SBC Americas

EPIC Global Solutions has landed a deal to provide gambling harm awareness training to Underdog employees.

The gambling harm consultancy partnered with Underdog to host a series of workshops and training sessions to provide employees with the tools to identify problematic gambling behavior. Underdog has already leveraged EPIC’s expertise in gambling harm by hosting sessions led by EPIC staff. The sessions provided Underdog employees with training on communication practices and how to build healthy relationships with customers.

“We’re very pleased with the positive start to our working relationship with Underdog,” said EPIC VP of North America Teresa Fiore. “They have a deep understanding that responsible gaming practices must be at the core for any major operator, and it’s a constant and consistent process of learning and attentiveness.”

EPIC provided Underdog with training sessions that included consultant and former college basketball star Stevin “Hedake” Smith. The former Arizona..

The NCAA is considering a change of stance regarding its rules related to gambling.

According to a Sports Illustrated report, the NCAA is discussing the removal of its ban on wagering on professional sports. Last month, the NCAA’s Division I Board of Directors proposed the rule change leading to the organization’s DI Council to consider the matter.

The board of directors voted 21-1 in favor of adopting bylaws to lift the ban.

The DI Council is planning to discuss the ban removal next week with a potential implementation of the rule change coming as soon as June 2025. The NCAA’s active bylaws regarding sports wagering prohibit betting by all players, coaches and team officials on pro sports that are also played at the collegiate level. The NCAA also bans wagering by players, coaches and team officials on all competitions sponsored by the organization.

The NCAA plans to maintain its current ban on college sports wagering as America’s governing body of amateur sports considers allowin..

BetRivers operator Rush Street Interactive has partnered with Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360) to launch a program designed to help educators improve high-school students’ gaming literacy.

The new initiative, titled Gaming Literacy Aiding Decisions (GLAD), aims to not only help teenagers understand online gambling better but also promote their responsible relationship with what RSI and IC360 note is an “ever more socially prevalent activity.”

The GLAD curriculum will initially launch in Delaware, where RSI’s BetRivers currently holds a de facto monopoly on online gambling, as well as in New Jersey.

This spring, both RSI and IC360 have been working with educational districts on creating and delivering an educational curriculum. Those initial efforts will help inform the full GLAD rollout. The GLAD program ultimately will be available to educators more broadly to curate the content that resonates best with students.

Operators have responsibility to teenagers, says RSI CEO

“Consumers..

Startup launchpad Defy the Odds is teaming up with a gambling-specific financial platform to promote responsible gambling and provide personalized payment processing.

Defy the Odds, a women-led launchpad with a focus on founders from underrepresented backgrounds, has landed a strategic partnership with EDGE Markets. Earlier this year, EDGE Market launched EDGE Boost, an RG solution that provides users with a dedicated credit card and bank account to separate gambling transactions from normal finances.

“EDGE Boost is focused on providing bettors with financial tools that enhance their experience while keeping responsible gaming at the forefront,” said EDGE Markets CEO Seni Thomas. “Working with Defy the Odds will allow us to introduce our technology to many more eyes and innovators in the betting and iGaming space, giving them the financial flexibility they need to succeed while also promoting responsible gaming.”

As part of the partnership, Defy the Odds will advise EDGE Markets and..

Nonprofit organization Kindbridge Research Institute (KRI) has launched the Financial Stability and Responsible Gambling Initiative in the US to confront gambling-related financial harm as a public health and financial stability issue.  Key elements of the initiative include a national working group spanning finance, health, and research;  a UCLA-led study on early risk patterns and effective…

Sam A. Antar’s push to hold BetMGM accountable for his losses gambling on the site once again failed in court

The Third Circuit Court of Appeals sided with BetMGM, upholding the decision by the New Jersey District Court that the online gambling company was not liable for Antar’s losses on the site.

The lower court determined that the state’s Consumer Fraud Act (CFA) did not override the state’s casino laws and concluded that Borgata Casino and BetMGM were under no legal obligation to compel problem gamblers from not gambling.

Court said Antar knew what BetMGM was offering

Antar’s original complaint alleged the BetMGM VIP coerced him to keep playing on the site even though they allegedly knew he could not afford to gamble on the site anymore. Antar claims his VIP hosts kept him addicted to playing on the site and he wagered more than $24 million with the company.

The Circuit opinion noted that Antar argued that the online casino site violated the CFA by deceiving him into continuin..

BetOnline.ag and SportsBetting.ag have been issued cease and desist orders from the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) for conducting illegal gambling in the state.

The MGCB has determined that the two Panama-based operators are violating Michigan’s Lawful Internet Gaming Act, Gaming Control and Revenue Act and Michigan Penal Code by illegally accepting wagers from customers in Michigan without proper licensing.

“The Michigan Gaming Control Board is committed to enforcing Michigan’s gaming laws and protecting consumers from illegal gambling,” said MGCB executive director Henry Williams. “We encourage residents to only engage with licensed and regulated online platforms for a safe and fair gaming experience.”

The MGCB has ordered BetOnline and SportsBetting to exit Michigan following an investigation sparked by an anonymous tip. The probe found SportsBetting to be illegally accepting wagers on sports, politics, horse racing and online casino games. The platform also violates Michig..

The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) is protecting players across the state by issuing cease and desist orders to a group of unlicensed offshore casino operators.

The MGCB has sent cease and desist orders to 11 offshore iGaming operators that are accepting customers in the Wolverine State without adhering to required consumer protection and fair play standards. The lack of protections and standards include the unregulated acceptance of digital wallets and cryptocurrencies as payment methods.

Michigan’s gaming regulator has also recognized the failure of the offshore operators to offer data protection to players, which is also required for licensed gaming operators.

“This should serve as a strong warning to illegal operators: Michigan does not tolerate unauthorized gambling activity,” said MGCB executive director Henry Williams. “We will continue our relentless pursuit of actively identifying and disrupting these operations.”

The operators that have received cease and desist le..