Author: Daniel Williams

On December 14th, the House of Commons Committee on Standards issued a report regarding MP Scott Benton’s alleged breach of the House’s rules. In the report, the Committee deemed it appropriate for Mr Benton to be suspended from his position as MP of Blackpool South for 35 days. As reported by Casino Guardian earlier this year, investigative journalists working for The Times provided evidence of Mr Benton expressing willingness to lobby on behalf of a fictitious gambling company in exchange for money. Mr Benton was chair of the All-Party Parliamentary…

Crown Resorts has fully integrated an innovative carded play system into the electronic gaming machines of its Melbourne-based casino. This technology makes it compulsory for players to set up limits that will assist them in gambling responsibly. Crown Melbourne is the first gambling business to implement this specific type of responsible gambling technology when it comes to electronic gaming machines. The aim of the carded play measures is to prevent gambling harm, and they are set to be introduced to all electronic gaming machines across the state of Victoria. As…

December 12th saw an announcement by the Cheltenham Jockey Club that Virgin Bet will be the key sponsor of this year’s Cheltenham: the December Gold Cup. The event, which is named the Virgin Bet December Gold Cup, will take place on December 16th, and Virgin Bet will sponsor The Christmas Meeting and the final race. Ric Leask, Virgin Bet’s Marketing Director, said that Virgin Bet’s support of “one of the most prestigious events in the racing calendar” is the best way to demonstrate the sportsbook’s passionate commitment to ensuring an…

Last week, the Winchester Crown Court ruled that Thomas Meggison, a veteran who used to serve in the British Army in Iraq, has three months to pay over £145,500 for defrauding the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Army Cadet Force. As reported by the Hampshire Chronicle, nearly £110,000 of the money will be given as compensation to the cadet force. Earlier this year, the former military Major from Harestock, Winchester, was found guilty of stealing over £102,500 from the cadet force in order to pay off his gambling debts, and…

The UK Government’s Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has published data that provides insight into problem gambling and its treatment. According to the findings, gambling harm is a significant issue in the UK, with almost 1.6 million adults standing to benefit from support that aims to treat problem gambling. The estimates were made by researchers at the University of Sheffield and the University of Glasgow, and the results’ focus lies primarily on individuals suffering from problem gambling. The team utilised information from the Health Survey for England, which…

GambleAware has published a report that focuses on how members of minority groups are affected by gambling and problem gambling, in particular. With the support of the University of Manchester, the study was conducted by Ipsos UK and ClearView Research. According to the findings, there is a definitive link between the discrimination faced by minority groups and gambling harm. One of the first issues the report examined was the connection between racism, discrimination and financial difficulties, with 57% of participants who belong to a minority group pointing to their financial…

Australia’s upper house has officially passed a bill that prohibits the usage of credit cards for online gambling. As previously reported by Casino Guardian, November saw the Australian House of Representatives voting in favour of passing the bill. A fine of up to AU$234,750 is what remote casino businesses will face if they do not successfully enforce this prohibition within the six-month transition period granted by Australian authorities. In a media release on the official Ministers for the Department of Social Services website, it was also clarified that the ban…

December 5th saw an announcement by Entain PLC, parent company of Ladbrokes and Coral, that it has reached a final settlement with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) over the Turkish bribery probe launched by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in 2019. Dame Victoria Sharp, President of the King’s Bench Division at the Royal Courts of Justice sitting as the Crown Court at Southwark, is the judge who approved the Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA). The investigation has now been officially resolved, and as per the previously agreed upon terms, Entain pay…

The United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) announced the introduction of an online service which allows individuals to send confidential reports regarding gambling-related criminal or suspicious activity. The Commission outlined what type of issues can warrant reporting in both the announcement and the “Tell us something in confidence” web page itself. The said problems are covered within the UK’s Gambling Act 2005. The first issues outlined in the UKGC’s announcement have to do with match-fixing and the integrity of sports betting. According to the regulator’s website, these terms have to do…

Two masked men robbed a Betfred-owned betting shop in Swindon, Wiltshire, on December 2nd. As reported by the Swindon Advertiser, the perpetrators used a knife to threaten a member of staff and escaped after placing approximately £1,000 in a green carrier bag. A single cashier was on duty during the incident, and two customers were also present at the scene. As neither of the robbers has been caught and the raid is under investigation, the area is subject to increased supervision by local authorities. The Betfred employee who was working…