Author: Daniel Williams

The withdrawal of the UK from the European Union (EU) is already a reality but the Brexit and its potential effect on the country’s gambling sector has remained a topic greatly discussed. For the time being, the UK gambling industry is estimated at about £15 billion on an annual basis. More than 100,000 people are employed in the sector and gambling operators generate tax revenue of about £700 million to the country’s coffers. According to estimates, gambling accounts for 0.5% of the gross domestic product (GDP) of the UK. Following…

New major research has been released to study the impact that the Covid-19 lockdown has had on the UK gamblers’ behaviour, including the behaviour of individuals who are part of so-called “high risk” groups. The project is carried out in collaboration between the Universities of Stirling and Glasgow. It is set to study and analyse the effect that the restrictions imposed during the coronavirus pandemic had on young adults and sports punters. In addition, the research is to also focus on the marketing and advertising of gambling companies’ products during…

The Alderney Gambling Commission revealed in its 2019 annual report that the number of gambling businesses that were granted with operating licences declined from 53 in 2018 to 33 in 2019. As revealed by the gambling regulatory body itself, the Alderney Gambling Commission issued a total of six new licences, down from eight licences issued in the previous year. Also, a further 27 gambling operating permits were renewed. The gambling watchdog said Cashbet and Genting were among the companies that saw their licences expire in the period. The same applies…

The government of New South Wales (NSW) has started providing local citizens with the chance to pay for some online government services through the New Payment Platform (NPP). Last week, the new near real-time payment method was released by the Department of Customer Service on the Liquor and Gaming portal by the state’s governmental authorities. The New Payment Platform is available and could be used alongside the payment options, such as BPAY, which already exist for local customers. It can be used by entities to pay their gambling and liquor…

Clubs in New South Wales (NSW) could soon welcome crowds of more than 500 people in some venues. According to an internal industry document, large clubs that have multiple dining areas will be permitted to accommodate hundreds of people in case they meet certain conditions. Josh Landis, the CEO of ClubsNSW, sent a memo to member clubs across the state boasting that the industry heavily influenced the state government’s decision to ease the restrictions on the hospitality sector in New South Wales. Mr Landis explained that before making the decision…

A multimillionaire Saudi businessman has remained clenched in a lengthy dispute with a Mayfair casino over an alleged gambling debt amounting to £2 million. Sheikh Salah Hamdan Al Balawi, who is known for having assets exceeding £100 million, has been charged with a failure to settle a debt with the Les Ambassadeurs Club. The global assets of the Sheikh were halted in February 2020 after the London-based casino claimed that it had been unable to reach the Sheikh. According to reports, the 52-year-old Sheikh become inaccessible when cheques issued in…

Retail betting outlets and gambling arcades, which have been included by the British government on the list of so-called non-essential brick-and-mortar businesses, may be permitted to resume operations in June. At the daily coronavirus briefing held by the Government at the beginning of the week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed provisional plans under which the above-mentioned “non-essential businesses” will reopen on June 15th. During the briefing, the Prime Minister announced that a “staged reopening” of the country’s retail sector is set to be managed by the UK Government. As revealed…

The rising problem gambling rate among UK customers have been one of the main reasons why competent watchdogs need to regulate existing gambling practices. In the last few years, many anti-gambling campaigners have shared concern with the rising number of punters who spend more than they could actually afford to on gambling-related activities, especially the ones who use their credit cards for gambling. Compulsive gambling habits have led many campaigners to call for quick and fierce action of the regulators to make sure the latter take all the necessary actions…

The financial difficulties and economic downturn that followed the restrictions associated with the coronavirus pandemic are expected to cause an increase in problem gambling. According to some experts, the situation is likely to become worse, considering the fact that thousands of jobs are expected to be lost in some regions of New Zealand over the next 12 months. A recent report provided by the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce showed that 63% out of a total of 470 businesses operating the region were being seriously hurt financially due to the…

According to reports, search interest in online casinos has reached a record high in the UK since the beginning of the coronavirus lockdown. Google Trends data shows that the shutdown of all physical gambling venues in the country and the cancellation and postponement of all major sports events have led to an increase in online gambling. Such a rapid increase in interest in online gambling has raised fears that vulnerable individuals could be affected by problem gambling. Recently, the industry watchdog – the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) – confirmed that…