SBC News

RGC launches in-stadium and social media partnership with Ottawa Senators

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The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) has dropped the puck on a new partnership with the Ottawa Senators that focuses on increasing awareness of and access to responsible gambling resources for hockey fans in Canada’s capital.

The Canadian independent non-profit organization’s prevention messaging is now featured during the NHL team’s home games via in-arena activations and digital signage at the Senators’ Canadian Tire Centre arena.

The RGC and the Sens are also running a social media campaign and contest across Ontario and Quebec. The council sponsors a “Great Saves” in-game feature at select home games, provides content through the team’s social media channels and offers promotional contests designed to engage fans while also sharing responsible gambling information.

Meeting sports fans where they’re at

The partnership runs through June 2027, with the option to extend.

“Sports and sports betting are increasingly connected in today’s entertainment landscape,” said RGC CEO Sarah McCarthy. “This partnership allows us to reach people when they’re getting in the game with their team, in those moments when emotions are running high and provide them with practical information about how to keep gambling safe and enjoyable.”

“The Ottawa Senators organization is excited to partner with the Responsible Gambling Council,” added the Senators’ VP of Corporate Partnerships, Martin Ballard. “This collaboration supports our commitment to fan wellbeing and aligns with our core values and beliefs.”

RGC signs up roster of sports partners

The RGC has worked with regulators, operators, treatment providers and other stakeholders for decades to promote safer gambling in Canada and beyond. Its work is rooted in evidence-based research and emphasizes prevention education and access to supports.

It has added the Senators to a group of sports partners that also includes Toronto sports ownership conglomerate Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), the owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Toronto Raptors, Toronto FC and the Toronto Argonauts, as well as the NFL.

The RGC also recently struck a deal with the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) to develop a first-of-its-kind U.S. certification for responsible online gaming. ROGA’s eight members include bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, theScore owner PENN Entertainment and Bally’s, all of whom are operational in Ontario’s iGaming market. Its other two members, Fanatics Betting and Gaming and Hard Rock Digital, are exploring possibly expanding north of the border.

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Flutter agrees to £2m UKGC settlement for indicators of harm failures

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Flutter Entertainment has reached a £2m regulatory settlement with the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) over social responsibility failures relating to customer interaction with its Paddy Power Betfair brands.

Social responsibility failures listed by the UKGC included having systems “not sensitive enough to identify indicators of harm”, resulting in customers making significant losses, deposits, stakes or activity before being identified for interaction.

In response, a Flutter UKI spokesperson has told iGaming Expert that there is “no suggestion” from the commission that any of the customers reviewed experienced any harm and that the operator believes it leads the industry in player protection.

Won’t be repeated

Flutter told iGaming Expert that the issues spotlighted in the UKGC investigation will not occur again.

“Flutter takes its safer gambling responsibilities incredibly seriously and we firmly believe that we lead the industry in player protection,” said a Flutter UKI spokesperson.

“Customer safety is our number one priority and there is no suggestion that any of the customers reviewed by the Gambling Commission experienced any harm. Our controls have evolved significantly and we recently introduced a next generation customer safety platform, with the vast majority of checks now happening in real-time.

“As such, we are confident that the issues highlighted by the Commission in its public statement would not be repeated today. We continue to invest in our technology and our people to raise standards in the regulated industry.”

This is the second time Paddy Power Betfair has faced regulatory action from the UKGC, as the operator was fined £490,000 for marketing to vulnerable customers in 2023.

Social responsibility failures

The UKGC stated that four remote operators, trading under the names Paddy Power and Betfair – PPB Entertainment Limited, PPB Counterparty Services Limited, Betfair Casino Limited, and TSE Malta LP – will pay the money as part of the settlement with the commission.

As previously mentioned, the listed social responsibility failures for Paddy Power Betfair included not having sensitive enough systems in place to identify harm indicators:

One customer deposited £12,000 over 15 days before they were identified for review.

Another customer deposited £25,000 in 25 days before being contacted.

A third customer lost £12,300 in five weeks before being identified for an interaction.

A fourth customer staked £86,000 over 16 days during which time they lost £6,000. No manual account review took place despite the high velocity of spend.

A fifth customer displayed concerning behaviour in terms of intense spikes in activity without interaction, with their longest session throughout 17 days being seven hours and 46 minutes. Over 300 bets amounting to £20,000 were placed in this period. Their gambling behaviour was only identified as an indicator of harm after hitting a loss trigger, at which time the account was manually reviewed.

Fully cooperative

However, the UKGC did list mitigating factors, as they said Paddy Power Betfair put an action plan in place swiftly that was designed to remedy the failings and provided updates, with some improvements taking place before the compliance assessment.

In addition, the operator was said to be fully cooperative with the commission’s investigation throughout, being open and collaborative and providing information by agreed deadlines. Paddy Power Betfair was also said to have “accepted the failings at an appropriately early stage in the investigation”.

John Pierce, Director of Enforcement at the UKGC, added: “This £2m settlement reflects the seriousness of the failings identified and the importance of meeting social responsibility and customer interaction standards.

“Our compliance assessment in 2024 uncovered examples where interactions fell far short of what is required. These failings should never have occurred. While the licensees co-operated fully with the investigation, accepted the failings early, and implemented an action plan quickly, this immediate response is the minimum we expect from operators when serious shortcomings are identified.

“Operators must ensure systems to identify and address harm work effectively and at the right time. Over-reliance on automation and failure to intervene when clear harm indicators are present exposes consumers to unnecessary risk. Where we find failings, we will act decisively to protect players.”

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Turkey to overhaul penal code with zero tolerance on illegal gambling

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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s demand for a complete ban on illegal gambling has prompted Turkey to undertake a major overhaul of its penal code, with sweeping changes set to take effect by 2026.

The reforms will sharply increase penalties for illegal gambling, online betting and participation offences, forming the backbone of Erdoğan’s wider “Action Plan to Eradicate Illegal Gambling.”

The directive was confirmed through a circular released by Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç, who reaffirmed the government’s full commitment to the President’s zero-tolerance stance.

“Each new loophole that allows these networks to operate within our country is being closed,” Tunç said. “Nobody, whether organiser or participant, can get away with digital anonymity or lax penalties from here on out.”

11th Judicial Package

The penal code reform stands as the centrepiece of Erdoğan’s 11th Judicial Package, described by the Ministry of Justice as a nationwide effort to dismantle the financial and digital infrastructure of unlicensed operators.

Tunç outlined that the package will grant prosecutors expanded powers of seizure, suspension and prosecution, while updating the Turkish Penal Code to raise prison terms and financial penalties for both individuals and organised groups.

Under the proposed reforms:

Organisers of illegal gambling networks will face longer prison sentences, with enhanced penalties for crimes involving minors or cross-border coordination.

Participants and intermediaries will face greater fines and asset confiscations, including the freezing of bank and digital payment accounts for up to 48 hours pending investigation.

Proceeds of crime can be seized immediately, without prior reporting, and returned to victims where ownership is proven.

Banks and payment processors will be legally required to provide data to prosecutors or courts within 10 days — failure to comply will trigger administrative or criminal sanctions.

“It no longer has to be a marginal issue,” Tunç continued. “Illegal betting is a coordinated, organised activity that takes advantage of our youth, destroys families and transfers money abroad. It is a national threat — and we will view it as such.”

Enforcement on Payments

The 11th Judicial Package will also tighten control over electronic payments and telecommunications systems that have enabled illegal operators to reach Turkish consumers.

All accounts at electronic payment institutions will require biometric or chip-ID verification. GSM line subscriptions will demand full electronic ID validation to prevent the use of false or deceased identities.
The compliance measures form part of Erdoğan’s demand for “direct results” by 2026, with the President warning that agencies will be held accountable for any failure to act.

“We cannot live with a shadow economy built on human weakness,” Erdoğan said during a recent cabinet session. “Every lira lost to illegal gambling is a lira stolen from our nation’s future.”

All agencies mobilised

The Erdoğan government has ordered all state agencies — including MASAK (Financial Crimes Investigation Board), the BTK (Information and Communication Technologies Authority), and the state lottery Milli Piyango — to cooperate in enforcement.

Milli Piyango has already submitted a detailed report to MASAK identifying 239,000 domains in direct violation of Turkish gambling laws.

Chairman Ekrem Candan, Milli Piyango official, described the problem as “unprecedented”, adding: “We are witnessing industrial-level targeting of Turkish citizens via the internet. This is not a handful of rogue operators — it is a coordinated ecosystem that must be dismantled.”

Turkey has also warned Cyprus, Malta, Georgia and North Macedonia that they could face diplomatic and economic retaliation if they continue to shelter or license gambling operators targeting Turkish citizens.

Minister Tunç concluded that the revised penal code will establish a zero-tolerance framework for gambling offences in 2026 and beyond.

“Illegal betting breaks apart families, traps young people in debt and disrupts public order,” he said. “The Republic will make no compromises and will take all necessary action to destroy the apparatus that exploits our citizens and threatens social peace. This will be a hard, stalwart fight — and it will be won.”

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Ireland’s Labour party takes anti-gambling stance

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Ivana Bacik, the leader of Ireland’s Labour party, wants to see all gambling ads in the Republic taken down.

The leader of Ireland’s joint-second-largest opposition party (in the Dáil Éireann) shared her thoughts with the Sunday Independent, supposedly prompted to do so by a BoyleSports retail ad in Dublin offering cash deposits and withdrawals without the need for a bank account.

“Labour have called for a ban on gambling ads. In recognition of the harm caused by advertising to those at risk of gambling addiction, other countries have introduced bans on all gambling ads. Ireland should follow suit,” Bacik told the news outlet.

“We know that gambling companies prey on the vulnerabilities of problem gamblers. It is deeply concerning to see companies targeting people with addiction issues. Labour’s senator Mark Wall has called for a ban on all gambling ads, to stamp out this behaviour. We have a serious issue with gambling in this country, and it must be addressed.”

Contacted by the Sunday Independent, BoyleSports said: “All of our customers go through a very strict verification process when opening an online account. We operate robust processes across all our customers’ accounts. Our process is fully in line with all legal and regulatory requirements, and with pending regulation.”

Whilst the operator’s response addressed its online offering rather than the retail one in connection with the above-mentioned advert, alas it is unclear what the Independent’s questions actually were, one thing is for certain – problem gambling is treated with utmost importance by licensed gambling providers by design.

One-sided argument?
Bacik’s comments that accuse gambling companies of ‘preying on the vulnerabilities of problem gamblers’ as something that is matter of fact could be viewed as irresponsible given her position of power, where she knowingly or unknowingly disregards years of international scientific and regulatory work towards developing problem gambling protection policies.

Given her high level of political involvement, it is safe to assume that her statement about Ireland having a “serious issue with gambling” was informed by 2023 data from Ireland’s Economic and Social Research Institute, which put around 3.3% of adults at a serious risk of problem gambling, while 7.1% showed signs of moderate problem gambling behaviours.

Whilst a step in the right direction for informing future policy, these numbers are of course based on estimates derived from self-reported survey responses and not concrete, audited evidence of where the market currently is.

ESRI itself points out the limitations of the study and the caveats of defining problem gambling (PG) and moderate risks.

“There can be considerable variation between individuals classified as having PG,” the report stated.

“For example, an individual who spends little on gambling but nonetheless very often feels anxiety about their gambling, who experiences gambling-caused health problems and feels they may have a problem with gambling, could achieve the same score as an individual who very often bets more than they can afford to lose, tries to win back losses and whose gambling has caused financial difficulty for their family, even if they do not recognise they have a problem or experience any anxiety.

“Hence, further research on the structure of PG among those who score highly is necessary to inform targeted policy interventions.”

Additionally, Bacik’s calls for Ireland to follow in the footsteps of other European countries – many of which like the Netherlands, Spain and Italy have introduced bans on all gambling advertisements for the sake of protecting vulnerable groups – could benefit from examining the impact of these bans.

Previous coverage on SBC News has found time and time again that this might not have the intended effect once implemented, as seen with Italy’s 2019 ‘Dignity Decree’ that drove one in four players to the black market, or in the Netherlands where illegal gambling websites surged in popularity after the visibility of the licensed offers was significantly reduced.

To conclude, opposite to the Labour leader’s doom and gloom portrayal of current circumstances, it could be argued that the Irish gambling market is actually heading in the right direction thanks to the newly-established Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI).

The Gambling Regulation Bill and the GRAI it created have set out a list of policies to maintain this regulatory development, including the Social Impact Levy that will see a dedicated stream of gambling-derived tax being funnelled into problem gambling support efforts.

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KSA hits JOI Gaming with €400k penalty over role models use in ads

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Dutch gaming operator JOI Gaming Ltd has been hit with a €400,000 penalty by Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) after a two-year legal process.

The legislative breaches refer to the use of multiple personalities, considered to be role models by the regulator, for the promotion of the operator’s offers around the 2023 Jack’s Racing Day – a major combined motorsport event in Europe.

It is strictly forbidden to use role models in the advertising of almost all types of gambling, including sports betting and online casino. Enforcing this amendment of the KOA Act, introduced last year, falls under the KSA’s efforts to protect vulnerable consumers and minors in the Netherlands.

According to the Dutch gambling rulebook, role models include anyone that is widely known in the Netherlands – from current and retired footballers to influencers. This is because their status as successful individuals with desired lifestyles can be impressionable to children.

Lotteries do represent an exemption where such a person can be used for marketing purposes, but only under specific and very strict conditions.

Multimedia posted on JOI’s social media accounts when the infringement took did include such individuals in various activities promoting the event, such as signing caps or posing for photos with event staff.

While JOI Gaming initially complied with the order to take down the social posts, according to the KSA, the fine is making its way into the public domain only now because of a partial interim injunction granted by the court after an apparent appeal by the operator.

The regulator has proven several times that it does not mess about when it comes to facilitating a safe and sustainable market. Much of these enforcement actions came amid a political atmosphere leaning towards more gambling reforms in the Netherlands.

Most recently, Unibet – the brand owned by French giant FDJ United – was fined €4m as a result of a failure to comply with the Dutch duty of care standards, following another €450,000 penalty incurred by the same operator.

As for the market in general, reforms introduced by former Legal Protections Minister Franc Weerwind to overhaul the Remote Gaming Act (KOA) are still ongoing, but have already proven successful especially around player protection.

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Connor McDavid ads fuel uptick in use of BetMGM RG tools

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BetMGM has invested in making Canadian NHL phenom Connor McDavid one of its most visible ambassadors, and the iGaming operator unveiled its latest campaign with the Edmonton Oilers captain this week.

The online sports betting and online casino giant launched a new responsible gambling TV ad spot featuring the three-time NHL MVP alongside player-turned-actor Terry Ryan. The commercial is currently airing in the U.S. and Canada, as well as on various digital platforms.

The commercial titled “Mullet Over” was directed and produced by New York-based creative agency CAPE, in collaboration with BetMGM’s creative and responsible gambling teams.

McDavid’s star power reaps reward

BetMGM has worked with former NHL MVP McDavid since before Ontario’s regulated iGaming market opened in April 2022. When he signed on as an ambassador for the MGM Resorts International and Entain joint-venture operator, he was the first active player in a major U.S. professional league to endorse a regulated North American sportsbook.

BetMGM said the new commercial will build on the success of its 2024 responsible gambling ad with McDavid, which the operator said led to a notable increase in use of BetMGM’s responsible gambling tools.

Following that campaign, BetMGM reported a 38% year-over-year increase in Ontario players’ usage of deposit limits and a 55% jump in players in Ontario using stake limits.

Now, it’s hoping a new commercial will continue that impact.

“Filming the ‘Mullet Over’ commercial with Terry was a fun opportunity to combine hockey humour with a meaningful message,” said McDavid of the newly unveiled ad. “It’s important to stay in control, and BetMGM’s tools and resources help customers do just that.”

Ontario-facing ads must be RG-focused

BetMGM also counts the NHL’s ‘Great One’ Wayne Gretzky, New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter and Hollywood stars Jamie Foxx and Jon Hamm among its brand ambassadors.

Whereas BetMGM uses that roster of stars as brand-wide ambassadors across its numerous U.S. markets, even tying their names and likenesses to specific games in some instances, it has to take a narrower approach in Canada’s regulated iGaming province.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario’s (AGCO) regulations stipulate that celebrities including active or retired athletes cannot be used in advertising and marketing “except for the exclusive purpose of advocating for responsible gambling practices.” In August 2023, the AGCO announced it would ban the use of athletes in broader online gaming advertising and marketing in Ontario, a change that came into effect in February 2024.

Ontario also has a requirement that operators must spend a certain percentage of their annual gross gaming revenue on RG-specific messaging.

So, BetMGM’s stars, as well as other gaming ambassadors like BetVictor’s former Toronto Raptor Tracy McGrady, Betway’s French soccer icon Thierry Henry and Bet99‘s Canadian UFC legend Georges St-Pierre are used purely to talk about the responsible gambling tools offered by the companies they represent.

“Our new campaign with Connor and Terry builds upon our approach to deliver an entertaining and memorable responsible gambling message,” said BetMGM Director of Responsible Gambling Richard Taylor. “We’re committed to finding new and creative ways to reach customers and encourage them to ‘mull it over’ before they place a bet.”

Hockey hook-up could work well in Alberta

Meanwhile, as Alberta continues to inch slowly towards launching its own commercial iGaming market, BetMGM leaders know that the brand’s association with McDavid and Gretzky may stand it in good stead in the western province.

BetMGM VP of Canada Scott Woodgate told Canadian Gaming Business in mid-2024 that the company believes Alberta can become “a key omnichannel market” for the operator.

We’ve obviously gotten into business with a couple of guys from Alberta, so we see the appeal,” he added at the time. “It’s a dynamic province, it’s a good-sized market, there are strong incomes, a young and growing population, it’s a great hockey market. It checks a lot of boxes.”

BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt added a few months ago that, with the company one of the top operators by market share in Ontario, it is primed for success in Alberta.

“Alberta is an area that should play to BetMGM’s strength given its operations in Ontario,” he noted on an April 2025 earnings call. “That should be a province where BetMGM really does flex its muscles, given the strength of our business in Ontario. So we’re really excited, really optimistic for Alberta.”

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NJ lawmakers hear both sides on the issue of banning in-game props

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Lawmakers in New Jersey heard from both sides of the argument regarding a proposed bill to ban in-game prop betting, or micro-betting, in the state. However, since the hearing was only informational, so far, the Assembly has not taken any action on the matter.

Bill would ban in-game wagers on events like baseball pitches

Rep. Dan Hutchinson kicked off the hearing by explaining his measure, A 5971, which he introduced last month amidst a torrent of controversies related to match fixing in professional and collegiate sports. The bill would eliminate the bets and impose a fine of between $500 and $1,000 on each wager taken. There is a companion bill in the New Jersey Senate with the same text, S

Hutchinson recalled some experiences he shared interacting with those who have dealt with problem gambling as well as voiced his own thoughts as to why he thinks the matter is an issue worth legislating.

“As I watched the Eagles play yesterday, I was shocked to find that gambling ads were bak..

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NCAA’s Baker believes sports event contracts feel ‘catastrophic’

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NCAA President Charlie Baker has been outspoken about the impact of legal sports betting on its student-athletes, but the organization is also having to consider another vertical.

Baker sat down with Yahoo! Sports to discuss the legal sports betting industry and how the NCAA is responding to recent gambling infractions across sports and the steps the organization is taking to protect its student-athletes. Baker also discussed the growing popularity of prediction markets and how the NCAA perceives the emerging platforms.

Easy access to online wagering changed the game

Since the overturning of PASPA in 2018, the NCAA has worked to develop and implement a framework that protects student-athletes from gambling-related harm and ensures the integrity of competition. However, the rapid pace of growth and the accessibility of online sports wagering impacts how the NCAA sets a standard related to regulated gambling.

“I don’t think anybody was anticipating that it [legal sports betting] woul..

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NY judge doesn’t buy argument that DraftKings promos were misleading

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Notch another one in the win column for DraftKings, as Southern District of New York Judge Denise Cote dismissed a class action lawsuit against the sportsbook over its promotions.

After prevailing in a similar lawsuit in the Eastern District of New York in July, Cote’s ruling drew many of the same conclusions as the judge drew in that case. Both cases observed that there were clear opportunities for the plaintiffs to read the terms of service surrounding the $1,000 deposit bonus and the “No Sweat” bet, so they cannot argue that DraftKings was misleading in how these offers were presented.

Plaintiffs didn’t have a specific DK ad in mind

Cote also pushed back at the suit because the plaintiffs could not point to the exact advertisement the plaintiffs had seen. The plaintiffs tried to argue that didn’t makker because all of the ads are relatively the same, but Cote said a specific example is necessary in order to state a claim.

She went into more detail on other elements of the case, ..

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NCAA gambling probe extends to former San Francisco student-athlete

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The NCAA investigation into sports betting violations at Fresno State led to the discovery of similar infractions at another California university.

Former University of San Francisco men’s basketball guard Marcus Williams was found to have violated the NCAA’s rules related to sports betting by knowingly providing information to a third-party for gambling-related purposes. Williams shared information with former Fresno State men’s basketball player Mykell Robinson, who was dismissed from the university and ruled permanently ineligible by the NCAA for manipulating his performances during games to win bets.

The NCAA initiated an investigation into Williams after their probe into Robinson revealed communication between the two players. The communication included Williams providing information for Robinson to wager on him.

Robinson leveraged daily fantasy sports accounts to place bets on Williams. The NCAA did not disclose which gaming platform Robinson used to place the wagers. NCAA ga..

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