News

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has revealed more information regarding the impact of the more relaxed coronavirus lockdown measures on local people’s online gambling behaviour. The provided data, which was collected by the regulator from the largest online gambling companies and involves online gambling only, reflects not only March 2020 but also three months of full lockdown in April, May and June 2020. As the UKGC shared, gambling behaviours of local people have changed at a time when the country is gradually easing its full lockdown measures. According to the…

One of the biggest punters in Queensland has been charged by the police in one of the most significant cases of gambling-related fraud in Australia. According to allegations, Paul John Montgomery misappropriated over AU$10 million from bank accounts of RDS, a civil engineering firm, in the ten-year period from 2007 to 2017. The 55-year-old man was accused of using a number of bank accounts to transfer money from the family business he worked for into his own personal accounts. On August 13th, he faced one charge of fraud in the…

Some Premier League players have questioned the betting operators’ practice of using their personal statistics, wondering whether they have any rights over their performance datа. Such data is often used by gambling companies to educate gamblers or by online fantasy leagues to help gamers choose their teams. According to reports, more than 400 former and current football players are set to file a group lawsuit over the use of their personal performance data. The players, many of whom are from the English Premier League (EPL), claim that the betting companies…

A new study carried out by the Experimental Gambling Research Laboratory (EGRL) of the Central Queensland University has found a link between loot boxes and gambling-related harm. The research found that individuals, who purchase so-called loot boxes, are more likely to become gamblers in real life. In addition, such players were more likely to place larger bets and more often in comparison to others who do not purchase such in-game items. The research, prepared for the Responsible Gambling Fund of the NSW Government, took into consideration the behaviour of 1,954…

English football club Leeds United revealed that it has entered a multi-year partnership agreement with the gambling company SBOTOP. The sports betting brand is set to become the main sponsor of the club, with its logo set to be featured on the front of the club’s shirt as of the beginning of the 2020/2021 season. The sponsorship deal signed with SBOTOP has been the biggest commercial deal in the history of Leeds United. The football club’s Executive Director, Paul Bell, described the partnership as a landmark deal for the commercial…

As Casino Guardian reported last week, pokie machines in Wellington could have their days numbered, as consultation on a proposed sinking lid policy is set to start soon. For the time being, a total of 633 pokie machines are operating in the city, and their number in the region is 938. The implementation of the proposed sinking lid policy would strip the local authorities of the chance to issue new licences for pokie machines, and the existing terminals will not be allowed to transfer to a new owner or establishment…

Tackling compulsive gambling in Wellington is likely to happen soon, especially at a time when the full effects of the coronavirus pandemic in New Zealand are yet to be assessed. Tamatha Paul, the City Councillor of Wellington, is set to present a sinking lid policy for the pokie machines in the city at a council meeting today. The sinking lid proposal means that the local competent authorities will not issue any new licences for pokies. Also, if the venue offering pokies ceases operation, the machines are not permitted to be…

According to a new report, online gamblers should be allowed to lose a maximum of £100 on a monthly basis without proof they can actually afford such losses. In addition, the report is set to also call for offshore gambling websites to face larger taxes. The recommendations of the Social Market Foundation (SMF) thinktank are based on the increased calls for the Government to consider making significant changes in the way the country’s gambling sector is regulated, especially with a rising number of problem gamblers reported. Some of the proposed…

Individuals, who have been dealing with problem gambling behaviour, have been encouraged to take part in an event aimed at initiating a broader conversation on protecting others from gambling-related harm. For years now, analysts and health professionals have been describing gambling as a public health issue that can cause serious problems of a different character, such as financial problems, anxiety, stress, family and relationship breakdowns, etc. Now, Glasgow is to become a major participant in the battle against the issue, as staff and councillors from the Glasgow City Council, the…

Problem gambling in Australia seems to have been beneficial for some of the largest corporate bookmakers on a global scale during the coronavirus pandemic, a trend that has fuelled fresh criticism of the federal government’s policy and calls for stricter measures to be adopted. A number of offshore gambling operators have revealed a significant increase in their proceeds during the period from April to the end of June 2020. They have also reported an increase in their share prices since the beginning of the global coronavirus crisis. In July 2020,…