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From now on, Tauranga will only see the number of poker machines decline. Yesterday, Tauranga City Council issued a decision to adopt a so-called “sinking lid” policy, under which no new gambling machines or venues are to be approved. The policy is set to be brought into action on March 14th. The local authorities made a decision to deploy the policy in a way that would guarantee a gradual decline of gambling options in the city in order to minimise the negative impact these venues and machines could have on…

New statistics have shown that more than nine in every ten people who have been treated for their problem gambling behaviour by Health Service Executive Ireland (HSE) in the past four years were men. In addition, data showed that it is mostly young men who have been suffering from gambling addiction, with the average age of such individuals who have also sought professional treatment in recent years being 35 years. Only recently, some data regarding the number of people who received professional help with gambling being pointed as the main…

A reduction of the gambling-related harm rates in Port Lincoln could be brought by the changes to the gambling legislation of South Australia. The changes are expected to also speed up the voluntary self-exclusion process. Under the previous provisions of gambling laws, a voluntary self-exclusion could take up to ten days to be processed, and months to be reviewed in order for a decision whether or not the barring to remain in place. That system, however, faced a lot of criticism, as it took an unnecessarily long time for a…

Stricter rules are being imposed on gambling advertising, especially for online gambling ads. From April 1st, gambling operators in the UK will have to make sure that they do not target any individuals under the legal age of 18, as a ban has been imposed on the use of young celebrities and sports stars in advertising materials has been imposed. As revealed by the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP), the new requirements have been specially designed to protect children from irresponsible gambling advertising practices. Gambling operators which operate on the…

The number of Irish people who deal with problem gambling is increasing every day, but unfortunately, the exact number remains unknown for the time being. As Casino Guardian previously reported, the fact that there is not enough official data on the matter is not of much of a help. In 2017, experts from H2 Gambling Capital reported that Ireland has third highest gambling losses on a global scale per capita, with local residents spending the shocking amount of €2.2 billion, which is about €470 per capita, on an annual basis.…

A trader addicted to gambling was sent to jail after using a cheating scheme to steal over £40,000 from homeowners to fuel his compulsive gambling habit. The Wolverhampton Crown Court judge decided to put him behind bars, announcing a 26-month jail sentence. The 30-year-old Shane Rollinson deceived his unsuspecting victims, making them believe that he was an award-winning and experienced builder and swindled more than £40,000 from them. However, he did exactly the opposite such an expertise would suggest – getting on site occasionally, overcharging his customers for jobs which…

Today, a hearing regarding the application for permission to open a gaming arcade in Cork town is to be held at a District Court, in spite of the opposition of some local residents. The District Court in the neighbouring town of Fermoy will hear the application of Perk Promotions Mitchelstown Ltd that is seeking a license for establishing and operating a gaming arcade. The objections against the project of “The Concerned Citizens of Mitchelstown” group will also be heard by the Court. The group, which was formed in opposition to…

Today, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) announced new rules for online companies as part of its policy of making local gambling sector fairer and safer. The new rules were unveiled after an open consultation and are set to make sure that gambling operators will verify their customers’ identity and age details faster. They also come as part of the Commission’s efforts to protect underage individuals from being affected by possible gambling-related harm. Today we’ve announced new rules for online gambling businesses. Customers will need to be age-verified before they’re able…

Only recently, the Commonwealth donations data was publicly released, revealing local gambling operators as some of the largest contributors to Australian political parties along with banks. Undoubtedly, the revelations about the extent of the gambling sector’s support for the political parties, and especially for the Tasmanian division of the Australian Liberal Party, draw much attention from the public and the media, as the reports of local gambling operators “buying” political support for their interests have given some grounds for doubts in the politicians’ impartiality. As previously reported by Casino Guardian,…

The leading trade association in Europe has scolded the Irish Government for its lack of action on gambling regulation, saying that such behaviour is putting local players at risk of becoming gambling addicts. The secretary-general of the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), Maarten Haijer, explained that the long waiting period for the implementation of the Gambling Control Bill of 2013 was affecting local problem gamblers, as more people could be hurt by the devastating impact of gambling. For the time being, Ladbrokes, bet365 and other gambling companies are part…