News

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has prompted healthcare professionals to stay alert when prescribing Aripiprazole (sold under the brand name Abilify®, among others). This comes as a result of an increase in the number of Yellow Card reports, associated with the medication received in 2023. Aripiprazole is an antipsychotic drug prescribed for the treatment of certain health conditions including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It works by balancing the levels of dopamine and serotonin in a patient’s brain to regulate their mood and behaviour. The medication’s side effects,…

Tabcorp, Australia’s largest gambling company, has secured a 20-year extension of its exclusive Victorian license for providing retail wagering services in pubs and clubs across the state. The renewed agreement with the government will take effect as of August 2024 with an upfront fee of $600 million, in addition to fixed annual payments of $30 million from 2025 to 2043. The total payments equate to $1.1 billion, but as they were not linked to inflation, their total value stood at approximately $864 million. Following the news that the gambling giant…

On December 14th, the House of Commons Committee on Standards issued a report regarding MP Scott Benton’s alleged breach of the House’s rules. In the report, the Committee deemed it appropriate for Mr Benton to be suspended from his position as MP of Blackpool South for 35 days. As reported by Casino Guardian earlier this year, investigative journalists working for The Times provided evidence of Mr Benton expressing willingness to lobby on behalf of a fictitious gambling company in exchange for money. Mr Benton was chair of the All-Party Parliamentary…

Crown Resorts has fully integrated an innovative carded play system into the electronic gaming machines of its Melbourne-based casino. This technology makes it compulsory for players to set up limits that will assist them in gambling responsibly. Crown Melbourne is the first gambling business to implement this specific type of responsible gambling technology when it comes to electronic gaming machines. The aim of the carded play measures is to prevent gambling harm, and they are set to be introduced to all electronic gaming machines across the state of Victoria. As…

December 12th saw an announcement by the Cheltenham Jockey Club that Virgin Bet will be the key sponsor of this year’s Cheltenham: the December Gold Cup. The event, which is named the Virgin Bet December Gold Cup, will take place on December 16th, and Virgin Bet will sponsor The Christmas Meeting and the final race. Ric Leask, Virgin Bet’s Marketing Director, said that Virgin Bet’s support of “one of the most prestigious events in the racing calendar” is the best way to demonstrate the sportsbook’s passionate commitment to ensuring an…

Last week, the Winchester Crown Court ruled that Thomas Meggison, a veteran who used to serve in the British Army in Iraq, has three months to pay over £145,500 for defrauding the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Army Cadet Force. As reported by the Hampshire Chronicle, nearly £110,000 of the money will be given as compensation to the cadet force. Earlier this year, the former military Major from Harestock, Winchester, was found guilty of stealing over £102,500 from the cadet force in order to pay off his gambling debts, and…

The UK Government’s Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has published data that provides insight into problem gambling and its treatment. According to the findings, gambling harm is a significant issue in the UK, with almost 1.6 million adults standing to benefit from support that aims to treat problem gambling. The estimates were made by researchers at the University of Sheffield and the University of Glasgow, and the results’ focus lies primarily on individuals suffering from problem gambling. The team utilised information from the Health Survey for England, which…

GambleAware has published a report that focuses on how members of minority groups are affected by gambling and problem gambling, in particular. With the support of the University of Manchester, the study was conducted by Ipsos UK and ClearView Research. According to the findings, there is a definitive link between the discrimination faced by minority groups and gambling harm. One of the first issues the report examined was the connection between racism, discrimination and financial difficulties, with 57% of participants who belong to a minority group pointing to their financial…

Australia’s upper house has officially passed a bill that prohibits the usage of credit cards for online gambling. As previously reported by Casino Guardian, November saw the Australian House of Representatives voting in favour of passing the bill. A fine of up to AU$234,750 is what remote casino businesses will face if they do not successfully enforce this prohibition within the six-month transition period granted by Australian authorities. In a media release on the official Ministers for the Department of Social Services website, it was also clarified that the ban…

December 5th saw an announcement by Entain PLC, parent company of Ladbrokes and Coral, that it has reached a final settlement with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) over the Turkish bribery probe launched by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in 2019. Dame Victoria Sharp, President of the King’s Bench Division at the Royal Courts of Justice sitting as the Crown Court at Southwark, is the judge who approved the Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA). The investigation has now been officially resolved, and as per the previously agreed upon terms, Entain pay…