Company Reports

An extension has been granted to the gambling licence of a Leeds casino in order to allow it to install electronic gaming machines in its outdoor smoking area. As revealed by the licensing sub-committee of Leeds City Council, the application for increasing the gambling facilities of the Grosvenor Casino Leeds Westgate was approved despite concerns the expansion could lead to an increase in problem gambling rates in the city. Neil Buckley, Chairman of the committee, shared that the panel had attended the casino to make themselves familiar with the layout…

Wynn Resorts Ltd., one of the world’s largest gambling companies, has quickly exited preliminary negotiations for a proposed takeover of Australian casino operator Crown Resorts. The AU$10 billion ($7.1 billion) offer, which if brought to closure would be one the most massive acquisition deals in the Australian gambling industry, was scrapped suddenly after media leaks. Following Crown’s confirmation of confidential discussions between the two companies on Tuesday, the Las Vegas giant has ended the talks for the buyout, citing “premature disclosure” as a reason. Just a few hours after the…

Earlier today, the Australian casino company Crown Resorts revealed that it had received an indicative takeover bid from the US gambling operator Wynn Resorts. As revealed by the gambling giant, the acquisition offer amounts to AU$10 billion. A possible takeover would put an end to the 12-year march of Crown’s majority owner James Packer into casinos, despite he officially left the operator’s board in 2018 due to mental health issues. On the other hand, Las Vegas-based Wynn Resorts would get a foothold in the Australian gambling market which is currently…

New restrictions on the number of gaming machines are now being discussed in the Gisborne District in northeastern New Zealand. Aiming at minimizing the negative impacts of problem gambling, the draft policy on gambling proposed by the District Council prohibits the relocation of gambling venues and limits the number of racing board venues to only one. Local authorities in the Gisborne District are currently reviewing the Gambling Venue policy as required by the Gambling Act 2003 and Racing Act 2003. A public hearing on the proposed changes is scheduled for…

A recent study has revealed that that eight in ten children aged as young as eight remember they had seen TV gambling adverts, despite the fact that gambling operators are currently forbidden to target underage individuals with their advertising materials. A large number of children also recalled that they had seen gambling brands while watching sports and football, in particular, saying that they can remember seeing the branding on some football clubs’ shirts. Apart from that, about 50% of the children who took part in the survey explained that they…

Five gambling operators have been caught violating strict rules which suspend them from targeting underage audiences with online betting adverts. Seven fake child online profiles simulating children’s online web browsing were created by the UK advertising regulator – the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) – to check on the type of advertising materials which reach underage individuals when they are online. As a result, the watchdog identified ads by 43 gambling operators which during 14-day monitoring period appeared on freely accessible online sites, including 20 YouTube channels. Such adverts also appeared…

The so-called “sinking lid” policy on poker machines numbers, whose objective is to reduce the spending on pokies and the gambling-related harm in communities across New Zealand, seem ineffective. Despite the introduction of the policy in 2013 in the rural District of Tararua, proceeds from gaming machines in 2018 have increased by nearly 10 per cent on an annual basis. Councillors in Tararua, which is located in south-east corner of New Zealand’s North Island, have expressed their doubt in the effectiveness of the sinking lid approach they took in 2013…

Today, the new maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) is to come into force. The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has written to local bookmakers to remind them of their responsibilities to make sure that their customers are well-protected. From today, the maximum betting stake available on the controversial gambling machines will be slashed from £100 to £2 per a single spin. The new rules regarding the FOBTs are being imposed by the UK Government as part of its efforts to reduce the risks that gamblers can lose large amounts…

Two applications for the addition of more gaming machines in the districts of Taupō and Tūrangi have been rejected. An application for the addition of five poker machines, also known as pokies, have been filed by Tokaanu-Tūrangi RSA. The company was willing to add the gambling terminals to the offering at the 11 and Grandeur Thermal Spa Resort and have shared its ambitions to open a new gaming venue with up to nine pokies available to visitors. Unfortunately, neither application fully met the Class 4 Gambling and TAB Venue policy,…

Online gambling operators from the UK and Ireland are to remain in the business, despite the uncertainty around Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union. The uncertainty surrounding Brexit lingers on jurisdictions such as Gibraltar and the Isle of Man. The border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is also expected to be much affected by the UK leaving the EU, also remain questionable, with neither one of the two countries being able to settle until the final decision on the withdrawal is reached. According to expectations of the industry, gambling…