SBC Americas - Player Protection Hub

EPIC Global Solutions lands historic deal with NCAA

SBC AmericasJanuary 10, 20250238 views

EPIC Global Solutions has agreed to a landmark deal with a NCAA Division III conference.

The London-based gambling harm consultancy has reached an agreement with the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) making the conference the first DIII conference to offer a gambling harm education program through EPIC. The agreement, which includes an initial six-month consultancy period, will provide education on sports betting issues to student-athletes and staff, including athletic directors, from all PAC member schools.

“Since sports betting became legal and so accessible online, the PAC and administrators in our conference have been searching for a way to educate our student-athletes and staff about the potential dangers of online gambling,” said PAC Commissioner Joe Onderko. “This partnership with EPIC Global Solutions will help provide our conference schools with the tools to help our athletes be better informed about possible issues that can be brought on by online gambling.”

EPIC will ..

IGT becomes first gaming supplier to be accredited by NCPG

SBC AmericasJanuary 9, 20250291 views

International Game Technology (IGT) has been awarded the National Council on Problem Gambling’s (NCPG) new iCAP Ready accreditation, making the firm the first gaming supplier to receive such recognition.

iCAP (Internet Compliance Assessment Program) Ready certifies that gaming companies uphold the highest levels of responsible gaming standards in their operations.

The new supplier-specific accreditation is based on the original iCAP that was designed for gaming operators, and which has been achieved by the likes of Jackpocket, Jackpot.com, several U.S. state lotteries and Tipico Sportsbook.

Supported by the NCPG, iCAP Ready utilizes best practices from the Internet Responsible Gambling Standards to ensure that suppliers implement and maintain responsible gambling policies, provide effective staff training and offer comprehensive player support tools. As part of the process, gaming companies’ responsible gaming policies and practices are audited by an independent agency and an overa..

Pennsylvania scraps plan to automatically end casino self-exclusion

SBC AmericasJanuary 3, 20250301 views

Pennsylvania regulators have voted down a proposal that would have given self-excluding gamblers an easier path to return to state casinos, citing relapse concerns.

The proposed Regulation #125-250 would have modified the state’s self-exclusion removal process for land-based casinos to bring it in line with other forms of gambling such as online gaming, fantasy sports betting and retail video gaming terminals.

Currently, self-imposed bans for players in those latter categories automatically end after a certain time period. the user can select to be excluded for one year, five years or for life. In contrast, self-excluding players at casinos must manually remove themselves from the prohibited list after their one- or five-year exclusion terms are over.

The proposal to automatically end self-exclusion bans for casino gamblers was originally approved by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) in August 2024 but received stern criticism and negative feedback during a public commen..

Report: ‘Angry Gamblers’ make up nearly half of online abuse in tennis

SBC AmericasDecember 20, 20240259 views

Some of the world’s largest tennis organizations are sharing collective data on gambling-related online abuse against players and officials.

According to data collected by the International Tennis Federation, Women’s Tennis Association, the All England Lawn Tennis Club and United States Tennis Association, there were roughly 12,000 online posts and comments with abuse messaging directed at athletes and officials between January 2024 and October 2024. The posts and comments, which were monitored through the innovative Threat Matrix service, showcase the need for organizations and governing bodies to combat gambling-related harassment.

Between January and October, approximately 48% of the abusive messaging came from “angry gamblers” with Threat Matrix monitoring around 2.47 million posts worldwide.

The posts and comments monitored during that period were in 39 different languages.

“Social media has become an integral part of our daily lives, and with that, it was essential for the WT..

Report: ‘Angry Gamblers’ make up nearly half of online abuse in tennis

SBC AmericasDecember 19, 20240333 views

Some of the world’s largest tennis organizations are sharing collective data on gambling-related online abuse against players and officials.

According to data collected by the International Tennis Federation, Women’s Tennis Association, the All England Lawn Tennis Club and United States Tennis Association, there were roughly 12,000 online posts and comments with abuse messaging directed at athletes and officials between January 2024 and October 2024. The posts and comments, which were monitored through the innovative Threat Matrix service, showcase the need for organizations and governing bodies to combat gambling-related harassment.

Between January and October, approximately 48% of the abusive messaging came from “angry gamblers” with Threat Matrix monitoring around 2.47 million posts worldwide.

The posts and comments monitored during that period were in 39 different languages.

“Social media has become an integral part of our daily lives, and with that, it was essential for the WT..

Lawmaker says igaming bills with credit cards ‘political suicide’

SBC AmericasDecember 14, 20240244 views

During a public hearing on the new model igaming legislation introduced by the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) most of the feedback was positive but there were a couple of issues that proved controversial. Most notably, the prohibition of credit card deposits drew criticism.

Former regulator says no evidence credit card bans work

Former Director of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement David Rebuck was the most vocal critic. He was part of the group that consulted on the draft and helped develop language, but he made public his disagreement with that particular component of the bill.

“A one size fits all, maximum amount of money that can be wagered is not supported by evidence today. The ban on credit cards is also not supported by evidence and research today,” Rebuck noted. He also observed that the current draft of the legislation lacks definitions and licensing requirements for affiliates, which he believes is necessary for the industry.

Severa..

Gift Responsibly Campaign from the NCPG receives record support

SBC AmericasDecember 11, 20240262 views

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) is reaching new heights in its effort to garner support for youth gambling awareness.

The NCPG has reported a record 74 lotteries and 101 community organizations that have promised their participation in the council’s 2024 Gift Responsibly Campaign. The campaign, supported by the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries, raises awareness of the risks of purchasing lottery tickets for children.

The 2024 Gift Responsible Campaign will have participation from major U.S. lotteries, including the California State Lottery, New Jersey Lottery and Hoosier Lottery. Regulators, including the New York State Gaming Commission, are also participating.

“This year’s record participation is a heartwarming way to enter the holiday season as we continue our work to educate the public about the dangers of underage gambling,” said NCPG Executive Director Keith Whyte. “The Gift Responsibly Campaign promotes global awareness and understa..

Human Services in NJ awards $720K in problem gambling contracts

SBC AmericasDecember 10, 20240265 views

The New Jersey Department of Human Services is providing treatment and services to residents with gambling disorders through a series of state-funded contracts.

The Department of Human Services has announced that it is awarding $720,000 worth of state-funded contracts to six organizations across the Garden State. The state-funded contracts, which are for $120,000 each, have been awarded to three Legacy Treatment Services locations, Integrity Inc., Monmouth Medical Center and Eva’s Village, Inc.

“More than 90 percent of individuals with gambling disorders have a co-occurring behavioral health need, and the impact of these challenges affects families, workplaces, and our communities,” said Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman. “Through these provider partnerships, we will widen the availability of mental health and substance use disorder providers in the state who also have the expertise to identify and treat gambling disorders.”

The organizations awarded with the contracts will ..

FanDuel launches My Spend activity insights tool for customers

SBC AmericasDecember 10, 20240258 views

FanDuel is aiming to bettor help its customers manage their gaming with the launch of a new responsible gambling user dashboard.

The operator has unveiled My Spend, a new tool designed to help customers track spending patterns and gain greater oversight of their budget. Customers can view personal stats including amounts deposited and net winnings over certain periods of time, ranging from seven days to three months.

The My Spend dashboard also encourages customers to utilize FanDuel’s existing suite of responsible gaming tools, including deposit and wager limits.

The Flutter-owned operator said in a release that the service was developed based on internal and external research that showed players were interested in gaining personalized insights into their activity and a deeper understanding of their own behavior.

FanDuel is supporting the launch with a new advertising campaign that encourages customers to use the dashboard and stay on top of their spending and budget habits. The ..

Woman suing DraftKings for enabling her husband’s gambling problem

SBC AmericasDecember 9, 20240245 views

A New Jersey woman claims that DraftKings knowingly coerced and enabled her estranged spouse to deposit more money than he had and encourage his gambling problem.

Lisa D’Alessandro filed the lawsuit in New Jersey state court, identifying herself and the two children she shares with her husband as plaintiffs.

She is suing DraftKings for allegedly breaching the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act. D’Alessandro said her husband, identified in court documents purely by his DraftKings username Mdallo1990, lost over $940,000 on the site over the course of three years.

Suit says DraftKings actively encouraged addicted man to gamble

“To be clear, this suit does not allege liability on the basis that Defendants passively permitted a problem gambler to use its gambling platform. Rather, this suit alleges violation of New Jersey statutory and common law because Defendants actively participated in the addiction of Mdallo1990 by targeting him with incentives, bonuses, and other gifts to create, nurtu..