BGC Unveils Special “Cooling-Off” Periods for FOBTs in UK Betting Shops to Protect Local Players from Compulsive Gambling

BGC Unveils Special “Cooling-Off” Periods for FOBTs in UK Betting Shops to Protect Local Players from Compulsive Gambling

The newly formed Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has revealed that gambling machines situated in betting outlets across the UK have been supplied with special algorithms that will make sure the gameplay is interrupted whenever any signs of problem gambling are detected. As the BGC explained, the new real-time algorithm for gaming machines is called an Anonymous Player Awareness System (APAS). The algorithm is to be used to identify signs of compulsive gambling behaviour that could harm the players. Indications for problem gambling will trigger an on-screen alert and would…

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The Betting and Gaming Council Starts Operation as Joint Effort of British Gambling Companies to Provide Safer Gambling

The Betting and Gaming Council Starts Operation as Joint Effort of British Gambling Companies to Provide Safer Gambling

Several leading gambling operators have joined forces to make sure they deliver safer gambling to their customers. The move has come as a part of the companies’ efforts to stick to the responsible gambling commitments to tackle possible gambling-related harm that could be inflicted to their customers, and especially to younger and more vulnerable people. Last week, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) officially started operation to provide some support to the major gambling regulatory body in the country – the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) – and its nationwide strategy…

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British Gambling Companies Face Criticism for Seeking Engagement of High-Roller Customers

British Gambling Companies Face Criticism for Seeking Engagement of High-Roller Customers

Experts have reported that gambling operators are recruiting specialist staff to help them attract high-roller customers who are ready to lose large amounts of money. The revelations have raised concerns regarding the companies’ commitment to promoting safe and transparent gambling services to local people. The schemes, aimed at luring affluent “VIP” customers, have been used by betting firms in a number of cases, in which problem gamblers have been offered multiple free gifts as they have been losing thousands of pounds. Unfortunately, according to an analysis made by The Guardian,…

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Gambling Advertising Ban during Live Football Matches Hardly Has Any Real Impact on UK Bookmakers, Ipsos MORI Researchers Say

Gambling Advertising Ban during Live Football Matches Hardly Has Any Real Impact on UK Bookmakers, Ipsos MORI Researchers Say

After the Gambling Act 2005 made it legal for gambling operators to ink sponsorship agreements with football clubs and competitions in the UK and more liberal rules regarding television advertising were unveiled, a significant increase in the number of gambling sponsorships was registered in the country. The ongoing football season has seen half of the English Premier League (EPL) teams feature a bookmaker’s logo on their match kits. Some professional football clubs, such as Leicester City, even have signed sponsorship deals with several gambling operators. In the Scottish Premiership, the…

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UK Gambling Operators Pledge to Help Regulators Tackle Gambling-Related Harm by Following New Set of Commitments

UK Gambling Operators Pledge to Help Regulators Tackle Gambling-Related Harm by Following New Set of Commitments

The UK gambling sector has made five commitments to safer gambling, as the industry is trying to avoid stricter new regulations which the country’s Government is considering to impose. The announcement has been made after some media reports that some of the British gambling giants lost almost £1.2 billion in their share value following the calls of an all-party parliamentary group that called for stricter regulation for online gambling, too. The commitment also follows the wave of strong criticism faced by betting operators that they have failed to take the…

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Crown Casino Perth Manages to Keep Operations as Usual During Latest Workers Strike

Crown Casino Perth Manages to Keep Operations as Usual During Latest Workers Strike

Crown Casino Perth managed to maintain its operations as usual, despite the efforts of workers to disrupt the gambling venue’s normal track of services at the time of Melbourne Cup day. There were some queues for the TAB inside the Crown Perth’s entrance hall, but business was as usual in the casino. As Casino Guardian reported last week, the casino employees were expected to participate in scheduled strike action which was aimed at blocking the access of casino patrons to the gambling venue’s main entrance. The casino’s gambling tables, dining…

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British Gambling Operators Suffer Share Decline Following All-Party Group’s Calls for Stricter Online Gambling Regulation

British Gambling Operators Suffer Share Decline Following All-Party Group’s Calls for Stricter Online Gambling Regulation

Shares in UK gambling operators have fallen following the calls of an all-party parliamentary group for stricter measures to be imposed on the local online gambling industry so that British customers are better protected. The cross-party group of lawmakers insists that tougher regulation needs to be imposed on online betting, saying that maximum stakes in online betting should be equal to the ones which were imposed for high-street slot machines earlier this year. They also call for a ban on the use of credit cards in online gambling sites, as…

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Higher Taxes and Ongoing Problems in Horseracing Industry Blamed for Decline in Australian Punters’ Betting

Higher Taxes and Ongoing Problems in Horseracing Industry Blamed for Decline in Australian Punters’ Betting

For many years, the Melbourne Cup has been one of the favourite events for thousands of Australian punters. However, some of the recent problems in the country’s horseracing sector have fended Australian customers off, making many of the punters lose their interest in the event. Hardly anyone would be surprised by the fact that the horseracing industry of Australia heavily relies on the local gambling industry. For the time being, it has been accounting for about 90% of the annual revenue of Racing Victoria and generated a turnover of over…

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Northern Territory Gambling Regulator Rules in Favour of Customers Who Got Their AFL Bets with Sportsbet Unfairly Rejected

Northern Territory Gambling Regulator Rules in Favour of Customers Who Got Their AFL Bets with Sportsbet Unfairly Rejected

The largest online sports betting operator in Australia – Sportsbet – is set to pay a massive amount of money to its customers following a ruling of a local gambling regulatory body. The watchdog issued a decision that the bookmaker unfairly cancelled some customers’ bets on Australian Football League (AFL) matches after claiming that the odds that had been offered were errors. The bets that no player would make 40 (or more) disposals in round-10 AFL matches were accepted by the company earlier in 2019. However, before the first game…

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UKGC CEO Criticises Malta Gambling Operators for Frequently Violating Rules in the UK Gambling Sector

UKGC CEO Criticises Malta Gambling Operators for Frequently Violating Rules in the UK Gambling Sector

Yesterday, the Chief Executive Officer of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) delivered a speech at the ARQ Conference in Malta. Mr Neil McArthur covered a number of broad issues associated with gambling and strongly criticised Malta-based gambling operators, revealing that such companies currently generate over 30% of the overall British gambling revenue. Mr McArthur started his keynote speech with some facts about the regulation of the UK gambling market. According to him, before the implementation of the 2014 legislation, the UKGC had managed to regulate only about 15% of the…

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