Author: Daniel Williams

Neither the Labor nor the Liberal Party is ready to back the proposed slow-down of poker machines’ spin rates or reducing their maximum bets as part of measures aimed at minimising gambling-related harm when the piece of legislation seeking gambling reform is presented to the country’s Parliament later in 2021. The two major Australian parties have predicted improving harm minimisation as part of the above-mentioned reforms with an increase in the Community Support Levy. Half of the levy is provided for gambling research, gambling support services and community education, while…

One of the largest banks in Australia, Westpac, has launched a new tech solution that hinders compulsive gamblers from making payments to online betting sites. The feature enables Westpac customers who cannot control their gambling spending to block financial transactions to gambling-related websites. The Aussie bank introduced the new feature in an attempt to help curb the spread of compulsive gambling over the internet. Westpac has integrated the new functionality both within its mobile app and its desktop banking platform. The feature prevents customers from initiating payments to online gambling…

The VIP casino patron, who got the Singaporean court’s favour not to pay his baccarat debt of AU$43 million to a gambling venue in Australia, will now have to explain the reasons for his unwillingness to appear before an Australian court to finally sort the matter out. As Casino Guardian reported at the beginning of the month, a Brisbane judge has overruled the bid of Dr Wong Yew Choy to set aside the legal action started by The Star Entertainment against him. The Brisbane-based casino operator is seeking to finally…

The gambling giant Entain has published some findings that lockdown triggers an increasing demand for personal freedom and choice after the completion of a study that has also shown that gambling is increasingly seen as a social activity and the majority of people bet responsibly. According to the results of new nationwide research carried out by Entain, the owner of the betting brands Ladbrokes and Coral revealed that the number of people who believe they should be free to choose how to spend their free time and money at a…

British residents under the age of 18 will no longer be able to purchase lottery tickets or play on the National Lottery website after the local authorities increase the lawful age for lottery participation. The change comes into effect today amid growing concerns about problem gambling among the youth. Brits aged 16 or 17 will be unable to purchase scratchcards or partake in the EuroMillions draws. The legal age for lottery participation in Great Britain was previously 16 years old. Edinburgh teen Jane Park became the youngest EuroMillions winner in…

New research has understood that people who find it hard to control their gambling habits are more likely to leave various sports, religious or cultural groups. The Ministry of Health funded the study, which is called “New Zealand National Gambling Study: Correspondence between changes in gambling and gambling risk levels and health”. It was carried out by AUT (Auckland University of Technology), with researchers studying New Zealand gamblers in the period from 2012 to 2015. As revealed by the lead author of the research, Maria Bellringer, an associate professor at…

Michael Connolly, ex-chief casino officer of Western Australia, has appointed his own attorney to represent him during the Royal Commission into the allegations against Crown Resorts. Mr Connolly resigned from his position as chief casino officer earlier this year after word spread about his contacts with members of the gambling operator’s staff. The former casino officer presently occupies the position of deputy director general of the Department of Local Government, Sport, and Cultural Industries. Attorney Nicholas Malone from the Perth-based Pragma Lawyers will represent him before West Australia’s Royal Commission.…

Lobbyists have told the Seanad that commercial gambling companies, including bookmakers, must be suspended from what they called “piggybacking” and must not be allowed to draw profit from the National Lottery by permitting bets on its draws’ outcome. Barry Ward, a Fine Gael Senator, spoke to the Seanad, saying that almost one-third (28%) of every €1 spent on products of the National Lottery is donated to good causes but individual players are actually not protected from spending too much money on a daily basis or gambling for too long on…

The lobby group that represents local clubs is set to withdraw its legal bid aimed at forcing the gambling regulator of New South Wales (NSW) to provide it with information retrieved from a whistleblower who raised some concerns regarding possible money laundering violations carried out through so-called pokies. Earlier in 2021, the organisation called ClubsNSW issued a subpoena to the gambling watchdog, Liquor and Gaming NSW, as part of its efforts to get more details the regulatory body had received from the whistleblower Troy Stolz, a former anti-money laundering compliance…

No players under the age of 18 would be able to access the games offered by the UK National Lottery as of the following week. The National Lottery is set to raise the minimum age for playing its games as part of its efforts to tackle gambling addiction rates in the country. The change will basically prevent 16- and 17-year-olds from purchasing lottery tickets and accessing any lottery games as of April 22nd, although they will be able to claim prizes for scratchcards and lottery tickets purchased before this date.…