SBC Americas

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

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 ..

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FanDuel launches My Spend activity insights tool for customers

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 ..

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Woman suing DraftKings for enabling her husband’s gambling problem

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..

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Gambling harm highlighted in World Health Organization fact sheet

The World Health Organization (WHO) is addressing the rapid growth of regulated gambling.

The WHO has published a fact sheet detailing its latest research on global gambling and its impact on the well-being of patrons around the world. The sheet provides insights into how gambling impacts health leading to financial stress, mental illness and relationship issues.

The WHO has called for strict regulation and enforcement by regulators and operators as the industry continues to grow as new markets emerge and existing markets expand.

Global gambling revenue is projected to reach $700 billion by 2028, according to industry analysts. The WHO attributes the rapid growth of gambling to an uptick in sponsorships and marketing deals along with the commercialization and digitization of the industry.

The increase of gambling-focused marketing worldwide has impacted the health of bettors.

The WHO has determined that approximately 1.2% of the world’s adult population suffers from a gambling dis..

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Yang: Sports betting ‘preys’ on men, increases risk of domestic violence

Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang wrote in an op-ed this week that sports betting increases harms such as financial hardship and domestic violence. The ex-New York City mayoral candidate called for the U.S. to rethink regulation of online sports wagering.

Writing for Newsweek, Yang noted that he bets on sports himself after being “enticed” by a promotional offer for new customers. However, he wished he didn’t and he wants to see regulation and expansion of sports wagering reconsidered, for various reasons.

“I would love to see the regulation on this issue rethought,” wrote Yang. “… The facts are clear. Online sports betting is the equivalent of a new tax on Americans that preys upon vulnerable, low-income men in particular. It increases financial stresses and emotional problems. It’s not what your citizens need.”

Ultimately, he advised any states that may be considering legalizing online sports betting to consider the consequences carefully.

“Betting on sports on..

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NCLGS recommends banning credit card payments in iGaming

The draft model online gaming legislation published by the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) suggests a notable revamp in the way states look to protect players.

As well as recommending significant benchmarks for iGaming in the U.S. including a tax rate of 15-25% and fast-tracked approval for existing sports betting licensees, the NCLGS’ ideal legislative framework put forth a range of player protection measures.

One of the measures the legislators propose is that state lawmakers mandate the creation of a player health program to increase public awareness of problem gambling, promote responsible gaming and provide services for problem gambling prevention, treatment and recovery services.

Under the NCLGS’ proposal, state player health programs would be developed and administered by each state’s regulatory body and may encompass duties such as:

Developing and implementing problem gambling public awareness campaigns

Developing and implementing treatment prog..

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Kindbridge and Mindway AI partner to help at-risk gamblers

Kindbridge Behavioral Health is combining its mental health and problem gambling expertise with Mindway AI‘s technology capabilities in a bid to help to identify and support at-risk gamblers.

Danish company Mindway AI’s data and technology identifies gamblers at risk, and the new partnership will connect those individuals with Kindbridge’s telehealth services to ensure they get mental health support.

Kindbridge Founder and CEO Daniel Umfleet noted that Mindway AI offers the ability to detect behavioral triggers and risk patterns and combine them into a player risk score that provides a useful tool for predicting harm to gamblers. By using this approach, Kindbridge can intervene earlier as needed and deliver timely and effective support that is tailored to specific players’ habits and needs.

“This collaboration brings together Mindway AI’s cutting-edge detection technology with Kindbridge’s expertise in telehealth services to create a robust pipeline for identifying and supporting at..

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Report: NCAA athlete under federal investigation over irregular betting

An NCAA student-athlete is reportedly under federal investigation for allegedly manipulating the outcome of games and wagering on his own team.

According to an ESPN report, former Temple University men’s basketball player Hysier Miller is being investigated by federal authorities following irregular betting activity ahead of a March contest. The game was against the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Prior to tip-off, U.S. Integrity received alerts from multiple operators regarding irregular line movement and suspicious betting patterns. The irregular line movement saw the point spread change by six points, a drastic and unusual line movement for college basketball.

As a result of the irregularities, several operators stopped taking action on the game.

The line moved from -2 in favor of UAB to -8 hours before the contest. UAB would go on to win the game 100-72. Miller finished the contest with eight points and one rebound.

During the 2024 American Athletic Conference tournament ..

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Delaware North partners with Birches Health to provide RG resources

Delaware North is working to provide responsible gaming resources through a new partnership.

The entertainment and entertainment company has agreed to a strategic partnership with Birches Health, a provider of RG resources and specialized problem gambling therapy. As part of the deal, Delaware North will leverage its online gaming products to provide Birches Health’s resources and referral system to consumers. The gaming products that will offer Birches Health’s resources include Betly Sportsbook and Betly Casino & Sportsbook.

The resources will be available in Tennessee, Arkansas, Ohio and West Virginia.

“Delaware North is committed to promoting and encouraging responsible gaming and offering users informational resources to support and identify problem gambling, as well as promoting intelligent tools that allow players to set deposit, loss, session time and money-spent limits,” said Delaware North Chief Interactive Gaming Officer Lee Terfloth. “These new resources from Birches Hea..

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ROGA names inaugural Advisory Committee to drive RG progress

The Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) has formed an advisory committee that it says will play an important role in its mission to drive evidence-based responsible gaming best practices for the U.S. gaming industry.

ROGA is an independent trade association formed earlier this year. It consists of eight major U.S. online gaming companies: Bally’s, bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, Fanatics Betting and Gaming, FanDuel, Hard Rock Digital and PENN Entertainment.

The newly formed advisory committee is made up of members selected based on their outstanding achievements, strong reputation and experience in the responsible gaming field.

The committee will advise members and the wider industry and provide insight on topics such as industry and regulatory concerns, best practices, consumer behavior, research developments and the impact of new and existing technology. It will provide vital insight as ROGA develops its priority initiatives, including the creation of an independent data cle..

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