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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,…

The trade body of the gambling industry in the UK – the Betting and Gaming Council – welcomed the authorities’ plans to allow Scottish casinos and bingo halls to resume operations soon. The Scottish Government has provided an indicative date of August 24th for the reopening of the casino and bingo venues. The announcement came at a time when the casinos in England are preparing to resume operations on August 1st, after a variety of measures to ensure the safety of both staff members and customers of the venues have…

The calls for the introduction of up-to-date gambling legislation in Ireland have become stronger than ever. Recently, campaigners have renewed their calls to fast track renewed gambling laws that would be more suitable to regulate the contemporary gambling market than existing legislation that has remained unchanged for decades. A program for the Irish Government is aimed at making the authorities more committed to tackling the issue, with proponents of the proposed gambling legislation urging politicians to finally do what they promised many years ago and pass the piece of legislation,…

The leading global representative for the licensed betting industry’s integrity, the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), has warned that Australia’s Sports Wagering Scheme (ASWS) would have to consider adding in-play betting and bolster racing wagering regulation. The IBIA has cited high intensity of live sports betting, especially in the online gambling segment, as a reason for its appeal for in-play betting features on the territory of Australia. The betting industry’s integrity body has reported a considerable growth registered in the overall sports handle placed on live sports events on the…

Underage individuals in the UK could be suspended from accessing Lotto and Thunderball as part of the authorities’ efforts to prevent them from getting addicted to gambling. Under the provisions of a new piece of legislation coming into force, millions of teenagers could be banned from playing games and scratchcards offered by the National Lottery. The new law is part of a massive crackdown that the Government is aimed at imposing to protect underage individuals, and particularly those of 16 and 17 years of age, from getting hooked on gambling.…

It seems that residents of Canberra will be able to continue spending thousands of dollars while playing controversial poker machines after a proposal for some betting limits was rejected. This fuelled rumours that even more people will suffer gambling-related harm during the coronavirus crisis. Currently, the existing Covid-19 restrictions do not allow for poker machines to operate in Canberra, once the restrictions are lifted, local problem gamblers will still be considered vulnerable to spending over AU$1,000 an hour on controversial pokies. The maximum betting limit for poker machines that is…

Only days following the Scottish Government’s announcement that it was lifting the controversial ban on gambling machines, betting shops in the country have been ordered to once again switch off the machines. A shocking U-turn was made by the authorities, who told local bookmakers they must stop offering their customers access to the machines until further notice. The most surprising about the change was the fact that the Scottish Government has agreed to lift the additional restrictions that were faced by local betting shops at the time they reopened on…