North America

Sports media and entertainment company Pro League Network (PLN) has partnered with behavioral health provider Birches Health to boost its responsible gambling initiatives and problem gambling prevention.

Birches Health focuses on increasing access to responsible gaming resources and problem gambling treatment. The companies say that their new union aims to ensure that wagering on PLN sports is done in a healthy, sustainable manner via the use of clinician-led educational materials and support resources.

Birches Health will provide PLN’s 500,000+ subscribers with comprehensive virtual support including easy access to online solutions that encourage responsible gaming best practices through direct integrations. Birches also offers resources including digital education, interactive learning modules and accessible treatment options.

“We strongly believe in responsible gaming and this is another important step in that direction,” said Pro League Network Co-Founder and Partner, Mike Salva..

While many people would say the first few years of widespread legalized sports betting in the United States since the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) have been a near-universal success, famed professional bettor Billy Walters is not one of them.

Speaking to a room of lawmakers and regulators at last week’s National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) conference, Walters was highly critical of several aspects of the industry ranging from fairness to transparency to revenue to taxation.

Walters is arguably the most famous sports bettor in the country. Last year, his biography Gambler was a New York Times best seller.

Walters claims legalizing sports betting was done without experts

Like many other gamblers, Walters had high hopes for legalization, something he has longed for for some time.

“I wanted to see sports betting legalized. I want to see it regulated. I wanted to see the criminal element out of it. I wanted to see jobs creat..

The University of Georgia football program is responding to an NCAA violation related to sports betting.

According to an Athens Banner-Herald report, an unnamed former football staffer at Georgia has been relieved of their duties for violating NCAA gambling rules by wagering on pro sports. The staffer was cited for a Level III violation by the NCAA after placing the bets in August 2020 but the wagers were not flagged for suspicious activity until last year.

The NCAA’s Level III violations, which are not new to Georgia football, are considered isolated and not widespread issues. In 2022, the program self-reported an improper real-money wager by a player on a fantasy sports platform. NCAA gambling rules ban wagering by all players, coaches, and team officials on events sponsored by the organization.

The staffer is required to adhere to certain standards if hired by another SEC institution.

“If the staff member is hired by another SEC institution in the future the staff member is req..

The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) is answering calls for the agency to minimize efforts to combat the use of what it considers to be illegal casino-style gaming machines in the state.

The MGCB is responding to gray machines manufacturer Pace-O-Matic’s presence at brick-and-mortar properties across the Wolverine State. Pace-O-Matic, which also licenses skill games, believes the casino-style games are lawful sources of entertainment and are exempt from gambling prohibitions because they include an element of skill.

However, the MGCB takes a different stance, insisting the machines are illegal gambling tools.

“The MGCB is committed to upholding the integrity of the state’s gambling regulations and ensuring a fair and responsible gaming environment for all citizens,” said MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams. “It is essential to clarify that these casino-style electronic gaming machines are not exempt from Michigan’s penal code, and individuals operating or utilizing them are s..

New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte has received a favorable outcome following allegations of underage gambling and computer fraud.

According to an ESPN report, the State of Louisiana dropped charges on Tuesday against the former LSU Tiger after he was arrested in January for illegally wagering during his time in Baton Rouge. Boutte was under investigation by the Louisiana State Police Gaming Enforcement Division but is no longer facing a penalty after being charged with a felony count of computer fraud and a misdemeanor count of gambling prohibited for persons under 21. Boutte, a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, played in six games for the Patriots last season recording two receptions and 19 yards despite his previous legal woes.

Investigation into Boutte

Louisiana State Police investigators found that Boutte allegedly used an alias to place nearly 9,000 sports bets between April 2022 and May 2023. Boutte, who was 20 years old during some of the alleged wagerin..

The Vermont Department of Mental Health is taking steps to combat problem gambling.

The department went live with its responsible gambling website on Tuesday providing residents with resources to prevent and treat sports betting and other gambling addictions. The website aims to serve the estimated 11,600 Vermonters with a gambling disorder.

“We needed more, we obviously had lottery and scratch-offs which there are people that become addicted to those as well,” said Dept. of Mental Health Medical Director Dr. Kelley Klein. “But we knew that when online sports betting went live we would have a rise in individuals that were at least at risk for problem gambling or gambling addiction.”

The new website provides Vermonters with 24-hour access to a live chat and toll-free helpline while also providing access to community-based resources such as Gamblers Anonymous. The website also offers the ability to add yourself to a gambling self-exclusion list. Vermonters can put themselves on the li..

The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) is receiving a boost in resources through a fresh investment earmarked in the state’s budget for fiscal year 2025.

The Michigan Legislature reached an agreement on Thursday to allocate $1.9 million toward the MGCB from the state’s FY2025 budget to add 14 full-time staff positions. The new talent will bolster the MGCB’s regulatory capacity and efforts to prevent illegal wagering as the Wolverine State serves as both a sports betting and iGaming market.

The MGCB is also allocating fresh capital from the FY2025 budget toward RG efforts.

The Compulsive Gambling Prevention Fund and its associated programs are receiving a $3 million funding increase from Michigan’s gaming regulator. The proceeds will be used to improve the 24/7 Gambling Disorder Helpline, which is operated by the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services. Funding will also be allocated toward gambling research, existing treatment options, and gambling educational tools for kid..