Author: Daniel Williams

In a statement issued this Wednesday, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) put an emphasis on how crucial it is for the Government to deliver its planned gambling reforms in the first half of 2024. The council focused specifically on how, despite the lack of clarity on exactly when the White Paper’s policies will officially come to pass, there are outside factors and changes that will definitely have a profound effect on the gambling industry in the upcoming months. The first major change is that of the national living wage.…

In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Anne Marie Caulfield, CEO of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), revealed the watchdog’s plans to carry out further recruitment of experts in an effort to address the close ties the sports industry has with gambling and the issue of problem gambling as a whole. This interview follows an Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) study published earlier this year, which outlined a range of findings on how Irish residents are affected by gambling and found that over 130,000 people in Ireland…

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), the United Kingdom’s primary gambling industry lobby group, responded to the recommendations and findings of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee’s report, published yesterday. As CasinoGuardian already reported, the CMS Committee’s suggestions focused on various improvements to the Gambling White Paper, with particular attention paid to reducing the volume of betting adverts seen in stadiums during sports events. Instead of completely prohibiting gambling advertising, the committee’s report suggested multiple areas for improvement, which the Government has two months to address. Following the publication of…

In a report, published today, the Culture, Media and Sport Committee calls for stricter measures aimed at reducing the volume of betting adverts seen during sports events. The Government has two months to respond to the recommendations of the report, which besides advertising, focuses on further improvements to the Gambling White Paper. According to MPs, the Premier League, along with other sports governing entities, should minimise the ads seen in stadiums to protect vulnerable groups, especially children. The report highlights that the industry has changed and evolved dramatically following the…

A long list of gambling industry participants have requested or secured meetings with Australia’s communications minister, Michelle Rowland. Gaming and betting operators, associations, and broadcasters have queued up to address a proposed nationwide ban on gambling ads. According to the recommendations of a parliament inquiry, introduced six months ago, ads for online gambling should be completely banned in Australia within three years. The late Peta Murphy, Labor MP at the time, said the phased ban on gambling ads would “give major sports and broadcasters time to find alternative advertisers and…

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has prompted healthcare professionals to stay alert when prescribing Aripiprazole (sold under the brand name Abilify®, among others). This comes as a result of an increase in the number of Yellow Card reports, associated with the medication received in 2023. Aripiprazole is an antipsychotic drug prescribed for the treatment of certain health conditions including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It works by balancing the levels of dopamine and serotonin in a patient’s brain to regulate their mood and behaviour. The medication’s side effects,…

Tabcorp, Australia’s largest gambling company, has secured a 20-year extension of its exclusive Victorian license for providing retail wagering services in pubs and clubs across the state. The renewed agreement with the government will take effect as of August 2024 with an upfront fee of $600 million, in addition to fixed annual payments of $30 million from 2025 to 2043. The total payments equate to $1.1 billion, but as they were not linked to inflation, their total value stood at approximately $864 million. Following the news that the gambling giant…

On December 14th, the House of Commons Committee on Standards issued a report regarding MP Scott Benton’s alleged breach of the House’s rules. In the report, the Committee deemed it appropriate for Mr Benton to be suspended from his position as MP of Blackpool South for 35 days. As reported by Casino Guardian earlier this year, investigative journalists working for The Times provided evidence of Mr Benton expressing willingness to lobby on behalf of a fictitious gambling company in exchange for money. Mr Benton was chair of the All-Party Parliamentary…

Crown Resorts has fully integrated an innovative carded play system into the electronic gaming machines of its Melbourne-based casino. This technology makes it compulsory for players to set up limits that will assist them in gambling responsibly. Crown Melbourne is the first gambling business to implement this specific type of responsible gambling technology when it comes to electronic gaming machines. The aim of the carded play measures is to prevent gambling harm, and they are set to be introduced to all electronic gaming machines across the state of Victoria. As…

December 12th saw an announcement by the Cheltenham Jockey Club that Virgin Bet will be the key sponsor of this year’s Cheltenham: the December Gold Cup. The event, which is named the Virgin Bet December Gold Cup, will take place on December 16th, and Virgin Bet will sponsor The Christmas Meeting and the final race. Ric Leask, Virgin Bet’s Marketing Director, said that Virgin Bet’s support of “one of the most prestigious events in the racing calendar” is the best way to demonstrate the sportsbook’s passionate commitment to ensuring an…