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The Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) released a gambling report in which the committee made a range of recommendations that, if accepted and implemented by Victoria’s government, would lead to stricter regulation of gambling within the state. In one of its key proposals, PAEC urged state officials to follow in the footsteps of South Australia and prohibit gambling advertisements on television during prime time, i.e. from 4pm to 7:30pm. A suggestion to ban ads in “areas that come under state jurisdiction” like public spaces was made as well. According…

Wayne Meredith of Northwich, Cheshire, has been charged with two counts of burglary other than a dwelling with intent to steal, with both instances of crime involving local pubs and fruit machines located within each establishment’s premises. Cheshire authorities apprehended Meredith on September 29th, and on November 24th, he appeared in Chester Crown Court and received a sentence of 28 months in prison. Matt Uren, Police Constable of the Northwich Proactive Policing Unit, issued a statement following the hearing, referring to Meredith as a “prolific offender” and claiming that he…

The HM Treasury’s Autumn Statement revealed on November 22nd that the gross gaming yield bands surrounding casino establishments will be subject to a freeze that will last from April 1st, 2024, to March 31st, 2025. In a statement issued November 23rd, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) referred to this measure as a “stealth tax” and asked the government to reconsider its implementation. According to the BGC, the freeze will serve as an annual tax of £5 million, which will further burden the already struggling land-based casino industry. Plans to…

November 22nd saw Gambling Minister Stuart Andrew delivering a speech at the Annual Convention of the British Amusement Catering Trade Association (Bacta), confirming that the government intends to move forward with the publication of its gambling white paper by 2024. The proposals outlined in the white paper aim to introduce a number of changes to gambling-related legislation, which will modernise land-based gambling should they be implemented as planned by summer 2024. Mr Andrew began by acknowledging the arcade and amusement sector’s significance for the UK economy, and he reaffirmed the…

The Responsible Wagering Australia (RWA) organisation announced on Tuesday that six RWA members have committed over AU$3 million towards the establishment of a not-for-profit body that will have the role of funding financial counselling services in Australia. The initiative is backed by prominent RWA members like Bet365, Betfair, Entain, PointsBet, Sportsbet, and Unibet, and the money will be distributed over the course of three years, starting in early 2024. RWA’s scheme has been established in partnership with the Federal Government, along with industry bodies that have to do with banking,…

According to a recent Ipsos survey commissioned by the independent charity GambleAware, two in three adults who have faced issues surrounding problem gambling have never sought support. Nearly 40% of the said individuals shared that it was feelings of “shame, guilt, and fear of judgement” tied to the stigma surrounding problem gambling that were their main reasons for staying silent. Chief Executive of GambleAware Zoë Osmond described these results as alarming. She also said that harmful gambling’s nature of being a “hidden addiction” is why the issue is often not…

AFC Wimbledon is now one of 35 football clubs to have partnered with the Gambling with Lives charity’s The Big Step campaign, which has set out to end the advertising and sponsorship of gambling in UK football. The move was voted on by members of the Dons Trust organisation that owns the club, and 79% were in favour of the backing. AFC Wimbledon will join the campaign’s efforts in tackling gambling by promoting preventive messages, along with using its resources on training and education surrounding the risks associated with gambling.…

The United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) has published its annual Young People and Gambling Report, which aims to assess how minors across the UK are affected by gambling. Over 3,400 students aged between 11 and 17 participated in the 2023 study. This year saw the addition of 17-year-olds to the survey’s group of participants, as the UKGC previously surveyed only minors who were 16 or younger. The Vast Majority of Minors Do Not Partake in Illegal Gambling Among the first questions students needed to answer had to do with whether…

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled that a Mecca Bingo Instagram ad was in breach of the regulations outlined in the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) Code. According to ASA, the ad did not adhere to CAP Code rule 16.3.6, which states that advertisements should not give the impression that gambling “can enhance personal qualities.” The ad in question was a now-deleted Instagram post originally seen on August 16th. It featured a “before and after” format involving two photographs of celebrity drag queen Baga Chipz, and the first half…

In a statement issued on November 14, Bet365 addressed claims by former Premier League player Steven Caulker concerning the way he was treated after applying for a “TV job” sponsored by the media giant. As revealed by The Big Step, a campaign that stands against gambling sponsorships in football, Caulker was prevented from participating in the program due to Bet365 allegedly feeling “nervous about his positive work” surrounding gambling, seeing as he has previously talked about his struggles with gambling addiction. This comment, which was made by the broadcaster, referred…