The Irish government’s looming gambling bill has been subject to much controversy since its announcement. The proposed watershed advertising ban, which will make airing gambling ads between 5.30am and 9pm illegal, has been one of the main proposals to spark debates among industry players. One such discussion was held last December by Irish broadcaster RTÉ, when coverage of a Leopardstown race was accompanied by criticism of how the advertisement ban could have a negative impact on the coverage of Irish horse racing. The panel discussion was held after Deputy Prime…
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Star Entertainment Group Appoints Janelle Campbell as CEO of The Star Sydney
Australia’s Star Entertainment Group (The Star) announced on Thursday that Janelle Campbell will serve as The Star Sydney’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO). As Jessica Mellor became the CEO of The Star Gold Coast last October and this week also saw the recruitment of Daniel Finch as CEO of The Star Brisbane, Thursday’s announcement marks the completion of The Star’s series of CEO recruitments. Campbell’s duties will commence on February 25th. Robbie Cooke, Group CEO and Managing Director of The Star Entertainment Group, welcomed Campbell and commended her for her experience,…
Read MoreProblem Gambler is Given the Chance to Dodge Jail Time After Stealing from Three Kildare Stores
Darius Sosnovski from Tallaght, Dublin, recently appeared before the Naas District Court for stealing from several Kildare businesses. As reported by the Kildare Nationalist, the defence claimed Sosnovski committed the acts of theft with the goal of paying off a substantial €70,000 gambling debt. According to Joe Coonan, Sosnovski’s lawyer, his client is struggling with problem gambling, and his debt was the result of excessive gambling losses incurred in 2023. Mr Coonan added that Sosnovski is taking steps to address this issue, the first being Sosnovski’s decision to download an…
Read MoreGamstop Reveals Self-Exclusion Registrations Exceeded 92,000 in 2023
Gamstop, which serves as the UK’s free self-exclusion service, revealed that exclusion sign-ups were at a record high in 2023. As reported by PA Media Consumer Affairs Correspondent Josie Clarke, over 92,000 individuals registered for self-exclusion at Gamstop in 2023, which marks an increase of 9.5% in comparison to last year’s report. According to Gamstop CEO Fiona Palmer, the observed year-on-year increase in registered individuals shows that self-exclusion is crucial for those vulnerable to gambling harm. At the time of writing, the number of consumers who have excluded themselves via…
Read MoreReport Suggests Nearly 80% of Guernsey’s Population Gambles
January 22nd saw the publication of a Health Impact Assessment that revealed troubling data on how gambling has affected Guernsey’s population. The data was gathered between September 2019 and February 2020, with the study being carried out by the Public Health Institute at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU). This pre-pandemic report shows that 79.9% of Guernsey’s residents had partaken in gambling at some point in the 12 months leading up to the survey, which is in stark contrast to Great Britain’s 57% for the year 2016. Christmas was the period…
Read MoreBGC Member Jenningsbet Warns Mandatory Levy Will Lead to Layoffs and the Closure of Betting Shops
Vicky Knight, who serves as Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) member Jenningsbet’s Head of Safer Gambling, has laid out the issues that could result from the Government’s proposed mandatory levy should the concerns of independent sportsbooks not be heard. Knight warned that independent bookies like Jenningsbet could be forced to reduce the number of their retail locations and let go employees as the new levy on Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) will be “disproportionately high” for such businesses. The levy is among the various proposed changes in the Government’s Gambling White…
Read MoreIvan Toney Considers Transfer to Top Club After Returning from Suspension
Earlier this week, the ban imposed on Ivan Toney for gambling was lifted, and the Brentford striker shared with Sky Sports News that he is contemplating a potential move to another club someday. As previously reported by Casino Guardian, Toney was handed an eight-month suspension last year after being charged with over 230 counts of violating Football Association regulations. The transgressions included instances of Toney wagering against his own team, and the length of the suspension was determined based on both the severity and quantity of the breaches. Toney is…
Read MoreDIA Takes Action Against Corrupt Gambling Network
The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), also known as Te Tari Taiwhenua, found eight people to have participated in an allegedly corrupt gambling network of Class 4-licensed businesses that used to operate in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. As reported by the New Zealand Herald, they were accused of violating the Gambling Act 2003 as well as the Crimes Act 1961. The alleged offences concern the illicit acquirement of money generated from gambling machines, as well as embezzlement of funds made from the granting of Class 4 licences. The DIA also…
Read MoreBGC Calls for the Implementation of Frictionless Affordability Checks
In light of a recent announcement by the UK Government that a debate on the Gambling Act White Paper proposal for financial risk checks is set to take place on February 26th, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has urged the Government to ensure that such checks remain frictionless and unintrusive for bettors. The original proposal, if passed, will dictate that gambling companies will be required to perform affordability checks on individuals who incur moderate net losses from gambling. Should a client like this be detected, operators would need to…
Read MoreJudge Finds Former Police Officer Guilty of Fraud for Stealing £11,900 From his Mother in Order to Gamble
During a court hearing on Monday, David Apps, 57, was found to have stolen £11,900 from his mother’s credit card. As reported by the Daily Echo, Apps took the money in order to wager at Spreadex, a popular remote sportsbook. The crime took place during a visit in July 2023, when, after being trusted with the card, he proceeded to use it at Spreadex and make a total of 31 transactions. According to Prosecutor Nicola Sully, his actions could be seen as “an abuse of trust,” and she put an…
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