Responsible gambling Archives

March 28, 2024

PGAM 2024: How is the industry raising RG standards?

This year’s US Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM) comes amid the first concerted backlash against gaming expansion, so how has that changed the way operators are leveraging the initiative? iGB speaks to executives from DraftKings, Betr and OpenBet to find out what these companies are doing to raise standards.

Following the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018, gambling fever has swept large sections of the US, with 40 jurisdictions since taking up the option to offer legal wagering.

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) launched PGAM in 2003 with the aim of raising awareness on the issue. Since its inception, and particularly post-PASPA, the event has marked an important month in the calendar in the fight for responsible gambling (RG).

Chrissy Thurmond, head of RG relations at DraftKings, hails the influence of PGAM in helping the gambling industry to combat irresponsible play.

“One of the things that has been really benefic..

March 28, 2024

Georgia committee passes wagering bill with most generous RG cutout in US

Georgia's House Higher Education Committee passed a package of sports betting bills that ultimately could send at least $22.5m per year to problem and responsible gambling programmes should the state legalise mobile wagering later today.

Today (28 March) Georgia’s General Assembly is set to adjourn by 11.59pm EST. The Higher Education Committee passed amended versions of SR 579 and SB 386, and the Rules Committee put the package on its agenda less than 30 minutes later, but has not yet sent it to the house floor.

Should the house pass the package, it would have to go back to the senate for concurrence or to a conference committee because the bills were amended.

The issue has been sitting in the Higher Education Committee for more than a month as lawmakers rallied support and massaged the bills to find a consensus. As recently as Wednesday (27 March) the proposals were laid over due to lack of support. It was not clear until the vote was called Thursday morning that there was..

March 27, 2024

Leading US operators launch Responsible Online Gaming Association

Seven of North America's largest operators have joined together to launch the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) in a bid to promote responsible gaming (RG).

ROGA is aiming to promote best RG practices among the industry. BetMGM, Bet365, DraftKings, Fanatics Betting & Gaming, FanDuel, Hard Rock Digital and Penn Entertainment are all collaborating.

According to the launch announcement, the companies involved represent over 85% of the legalised online sports betting and igaming industry in the US. They have pledged more than $20m (£15.8m/€18.5m) to support ROGA’s objectives over the first year of its existence.

Dr Jennifer Shatley will serve as ROGA’s executive director, tapping into her 25 years of experience within the industry and extensive work as an RG executive to facilitate widespread education on the topic.

Shatley’s work with ROGA will take place alongside her role as president of the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling, as well as her position as a member of t..

November 10, 2023

Affordability checks: GC chief dismisses black market fears

GC chief executive Andrew Rhodes again dismissed arguments that “intrusive” affordability checks would drive customers towards the black market.

In a bid to quell the gathering storm around affordability checks, Andrew Rhodes, the Gambling Commission’s (GC) chief executive, addressed the largest-ever gathering of industry leaders on the 10 November.

Amid conflicts with stakeholders across the UK betting landscape, Rhodes looked to outline the challenges the industry faces with the implementation of the government’s Gambling Act Review white paper.

Affordability polarisation

Acknowledging the increasing polarisation within the industry, Rhodes looked to re-iterate the Commission’s impartiality as an independent regulator.

“We have clear statutory objectives and responsibilities. We don’t have a commercial interest in what happens, but that doesn’t mean we ignore commercial realities,” he said.

“The debate on gambling has been exceptionally hard to engage in during the past year. ..

August 21, 2023

Australia launches national self-exclusion register BetStop

The Australian government has today (21 August) announced the launch of the country’s new national self-exclusion register, BetStop.

Players can self-exclude from gambling for a minimum of three months and for as long as their lifetime. BetStop covers all licensed interactive wagering service providers in Australia, including online and telephone-based operators.

Operators must block self-excluded players from opening account and cannot accept any bets from these customers. Licensees must also ensure they do not send any marketing materials to those on the register.

In addition, operators are required to promote BetStop including on their websites and apps, as well as in marketing material sent to customers.

BetStop completes National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering

The launch of BetStop has been a long time coming, with plans to launch a register announced in June 2022. Today’s launch is in line with a timetable set out by the government last month.

BetStop m..

June 29, 2023

Epic and Entain to educate MLS players on gambling harm

Epic Risk Management and the Entain Foundation US charitable arm of Entain have linked up on a new initiative to educate Major League Soccer (MLS) players about gambling harm.

Under the deal, Epic and Entain will work with the Major League Soccer Players Association (MLSPA), the collective bargaining representative for MLS players.

The three-year programme will include customised gambling harm education and awareness programmes and advisory resources.

Epic will deliver gambling harm prevention education and awareness workshops. It will also make prevention resources, advisory resources and content available to the entire MLSPA membership.

Read the full story on iGB North America

January 31, 2023

Massachusetts launches sports betting voluntary self-exclusion scheme

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) has launched a new voluntary self-exclusion (VSE) scheme for sports betting ahead of the launch of the state’s legal wagering market.

Massachusetts is due to open its regulated sports betting market today (31 January), with the self-exclusion initiative allowing people to opt out of betting with licensed online and land-based operators in the state.

Consumers wishing to register for the scheme can do so via GameSense either over the phone, online or at land-based GameSense centers within Massachusetts.

Read the full story on iGB North America

October 25, 2022

American Gaming Association CEO on the rebirth and renewal of US gambling

Bill Miller could argue that his tenure has seen the most transformative period for the gaming industry since the American Gaming Association was established in 1995. He talks to Robin Harrison about sports betting, gaming expansion, Covid-19, safer gambling and the illegal market in this exclusive interview.

When Bill Miller took charge of the American Gaming Association (AGA) in January 2019, the US commercial gaming industry was poised for a period of explosive growth.

Legal sports betting, thanks to the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), was rapidly spreading across the US.

The industry as a whole posted its fifth consecutive year of revenue growth for that year, with 2019’s total breaking records at $43.6bn.

The industry generated $10.2bn in gaming taxes for state and local governments with 21 of 25 commercial gaming states posting year-on-year revenue growth. This sum covers annual education costs for 832,000 elementary and secondary scho..

October 19, 2022

GB problem gambling trends in focus

This infographic highlights interesting results and recent trends from the Gambling Commission’s quarterly telephone survey on gambling participation. The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) mini-screen is conducted as part of the survey and the results provide insight into the risks to gamblers in Great Britain.

October 18, 2022

How is safer gambling promoted at retail betting shops?

Safer gambling week special: Online gambling has got much of the attention, but preventing harm in retail betting can be a difficult problem where technological solutions can be harder to implement. iGB looks at what safer gambling tools are available at betting shops.

To the average person in the UK, the most notable sign every year that it’s Safer Gambling Week would be from betting shops.

The industry’s initiatives during the week are wide-reaching, across both physical and online spaces.

But betting shops, despite a decline in numbers in recent years, are still on almost every high street in the country. And almost every one is plastered with signs encouraging people to think more about their gambling activity.

But inside those retail betting shops, what can be done to protect customers?

As pressure from the media and government around harmful gambling grows, the industry has attempted to show that it can deal with potential harm without needing strict interventions that could..

September 21, 2022

FanDuel expands responsible gambling efforts

Flutter Entertainment-owned FanDuel Group has announced a series of new responsible gambling initiatives to coincide with the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Responsible Gaming Education Month.

The group hosted its first, business-wide “Play Well Day” where workers were invited to an employee-only event, promoting the role of staff in creating a culture that embraces safer play.

During the Play Well Day, FanDuel announced the appointment of professional boxer, mixed martial artist and wrestler Amanda Serrano as a responsible gaming ambassador.

Read the full story on iGB North America.

July 13, 2022

Industry shares resilient amid report of white paper details

Industry share prices rebounded from an initial dip following a report that the new Gambling Act white paper will include a £125 monthly soft cap on affordability – with harder checks for players losing £2,000 in three months.

Industry commentators Earnings + More reported a number of details this morning related to the content of the Gambling Act White Paper.

Industry sources confirmed to iGB it matched up with their understanding of the document.

Perhaps the most significant detail in the report was detail of the affordability checks that operators may be required to perform. Players would be allowed to have a net loss of up to £125 per month or £500 per year before “passive” checks – to see if players have obvious signs of financial difficulties such as county court judgements – kick in.

Those who lose more than £1,000 in 24 hours or £2,000 within 90 days will face “more detailed” checks.

New accounts will face lower thresholds.

Sources raised questions, however, of what the d..

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Tag: Responsible gambling