The UK’s Gambling Commission has announced that it will not be introducing any affordability checks in an industry update on its ongoing pilot of financial risk assessments. Director of Major Policy Projects Helen Rhodes felt impelled to spell out the difference after it was presumed by most observers that “financial risk assessments” were just a…
The Wave-4 datasets of the second year of the Gambling Survey of Great Britain (GSGB) have been published as the principal research project of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC).
The GSGB was developed over a two-year period to implement a new research design for UK gambling, aimed at providing all relevant stakeholders with more frequent and consistent data on gambling prevalence and changing trends.
Wave-4 research of the GSGB was conducted by NatCen on a nationally representative sample of 5,191 adults aged 18 and over, during the period from September 2024 to January 2025.
According to headline findings, 46% of adults gambled during the previous four weeks, down from 49% in the previous wave.
Approximately one-fifth of participants (19%) engaged solely with lottery draws, including the National Lottery and charity lotteries. The overall gambling prevalence remains at 28% since 2024 when lottery-only players are excluded from the analysis.
This distinction is critical for understanding consumer risk. The 28% group consists of participants engaging in higher-risk products, whereas lottery draws are generally viewed as lower-risk gambling activities.
Riskier verticals attract younger male cohorts
The data show significant usage of products typically associated with higher gambling risk. The three most frequently used non-lottery activities were scratchcards (12%), sports betting (10%), and online instant win games (7%).
A total of 7% of survey participants who bet on sports chose to wager on live football matches, with young male participants showing the highest levels of engagement. These players also show a strong preference for betting exchanges, in-play betting, and virtual racing — products that require repeated player interaction.
Online casino activities are captured under categories such as online instant win and in-play betting, as they do not have a distinct headline designation. Harm reduction groups flag these verticals due to their rapid gameplay mechanics and highly engaging design features.
Demographic trends: younger, more digital
The age distribution shifts significantly once lottery-only participants are excluded. While gambling prevalence is highest among males aged 35–64 overall, males aged 18–24 become the most active group, with a 47% participation rate.
This younger demographic is more inclined to use digital platforms. Online gambling participation was recorded at 37% across the full sample, but this fell to 17% when lottery-only players were excluded — highlighting how lottery participation inflates digital engagement figures.
The core gambling participation rates in Wave 4 of the GSGB indicate a trend towards stabilisation. However, deeper analysis reveals a younger cohort engaging more heavily with higher-risk gambling activities. These findings offer crucial insights for future UKGC regulatory actions, helping to define patterns in modern digital gambling behaviour.
Advertisements for non-GAMSTOP casinos have once again entered the mainstream public domain, further putting UK customers at risk.
In a development that few, if any, could’ve predicted, the website of the Brexit Party – the former political entity of Nigel Farage – is now seemingly acting as an affiliate for casinos that proudly boasts their ‘non-GAMSTOP’ offers.
This implies that the websites promoted will accept users who are excluded from regulated UK gaming sites. All operators holding a UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) must provide links to GAMSTOP as part of licensing conditions.
SBC News wrote about a similar promotion last week, where a global PR newswire ran an advertisement about such a casino. The website, MyStake, was easily accessible by anyone in the UK and certainly in breach of any UKGC regulations.
The most recent case however led to even more headscratching, as it is unusual to see a politically-related domain promoting these types of casinos.
The name ‘Brexit Party’ is no longer used by any active UK political parties, with the party itself having undergone a rebrand to Reform UK, and subsequently switched to a new website.
However, the domain name for its previous incarnation remains the same. A likely explanation is that the domain expired after Farage moved on to Reform, and was subsequently auctioned or outright bought by the affiliate who is now running it.
ComposedPix/Shutterstock
Spotlight on self-exclusion due diligence
What is even more interesting though is that the names of casinos listed there include those of Betfair and Betfred – two well-known UK brands that are licensed by the UKGC.
Of importance, both operators have previously fully committed to using GAMSTOP and prevent anyone who has self-excluded from using their services.
The UKGC’s general stance against affiliates promoting non-GAMSTOP casinos is very stringent. There are harsh regulatory punishments for operators found to be working with such affiliates.
If Betfair and Betfred are in fact in a contractual relationship with the affiliate running the former Brexit Party website, this could spell trouble for both.
UKGC guidelines dictate that operators should ensure that the affiliates they’re partnered with have removed self-excluded customers from their brand-specific marketing lists.
This means that both Betfair and Betfred should be able to demonstrate proactive actions to prevent their marketing materials from being sent to such customers.
But as they are not responsible for the rest of the affiliate’s business practices, the question remains – what about the other websites and the wider UK online space?
SBC News has reached out to Betfair, Betfred, the UKGC, and GAMSTOP for comments.
Update: Betfred has responded: “We have no partnership with this site and we have asked for the immediate removal of our logo and link.”
BetOnline received a new cease and desist letter from a state gaming regulator this week, marking the second letter the offshore operator has received in less than a month.
The Tennessee Sports Wagering Council (SWC) sent a cease and desist letter to BetOnline for allegedly operating an illegal offshore sportsbook in the state. The SWC considers BetOnline to be in violation of the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act, which prohibits operators from accepting wagers from customers in the state without a license.
BetOnline has been ordered to shutter operations in Tennessee by June 16.
“Shuttering illegal sportsbooks will benefit the legalized market, our licensed operators and the public good in Tennessee, but illegal offshore sportsbooks are not going to go away easily,” said SWC Executive Director Mary Beth Thomas. “We envision a Tennessee where all sports wagers are legal, and we’re working closely with our network of law enforcement at the state and federal levels to make that vision a re..
The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) is continuing to invest in the development of initiatives to protect players from problem gambling.
The NCPG announced that it will be distributing $192,000 in grants between five organizations to support community-based problem gambling prevention. The council awarded the grants through its Agility Grant program, which provides financial support to nonprofits to develop and provide problem gambling prevention initiatives. The NCPG’s Agility Grant program, launched in 2022, is funded by the NFL Foundation and FanDuel.
“The NFL is proud to continue supporting the NCPG and the Agility Grants program, which provides critical funding to organizations leading innovative efforts aimed at preventing problem gambling,” said NFL SVP of Social Responsibility Anna Isaacson. “We are pleased to see both new and returning grantees advancing creative approaches to education and early intervention, particularly for youth and young adults.”
The organiz..
The UNLV International Gaming Institute (IGI) is taking steps to understand the impact of machine learning and AI on America’s online gambling industry.
The IGI has launched AiR Hub, an AI-focused initiative for researching the impacts and risks of AI while also fostering collaboration between key stakeholders in the gambling industry. AiR Hub has launched under the direction of IGI Director of Research Kasra Ghaharian and gambling industry veteran and AiR Hub adjunct fellow Simo Dragicevic.
“UNLV’s International Gaming Institute has a long history of pioneering research in the gaming sector, and we are excited to launch AiR Hub as the next step in that journey,” said Ghaharian. “Our vision is to create tangible progress through collaborative, actionable research with engagement across a range of stakeholders, including regulators, academics, non-profit organizations, and industry.”
AiR Hub has debuted as gambling experts prepare to analyze the State of AI in Gaming, an industry-fir..
Paf, the sole gaming company of Finland’s autonomous Åland Islands, has raised €21.5m to maintain its social activities, public benefit initiatives and environmental projects.
The funds are the result of strong 2024 results, in which Paf upheld its long-standing social responsibility mandate. Notably, it remains the only European operator to self-impose general annual loss limits on customer accounts, a policy first introduced in 2018 and further tightened in 2024.
Despite the self-imposed restrictions, Paf revenues increased by 3% to €183m (2023: €177m). Group earnings were maintained at €54m, representing a slight decline on FY2023’s €55m.
Leadership views the sustained earnings as a success, particularly in the face of heavier taxation across core markets. In 2024, Finland increased its lottery tax from 5% to 12%, while Sweden raised its gaming tax from 18% to 22%, effective 1 July.
“We had a strong 2024, and we can be really pleased with the year. The trend of increased gambling taxes is bringing down earnings, but this was something we were prepared for,” said CEO Christer Fahlstedt.
Fahlstedt also emphasised the sustainability of Paf’s player base, noting that the company’s focus on lower-spending recreational customers enables it to absorb higher taxation while maintaining profitability:
“Paf is well equipped to handle tax increases thanks to our customer base, which generates long-term income from a large number of players who play for smaller amounts.”
The company made headlines by further reducing its general loss limit to €16,000 per year in March 2025, including additional restrictions for customers aged 20–24.
CEO Fahlstedt criticised Finnish gambling monopoly Veikkaus for moving in the opposite direction and raising its own player loss limits — a decision seen as undermining responsible gambling efforts.
“I am genuinely surprised and a little disappointed that our state-owned counterpart Veikkaus in Finland has chosen to raise its loss limit this spring. But we are going our own way and they are going in a different direction,” he stated.
“At a time when the social harms of gambling are well understood, it’s deeply concerning that a government-owned monopoly would choose to loosen protections rather than strengthen them.”
Paf’s transparent approach to responsible gambling was further demonstrated through its audited breakdown of customer segments.
The company reported a 12.3% increase in revenue from low-risk ‘green’ segment players, underlining its long-term commitment to sustainable operations and player wellbeing.
Moving into 2025, Paf leadership and governance will closely monitor forthcoming regulatory changes in Sweden, and the pending legal settlements for Finland to launch its online gambling market as of 2027.
The company, like other Finnish market stakeholders, has been making preparations for a regulated market launch. A notable recent initiative is a marketing one, with the firm securing a deal with F1 driver Kimi Räikkönen, one of the country’s most notable sports personalities.
Chairman Jan-Mikael von Schantz praised the Paf responsible ethos: “The level of Paf funds that can be maintained year after year, combined with the voluntary measures taken in relation to responsible gaming towards customers, is impressive. There is no other company in the industry that is currently achieving anything similar.”
Northern Irish politicians have expressed alarm at the levels of gambling harm reported in the 2024 Gambling Prevalence Survey.
One of the most significant findings is the low number of people seeking help, with just 1% of those who partake in gambling accessing support or information from betting or mental health services.
Commissioned by the Department for Communities, the survey has led Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan, Chair of The All Party Group on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling, to urge the government to take action amid a political stalemate on gambling reform.
McGuigan said: “The Minister of Health must act without delay to commission dedicated gambling treatment services. With existing addiction services already under pressure, additional funding is essential.
“The findings of this survey point to a serious gap in provision for addiction treatment in the north. The need is clearly there, but people aren’t getting the help they need.”
Concerning numbers and slow politics
A total 3% of the country’s population are experiencing what the report described as severe gambling-related harms, whilst a further 10% are considered low or moderate risk gamblers.
Another important figure to note is the amount of adults who gambled in the past 12 months who admitted to betting more than they could afford to lose, which stands at around one in seven.
McGuigan highlighted that the figures underscore the serious social and public health implications of gambling addiction.
The politician has been a vocal figure in calling for gambling reform in Northern Ireland, where the industry is governed by the decades old Betting, Gaming, Lotteries & Amusements Order of 1985,
“This isn’t just about individuals losing money; it’s about broken families, damaged relationships, and communities struggling with the fallout of gambling harms,” he continued on the findings of the prevalence survey.
Ripple effects
The survey highlighted that one in eight people admitted needing to gamble increasing amounts to achieve a high level of excitement, and nearly one in 12 said gambling had caused stress and anxiety.
Meanwhile, the survey also found that 10% of people affected by gambling had experienced the breakdown of a close relationship due to someone’s gambling.
McGuigan is now asking the Minister for Communities to bring forward the promised levy on land-based gambling operators without delay to address the funding gap.
Additionally, he has criticised the British Government for excluding Northern Ireland from the proceeds of the statutory levy on gambling operators introduced in Britain on 6 April.
Finally, the Chair has urged the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to implement tighter ad restrictions after the survey revealed 66% of respondents believe there are too many gambling promotions, and 71% support a watershed for gambling ads on TV and radio.
As stated above, McGuigan is one of the more notable politicians vocally calling for gambling reform in Northern Ireland. It was only in November last year that McGuigan urged DCMS to intervene and align online gambling advertising protections for Northern Ireland with the rest of the UK.
The demand was made by members of the All-Party Group of the Stormont Assembly on Gambling Harms Reduction, who wrote to Secretary of State Lisa Nandy to “bridge the gap on gambling advertising.”
ONJN begins a new leadership tenure under Vlad-Cristian Soare, who will serve as the President of the National Gambling Office of Romania (ONJN).
Soare’s appointment as the successor to Gheorghe Gabriel Gheorghe as President of ONJN was announced to Romanian authorities in April.
Gheorghe chose to resign ahead of Romania hosting its re-scheduled Presidential Elections on 18 May, won by Bucharest mayor Nicușor Dan as an independent candidate.
The presidential elections took place against a backdrop of instability, marked by the annulment of the 2024 presidential vote and widespread concerns over foreign interference by Russia.
A lawyer and former lecturer at the University of Bucharest, Soare has no previous involvement in the management of ONJN.
The department is under significant scrutiny following its failure to audit taxes and authorisation fees, which have cost the Romanian government a near €1bn in lost income.
Taking office, Soare acknowledged the current political sensitivities in Romania, stating: “Today I went from office to office in the institution I run. Not to talk about voting, but to tell my colleagues a simple thing: for me, it doesn’t matter what they voted for. It matters that we are here, together, for the same goal.
Vlad-Cristian Soare
“I admit, I was happy with the result. It was a vote in line with my convictions. But this joy comes with responsibility, care and, perhaps most importantly, moderation. At the same time, I also feel the tension, the frustration, the rupture. And I know that a true victory does not mean being right alone, but building together.”
In addition to its auditing failures, ONJN has been accused of negligence in its enforcement and monitoring of licensed operators.
Filing its auditing report, the Court of Accounts informed Parliament that ONJN executives could be liable for criminal prosecution due to the agency’s regulatory failures.
Calls to disband ONJN are led by the Save Romania Union (USR), of which Nicușor Dan was formerly a member. Senator Ciprian Rus, leader of USR, summoned Gheorghe Gabriel Gheorghe to face a parliamentary inquiry. This was refused by the former ONJN president, who claimed he did not wish to participate in a “political sideshow”.
Gheorghe stated that ONJN’s discrepancies stemmed from outdated IT systems, which hindered effective monitoring and enforcement of gambling regulations.
The systems had not been updated to reflect the tax reforms introduced in 2019, including the 2% monthly tax on online gambling operators, calculated based on total participation fees collected each month.
USR maintains that ONJN must face repercussions for its regulatory failures, and has called for the Ministry of Finance and Tax Office to assume temporary governance of Romanian gambling.
Seeking to place ONJN under review, USR demands that Romanian authorities support its proposed stop-gap measure to impose a limit on gambling expenditure to 10% of a player’s monthly income – a move billed as a new “accountability safeguard for Romanian gamblers”.
Whether ONJN is maintained or not, Romania’s gambling sector requires more stable management, following a period marked by frequent leadership changes since 2018 and significant shifts in taxation, authorisation fees, and regulatory enforcement.
Soare concluded: “My political colour is decency. That’s what I told my colleagues. I think that, beyond the differences, we need to remember what unites us: honest work, professionalism, balance.”
Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov has said that the country’s Eurozone entry will deal a blow to the gambling black market.
Speaking to various shareholders at the National Information Centre, Zafirov commented that Bulgaria’s pending accession to the Eurozone next year will help shine more light on the illicit cash flows running through the unregulated gambling sector.
The Minister further added that gambling harm has become a significant threat to the population of the former Eastern Bloc country, and therefore should be treated as a national security issue.
Building stability
Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007, and opened up its borders and markets even more at the start of this year by joining the Schengen zone.
The increased ease of travel, and especially international trade, as a result of both has made the country more appealing not only to legitimate businesses but to bad actors as well – including those from the illegal gambling sector.
However, the country has exhumed confidence in building up a security perimeter against such parties on more than one occasion.
Bulgaria’s national gambling regulator, led by Director General Rumen Spetsov, has spearheaded the battle against offshore operators time and again.
In previous interviews for SBC News, Spetsov has often given examples of how the regulator is fending off the black market by keeping a close watch on the regulated market and subjecting it to strict rules.
This will more than likely continue to be the case even after Bulgaria joins the Eurozone next year, given the comprehensive regulatory frameworks that countries using the Euro as currency need to abide by.
Even more, Bulgaria will be able to take a more active role in supporting the EU’s fight against black market operators, providing valuable feedback and sharing good practices with partnering international stakeholders.
The country has previously criticised the EU’s lack of a unified framework which collectively flags down illegal gambling operators for all nations on the continent.
Aligning itself closer to Brussels through the Eurozone might unlock more opportunities for Bulgaria to lead such an initiative in the future.