Craig Cornforth (Senior Business Development Manager, EPIC Global Solutions), Alistair Facciol (Vice President of iCasino, iGaming Ontario), Steve McAllister (Editor-In-Chief, The Parleh), Ryan McCarthy (Vice President, iCasino & Sports, OLG), and Geoff Zochodne (Senior News Analyst, Covers), will examine how shifting political landscapes influence player protection strategies and consider whether a coordinated national approach could reduce player reliance on unregulated markets.

Building on these regulatory themes, Self-Exclusion: A Plus for Protection or a Boost to the Black Market? will see panellists examine Ontario’s upcoming centralized self-exclusion system and assess whether it establishes an industry standard for responsible gaming or risks driving players toward unregulated markets. Aaron GlynWilliams (Chief of Staff and Head of Enterprise Strategy, OLG), Catherine Jarmain (Director – Operations & Player Relations, iGaming Ontario), Isabelle Martin (Director of Responsible Gaming, Loto-Quebec), Tracy Parker (VP, Policy, Standards and Accreditation, RGC), Dr. Kahlil Philander (Carson College of Business, Washington State University), and Al Watson (CEO, Dataworks Group) will explore how regulators and operators can strike the right balance between access, protection, and enforcement.

The session Technology in RG: From Targeted Messaging to AI Support will examine how artificial intelligence can transform responsible gambling measures by using behavioral data to spot at-risk players. Cory Fox (SVP Public Policy & Sustainability, FanDuel), Francesco Rodano (Chief Sustainable Gambling Officer, Playtech), and Dan Umfleet (Group CEO, Kindbridge) will discuss how their organizations are rolling out technology-driven solutions while tackling the ethical questions these tools create, including data privacy concerns, player consent issues, and the dangers of relying too heavily on automated systems when working with vulnerable individuals.

Also featured as part of the Player Protection Symposium is the session It Pays to Be Positive: Changing the Direction of Reinforcement in RG, which will unite leading experts to examine how shifting from punitive messaging to positive reinforcement can help ensure safer gambling behaviors.

The Player Protection Symposium is one of several focused content streams at the Canadian Gaming Summit, alongside dedicated tracks on Sports Betting & Casino, Cybersecurity, Affiliates & Advertising, Leaders, and Payments & Compliance.

Get your tickets for the Canadian Gaming Summit!

Full Event Passes are still available at a discounted rate of $795 per person when you book as a group of three or more — saving you $200 per ticket with our Group Discount.

Operators and affiliates are eligible for free Full Event Passes, just apply via the respective links.

You can also grab an Expo Plus Pass for $195, which gives you access to all conference tracks, sessions, and the show floor. Please note: this pass does not include access to networking events.

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ROGA sportsbooks respond to VIP criticism with new guidelines

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The Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA), an association of leading online sportsbooks, has published a new set of guidelines for how operators should approach VIP programs.

ROGA noted that the evidence-based recommendations are intended to support its members’ existing VIP policies to strengthen responsible online gaming by helping players set their own boundaries.

ROGA was launched in March 2024 and comprises eight members: FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Fanatics, PENN Entertainment, bet365, Hard Rock Digital and Bally’s. The association noted those companies combine to account for 90% of the legal U.S. online gaming market by handle.

The member sportsbooks have all independently committed to implementing these guidelines “within a commercially reasonable timeframe.”

Review behavior, equip VIPs with knowledge and power

The organization noted that it has found that the most effective VIP programs combine proactive education, personalized engagement and periodic evaluation. ..

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Paper proposes Responsible Gambling Message Development Framework 

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Researchers from the University of Ontario and elsewhere have proposed a new tool to help gambling operators develop more effective RG messages. The Responsible Gambling Message Development Framework builds on the findings of a rapid evidence assessment (REA) and established theories of health communication and behavior change. “By implementing player-centric, evidence-based strategies, this framework has…

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Player Protection Symposium, SBC Americas: IMGL masterclass calls for rethink on regulatory relations

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A theme is emerging in Latin America once regulatory frameworks are established, with over-regulation becoming a temptation for states seeking to increase revenue and to appease certain sections ofsocial sectors that oppose the gaming industry. This combination, according to experts, can be counterproductive: it encourages the growth of illegal practices, reduces the room for maneuver…

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Nevada passes bill to handcuff unauthorized gambling operators

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Both chambers of the Nevada legislature have now passed a bill that would equip the state with the means to further target and act against unapproved gambling operators. Sen. Rochelle Nguyen’s SB 256 passed in the Assembly by a 42-0 vote on Thursday, a few weeks after it also got unanimous approval in the Senate. The Assembly amended the bill before voting on it, meaning that…

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