Australia
Australian Study: Loot Box Buyers More Susceptible To Problem
Researchers in Experimental Gambling Research Laboratory (EGRL) at CQUniversity Australia has found that purchase of loot boxes make players more prone to real-life gambling problems. According to the study, players who purchase loot boxes are not only more likely to gamble in real life but more likely to wager for large amounts as well.
The study was funded by the NSW Government Responsible Gambling Fund. It had a sample size of 1,954 NSW residents who age ranged from 12 to 24. Among the respondents, 22.3% admitted to have gambling problems. The high percentage of people with gambling problems could be due to the fact that sample was chosen among people who engage with gambling and video games.
The study also found that 62% of the most popular video games have loot boxes of some form. In the study, a large majority of respondents (93.2%) had played at least one of these games in the last 12 months and 69.4% had opened a loot box from these games in the same period, However, only 32.9% of the respondents have actually bought the loot boxes.
Professor Matthew Rockloff, the lead author of the study, said: “[Loot boxes] are a growing concern because of the risk and reward elements associated with them that is similar to gambling and there are currently no age limits to play these games. For both young adults and adolescents, there was a strong association between current loot box use and gambling risk. Consequently, although median expenditure on loot boxes is modest, there is evidence that these products are associated with harmful gambling involvement.”
The study urges for preventative measures to prevent the exposure of adolescents to loot boxes.
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The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has requested the Australian internet service providers (ISPs) to block more illegal online gambling sites, after investigations found these services to be operating in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
The latest sites blocked include Casiny, CoinPoker, Crown Play, Fafabet9, SlotFred, Smart 93 and Vigor Spin.
Website blocking is one of a range of enforcement options to protect Australians against illegal online gambling. Since the ACMA made its first blocking request in November 2019, 1251 illegal gambling and affiliate websites have been blocked. Around 220 illegal services have also pulled out of the Australian market since the ACMA started enforcing new illegal online gambling rules in 2017.
The post ACMA Blocks More llegal Online Gambling Websites appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Tabcorp Holdings Limited (TAB) has been penalised $4,003,270 for sending more than 5700 marketing messages to customers of its VIP Programme that broke Australia’s spam laws.
An Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) investigation found that TAB sent 2598 SMS and WhatsApp messages to VIP customers between 1 February and 1 May 2024 without providing an option to unsubscribe from the messages.
The ACMA also found that 3148 SMS and WhatsApp messages did not contain adequate sender information across the same period, and 11 SMS messages were sent without consent between 15 February and 29 April 2024.
Authority Member Samantha Yorke said the breaches were deeply concerning as they involved non-compliance by a large and established gambling provider that targeted VIP Programme customers.
“This is the first time the ACMA has investigated and found spam breaches in a gambling VIP program. These programs often involve personalised messages offering incentives such as bonus bets, deposit matching, rebates and offers of tickets to sporting and other events.
“The gambling industry needs to understand that spam laws apply to all direct marketing—whether it’s generic campaigns or personalised messages,” Ms Yorke said.
“VIPs should not be confused with gambling ‘high-rollers’. These types of gambling VIP programs can involve customers who are not well off and are experiencing significant losses,” Ms Yorke said.
“It is utterly unacceptable that TAB did not have adequate spam compliance systems in place.”
Under the Spam Act 2003, businesses must have consent before sending marketing messages. Messages sent with consent must also contain a working unsubscribe option and information about the sender.
“When people make choices to unsubscribe from a service they must be able to do so easily and their decisions must be respected by companies,” Ms Yorke said.
TAB has also entered into a 3-year court-enforceable undertaking. This includes an independent review of its direct marketing systems, making improvements, running quarterly audits of its VIP direct marketing, training staff and reporting to the ACMA regularly.
“The ACMA will be watching closely to ensure TAB meets its commitments and complies with the spam laws in future,” Ms Yorke said.
Cracking down on gambling safeguards and spam rules are current compliance priorities for the ACMA. Over the last 18 months businesses have been penalised over $16.9 million for spam breaches.
The post ACMA: TAB Penalised $4 Million for Spamming VIP Customers appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The organisers of Regulating the Game have announced the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) as a confirmed judge for the inaugural RTG Global Awards, to be presented at the Regulating the Game 2026 Gala Dinner on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in Sydney.
The RTG Global Awards celebrate excellence in leadership, innovation and impact across community impact, compliance, safer gambling, industry integrity and financial crime risk management. The Awards form part of the sixth edition of Regulating the Game, an international conference committed to enhancing sector integrity, regulatory capability and ethical leadership.
Founded in 2005, IBIA is the leading global voice on integrity for the licensed betting industry. It is a not-for-profit association whose members include many of the world’s largest regulated betting operators, active across six continents. IBIA plays a crucial role in safeguarding sport and the betting industry from corruption, operating a world-leading monitoring and alert platform and collaborating with regulators and sports governing bodies around the world.
Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, joins the RTG Global Awards judging panel, bringing deep sector expertise and a steadfast commitment to integrity and responsible betting practices.
He said: “I am honoured to join the judging panel for the RTG Global Awards. At IBIA, we are dedicated to upholding integrity and transparency across the global betting landscape. These Awards spotlight the organisations and individuals working to advance ethical conduct and effective regulation, and we are proud to support that mission.”
Paul Newson, Principal at Vanguard Overwatch and founder of Regulating the Game, welcomed the announcement: “Khalid’s appointment and IBIA’s involvement reflect the global calibre and integrity-centred mission of the Awards. Their leadership in monitoring and protecting sport from betting-related corruption aligns perfectly with our vision to champion excellence and elevate standards across the sector.”
• The RTG Global Awards will feature six categories:
• Leadership Voice – for principled, reform-focused leadership contributing to sector uplift
• Safer Gambling Champion – for operators or organisations demonstrating tangible harm minimisation outcomes
• Compliance Excellence – recognising uplift in AML, risk culture, or regulatory compliance
• RegTech Solution of the Year – celebrating innovative technologies improving sector integrity and compliance
• Community Impact Initiative – for initiatives delivering measurable community benefit
• Emerging Leader – Safer Gambling or Compliance – spotlighting rising talent (under 40) making meaningful contributions.
Key Dates:
• Nominations Open: Tuesday, July 1, 2025
• Nominations Close: Friday, December 12, 2025
• Finalists Announced: Monday, February, 2 2026
• Awards Presented: Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at the Regulating the Game Gala Dinner.
Nominations will open on July 1, 2025, with further details and submission guidelines available at: www.regulatingthegame.com/global-awards-2026.
The post IBIA Joins the Judging Panel for Inaugural RTG Global Awards appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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