DraftKings is launching a sweepstakes competition offering customers the chance to win NFL tickets by engaging with tools like My Budget Builder and My Stat Sheet. The competition has been launched to coincide with the start of the NFL season and Responsible Gaming Education Month (RGEM) in the US. DraftKings Chief Responsible Gaming Officer Lori…
Danske Bank, Denmark’s largest bank, has warned authorities of its concerns on the gambling expenditure of “young Danish men”.
Louise Aggerstrøm, Chief Financial Analyst at Danske Bank, revealed that men between the ages of 18 and 24 are predominantly spending the most of their monthly disposable income on gambling.
Concerns were relayed in an interview with Danmarks Radio (DR), with Aggerstrøm stating that on average, men in that age group set aside around 800 Danish kroner (£93) for the pastime activity – or “about double what they spent on gambling in 2019”.
Statistically, this is 20 times more than what women in the same age bracket spend each month, which is around 40 kroner as per data from Danske Bank.
However, it is also important to note that the median monthly salary before tax was DKK 46,972 (£5.5k) in 2024, with the amount projected to increase following a similar trend across European markets.
And while Aggerstrøm placed the 800 kroner as an average portion of 10% from the young men’s monthly consumption, deeming it “fairly large”, the economist did also point out that this is purely money coming out of accounts – with winnings left out of the statistics.
Regardless, she did caution against large expenditures, as there is a risk of developing problem gambling behaviour, which must be tracked at an individual level beyond statistical insights.
ROFUS, the national self-exclusion scheme managed by Denmark’s Gambling Authority of Spillemyndigheden, estimates that in June 2025, the number of self-excluded men aged 18-29 reached a total of 24,689.
This indicates that there is a good understanding among players about the support available to them if they fall victim to gambling harm.
Not only that, but general gambling spend among Danes appears to be slowing down, again as per Spillemyndigheden. The most recent data from the regulator revealed that in June, total gambling GGR dropped by 17% YoY.
Still, concerns remain about the current state of the Danish gambling market, with talks to limit advertisements being held at the highest political level.
Rasmus Stoklund, Minister of Taxation, was appointed in August, 2024. Since then, he has been actively reviewing the idea of imposing a stricter advertisement regime.
However, given the declining rates of licensed GGR, such a decision would likely need to be advised by a thorough investigation into the prominence of the black market in Denmark.
Danske Bank’s concerns reflect broader discussions across European markets on how best to protect young consumers aged 18 to 24 from gambling-related harm. In the Netherlands, authorities have been tasked with drafting new protections for under-24s as part of the Gambling Act reform.
Meanwhile, in Spain, licensed operators are now required to register all activity involving under-21 customers in a federal database, as the government considers implementing a universal deposit limit for young users.
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September 15 will see SBC organise a ground breaking charity football event in Lisbon. Make sure you get the chance to see some of the most legendary names in football by securing your ticket today at https://www.legendscharitygame.com/
Political tensions are mounting in the Republic of Slovakia as debate intensifies over the governance, conduct, and social responsibility of the country’s gambling sector.
Leading the charge is Sports and Tourism Minister Rudolf Huliak, who has called on members of the National Council to back his proposed amendments to the Slovak Gambling Law.
Introduced in 2019 to licence and liberalise Slovakia’s online gambling market, the current law, Huliak argues, was designed to favour operators over citizen protections. This week, he introduced amendments that aim to “regulate, not promote, gambling.”
The proposals include restrictive measures targeting vulnerable groups, including individuals on social benefits, those in alimony arrears, and citizens who have failed to meet tax obligations.
Rudolf Huliak
We are not here to enable the gambling industry — we are here to control it,” said Huliak. “Illegal operators exploit loopholes, target vulnerable citizens, and funnel profits offshore. Meanwhile, regulated platforms face burdensome compliance with little competitive protection. That’s unsustainable.”
Huliak has also called for an expanded role for TIPOs, the national lottery company, in channelling gambling revenues into public and social initiatives.
Our goal is a clean, accountable, and socially responsible gambling environment. Strengthening TIPOS is not about state control for its own sake — it’s about ensuring that profits generated from gambling are reinvested in Slovak communities, not lost to foreign markets or shadow platforms.
This amendment is the first step in realigning the system toward public interest, rather than private enrichment.”
Tax shortfall must be answered
However, his proposals have drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties — particularly the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH). The party accuses Huliak of posturing as a reformer while serving the interests of the gambling lobby and avoiding deeper questions around tax fairness and consumer protection.
The tax rate for fixed-odds betting in Slovakia stands at 22% of gross gaming revenue (GGR) for online operators and 6% of turnover for land-based venues — in addition to a 21% corporate VAT.
The KDH has called for a parliamentary inquiry into the distribution and transparency of gambling tax revenues, demanding answers as to how operators collected €1.4 billion from €24 billion in wagers, yet contributed only €340 million in taxes in 2024.
“This is a mockery of social justice,” KDH states, accusing Huliak of posturing whilst being aware of tax shortfalls but refuses to address them.”
Gambling dysfunctions exposed
A damning audit from the Supreme Audit Office (SAO) and a comprehensive report by the Institute for the Regulation of Gambling (IPRHH) have further eroded confidence in the current regulatory regime.
The IPRHH’s Black Book of Illegal Gambling reveals a fragmented system failing to keep pace with the proliferation of digital, unlicensed gambling platforms — many of which allow anonymous betting, no age verification, and unlimited stakes.
Startlingly, 31% of Slovak youth aged 15–17 reported gambling online illegally, with early exposure linked to addiction and long-term debt risks. The report also highlights the growing influence of loot boxes in video games and social media influencers promoting offshore casinos, blurring the lines between entertainment and exploitation.
The SAO report found that enforcement failures were largely due to a lack of capacity. Between 2019 and 2025, the Gambling Authority (ÚRHH) let over 900 cases lapse due to missed deadlines — a consequence of having just one employee managing sanctions during that period.
A further legal loophole allows gambling halls to operate in municipalities that have banned them unless local authorities notify the regulator within five days — a provision the SAO labelled “unreasonable and dysfunctional.”
“Regulated operators are held to high standards — but that only works if unlicensed providers face real consequences. Right now, they don’t,” said Dávid Lenčéš, Executive Director of IPRHH.
Changing of regulatory guard
Calls for reform have gained further traction following a change in leadership at Office of Gambling Regulation (ÚRHH), with Director General Martin Bohoš stepping down and replaced by Jana Mravíková in early 2025.
Upon leaving office, Bohoš recommended a full review of the Gambling Act, six years after its implementation. He highlighted the urgent need for stronger consumer protections in online casino and high-risk games, warning of an “increasing divergence” in player behaviour — with Slovak consumers flocking disproportionately to online casino products over other verticals.
“Urgency is needed,” he said, citing data showing a steep rise in unregulated activity and insufficient safeguards in the current framework.
IAB Brasil (Interactive Advertising Bureau) has launched a guide for digital advertising in the sports betting and online gaming sector, underpinning the maturing of the market.
The document puts forward rules and best practices for responsible communication on online betting platforms. The initiative addresses the legal and ethical requirements that have emerged with the regulation of the sector in Brazil.
It was developed to guide agencies, digital influencers, and advertisers by establishing limits for the promotion of betting platforms. The guide aims to ensure that campaigns comply with the regulations of the Prizes and Betting Secretariat (SPA) and the guidelines of the National Council for Advertising Self-Regulation (CONAR) – especially Annex X, which was created to set boundaries for the sector.
The publication reinforces IAB Brasil’s role in promoting best practices in the digital environment, and Denise Porto, CEO of IAB Brasil, highlighted the social role of regulated advertising.
“Regulated advertising plays an educational social role by informing the public about which platforms are safe and supervised,” she said. According to Porto, advertising helps build trustworthy brands that generate credibility and reduce the appeal of unregulated offers.
The guide consolidates the main legal and self-regulatory rules and guidelines applicable to betting advertising into a single document, highlighting points such as identification and transparency in advertising campaigns, licensing and compliance of operators, protection of minors and vulnerable groups, responsibility and prevention of reputational risks, and best practices for influencers and content creators.
Available for free download on the IAB website, the guide ensures broad access for all professionals working with advertising in the online betting sector.
September 15 will see SBC organise a groundbreaking charity football event in Lisbon. Make sure you get the chance to see some of the most legendary names in football by securing your ticket today athttps://www.legendscharitygame.com/
Flutter Entertainment Plc has announced its decision to withdraw its Junglee Games subsidiary from India, following the introduction of new laws prohibiting Real Money Games (RMG).
On Friday, the Lok Sabha authorised the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, a federal mandate which seeks to implement a legislative framework governing India’s gaming sector.
Among its provisions, the Bill includes three dedicated chapters (5 to 7) that define the legal parameters of RMG, which are now no longer permitted. It categorises RMG as: “any online game—whether based on skill, chance, or both—played by a user by paying a fee, depositing money, or other stakes, in the expectation of winning, which entails monetary or other enrichment in return.”
In its announcement, Flutter stated that it is responding to an “exceptionally short timeframe, having only been introduced into Parliament on 20 August 2025, and without a consultation process with industry stakeholders to consider the significant adverse consequences of this action.”
Flutter maintains that it has always positioned Junglee as a social and skill-based gaming platform for Indian consumers—permitted under previous legal interpretations prior to the federal government’s recent determination.
In 2021, Flutter acquired a 51% majority stake in the San Francisco-based games studio Junglee Games for $70 million. The business, founded in 2013 by Ankush Gera, had grown into India’s largest community for rummy and other non-poker card games, with a player base of over 100 million.
According to its 2024 accounts, Junglee nearly doubled revenues (+91%), though its EBITDA performance was severely impacted by the introduction of India’s 28% Goods and Services Tax (GST) on gaming.
Markets were informed that: “Flutter’s Indian operations were expected to contribute approximately $200m in revenue and $50m in Adjusted EBITDA in 2025, with approximately half of the profits to be delivered in the second half of 2025.”
Further costs are anticipated as Flutter has yet to determine the full accounting implications of the decision, including any non-cash impairments to the Junglee business. Additional disclosures will be made in due course.
Despite withdrawing from RMG activity, Flutter’s leadership is evaluating options “to advocate for the restoration of the 70-year-old constitutional protections afforded to skill-based games.” At the same time, the group is working swiftly to adapt to the changed regulatory environment while continuing to promote the benefits of fully regulated products.
Peter Jackson, Flutter CEO
Flutter also reiterated its continued investment in India’s technology sector, having expanded its Hyderabad-based Global Capability Centre (GCC) to over 1,000 staff, supporting the growth of its entire global brand portfolio.
Peter Jackson, CEO of Flutter, commented:“I am extremely disappointed with the sudden changes to the regulatory landscape in India. Over the last four years, Junglee has invested significantly in its local market, building a workforce of over 1,100 employees to deliver innovative skill-based gaming products to Indian customers.
Central to this has been a strategy which prioritises consumer protections and responsible gaming. We believe this change will drive customers to the unregulated market, offering limited consumer protections and providing no contribution to the local economy. We believe in regulatory frameworks that put customers first, and are evaluating options to restore skill-based games in the Indian market.”
Weekend reports confirm that several prominent RMG studios—including Dream11, My11Circle, Zupee, Gameskraft, Mobile Premier League (MPL) and Probo—have shut down their real money operations in direct response to the government’s landmark decision.
In the case of Probo, the company has confirmed the closure of both its opinion trading app and its fantasy cricket platform, Team 11, marking a significant rollback of its product offerings.
The future of India’s digital gaming economy now hangs in the balance. Industry analysts estimate that over 400 active game studios and platforms are currently operating in the Indian market collectively valued at $4 billion in 2024— which must now evaluate whether to withdraw, restructure, or modify their offerings under the new regulatory regime.
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has issued guidance to licensees outlining how the Statutory Levy will be calculated for payments due from 1 September, with rates set between 0.1% and 1% of relevant revenue depending on the type of gambling activity.
Recognised as the flagship measure of the Gambling Act Review, the levy will see operators make a mandatory payment from yearly revenues, which will be directed towards a new system of funding for gambling harm research, education and treatment (RET).
Treatment funding and commissioning of projects will be overseen by the NHS, with NHS England chosen to do this although it is now being dissolved by the government. Prevention and education will be overseen by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) and research by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
Levy number crunching
As noted above, the UKGC has set the rates for operator revenues paid towards the RET levy at between 0.1% and 1%. When a company’s levy value is calculated at £10 or less for the levy period it will not be required to pay, with different types of companies assigned different levy periods.
The levy has been in place since 1 July for most operators, chiefly betting, casino and bingo firms, and since 1 April for society lotteries. Invoices for the levy will be issued on 1 September annually and based on financial activity from the previous financial year.
Prior to the launch of the Levy system, DCMS updated gambling licences confirming that the levy would impose the specific rates of:
Source; UKGC website
The mechanics of the Gambling Levy, deem that the system of funding will be overseen by the Commission as a regulatory remit assigned by DCMS. As previously cited, the calculations of rates are varied depending on business category of between 0.1% and 1.1% depending on the type of licence.
The calculation applied to determine the applicable levy payments for UK licensed B2C non-lottery operators equates to “Levy Amount = Stakes + Other Income – (Prizes Paid Out)”. The calculation will be used to determine what levyable amount can be charged on non-lottery B2C operators.
The ‘other income’ of B2C operators can be viewed as competition entry fees, tournament subscriptions, poker rake, and game monetisation features.
For lottery operators (B2C), the statutory levy is calculated on the net income they receive from lottery sales minus prizes paid out to determine the levy amount to be charged on subject to the category rate.
A third calculation is required for Societal lotteries. In which the levy amount is drawn from net income generated from operating lotteries on behalf of charities and good causes. The calculation is determined as total fees earned – prizes paid to partners.
Paying and preparing – what is expected of operators?
The Commission has confirmed, as stated above, that invoices for the new statutory levy will go live on eServices on 1 September, with licensees required to pay in full by 1 October.
As the payment of the levy is a licence condition, operators risk losing their licence if they fail to meet the deadline, unless the authority accepts that the delay was due to an administrative mistake.
For the levy’s first year, firms will be issued with a single invoice covering GB activity, and a second one if any non-GB operations are reported. Payments cannot be made in instalments however, and must be done via bank transfer or GovPay into the account listed on the invoice.
The Commission also made it clear that every detail – from quoting the invoice number in full to the exact amount – must be followed, adding that any errors could see payments rejected and licenses put at risk.
With the first statuary levy deadline approaching, operators are being advised to get their house in order. That means making sure regulatory returns are filed on time and correctly, confirming they can access eServices and checking that the Commission has all the right contact details on its record.
The UKGC also assured that further guidance is to follow over the next few months as UK gambling companies adopt one of the biggest licensing requirements it has seen since the 2005 Gambling Act was passed.
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September 15 will see SBC organise a ground breaking charity football event in Lisbon. Make sure you get the chance to see some of the most legendary names in football by securing your ticket today at https://www.legendscharitygame.com/
The Dutch Gaming Authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has confirmed that no gambling sponsorships will be allowed during next weekend’s Formula 1 Grand Prix at Zandvoort.
The move comes under strict new legislation introduced last month which prohibits advertising for sports betting apps not regulated in the Netherlands.
The KSA has reached out to event organisers and sports bodies to ensure that no teams, domestic or international, compete with visible gambling branding.
A forced rebrand
For Stake, the online casino and sports betting operator holding title sponsorship of Sauber Motorsport, this represents a major challenge.
Stake F1’s C45 race cars, driven by Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto, are usually plastered with the company’s matte green and black branding.
For Zandvoort, the team will compete under the name Stake F1 Team Kick, using the streaming service Kick to replace Stake branding for Dutch viewers while retaining its team name.
Challenges due to its betting association are nothing new for the Swiss-based team, which has implemented similar branding swaps in Belgium last month and in previous races in Spain, Australia and Qatar when regulatory restrictions applied.
Unlike last year, when the KSA’s informal request allowed Stake-branded cars to run at the Dutch Grand Prix, the regulator now requires measures such as geo-blocking to prevent Dutch fans from accessing the betting platform.
Stake has also been expanding its sponsorship portfolio, recently becoming the official betting partner for esports organisation Team Vitality.
Further monitoring
The Netherlands continues to clamp down on its betting rules, with the KSA also recently warning TonyBet for offering football betting markets that breached Dutch law.
The operator offered bets on the Ballon d’Or winner and the FIFA Club World Cup Golden Boot. However, the country prohibits these types of wagers, as the outcomes are determined by votes or jury decisions rather than measurable results from official sporting competitions.
Looking ahead
The KSA has signalled that enforcement action will continue across the sector, with automated checks of all active licence holders’ Control Databases (CDBs) ongoing.
Operators are being reminded to review all sponsorship and marketing activity carefully and to seek guidance from the regulator to avoid further breaches. The KSA also states that it has monitored the situation in neighbouring Belgium, where a similar ban on sponsorship was introduced by some firms and football clubs have found ways to get around it.
This approach underlines the Netherlands’ broader commitment to tightening controls over gambling advertising and compliance in the coming months, with a range of new regulatory conditions likely after the October elections conclude.
September 15 will see SBC organise a ground breaking charity football event in Lisbon. Make sure you get the chance to see some of the most legendary names in football by securing your ticket today at https://www.legendscharitygame.com/
Zoë Osmond OBE will pass on the torch as GambleAware CEO to Anna Hargrave as the charity prepares for closure in 2026.
The historic commissioner of problem gambling research, prevention and treatment in the UK, GambleAware is set to close its doors in March next year as the delivery of this work transitions to new commissioners across Great Britain under a government mandate and a new statutory framework.
NHS England has been chosen as the commissioner of funding projects, taking over from GambleAware – although the public health body is due to be shut down by the government as part of a cost cutting initiative.
Regardless, with the government’s plan to hand commissioning duties over to some kind of public health body in mind, GambleAware is opting to call an end to its decades-long activity.
As a transition CEO, Hargrave will oversee day-to-day operations as the charity gradually moves to its planned closure on 31 March.
Hargrave is a GambleAware veteran
Hargrave has been integral to the work that GambleAware has produced over the years, having played a key role in the charity’s Executive Leadership Team as Deputy CEO and Chief Strategy and Commissioning Officer since 2021.
Among Hargrave’s long list of achievement milestones with GambleAware is the re-commissioning of the National Gambling Support Network, improving its efficiency and access for vulnerable people.
She also leveraged her previous senior experience with the NHS to engrain a public health approach into all of GambleAware’s work.
On her new venture, Hargrave said: “Firstly, I want to thank Zoë for her leadership and support over the years, which has helped GambleAware achieve its ambition to see gambling harm positioned as a public health issue.
“The final six months are critical for the smooth transfer and transition to the new system and I am delighted to be taking on this role.
“I look forward to continuing to work with the new commissioners as they get to grips with their new responsibilities within the statutory system and will work with them to ensure their efforts build upon the current system’s achievements and insights to ensure learnings are carried forward.”
When is the official change of hands?
Osmond has served as GambleAware CEO since 2021, and has been a part of the charity for a total of seven years. Her leadership has been marked by important advocacy work to designate problem gambling as a national public health concern that puts all corners of society at risk.
She will officially step down on 30 September 2025, with Hargrave subsequently taking on transitional CEO duties with immediate effect.
Zoë Osmond, GambleAware CEO
Commenting on the change and reflecting on her work so far, Osmond added: “It has been a huge privilege to lead and work at GambleAware over the past seven years. The sector has undergone significant transformation during this time, and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved – particularly our commitment to embedding the voices of the lived experience community at the heart of everything we do.
“Few charities can truly say they’ve delivered on their founding mission, but GambleAware and the exceptional team behind it have played a pivotal role in reframing gambling harms as a public health issue and helped to shape the foundations of the new gambling harms prevention and treatment system.
“I’m delighted that Anna will be taking the reins for the next critical period, leading the charity through the completion of its transition to the new system. Her commissioning expertise and insight as Deputy CEO means she is well-placed to complete our vital work.”
September 15 will see SBC organise a ground breaking charity football event in Lisbon. Make sure you get the chance to see some of the most legendary names in football by securing your ticket today at https://www.legendscharitygame.com/
Welcome to the Player Protection Hub newsletter, your biweekly roundup of all the news, features, interviews, conversation, new research, plus a guide to upcoming digital and real life events related to player protection and ESG in the gambling industry Doin’ it right DraftKings will stop taking credit card payments from Monday (Aug 25) to help…
Billionaire John Caudwell, a key ‘business ally’ of PM Sir Keir Starmer, has openly voiced support for the Labour government to significantly ramp up taxes on UK gambling activities.
The founder of Phones 4u expressed on Twitter (X) that Labour should follow through with tax proposals endorsed by former PM Gordon Brown. Caudwell argued that higher gambling taxes were appropriate given the “polluting nature” of the sector, which he claims generates vast social costs that outweigh its economic contributions.
With the Labour government yet to settle on the terms of its Autumn Statement, Brown wrote an open letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves instructing the Treasury to implement a ‘targeted strike’ on the gambling industry.
The former PM advised Reeves to adopt proposals from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), which called for a sharp rise in duties on remote gambling from 21% to 50%. Further increases would elevate machine gaming duty to 50% and general betting duty (sports bets) from 15% to 25%—with provisions excluding horseracing wagers.
Brown urged Reeves to ignore industry pushback, insisting that gambling tax reform was the logical step to fund Labour’s pledge to reduce child poverty. According to IPPR estimates, such increases could raise an additional £3.2bn annually, lifting around half a million children out of poverty.
While Caudwell has been vocal in his backing of the proposals, he is not listed as a Labour donor. Instead, he was a long-standing supporter of the Conservative Party before dramatically switching allegiance at the 2024 General Election, voting Labour for the first time. At the time, he criticised the Conservatives for losing their way on economic discipline and failing to win the confidence of the business community.
His actions were seen as a symbolic victory for Sir Keir Starmer, marking a broader shift in support from parts of the UK’s business elite towards Labour. Caudwell’s intervention on gambling tax has further cemented his role as one of the most high-profile business figures backing the government’s economic direction.
Yesterday on Twitter, Caudwell openly expressed that a “hugely damaging gambling sector” should face its polluter tax, urging Chancellor Reeves to adopt former PM Brown’s toughest measures.
The intervention has sharpened tensions as the Autumn Budget Statement nears, with the gambling industry pushing back hard against the prospect of steep duty increases.
In the comment section of The Sun, under the headline “Three-quarters of punters say betting is key to British culture amid new tax threat”, readers warned that higher taxes risk driving betting further underground. The poll suggested that three in four punters view gambling, whether on sports, racing or bingo, as part of Britain’s cultural identity.
BGC CEO Grainne Hurst reinforced the association’s viewpoint in the article, stating: “Punters are clear, betting is not just a leisure activity, but a valued and long-standing part of Britain’s cultural and sporting landscape.
“From casinos to bingo, horseracing, football, rugby league, darts, and snooker, millions of adults enjoy betting safely and responsibly each month.
“BGC members are proud to support jobs on the high street, invest in local communities and grassroots sport, and contribute billions in taxes to fund essential public services.”
Concerns over how far to push gambling taxes have already divided political ranks across all parties. Within Labour, Gordon Brown and business allies such as John Caudwell are pressing for a sharp escalation, while MPs representing racing constituencies remain wary of the impact on jobs and heritage.
A Racing Post survey found that among 23 Labour MPs in areas with racecourses or training centres, only six responded to inquiries — some backing modest tax harmonisation, which would lift betting duty from 15% to 21%, and others offering only non-committal responses.
In opposition, the Conservative Party remains split between calls for complete overhaul of regulation led by Sir Iain Duncan Smith and concerns over taxes impacting rural communities as stated by Kemi Badenoch.
With the Budget expected by late October or early November, Reeves has so far shed no insights on her tax strategy. The Treasury has only confirmed that gambling duties remain under active review, alongside wider reforms to council tax, pensions relief, and high-value property.