SBC News

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a reminder to healthcare professionals on prescribing Aripiprazole, a drug which can lead patients to develop compulsive behaviours such as problem gambling.

Branded as ‘Abilify’ or ‘Aristada’, Aripiprazole can be prescribed by GPs and healthcare professionals to treat schizophrenia and extreme cases of bipolar disorder.

However, as noted by the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA), patients must be warned of developing compulsive urges or cravings such as addictive gambling, excessive eating, spending, or high sex drive.

Tracked by the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme, the DHSC has received 69 reports of gambling disorders related to Aripiprazole in the last 14 years, with 32 reports in 2023 alone.

“Thirty-two of these reports were received between 1 January and 31 August this year. In March 2023, the MHRA asked gambling clinics to report any suspected cases which may account for some of the rise,” DHSC noted.

Healt..

Obtaining the required personal financial information is the greatest barrier licensed betting & gaming operators face when onboarding players and the industry fears that mandatory affordability checks will make the situation worse, a new SBC study, commissioned by IDnow, has concluded.

The finding emerged as part of the SBC Media Challenges in Compliance Survey, which saw senior compliance representatives from operators in Europe, North America and Latin America share their thoughts on the major issues they face. The full report will be published in February 2024.

One of the survey’s questions was, ‘at what stage do you currently see the biggest drop-off rates in the onboarding process?’ Just over 50% of respondents identified ‘Document Submission – Personal Financial Information’ as their most significant problem area.

The scale of the reluctance of players to share financial documentation was emphasised by the other answers to the question. The second and third most common drop-o..

GamCare is spreading awareness of the links between cryptocurrency investment and the betting and financial harms that it may cause.

The problem gambling charity commissioned a research project from YouGov that examines investments made by the UK public. A survey of 4,200 adults found that 40% of people lost money on cryptocurrency, in comparison to 34% who made financial gain.

Drawing parallels to gambling, GamCare also cited that people experiencing harmful gambling are more likely to own cryptocurrency than the general population. The quantitative difference was shown in statistics of 51% against 11%.

Raminta Diliso, GamCare Financial Harm Manager, commented: “For many consumers, cryptocurrency purchases are a way to diversify their investment portfolio.

“However, what we have seen on the National Gambling Helpline over the past few years is that serious harm can occur if it goes too far and it’s not always the get-rich-quick opportunity some people may think it is.

“The volati..

Glücksspiel (GGL), the Federal Authority of German Gambling, has awarded its “Gambling Advertising Study” to eye square GmbH, a media research group.

As announced on 10 August, the GGL published its tender requirements for a “study coordinated with Germany’s 16 federal states,” titled “Gambling advertising on television and on the Internet in the area of conflict between channeling and addiction prevention.”

The ‘Gambling Advertising Study’ forms part of the GGL and Bundestag ongoing evaluation of the Fourth Interstate Treaty on Gambling (GlüNeuRStv), implemented on 1 July 2021. The treaty introduced a new regulatory framework for online gambling across Germany’s 16 federal states.

The tender winner, eye square GmbH, is a Berlin-based media and marketing agency, which is reported to have “prevailed against four competitors.”

GGL announced that the “study will run for two years” as part of the evaluation of the Fourth Interstate Treaty on Gambling (GlüNeuRStv), needed to determine h..

EPIC Risk Management has announced the completion of a significant rebranding as it becomes ‘EPIC Global Solutions’.

The move enables the firm to enhance its focus on providing solutions for gambling harm prevention, and to provide a better reflection of its evolution and scale of operation.

Paul Buck, EPIC Global Solutions founder and chief executive, commented on the move:“We are excited to unveil our new brand identity, which we believe better reflects our values and mission and the territories in which we work.

“This rebranding effort represents a significant milestone for our company, ten years since our inception, and we look forward to continuing to serve our partners with the same level of excellence they have come to expect from us across a decade of providing gambling harm prevention.”

It’s a rebranding that will see the company operate under a new logo and visual identity, as it looks to continue its global growth after recently branching out further into the Americas.

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GamCare has published advice from its helpline which highlights some of the key concerns of gambling during the Christmas period.

Emphasising how the festive month can be a difficult time for those who have experienced gambling harms, Ben – one of the charity’s helpline Night Managers – raised some key issues frequently spoken about throughout on his calls at this time of the year.

Firstly, with Payday coming early in December, this leaves a longer gap without income in January, schedules change, and it might become more difficult to access some of the support or activities that you rely on.

Ben provided practical advice for addressing such problems, and explained that even if someone does not celebrate, the period can still present some ‘unique challenges’.

He said: “A common strategy you might already use is to set up a Direct Debit for bills on the day you are paid, to avoid money sitting in the bank.

“With an early payday, you might want to send this money to family or friend..

Spillemyndigheden, The Gambling Authority of Denmark, has launched its first-ever nationwide advertising campaign for audiences under 18, educating “Denmark’s youth on the negative consequences of compulsive gambling”.

The campaign sees Spillemyndigheden address concerns over youth gambling in Denmark, as recent research conducted by the Authority shows that “a significant number of young people (15% of those aged 15-17) have gambled online”.

In 2023, Spillemyndigheden revamped its marketing to develop high-impact campaigns warning the public of gambling harms, addiction, intervention, and the promotion of the ROFUS self-exclusion register.

Focusing on educating younger audiences, the new campaign introduces the character of the ‘One-Armed Bandit,’ who lures young people into gambling, framing it as a harmless social activity.

Spillemyndigheden will promote the ‘One-Armed Bandit‘ campaign on YouTube, Instagram, Spotify, and other media platforms popular with Danish youth.

The camp..

Entain Plc has declared that it has achieved two high-impact milestones funded by its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme, The Entain Foundation.

Publishing its latest Social Impact Report, Entain announced that it had supported over 200 aspiring athletes aiming for the Olympics, Paralympics, Commonwealth and World Championships through SportsAid.

The FTSE100 firm’s collaboration with SportsAid began in 2020, developing direct funding initiatives to back young British athletes’ training and development to compete in elite global competitions.

Each year, the Entain Foundation announces the recipients of SportsAid grants, which will reach around £500,000 by the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Further grassroots sports initiatives have seen Entain providing grants to over 100 non-league football clubs through the Pitching In programme backed by the Entain Foundation.

Pitching In was launched in 2020 as Entain became a principal partner of the three Trident League..

New Public Health figures for England estimate that 1.6 million adults would benefit from specialist-led treatment for gambling harms.

The estimated figure forms part of a prevalence update on “gambling treatment need and support” undertaken by the Office for Health Improvement & Disparities (OHID), reporting to the Department of Health and Social Care.

Providing a breakdown of treatment needs, the update cites that a majority of 970,000 adults (60%) may require ‘level 2 intensity’ treatment, involving two to three sessions of motivational interviewing by specialist practitioners.

Deeper care is required for 243,000 adults who require ‘level 4 intensity’ treatment, involving between eight and 14 sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) led by psychologists.

Intensive treatment is recommended for 40,000 adults, overseen by a 12-week residential programme with one-to-one therapy and group sessions.

A breakdown of regional estimates sees London index the highest prevalence for..

Flutter has revealed that its UK and Ireland division has contributed up to £8m in charitable initiatives this year.

The news follows its three betting brands, Paddy Power, Sky Betting & Gaming (SBG) and Betfair, each forming new partnerships in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, a further £250,000 has been raised through fundraising events for its two Charities of the Year. The activities form part of Flutter’s wider global pledge to Do More for the communities in which it operates as part of the Group’s sustainability strategy – the Positive Impact Plan.

Ian Brown, CEO of Flutter UKI, commented: “I am really proud of the progress the UKI division has made this year to Do More for our communities as part of Flutter Group’s Positive Impact Plan.

“Our market-leading brands have each launched creative and impactful campaigns that directly support the causes that are close to our customers and our colleagues.”

In detail, Paddy Power announced that it will be donating up to £1m to Prostate C..