Author: Olivia Cole

The past few years have been a dynamic period for the UK gambling sector. Various changes are being brought to life by local regulators, with 2017 and 2018 being marked by successful performances of gambling operators. Currently, the gross gaming yield of the British gambling industry is estimated to approximately £14 billion, and online gambling accounts for about £4.7 billion of the overall amount. Apart from registering a stable gambling revenue increase, 2018 has also posed some challenges to the operators, because country’s legislators realised that the great success of…

As far as gambling is concerned 2018 has not been an easy year for Australia. Gambling participation and spending rates have remained high, despite problem gambling concerns and state governments’ policies aimed at restricting the popularity of so-called poker machines among local residents. Anti-gambling campaigners and charity organisations focused on providing professional help for gamblers who suffer the negative impact of gambling addiction. Former problem gamblers have also raised voices, saying that electronic gaming terminals (EGTs), known as pokies, fuel gambling addiction among local people, with more Australians being affected…

Casino Canberra is to change its ownership following a deal with a company which is currently owned and controlled by one of the most successful hotel owners in Australia, Michael Gu. The transaction is estimated to AU$32 million. Tony Fung’s Aquis acquired Casino Canberra from Casinos Austria in 2014 at the price of AU$6.5 million. Now, the Hong Kong billionaire has decided to sell his majority stake to Blue Whale Entertainment in a complex deal involving a cash component, a loan payoff, as well as a 3-year transition period for…

Two croupiers of the Crown Perth resort and casino have faced a monetary fine for taking part in an unlawful gaming house set in a rental property which gave access to casino workers who were suspended from gambling to poker nights. The two workers in question, spouses Eugene and Jacqueline Soh, were suspended from participating in any gambling activities at the casino or place bets at the TAB since they are licensed croupiers. Despite that, Mr. Soh gambled occasionally, so he decided to rent a Morley-based house for AU$220 a…

One of the leading charitable organisations engaged with helping problem gamblers in the UK – GambleAware – launched a study focused on utilising behavioural science methodology, which has emphasised on responsible gambling tools and their impact on dealing with gambling addiction. Researchers from the behavioural insights team (BIT) of GambleAware are working on finding more efficient ways to reduce problem gambling on the Internet. The team has conducted some interviews in their most recent research, and also analysed operator data and used a mystery shopping experiment in order to better…

One of the largest gambling operators in the UK, Ladbrokes, agreed to pay a total of £1 million to the victims of one gambling addict who had stolen the money he was placing as bets in return to a formal promise not to refer the case to the industry regulatory body. Ladbrokes bombarded the problem gambler with various gifts over a two-year period, including free tickets to football matches and business class flights. The player, who managed a property business in Dubai confessed that he had stolen money from his…

Tabcorp, Australia’s largest domestic gambling operator, may not be the only bettor for buying the WA TAB as Starsbet and BetEasy are now rumoured to have joined the race for the planned privatisation of the betting agency. Media reports have suggested that the two companies are now eying a potentially lucrative deal after the value of the state-owned TAB dropped in half in recent years. In October, the West Australian Government announced that it would be moving forward with the sale of the TAB in an estimated $500-million deal. The…

Camelot UK, the company which operates the National Lottery, evaded punishment from the local advertising regulatory body, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). A total of 24 complaints have been filed against the operator, with three of its adverts put under the spotlight, after being blamed for creating a wrong impression among potential customers. The three ads in question, which were seen in September 2018, told the story of a family who had purchased a new house after winning a large lottery prize. The main ad was 120 seconds long, with…

A new mobile banking app may help curb the gambling addiction in Britain by allowing customers to block spending on betting sites and online casinos. With its new application, Barclays has become the first major banking institution in the United Kingdom to give its customers the option to “switch off” certain merchant categories, so that all gambling or drinking-related transactions would be automatically declined. Barclays’ new mobile app is designed to help customers manage their money within seconds from a mobile device but with some of its functions, it focuses…

The recent gambling operator’s proposal to implement a voluntary TV gambling advertising ban might fall short, it becomes clear only days after the announcement. In an article for The Times, Sky CEO Stephen van Rooyen raised concerns that the planned “whistle to whistle” ban on ads during live sports broadcasts was not covering most of the gambling advertising, which was, in fact, not on TV but on the digital domain. Last week, Casino Guardian reported that the agreement for the advertising restriction had been reached by members of the Remote…