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UK Gambling Firms Accused of Exaggerating Scale of Black Market Betting
UK Gambling firms have been accused of concocting a “dodgy dossier” to exaggerate the scale of black market betting, in an attempt to influence an upcoming government review expected to result in tougher regulation.
Gambling industry figures recently seized on a report claiming that 200,000 people in the UK spend £1.4bn on black market sites every year, warning that tougher regulation could drive more people into the arms of “unscrupulous” operators.
But in a letter to a cross-party group of MPs examining gambling-related harm, the Gambling Commission’s chief executive, Neil McArthur, delivered a withering assessment of the report.
The boss of the gambling regulator said the report, written by consultancy PwC, was “not consistent with the intelligence picture” and did not distinguish between real consumers using black market sites and bots or other automated systems.
He said the report should be treated cautiously, adding that it lacked any evidence to show an increase in illicit betting.
“We know that licensed operators and their trade bodies are concerned about the impact of the illegal market, but our own evidence suggests that the impact may be being exaggerated,” he said.
McArthur said black market concerns should be kept in proportion “despite … reports from consultants paid for by the industry, and should not distract from the need to continue to drive up standards and make gambling safer in the regulated market.”
Such direct criticism from the regulator will be a blow for the industry lobby group, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), which has repeatedly referred to the report to back its arguments against stricter regulations.
The government is considering a range of measures that could involve limiting stakes on online virtual slot machines, or forcing web-based casinos to carry out thorough affordability checks if customers deposit a certain amount per month.
McArthur dismissed BGC’s suggestion that such measures could fuel a surge in black market operations.
“In any event, we are not convinced by the argument that suggests that raising standards in the licensed market will prompt consumers to gamble with illegal operators,” he said.
The Labour MP Carolyn Harris, who chairs the MPs’ group that receive the letter, said: “The online gambling industry talks up the threat of the black market in an attempt to resist regulation and protect its profits, but trying to hijack the debate by manufacturing dodgy dossiers of information to further their own ends is an incredibly transparent tactic and will not be any kind of excuse to hold down standards.”
The BGC and several of the UK’s major betting companies, which commissioned the report, refused a request to provide a copy.
But the Guardian has since obtained both a draft version, dated April 2019, and a final version, dated July 2019.
The two appear identical except that the final version removed a reference to the three firms that commissioned it, Ladbrokes owner GVC, William Hill and The Stars Group, which owned SkyBet and has since merged with Paddy Power owner Flutter.
Matt Zarb-Cousin, a former adviser to Jeremy Corbyn who runs the campaign group Clean Up Gambling, said: “The gambling industry has been quoting from this report as it attempts to drive a race to the bottom in regulation. Having finally seen the contents, it’s clear why it was reluctant to make this report available for public scrutiny.”
A BGC spokesperson said countries with tougher regulation than the UK had bigger black market problems.
“We have repeatedly called on the government to use the online harms bill to crack down on access to these sites, and we would support financial service providers being obliged to block black market transactions,” he said.
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Veikkaus’ active preparation towards the new gambling system, which will launch in 2027, continues.
As part of the new strategy, Veikkaus held change negotiations in the Betting and Online Casino operations in the autumn. The change negotiation process has now been completed. Following the change negotiations, 14 employment relationships ended and 19 Veikkaus employees underwent significant changes in their employment relationships.
“We had to make decisions that were painful from a human perspective, but they are necessary for the future of the company. I would like to thank those who will no longer be with us for their hard work,” said Business Director Jarkko Nordlund.
According to Nordlund, Veikkaus is now creating a new organizational structure that will prepare the company for the coming years.
“Digitalization is also strongly driving our industry. International competition and the pace of development are really fierce. Veikkaus has decades of fine traditions and a lot of good expertise as a company. Alongside these, we now need the kind of professionalism that will enable us to serve our customers even better and more individually.”
The company is recruiting dozens of new digital channel and betting professionals over the coming year.
“We need more expertise for Veikkaus that will make us even stronger and more competitive in the new market situation. We are also looking beyond Finland’s borders. According to current estimates, more than 30 new positions will open by next summer. We want to be strong, growing and profitable in the future,” Nordlund said.
The Parliament intends to have the new Gambling Act passed by the end of 2025. When the law comes into force, it will open up the opportunity for other gambling companies, in addition to Veikkaus, to apply for, for example, sports betting and online casino licenses in the Finnish market. According to the current estimate, other gambling companies could also start operating with a license in Finland during 2027.
Lottery games, cardboard tickets and physical slot machines will remain exclusive to Veikkaus in the future.
The post Veikkaus Renews its Betting and Online Casino Operations appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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The Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has conducted research into the risk analyses that online gambling providers must conduct regarding their sports betting offerings. The study examined the implementation of the identification, analysis and evaluation of risks to the integrity of the relevant matches at four providers. Based on this risk analysis, providers must identify and mitigate match-fixing risks.
Following reports to the Sports Betting Intelligence Unit (SBIU), an investigation has been launched into a possible match-fixing. By examining the providers’ risk analyses, it will become clear whether providers have their analyses properly in place and are adequately assessing, assessing and ultimately mitigating the risks. While the KSA sees room for improvement in areas such as the specification of certain risks, the measures taken and the implementation of the reporting obligation, it is generally positive about the implementation of the providers’ risk analyses. This represents an upward trend compared to a year ago. The KSA continues to randomly audit risk analyses.
Source: kansspelautoriteit.nl
The post Kansspelautoriteit Sees Increasing Risk Analyses of Sports Betting appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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The post Amusnet Releases Vampire Dice appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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