SBC News

New Jersey bill proposes studying how gambling ads are worded

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A pair of bills filed in New Jersey would not only introduce new restrictions on where gambling can be advertised but also mandate a study of how the language used in ads affects bettors.

Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese and Assemblywoman Garnet Hall’s Bill A5562 was reported favorably out of the Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee on May 8 and is awaiting second reading in the full chamber. Sen. John McKeon and Sen. Renee Burgess’ S4366 introduced a companion piece to a committee in the Senate on May 12.

The bills propose banning gambling advertising in or close to schools or colleges as well as prohibiting marketing in any media that “predominantly” targets people aged under 21.

The stated aim is to, “deter illegal or irresponsible gambling, challenge perceptions of gambling and encourage the use of responsible gambling tools.” A lot of the language is vague, and appears to mostly relate to physical advertising such as billboards and signs while not taking into account th..

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EPIC Global Solutions expands reach in DFS with Underdog deal

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EPIC Global Solutions has landed a deal to provide gambling harm awareness training to Underdog employees.

The gambling harm consultancy partnered with Underdog to host a series of workshops and training sessions to provide employees with the tools to identify problematic gambling behavior. Underdog has already leveraged EPIC’s expertise in gambling harm by hosting sessions led by EPIC staff. The sessions provided Underdog employees with training on communication practices and how to build healthy relationships with customers.

“We’re very pleased with the positive start to our working relationship with Underdog,” said EPIC VP of North America Teresa Fiore. “They have a deep understanding that responsible gaming practices must be at the core for any major operator, and it’s a constant and consistent process of learning and attentiveness.”

EPIC provided Underdog with training sessions that included consultant and former college basketball star Stevin “Hedake” Smith. The former Arizona..

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Report: NCAA to discuss lifting ban on students betting on pro sports

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The NCAA is considering a change of stance regarding its rules related to gambling.

According to a Sports Illustrated report, the NCAA is discussing the removal of its ban on wagering on professional sports. Last month, the NCAA’s Division I Board of Directors proposed the rule change leading to the organization’s DI Council to consider the matter.

The board of directors voted 21-1 in favor of adopting bylaws to lift the ban.

The DI Council is planning to discuss the ban removal next week with a potential implementation of the rule change coming as soon as June 2025. The NCAA’s active bylaws regarding sports wagering prohibit betting by all players, coaches and team officials on pro sports that are also played at the collegiate level. The NCAA also bans wagering by players, coaches and team officials on all competitions sponsored by the organization.

The NCAA plans to maintain its current ban on college sports wagering as America’s governing body of amateur sports considers allowin..

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Rush Street Interactive announces teen gambling education program

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BetRivers operator Rush Street Interactive has partnered with Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360) to launch a program designed to help educators improve high-school students’ gaming literacy.

The new initiative, titled Gaming Literacy Aiding Decisions (GLAD), aims to not only help teenagers understand online gambling better but also promote their responsible relationship with what RSI and IC360 note is an “ever more socially prevalent activity.”

The GLAD curriculum will initially launch in Delaware, where RSI’s BetRivers currently holds a de facto monopoly on online gambling, as well as in New Jersey.

This spring, both RSI and IC360 have been working with educational districts on creating and delivering an educational curriculum. Those initial efforts will help inform the full GLAD rollout. The GLAD program ultimately will be available to educators more broadly to curate the content that resonates best with students.

Operators have responsibility to teenagers, says RSI CEO

“Consumers..

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South Africa set to strengthen approach to illegal gambling advertising 

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Regulatory bodies in South Africa are elevating their focus on gambling marketing through the formation of a new monitoring body.

Reports from News24, Parks Tau, Minister of Trade, Industry, and Competition, has ordered his department to begin the process of the appointment of a National Gambling Policy Council.

A new strategy is set to be undertaken in the region after a growing number of gambling marketing content appeared online on a myriad of platforms, including YouTube.

At the heart of the new strategy will be the focus on eradicating illegal online gambling ads and providing increasing clarity in gambling framework after a seven-year operational hiatus that last saw the Council convening in 2018.

Updating Parliament, Tau stated: “The National Gambling Act prohibits the placing of advertisements in media primarily directed at persons under the age of 18.

“There is an issue of sponsorship of family-friendly programmes, where major bookkeepers sponsor them. This results in ..

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CFTC case against Kalshi dismissed in dramatic moment for US iGaming 

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In a monumental week for North American iGaming, a request from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) to dismiss its case against Kalshi has been approved by a DC Court, potentially having a major impact on the US market.

Sending ripples across North American iGaming, the case centres around election-related event contracts, shifting momentum for the drawn-out legal battle after former President Joe Biden had vehemently backed the case against Kalshi.

Any case against Kalshi seems dead in the water now though, given the dismissal of the case and the Trump premiership leaning strongly the other way in the case.

At the start of the year, the status of Kalshi and the prediction market model was brought further into the spotlight as the group was granted approval from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to offer contracts on sporting events hosted by America’s major professional sports leagues.

This move expanded upon the firm’s previous ability to offer pol..

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Peru hails first year progress of new online gambling regime 

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Damián Gabriel Martínez: SBC Noticias
Peru has reported successful implementation of its new online gambling framework, as authorities prioritise tax compliance and toughen enforcement against black market websites. Peru offers a model from which other South American nations can draw lessons to shape their own regulatory regimes.

Peru’s government believes that adoption of new gambling laws and standards is going smoothly following the implementation of federal reforms in 2024.

As of February 2024, Peru has enacted Law No. 31557, referred to as the Law Regulating Remote Gaming and Remote Sports Betting. Devised over a two-year period, the law aims to establish a comprehensive legal framework for online gambling and sports betting, supporting both the digital economy and public welfare programmes.

Oversight of Peru’s online gambling market has been assigned to MINCETUR, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism, which is responsible for licensing and market supervision.

The newly established regulatory system has stimulated sustainable growth in the sector. MINCETUR has authorised 60 technology platforms and registered 280 domestic and international service providers.

The market is now supported by nine accredited international certification laboratories, which act as partners to the regulatory regime. Nationwide, the number of authorised venues has risen to 4,516, following the registration of 683 new sports betting establishments since December 2024.

Officials at MINCETUR see the current momentum as a strong endorsement of Peru’s modern regulatory structure, which has attracted investors bringing both job creation and innovative solutions.

Strict Tax Disciplines
Peru’s tax revenues have grown significantly under Law No. 31557. Operators’ monthly net income is subject to a 12% tax, calculated after platform maintenance costs. Additionally, Peruvian residents must pay a 1% consumption tax on every bet placed a mandate introduced by President Dina Boluarte. However the rate has been temporarily reduced to 0.3% until 1 July 2025 to ease the transition.

Peru is now recognised across Latin America as a leading authority in regulatory governance, becoming the third jurisdiction in the region to introduce a dedicated online gambling regime.

Neighbouring countries are using Peru’s structured and transparent approach as a blueprint for their own digital economy reforms.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Operators functioning without authorisation now face severe financial and criminal penalties. The maximum fine for operating without a licence is 990,000 soles (approximately £207,000), alongside potential prison sentences of up to four years.

MINCETUR also holds the authority to block access to unauthorised websites and to disrupt payment services linked to illegal operators.

Its enforcement division, the General Directorate of Casino Games and Slot Machines (DGJCMT), has removed 15% of illegal gambling websites while reducing the presence of unlicensed digital platforms by 40%.

Public Interest in a Safer Gambling Culture
The government has launched school-based awareness campaigns to educate the public about gambling addiction. Simultaneously, industry training programmes have been implemented to promote standards of responsible conduct among companies.

Collaborative initiatives with gaming associations reinforce Peru’s long-term commitment to protecting vulnerable individuals and building a safer gambling environment.

Peru’s continued development of digital economy policies uses the successful implementation of its gambling reform as a guiding model for emerging markets seeking to balance regulatory control with innovation and public benefit.

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Swedish regulator hits FDJ subsidiary Spooniker with AML penalty

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Spooniker, a subsidiary operator of the French gambling giant FDJ United’s Kindred Group, has been hit with a SEK 10m (£778k) penalty in Sweden.

In a statement posted on its website, the Swedish regulator, Spelinspektionen, explained that Spooniker – a former Kindred brand but now part of FDJ after the French company acquired Kindred – has been found lacking sufficient customer due diligence procedures.

As per the statement, Spooniker had failed to identify the exact source of funds being processed through its systems, leading to potential exploits from bad actors.

“They have not been able to determine whether the customers’ activities were legitimate or whether they posed a risk of money laundering or terrorist financing,” Spelinspektionen’s statement added.

Repeat offences
From a glance, the penalty fee might look extraordinarily high. However, this is because the Swedish regulator sees Spooniker – the operator of domains such as unibet.se and bingo.se – as a repeat offender.

Deficiencies were first identified by Spelinspektionen in 2022, after which a follow-up supervision review took place in 2024 to see how Spooniker has addressed the shortcomings.

Spooniker provided a detailed view into its risk classification system for customers, each one needing to register with an electronic identity verification (Bank-ID) under Sweden’s gambling framework.

And while the firm has asserted that its origin of funds verification is on par with standards during the regulator’s preliminary review, the penalty remains a fact. A leading factor was the review of a number of customers using Spooniker’s services.

The regulator wrote: “Spelinspektionen notes that all customers reviewed have made deposits totaling between approximately SEK 620,000 and SEK 830,000 during the review period.

“Apart from information on taxable income being collected on one occasion, no further measures are taken for these customers, despite the fact that they deposit between the entire taxable annual income and SEK 340,000 more than the taxable annual income.”

Signed off by Spelinspektionen’s Director General, Camilla Rosenberg, the report concluded: “The deficiencies are serious and repeated. The Swedish Gambling Authority considers that the penalty fee is proportionate to the seriousness of the violations.”

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