Author: Daniel Williams

A significant redesign of Irish brick-and-mortar bookmakers’ shopfronts could be forced as it is quite hard to define what actually constitutes gambling advertising. Ireland’s Department of Justice is set to closely monitor the branding used in bookmakers’ premises, as well as their potential marketing powers. The move comes as part of a long-expected crackdown on the gambling sector and the prevalence of gambling advertising in the country. Recently, no issues associated with bookies’ shopfronts had been raised, but James Browne, the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, explained…

The UK gambling regulatory body has moved to the next phase of its project aimed at improving the quality of its adult gambling prevalence and participation statistics available to stakeholders. Now, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has confirmed that the new research schemes on the matter are set to be piloted between October 2021 and March 2022, so it had already moved onto the next phase of the headline project. Earlier in 2021, the country’s gambling watchdog launched a consultation on so-called “research methodologies” following some proposals to change the…

The Irish Government will see free bets banned in the country as part of landmark new gambling laws that were brought to the Cabinet on October 19th, while a new gambling watchdog is set to be established early in 2022. The new gambling regulatory body will also receive powers to suspend or revoke gambling operating licences. The watchdog will also be able to freeze accounts, as well as block incoming payments to gambling providers. As part of the new gambling legislation, a social impact fund is set to be created…

The city of Lower Hutt in the North Island is considering the introduction of a sinking lid policy on local poker machines, adopting a policy in line with its neighbouring cities in an effort to reduce gambling harm in the local community. According to a report commissioned ahead of the city’s gambling policy review, each machine’s take rose by 66% in the city in the period from 2015 to 2020. The Chairman of the Council’s Policy, Finance and Strategy Committee, Simon Edwards, explained that the local authorities have been considering…

A new gambling study has revealed that online gambling has seen a massive increase in Australia in the last decade. A 2-year study funded by Gambling Research Australia (GRA) showed that the number of local people who gamble online, no matter if it comes to casual bettors or gambling enthusiasts, has been subject to a twofold increase in the nine years between 2010 and 2019. GRA has been created as a national gambling research partnership between the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments. It is currently chaired by the Government of…

An independent investigation into the gambling regulatory body of the state of Victoria has recommended Parliament to suspend junket operators that lure foreign high-roller gamblers to local casinos. Recently, Australian gambling giant Crown Resorts has been put under fire by both media outlets and authorities over its links to junket operators that have been bringing affluent Asian gamblers to casino venues in the state. By using the services of junkets, high-rollers have been visiting Melbourne casinos but some of the junkets had been linked to criminal organisations and posed a…

Tasmanian Government could unveil its future gambling bill in Parliament in a couple of days, with the debates on the proposed piece of legislation expected to begin on October 14th. In August 2021, the Government received a total of 26 submissions to the exposure draft of the proposed bill, called the Gaming Control Amendment (Future Gaming Market) Bill 2021. Furthermore, a consultation paper on gaming amendments gathered a total of 68 submissions before the aforementioned piece of legislation was even drafted. The proposed bill seeks to introduce individual operating licences…

The Assembly of Ireland, Dáil Éireann, seeks to impose a blanket ban on the use of credit cards for both retail and online gambling transactions. The move is part of the authorities’ effort to provide protection for people whose fascination with gambling pushes them to spend money they cannot actually afford to. The Betting (Prohibition on Use of Credit Cards) Bill, which was unveiled by Thomas Gould, a member of Sinn Féin, seeks to establish a blanket ban on the use of credit cards for all transactions related to gambling…

Next week, the Hastings Borough Council is expected to take into consideration a bingo premises licence application filed by the high-street gambling chain Merkur Slots. The company is seeking to be allowed to establish a bingo venue at a former pawnbrokers’ site in Queens Road. Currently, Merkur Slots, which also trades as the popular Cashino chain, is also seeking planning permission for the potential establishment of an Adult Gaming Centre (AGC) at the same location. As it was revealed by local authorities, the Hastings Borough Council is to consider the…

The independent UK charity organisation GamCare has rolled out its Big Deal campaign aimed at raising the problem gambling awareness of university students by providing those of them who are concerned with their gambling habits with relevant advice and support networks. The Bid Deal campaign has been launched at a time when university students are returning to campus after the regular education process and student life was disrupted by the coronavirus-related lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. The charity, which currently provides advice, support and information for individuals affected by problem…