SBC News - Player Protection Hub

Maine Gov. Mills bans sweepstakes casinos, credit card gambling

SBC AmericasApril 10, 20260115 views

Maine Gov. Janet Mills signed numerous pieces of approved legislation in recent days as the state’s two-year legislative session nears its April 15 end date. In doing so, she has made several notable changes to the state’s gambling industry.

Mills’ signatures have officially banned sweepstakes casinos, the use of credit cards for gambling, and bulk lottery ticket sales in the Pine Tree State.

Her latest approvals come after she allowed the state’s approved legalization of online gaming to become law in January, albeit in that particular instance, she did so by abstaining from either a signature or a veto. Maine’s proposed iGaming model is being challenged in court by Oxford Casino operator Churchill Downs Inc.

LD 2007 bans sweepstakes casinos

Mills signed Legislative Document 2007 on Monday. That bill, put forth by the state Department of Public Safety, explicitly bans dual-currency online sweepstakes that offer products resembling casino gaming, sports wagering, or other gambling ..

Michigan regulator sends C&D orders to 45 unlicensed operators

SBC AmericasApril 10, 2026095 views

The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) is continuing to crack down on unlicensed sports betting and online casino operators accepting customers in the state.

The MGCB announced the issuing of cease-and-desist orders to 45 unlicensed gambling operators that offer either online casino gaming or sports betting to residents and visitors in Michigan. The regulator issued the C&D orders after initiating a series of investigations.

The probes found that the platforms operate in Michigan without state gaming licenses, providing a lack of consumer protection and responsible gaming standards to customers.

“The scope of this action sends a clear message: Michigan will not tolerate illegal operators targeting our residents or undermining the lawful businesses that have invested in complying with state law,” said MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams.

“Our investigators work with unwavering focus to identify, document, and act against every unlicensed site that puts Michigan players at risk…

Dutch regulator slams Unibet for customer due diligence violation

iGamingExpertApril 10, 20260103 views

Unibet has been criticised in the Netherlands for violating the country’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act (Wwft).

Optdeck Service Limited, which operates the FDJ United brand in the market, has been issued an AML/CFT directive from the Dutch gaming authority Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) after an investigation found that customer due diligence was ‘not being performed well enough’.

The KSA noted that transaction monitoring and control measures don’t align well with Unibet’s policy in practice and that it must adjust its policy to make the monitoring of players and their transactions more effective.

In particular, the regulator highlighted that policy adjustments are needed regarding financial thresholds.

With the directive, Unibet has been told by the KSA that it must cease the various violations. However, the regulator spotlighted that the operator had ‘a cooperative attitude and proactively worked on a remediation plan’, with some violations stopped during th..

Portugal unveils new look self-exclusion platform

iGamingExpertApril 10, 20260111 views

Portugal’s gaming regulator is aiming to simplify the self-exclusion process as it embarks on a system overhaul and a new user experience.

Launched by the Gaming Regulation and Inspection Service (SRIJ) yesterday (8 April), players and non-players will be able to use the platform to self-exclude from all licensed online gaming operators in Portugal.

According to the regulator, the new system features a ‘simpler and more intuitive interface’ to allow for quicker and more efficient self-exclusion requests, and has also been optimised for mobile devices.

SRIJ stated: “With this new platform, SRIJ reinforces the quality of its digital services and the effectiveness of the gambling control mechanisms available to players.”

Players can self-exclude for a specific period of time, with a minimum period of three months or indefinitely.

Portugal’s gaming market has grown to 17 licensed operators since the regulation began in 2015. In Q4 2025, the market generated €337.6m, growth of 4.5% co..

OHID commits £12m funding for local councils to reduce gambling harms

A.J. KoehnApril 10, 2026090 views

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has disclosed the funding allocation it will distribute to local councils across England to support efforts to reduce gambling-related harms.

Booked on 2026–2027 accounts, OHID plans to distribute £12m in dedicated funding to upper-tier local councils in England. Councils have also been informed that OHID has reserved an additional £12m in funding which will be allocated for the 2027–2028 period.

Funding for local councils to reduce gambling harms is fully guaranteed by the New Statutory Levy on gambling licences. Since April 2025, OHID has taken its guardianship, overseeing the prevention and treatment of problem gambling across England.

The direct funding of councils via the statutory levy system underscores a shift to a centralised system led by the NHS, moving away from the previous voluntary framework under GambleAware.

In support of the new system, local councils must complete two mandatory requirements to secure the al..

EDGE Boost and Choctaw Casinos offer cashless funding option

SBC AmericasApril 10, 20260107 views

EDGE Boost and Choctaw Casinos & Resorts are collaborating to deliver a new funding option that promotes responsible and safe financial transactions for players.

Choctaw Casinos & Resorts and responsible gaming-focused solution EDGE Boost have expanded their existing partnership to offer a new cashless funding option for brick-and-mortar wagering. The expanded deal allows EDGE Boost account holders to withdraw cash directly at Choctaw Casinos & Resorts, dissolving a need for customers to carry large amounts of money when visiting Choctaw Casinos & Resorts’ portfolio of properties.

EDGE Boost, powered by EDGE Markets, allows its Visa debit card owners to withdraw cash directly at betting cages and kiosks at Choctaw Casinos & Resorts properties. As part of the pact, EDGE Boost cardholders can withdraw up to $1m per day at the retail casinos.

“Our focus is on making the guest experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible,” said Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Senior Director of Cage, Credi..

OHID reveals first recipients of £25m gambling harm prevention grants

A.J. KoehnApril 8, 20260114 views

The OHID has published its first list of grants under the new statutory levy system, providing a clear contrast from the funding allocation of third parties previously led by GambleAware.

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has revealed the full list of the gambling harm prevention organisations awarded funding from the new statutory levy system.

Notable names on the list include Gamcare, Gambling Harm UK, BetBlocker, and YGAM, along with a number of other national and local organisations including charities, independent bodies, trusts, and others.

OHID is one of the three key levy funding decision makers under the new system, tasked with overseeing the direction of prevention funds – around 30% of the overall levy, or £25,441,281 in total.

The remaining 70% of statutory levy funds are divided between NHS England and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). NHS England oversees the 50% allocated to treatment and UKRI oversees the 20% allocated for research.

This is ..

Labor breaks AUS gambling-ads deadlock for big reset in 2027

A.J. KoehnApril 2, 20260126 views

This morning, PM Anthony Albanese declared that Australia will implement “strong and decisive actions” to curb gambling advertising and protect young and vulnerable audiences.

A matter that has dogged Albanese tenure as PM since 2023, is resolved as the Labor government has committed to back five measures aimed at a ‘drastic reduction of exposure’ of gambling ads to the Australian public.

Beginning 1 January 2027, the government will restrict “gambling advertising on broadcast television to no more than three ads per hour between 6am and 8.30pm, alongside a full ban on such advertising during live sports broadcasts within those hours.”

The headline reform directly targets what gambling reformists describe as the “normalisation loop” between sport and betting — an issue that has driven a nationwide campaign calling for federal intervention.

Labor’s reset is built around five core restrictions that redefine how, where and to whom gambling marketing can be shown:

Broadcast TV limits:..

GambleAware closes: a legacy of innovation undone by political naivety

A.J. KoehnApril 1, 20260125 views

For UK gambling, Wednesday 1 April 2026 will be the most transformative and impactful date for all stakeholders. It is also one which will likely overshadow another hugely significant moment for the industry which occurred today.

Tomorrow, HM Treasury activates the increase in Remote Gaming Duty (RGD) from 21% to 40%. The hike is widely seen as the most consequential outcome of decades of regulatory changes brought by the Gambling Act review.

Today, another generational change occurred. As of today (31 March), GambleAware has ceased operations entirely, bringing to an end its 20-year existence.

Since 2018, GambleAware has served as the chief commissioning charity for the treatment, prevention and research of gambling harms.

April 2026… Grim times for everyone

From 1 April, operators will be forced to navigate the ice-thin margins of the “40% era”. The financial burden this will have on operators large and small has been widely discussed, and budget cutbacks are widely anticipated..

Policymakers move to tighten SG rules as NZ bill heads to third reading

A.J. KoehnMarch 31, 20260108 views

Community calls in New Zealand led by an opposition MP to ensure that comprehensive player safety measures are included in the country’s new gambling bill were addressed during today’s reading.

Lemauga Lydia Sosene, a Labour politician and the party’s spokesperson, has become a key figure in campaigning for community returns to be prominently featured in New Zealand’s online gambling legislation.

Sosene, together with the community groups she represented, achieved success on that front late last year when the government agreed to include a mandatory 4% levy on online casino profits to be invested back into the public – with a following revision whether that rate should be put up.

Now, the Labour MP seems to have scored another win as her campaigning to ensure that sufficient steps are taken to minimise gambling harm appears to have contributed to the New Zealand government giving this extra attention in the upcoming bill, which passed the second-to-last-parliamentary stage today.

T..