SBC Americas

ROGA and RGC debut responsible gaming certification program

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The Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) is collaborating with the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) to establish a new standard in the industry.

On Tuesday, ROGA and the RGC announced a partnership to launch a certification program for online operators in the U.S. The certification creates a new industry benchmark through an evaluation of self-exclusion and player support tools. Staff training is also evaluated during the certification process designed to bolster RG programs and practices.

The certification identifies operators that go beyond state and regulatory standards.

“A sustainable online gaming industry must be built on evidence-based best practices, and this partnership with RGC will advance this mission by building a trusted and independent assessment to certify robust responsible gaming standards,” said ROGA Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Shatley.

ROGA members will undergo evaluation for the certification with the group accounting for roughly 90% of the legal ..

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NJ group asks court for immediate control of 1-800-GAMBLER helpline

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The organization that holds the license to the 1-800-GAMBLER helpline and the former licensee, the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), continue to be at odd in the Superior Court of New Jersey.

The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ) has operated the national problem gambling hotline since the 1980s and licensed it to the NCPG in 2022 in a three-year agreement, which expired on May 31 of this year. After that expiration, with no renewal agreed, the NCPG obtained a temporary restraining order (TRO) in July to keep the hotline online until the dispute is resolved.

However, in an Aug. 18 filing, attorneys for the CCGNJ called for the court to immediately lift the TRO and order the NCPG to immediately cease and desist using 1-800-GAMBLER.

You had your chance, says CCGNJ

The CCGNJ asserted in the filing that the NCPG had the option to renew the license agreement as long as it gave the CCGNJ six months’ written notice before the initial term expired. The CCGNJ s..

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ICRG names ex-Light & Wonder exec Eileen Moore Johnson as board chair

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The International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG) has named veteran gaming, hospitality and transportation leader Eileen Moore Johnson as the new chair of its board of directors.

Moore Johnson will step into the chair’s role that was vacated by Michael Soll, who is now ICRG president. She joins the ICRG after most recently serving as general manager and strategic advisor to The Boring Company’s Vegas Loop, where she helped develop the first all-electric, zero-emissions underground public transportation system.

Before that, she was an EVP and chief HR officer at Scientific Games/Light & Wonder, where she was responsible for global human resources, sustainability, philanthropy, responsible gaming and DEI initiatives. Her gaming experience also includes two decades working in corporate strategy and operations at Caesars Entertainment, where she rose to the position of regional president supervising four major Las Vegas Strip resorts.

Moore Johnson already serves on the ICRG Execu..

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NCAA & Venmo to provide athletes with tools to combat abuse

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The wave of gambling-related harassment toward college athletes spearheaded a new effort by Venmo and the NCAA to foster a safe environment ahead of football season.

On Tuesday, Venmo announced a partnership with the NCAA to protect student-athletes from instances of harassment on the mobile payment service, owned by PayPal. The deal allows Venmo to upgrade its consumer protections for student-athletes who face abuse.

“The harassment we are seeing across various online platforms is unacceptable, and we need fans to do better,” said NCAA President Charlie Baker. “We applaud Venmo for taking action, and we need more social media companies and online platforms to do the same.”

The partnership between Venmo and the NCAA will provide student-athletes with a dedicated reporting hotline for notification of potential cases of abuse. The hotline can spearhead investigations into any harassment directed toward student-athletes.

A best practices guide will also be issued by Venmo to colleges ..

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Coalition for Fantasy Sports and idPair extend self-exclusion to 15 states

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The responsible gaming partnership between the Coalition for Fantasy Sports (CFS) and idPair is growing with a self-exclusion program available in a new group of markets.

On Monday, the two entities announced the expansion of their self-exclusion partnership to 13 new markets across America. The expansion allows the CFS and idPair to offer a national self-exclusion program in a total of 15 states are initially launching the service in New Mexico and Nebraska earlier this year. The self-exclusion program is available to five operators and gaming brands that make up the CFS’ current membership.

“After we saw the success of the idPair program in Nebraska and New Mexico, we knew we wanted to expand in a big way,” said CFS Executive Director J.T. Foley. “As we look to the start of the football season, we’re honored to be leading the charge on responsible gaming and making sure player protection remains a top priority as our coalition and the industry grow.”

The CFS and idPair expanded th..

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DraftKings to longer accept credit card deposits as of Aug. 25

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DraftKings is making a major change to its payment processing rules.

The Boston-based sports betting and daily fantasy giant announced on Thursday plans to no longer accept credit card deposits for its sportsbook and casino operations in the U.S.

Starting Aug. 25, DraftKings customers will no longer be able to use credit cards as a method of payment as the company aims to help customers “avoid cash advance fees and higher interest rates” associated with credit card funding. DraftKings believes the change will improve the user experience for customers while also providing a layer of protection.

Customers who have previously used credit cards to fund their DraftKings accounts will have their stored credit cards disabled for funding with the operator later this month.

“DraftKings has made the strategic business decision to remove credit cards as a deposit option for sportsbook and casino in the United States,” a DraftKings spokesperson told SBC Americas. “Customers can still fund thei..

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Virginia subcommittee considers online casinos and new regulator

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A joint subcommittee in Virginia is weighing whether or not to establish a regulatory agency designed specifically for gaming as the state also considers adding new verticals.

Virginia lawmakers created a joint committee in 2023 to study the feasibility of establishing the Virginia Gaming Commission, which would oversee regulated sports wagering and other forms of commercial gaming. Currently, state-sanctioned sports betting and casino gaming is regulated by the Virginia Lottery. Lawmakers established a joint subcommittee to consider a regulatory body for non-lottery gaming in the wake of concerns regarding the Virginia Lottery’s ability to comprehensively regulate multiple verticals.

“The Virginia Gaming Commission is a step we need to preserve the good, address challenges and build a fair, accountable and prosperous gaming industry for everyone in the Commonwealth,” Del. Paul Krizek told joint subcommittee members on Tuesday.

Virginia’s regulation model for gaming

Under active Vi..

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New Jersey council says it plans to take over 1-800-GAMBLER nationwide

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The license-holder of the national problem gambling support hotline 1-800-GAMBLER says it will reject the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) attempts to move the ongoing dispute to arbitration.

The NCPG told SBC Americas and the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ) on Aug. 13 that it has filed a request with the American Arbitration Association (AAA) amid an ongoing dispute between the two organizations.

On Aug. 14, the CCGNJ told SBC Americas it will reject the request, calling it invalid and vowing to continue running the resource across the U.S. without the NCPG’s involvement.

Two councils, one hotline

Per the CCGNJ, the New Jersey organization has operated 1-800-GAMBLER nationally since 1983. In the last few years, the NCPG has been running it via a license agreement with the CCGNJ for an annual fee of $150,000. However, since a three-year agreement expired in May of this year, the future of the national resource has been thrown into doubt.

In court do..

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NCPG files for arbitration to resolve 1-800-GAMBLER hotline dispute

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The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) has filed for arbitration in the dispute with the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ) over the national 1-800-GAMBLER problem gambling hotline.

While NCPG operates and maintains the hotline, it licenses the right to use the number nationally from the CCGNJ for a $150,000 annual fee. The initial three-year agreement expired in May, but NCPG has attempted to take up an option to extend the deal.

NCPG exercised its contractual right to file for a restraining order to prevent the hotline being shut down until the dispute is resolved, and was subsequently granted a temporary restraining order against the CCGNJ by a New Jersey court that keeps the hotline up and running until Aug. 26.

NCPG Director of Communications Cait Huble told SBC Americas that the national council has submitted a request to the American Arbitration Association (AAA) “in accordance with the provisions of the original license agreement” with the CCGNJ. ..

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