Author: Daniel Williams

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is taking legal actions against several operators over allegations of non-compliance with section 15 (2A) of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA). The civil penalty proceedings launched by the regulator are taken to the Federal Court, with these actions being a part of the ACMA’s extensive investigation into illegal online gambling operations. The ACMA has been taking different steps to regulate the gambling industry in Australia, with the regulator blocking 426 black market gambling websites ever since November 2019. Now, the regulator is…

The financial regulatory body in the UK has seized £2 million in total from the payment solutions provider QPay Europe as part of some measures linked to a multi-billion bank fraud that took place in the US. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has not provided detailed information on whether it considered QPay Europe a complicit party in the US-based bank fraud, which was estimated at about $150 million, but raised a red flag about a pattern as part of which the payment solutions operator quickly cleared transactions that resulted in…

A financial crime author has recently accused the UK of turning Gibraltar into the largest online casino on a global scale because of the increased interest of some gambling companies in the destination. In his book “Butler to the World”, the researcher and financial crime author Oliver Bullough suggested that Gibraltar had been turned into the “world’s biggest online casino” by the UK. Then, in an interview with Público, a Spanish news agency, Mr Bullough explained that British authorities started recognising gambling and betting activities as harmful because of their…

After racing dogs were found with doping, including several cases of dogs being drugged with cocaine, Scotland Against Greyhound Exploitation (SAGE) campaigners called for the complete ban on greyhound races in Scotland. The activists from SAGE issued their request for the ban on greyhound racing to the Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee. The campaigners claim the reason behind the call for the complete ban of such events is the lack of proper regulation and no protection of the animals that suffer from injuries and doping. Greyhound Doping Tests…

The proposal for a cashless gambling card was controversial enough to cause a division in the Perrottet government. However, the new gaming minister is to dump the compulsory pokies card with NSW favouring opt-in digital payments. The reform introducing cashless gaming cards was introduced in 2020 by Victor Dominello, NSW Customer Service and Digital Minister. The cashless payment method was supposed to have both recreational players and high-risk gamblers charge funds into their respective smart cards. The cashless pokies cards were just a part of a larger-scale plan to introduce…

Long-time anti-gambling advocate Tim Costello has warned that Australian codes still claim that sponsorship deals with gambling and sports betting operators are crucial for keeping premier sports alive in the country. The sponsorships and the fact they have been heavily promoted to the public have helped create ties between gambling and sports, with particular focus on the Australian Football League (AFL). As a result of all this, Australian children start accepting gambling as something normal from a young age, not to mention they are left to believe that gambling and…

Last month the UK Gambling Commission chose Allwyn as the new licence holder of the National Lottery. The new lottery operator is due to head the entity after the licence of the current operator, Camelot Group, expires in 2024. Following an investigation by the Mail on Sunday, it was revealed that the chair of the Committee for the Fourth National Lottery Competition, Stephen Cohen, had some ties to Russia. The new operator of the National Lottery is Allwyn Entertainment, which is a company established and operated by the Czech oil…

The regulator of the UK gambling sector is set to roll out a consultation on proposed affordability checks for the industry. The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) revealed that the consultation on one of the hottest and most controversial topics associated with the local gambling sector will cover 3 areas that have been considered a priority – financial vulnerability, significant unaffordable losses on gambling, and binge gambling customers are actually unable to afford – as well as the proposed thresholds for action for each one of them. The industry watchdog made…

GamCare, a problem gambling support charity in the UK, revealed that the number of women accessing gambling support in the UK has risen by 6% over the last year. The charity organisation, which currently provides professionals with various training sessions on gambling, also found that the majority of participants – a stunning 85% – have actually improved their understanding of gambling-related harm and their skills to identify women who need treatment or support for their compulsive gambling habits. The figure was provided by inFocus Consulting following an independent evaluation. The…

Today, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has unveiled new rules on action for gamblers who are considered at risk of being most affected by gambling-related harm. The gambling regulatory body of the UK announced that the new rules are scheduled to come into effect on September 12th, 2022. The UKGC further noted they are expected to ensure better protection for more vulnerable customers who are at risk. Apart from the rules themselves, the UK Gambling Commission is also expected to issue new guidance for companies operating in the sector in…