Author: Daniel Williams

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…

Newcastle United F.C. revealed it has agreed on an extension of its shirt sponsorship deal with a gambling operator at a time when the English Premier League (EPL) is expected to give the green light to a sovereign wealth fund based in Saudi Arabia to purchase the club. As the football club itself has shared, it has renewed its sponsorship agreement with Fun88, an online gambling operator based on the Isle of Man. Currently, the company does not hold an operating licence issued by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) but…

Campaigners have warned that the National Lottery is exploiting a legislative loophole that allows individuals as young as 16 to gamble hundreds of pounds online on a weekly basis. According to some campaigners, the loophole helps the National Lottery take advantage of the situation, which could lead to what they called “an epidemic of gambling” in the years to come. The latest figures have revealed that 16- and 17-year-old children spent a total of £47 million on games offered by the National Lottery in 2017-2018. Reports have shown that two-thirds…

According to a leading problem gambling charity organisation, the massive lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic has fuelled a significant increase in the number of gambling addicts who seek help. The charity shared that the trend could be the first sign of a more serious “storm” in the sector. The Gordon Moody Association that is a leading provider of problem gambling treatment programmes for UK residents, who suffer from severe gambling disorders, revealed that the number of interactions of the charity organisation with gambling addicts had risen from 30 to…

Gambling legislation in the UK has not seen any considerable changes since the Gambling Act of 2005 was passed. The gambling industry, however, has been constantly changing, and the rising popularity of online gambling campaigners have been claiming that the UK gambling laws need changing. The beginning of the 21st century has been marked with many online gambling operators, who flooded the market, offering an inexhaustible source of gambling options to their customers. On the other hand, this made it much easier for gamblers to play a variety of casino…

A recent study has suggested there are some practices used by video games developers and providers, including real-money gambling, token wagering, social casino spending, etc., which are considered significantly associated with problem gambling. As revealed by the study, the potentially dangerous links to gambling addiction have been originating from a range of video game practices. The latest findings came from a research building on a previous study by the same author, Dr David Zendle, which has revealed that a link between loot boxes offered in some video games and problem…

With the recent controversy surrounding Australians’ addiction to poker machines, information that the coronavirus lockdown may lead to permanent closures of the machines fuelled some discussion. Problem gamblers who have been hooked on pokies have been reported to be happy that the machines had been switched off because of the Covid-19 shutdown, and many anti-gambling campaigners have shared concern that with health restrictions being relaxed, more and more pokies across the country will be reopened. Of course, owners of clubs and pubs that host poker machines have gladly welcomed the…