Author: Daniel Williams

A reduction of the gambling-related harm rates in Port Lincoln could be brought by the changes to the gambling legislation of South Australia. The changes are expected to also speed up the voluntary self-exclusion process. Under the previous provisions of gambling laws, a voluntary self-exclusion could take up to ten days to be processed, and months to be reviewed in order for a decision whether or not the barring to remain in place. That system, however, faced a lot of criticism, as it took an unnecessarily long time for a…

Stricter rules are being imposed on gambling advertising, especially for online gambling ads. From April 1st, gambling operators in the UK will have to make sure that they do not target any individuals under the legal age of 18, as a ban has been imposed on the use of young celebrities and sports stars in advertising materials has been imposed. As revealed by the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP), the new requirements have been specially designed to protect children from irresponsible gambling advertising practices. Gambling operators which operate on the…

The number of Irish people who deal with problem gambling is increasing every day, but unfortunately, the exact number remains unknown for the time being. As Casino Guardian previously reported, the fact that there is not enough official data on the matter is not of much of a help. In 2017, experts from H2 Gambling Capital reported that Ireland has third highest gambling losses on a global scale per capita, with local residents spending the shocking amount of €2.2 billion, which is about €470 per capita, on an annual basis.…

A trader addicted to gambling was sent to jail after using a cheating scheme to steal over £40,000 from homeowners to fuel his compulsive gambling habit. The Wolverhampton Crown Court judge decided to put him behind bars, announcing a 26-month jail sentence. The 30-year-old Shane Rollinson deceived his unsuspecting victims, making them believe that he was an award-winning and experienced builder and swindled more than £40,000 from them. However, he did exactly the opposite such an expertise would suggest – getting on site occasionally, overcharging his customers for jobs which…

Today, a hearing regarding the application for permission to open a gaming arcade in Cork town is to be held at a District Court, in spite of the opposition of some local residents. The District Court in the neighbouring town of Fermoy will hear the application of Perk Promotions Mitchelstown Ltd that is seeking a license for establishing and operating a gaming arcade. The objections against the project of “The Concerned Citizens of Mitchelstown” group will also be heard by the Court. The group, which was formed in opposition to…

Today, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) announced new rules for online companies as part of its policy of making local gambling sector fairer and safer. The new rules were unveiled after an open consultation and are set to make sure that gambling operators will verify their customers’ identity and age details faster. They also come as part of the Commission’s efforts to protect underage individuals from being affected by possible gambling-related harm. Today we’ve announced new rules for online gambling businesses. Customers will need to be age-verified before they’re able…

Only recently, the Commonwealth donations data was publicly released, revealing local gambling operators as some of the largest contributors to Australian political parties along with banks. Undoubtedly, the revelations about the extent of the gambling sector’s support for the political parties, and especially for the Tasmanian division of the Australian Liberal Party, draw much attention from the public and the media, as the reports of local gambling operators “buying” political support for their interests have given some grounds for doubts in the politicians’ impartiality. As previously reported by Casino Guardian,…

The leading trade association in Europe has scolded the Irish Government for its lack of action on gambling regulation, saying that such behaviour is putting local players at risk of becoming gambling addicts. The secretary-general of the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), Maarten Haijer, explained that the long waiting period for the implementation of the Gambling Control Bill of 2013 was affecting local problem gamblers, as more people could be hurt by the devastating impact of gambling. For the time being, Ladbrokes, bet365 and other gambling companies are part…

Louise O’Reilly from the Irish republican political party Sinn Féin revealed some HSE figures related to problem gambling in the country at the time she asked Minister for Health Simon Harris for more details on the number of gambling addicts who have received treatment for their problem since 2015. Ms O’Reilly explained that according to official reports, there have been no less than 800 cases of problem gamblers who sought help for their compulsive gambling habits from Irish health organisations since 2015. The Minister for Health redirected the request of…

The end of the week saw the Commonwealth donations data release, with some analysts criticising what they called massive flaws in the Australian political donations system. According to the data provided in the report, the local gambling lobby emerged as one of the largest contributors to local political parties. It donated over AU$500,000 to the Liberals in return to the party’s support in the operators’ opposition against poker machine removal from Tasmanian clubs and pubs. The released report showed that the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) has been the second largest…