Author: Olivia Cole

The independent charity organisation GambleAware which is aimed at dealing with gambling-related harm in the UK has rolled out its “Bet Regret” campaign which has been specially designed to raise impulsive gambling awareness and encourage the industry work harder to reduce possible negative effects from gambling. “Bet Regret” is believed to be the largest national safer gambling campaign. It has been unveiled as one of the many commitments of the UK Government set to make sure that the sector is socially responsible and communities and consumers are properly protected. The…

James Packer’s casino behemoth Crown Resorts has faced a decline in Chinese high roller’s spending, at a time when the Chinese economy marks its slowest growth in about thirty years. As revealed by the casino operator’s Executive Chairman John Alexander, the challenging economic conditions in China and stricter regulation on conspicuous consumption there have led to a decline in the so-called VIP gamblers at the Melbourne and Perth casino venues of the gambling giant. Mr Alexander explained that these economic effects make Chinese people feel poorer than they had been…

A card dealer and two high roller players, who faced allegations of swindling The Star casino in New South Wales to fraudulently obtain AU$3 million by using hand signals in what was considered one of the biggest gambling suits in Australia in the last few years, were freed from criminal charges. Now, the ruling of the NSW District Court is being appealed by prosecutors who seek a retrial, after judge Peter Whitford decided that the three men were not guilty and found that the Crown did not succeed to identify…

According to media reports, bet365, which is currently one of the leading gambling operators in the UK, has granted extra cash to players who racked up massive losses to encourage them to continue gambling. An undercover investigation of The Daily Mail showed that players who generate large losses with the gambling brand are rewarded with weekly cash returns amounting to up to 10% of their losses to make sure they keep on gambling. According to campaigners, the scheme is designed in a way that allows the gambling operator to exploit…

Woolworths, the Australian supermarket and grocery store chain, is once again in the centre of investigations over allegations that its pubs’ staff members have illegally offered free drinks to poker machine players to make them stay and play longer. For the time being, the offering of free or discounted alcohol in order to induce gambling is a criminal offence. According to the claims of a whistleblower, pubs’ staff were instructed not only to offer the enticements to players but were also taught how to cover up the practice. The New…

British gambling giant Paddy Power Betfair has been hit by a massive tax bill worth £49 million (€55 million) in Greece and Germany. The gambling operator confirmed that the demands for the cash payments have originated from legacy tax assessment in the two European counties. It also shared plans to mount a legal challenge against the authorities which imposed the bills relating to Germany-based Betfair Exchange and the company’s paddypower.com online business in Greece. The group wrote in a statement that it strongly opposes the basis of the two assessments…

Victoria state authorities are being encouraged to consider making massive changes in the local betting industry by giving permission to more companies to start operating retail betting shops. The British bookmaker Paddy Power Betfair that currently owns the local betting operator Sportsbet, claims that the stiff rivalry in the quite popular online betting sector has provided customers with a large choice of services, and guarantees not only regular upgrades of the offering but also better wagering experience for punters. According to the Sportsbet brand, the same benefits could logically be…

Gambling operators that would like to open new gambling venues in Glasgow areas where levels of suicide and depression have been higher will have to prove that have policies which would help them tackle possible gambling-related harm. The new gambling policy unveiled by Glasgow authorities is set to help people in areas where gambling has turned into a problem for individuals and communities. The proposal report states that the city’s board will require from gambling operators and applicants for gambling venues’ operating licenses to be extra careful when it comes…

British bookmaker Ladbrokes Coral, which was acquired by GVC Holdings in March 2018, is reportedly encouraging its betting outlet staff to help as many customers sign up for an online account with the brand in case they do not want to be among the ones set to lose their jobs. According to letters circulated among employees, which were seen by The Guardian, the gambling operator intends to shut down up to 1,000 of its betting shops over the next 18 to 24 months. Currently, the company has about 3,500 betting…

South Ribble Council has rolled out a new crackdown on gambling after members of the Council’s licensing committee shared their concerns about the rising number of problem gamblers in the region. The Chair of the Licensing Act Committee at South Ribble Council, Barbara Nathan, explained that despite the fact that some gambling issues required nationwide changes rather than action on a local level, the Council was remaining focused on keeping gambling-related harm away from South Ribble residents. Ms Nathan further shared that the ongoing gambling crisis is “crippling” bank balances…