SBC News

Spelinspektionen, Sweden’s Gambling Inspectorate, has banned four businesses for targeting Swedish consumers with illegal ‘skin’ gambling platforms.

The inspectorate published a notice naming the businesses of Gamevio Ltd, Bigskin Trading Limited, Santeda International BV, and the website Samilland.co as infringing on Swedish gambling laws by providing ‘games without a necessary license’.

The Inspectorate detailed that both Gamevio Ltd and Bigskin Trading had promoted unlicensed games in the form of skins to Swedish consumers.

Skin gambling websites allow customers to purchase virtual goods and currencies, which can be used to gamble on their platforms.

Popular with younger gaming audiences, skin websites have caused problems for regulatory authorities in Europe, determining whether gameplay and interactions can be classified as gambling.

Spelinspektionen determines that “Skins are collectibles in many popular computer games that can often be redeemed for money outside of the comp..

Stake has partnered with BetBlocker – a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing free and anonymous software to help individuals manage and control gambling.

The deal sees the Australian-Curaçaoan online casino look to enhance its player safeguarding measures with a view to minimising gambling harm for its customers.

Chief of Safer Gambling Partnerships at BetBlocker, Pedro Romero, commented: “BetBlocker is thrilled to collaborate with Stake to expand the reach of our software. We are delighted that Stake is taking a significant step forward in promoting responsible gambling.”

The free tool can be used as a safer gambling instrument for players experiencing problems with addiction, available through an anonymous software that allows players to stop access to a range of gambling sites.

The BetBlocker tool allows players to block themselves in advance and set a timeframe which ranges from several days to years.

“At Stake, we pride ourselves on delivering an entertaining an..

The Labour Party has pledged to complete the outstanding affairs of the Gambling Review, needed to deliver the new terms of play for UK gambling.

Yesterday, the Party published its 2024 General Election Manifesto titled ‘Change’, promising an ambitious programme to return economic productivity and wealth generation to the UK.

Headline policies see Labour seeking to build 1.5 million new homes, reduce net migration, and cut down NHS waiting lists by adding an additional 40,000 appointments every week.

Within the 136-page document, just one paragraph was reserved for UK gambling, under the manifesto’s pledge to ‘Build an NHS for the future’ citing: “Labour is committed to reducing gambling-related harm. Recognising the evolution of the gambling landscape since 2005, Labour will reform gambling regulation, strengthening protections. We will continue to work with the industry on how to ensure responsible gambling.”

The commitment represents a repeat of prior reporting and statements by..

The Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has highlighted three main areas which it will focus on during the Euros – prevention, supervision and enforcement.

In preparation for an expected surge in placed bets and gambling advertising during a summer of sports, the watchdog is tightening the control measures around youth betting.

Part of the regulator’s increased efforts is a campaign co-launched with the Dutch national support service Loket Kansspel and funded by the Addiction Prevention Fund (Vpf), which will provide additional educational material for people aged between 18 and 24 on safer betting practices and how to mitigate risk.

Titled ‘Don’t Play Games With Your Money’, the initiative uses a number of communication channels to invite young people to take a test and receive a ‘realistic’ analysis of their gambling behaviour, which then redirects them to Loket Kansspel in the cases of increased risks from gambling harm.

Not only that, but anyone who contacts L..

Armenia continues to modify its gambling regime, as Parliament has approved a package of new amendments to rectify existing laws related to gambling.

Approved on Wednesday, 12 June, legislative changes will introduce new tax charges on ‘gambling winnings’, categorised as “large win” and “regular win” for customers.

A “large win” is defined as any single win exceeding 5 million drams (approximately €11,000), which will be subject to a 5% income tax, sanctioned as a measure intended to ensure that significant gambling profits are ‘adequately taxed’.

For smaller wins, consumers will be required to calculate the net winnings, as the difference between the total winnings and the bets placed. The ‘net win amount’ will then be subjected to a 10% income tax.

The distinction aims to simplify the taxation process for frequent, smaller wins, and ensure that gamblers pay their fair share based on actual profits.

The changes mark a shift in Armenia’s approach to gambling taxation. Previously, ..