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The Assembly of Ireland, Dáil Éireann, seeks to impose a blanket ban on the use of credit cards for both retail and online gambling transactions. The move is part of the authorities’ effort to provide protection for people whose fascination with gambling pushes them to spend money they cannot actually afford to. The Betting (Prohibition on Use of Credit Cards) Bill, which was unveiled by Thomas Gould, a member of Sinn Féin, seeks to establish a blanket ban on the use of credit cards for all transactions related to gambling…

Next week, the Hastings Borough Council is expected to take into consideration a bingo premises licence application filed by the high-street gambling chain Merkur Slots. The company is seeking to be allowed to establish a bingo venue at a former pawnbrokers’ site in Queens Road. Currently, Merkur Slots, which also trades as the popular Cashino chain, is also seeking planning permission for the potential establishment of an Adult Gaming Centre (AGC) at the same location. As it was revealed by local authorities, the Hastings Borough Council is to consider the…

The independent UK charity organisation GamCare has rolled out its Big Deal campaign aimed at raising the problem gambling awareness of university students by providing those of them who are concerned with their gambling habits with relevant advice and support networks. The Bid Deal campaign has been launched at a time when university students are returning to campus after the regular education process and student life was disrupted by the coronavirus-related lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. The charity, which currently provides advice, support and information for individuals affected by problem…

Dr Alan Smith, the Bishop of St Albans, has blamed the gambling industry for making extremely large profits while British taxpayers are paying the price for dealing with gambling addiction. The accusations came as he responded to the latest publication of Public Health England (PHE) – a review of evidence for gambling-related harm that has been faced by Brits as a result of their participation in gambling. As Casino Guardian previously reported, the review found that gambling costs local society over £647 million on an annual basis. According to the…

A disagreement occurred between RTÉ and Greyhound Racing Ireland (GRI) over the Irish national broadcaster’s decision to no longer provide coverage of the sport. Also, Greyhound Racing Ireland has criticised two national tourism agencies – Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland – for stopping their promotional activity around the sport. Ger Dollard, who previously occupied the CEO position at GRI, commented on the issue, saying that the greyhound industry was being subject to different standards than other sports, including horse racing, and described this practice as unacceptable and unfair, especially considering…

Public Health England (PHE) has published its first evidence review of gambling-related harm on the territory of England. Now, the landmark study has provided information about the actual cost of problem gambling to the economy, saying it hit the £1.27-billion mark in 2019/2020 in England alone. In 2019, the PHE was commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care to carry out a review of the evidence on gambling harms. Allegedly, the review includes the most thorough estimate of the economic costs faced by society as a result of…

A recent report has shown that Australian customers’ spending on gambling, electronic gadgets and home deliveries has increased during the 2021 lockdowns. Two companies that track consumer spending in Australia, AlphaBeta and illion, published some data indicating a massive spike in online gambling in the country. The real-time data provided by both analytics companies showed that Australian customers’ spending on gambling services almost tripled during the latest lockdowns in the states of Victoria and New South Wales (NSW). According to the newest data provided, housebound customer spending on online gambling…

A report of the UK Government into the collapse of the popular soccer trading platform Football Index has criticised the gambling and financial regulatory bodies in the country. According to the report, called the Independent Review of the Regulation of BetIndex Limited, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) failed to understand how complex the new betting product was, as well as the regulation of such product so that it granted the company the wrong type of operating licence. As Casino Guardian previously reported, Football Index was earmarked as a virtual stock…

Amid the ongoing review of the 2005 Gambling Act, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) of the UK published an updated version of in-game purchases guidance. According to the new regulations, game developers and publishers will have to follow new guidelines on advertising microtransactions and in-game loot box purchases. Stress-inducing in-game elements like “Best Value” signs or in-game timers are also among the features that the ASA is currently tackling. The new guidance that ASA published includes regulations on in-game ads as well as common advertisements players can often see on…

The UK government could scrap a legislative loophole that enables offshore betting companies to promote themselves on the shirt fronts of Scottish and English football teams. The proposal might come as part of the authorities’ efforts to overhaul the country’s current gambling laws. As ministers are preparing to soon present their proposals for reforms, a full ban on betting firms’ logos on footballers’ shirts seems highly probable. The British government could go beyond the front-of-shirt sponsorship ban by targeting the white-label model many foreign gambling companies rely on to secure…