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Casino Guru’s complaint data reveals scope of UK players gambling at unlicensed websites

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The Gambling Commission’s recent calls for evidence and views from the industry and the public regarding upcoming changes to Great Britain’s gambling regulation has seen a number of professionals emphasize the potential rise of black-market gambling as a consequence of tightening regulations.

These claims have been largely backed up by a PwC report, which estimates the number of UK online gamblers using unlicensed operators to have more than doubled from 2018 to 2020, from c.210,000 to c.460,000 gamblers.

Later on, UK gambling firms have been accused of exaggerating the scale of black-market gambling in an attempt to influence the GC’s decision to introduce tougher regulations. The GC’s chief executive Neil McArthur commented that the report delivered by PwC is not consistent with their intelligence picture and lacked any evidence to show an increase in illicit betting. He added that GC’s own evidence suggests that the impact may be being exaggerated.

Simon Vincze, Casino Guru’s Responsible Gambling Projects Manager, has been keeping up with the heated discussion taking place in British media and looked into their data on player complaints to get an idea about the scope of the issue: “I understand the need for regulation in the gambling market and its usefulness in keeping children and vulnerable players safe. It’s something I deeply believe in and work towards in my position as well. However, it didn’t seem right to me to just disregard the negative effects of tightening regulations altogether.”

Casino Guru operates a casino dispute mediation service, in which players can complain about any online casino if they feel to have been mistreated, regardless of its license, and get assisted for free. After looking into their data, Simon discovered 666 complaints submitted by players from the UK, of which 145 is about casinos with a license from GC and 521 is about casinos without it. This means that 78% of all complaints submitted by UK players have been about operators without a GC license.

“Of course, this doesn’t mean that 78% of UK players gamble at foreign websites. Because of the generally lower quality of service and reputation of these operators, it can be expected that these players will run into issues more often, resulting in a higher proportion of players submitting public complaints. However, it is also a clear sign that there are UK players gambling at casinos without a GC license, and that there is quite a lot of them,” Simon commented on this data.

He also compared the British situation to what has happened in Sweden: “When gambling regulations get more restrictive, an increased proportion of players usually start looking for unlicensed operators to avoid those regulations. Sweden is a great example of this, where 40% of casino players and 34% of sports betters gamble on unlicensed websites or would consider doing so in future, according to a study published back in April 2020. Taking a look at Google search data, there has been a major increase in Swedish players actively looking for unlicensed casinos since introducing the country’s gambling regulations with a strong focus on player safety.”

“With tighter regulations being introduced in Great Britain, the GC should be aware of the possibility of an increasing number of British punters actively looking for unlicensed sites in attempts to avoid the strict regulations. These players then gamble on foreign websites without the strict limits present at UK-licensed ones, ending up more susceptible to problematic gambling habits as a result of lower responsible gambling standards of some foreign operators, on top of other negative qualities that can be present at these websites.”

Data from the PwC report suggests that 4,5% of UK players gamble at foreign websites, while 78% of all complaints submitted to Casino Guru by UK players are related to these foreign websites.

Simon commented: “Combining this data would suggest that 4,5% of players are responsible for 78% of all casino complaints, which would signify a huge imbalance. Of course, the numbers are based on different data and there may be other factors in play, but I think that the imbalance is there, and has to do with the fact that players gambling on foreign websites simply run into issues more often. These can range from unclear bonus terms and bad implementation of responsible gambling features all the way to unscrupulous casinos outright scamming players.”

“If an increasing number of players leave the regulated market and go for foreign alternatives, they may be subject to a higher risk of developing problem gambling and losing money to foreign websites, some of which can have unscrupulous tendencies. This seems like a good enough reason to seriously consider the risk of rising use of black-market gambling websites by UK players,” he added.

While the GC is examining evidence presented by stakeholders and working towards updated gambling regulation, it remains to be seen how the situation ends up being handled and what new rules get implemented. Only time will tell whether tighter regulation really does increase the use of black-market sites or not, and whether the benefits will outweigh possible drawbacks.

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IBJR hails App Store approval as a milestone in the fight against illegal betting in Brazil

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The Brazilian Institute for Responsible Gaming (IBJR) considers Apple’s decision to allow the distribution of regulated sports betting and online gaming applications on its Brazilian App Store a key milestone for the consolidation of a transparent and integrity-driven sector.

This measure strengthens regulation by making it easier for users to clearly identify operators that are duly authorized to operate in compliance with national rules.

Following Google’s decision, made less than a year ago, to authorize the distribution of sports betting apps on the Play Store in Brazil, this initiative acts as a powerful cybersecurity filter and helps protect consumers from the risks of the illegal market.

Since only operators licensed by the SPA are allowed to offer services to iOS users, the process of channeling traffic into the regulated environment is further strengthened.

However, for the measure to be fully effective, continuous enforcement is required, as several illegal apps can still be found on major platforms.

Data from Instituto Locomotiva, in partnership with LCA Consultoria, indicate that the illegal environment—much of it controlled by organized crime—moves around R$40 billion per year in Brazil and generates an estimated annual loss of R$10.8 billion in tax revenue.

In this context, actions that help distinguish legal operators from unauthorized ones are essential.

The presence of applications on both the Play Store and Apple Store reinforces the commitment to Responsible Gaming, as they integrate functionalities required by legislation and audited by the platforms.

These include strict age verification to prevent access by minors under 18, clear risk warnings related to gambling, and self-exclusion tools.

The post IBJR hails App Store approval as a milestone in the fight against illegal betting in Brazil appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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Black Label

Pragmatic Play signs Latam Agreement with Black Label

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 Pragmatic Play, a leading content provider to the iGaming industry, has strengthened its reach in the regulated Latin American market through a multi-product deal with platform provider Black Label. 

The partnership will see Pragmatic Play’s premium portfolio, including Slots, Live Casino, and Virtual Sports, integrated into the Black Label platform, enabling regulated operators across LatAm to seamlessly access the supplier’s content. 

Pragmatic Play titles, including multi-award-winning slots such as Gates of Olympus and Sugar Rush, as well as popular crash games like High Flyer and Spaceman, are now available to Black Label’s partners in the region.

 Black Label, a 360‑degree online gaming experience, serves as an end‑to‑end integration platform for launching or scaling online casinos.

Built with a deep understanding of Latin American players and offered in Spanish, it provides locally aligned solutions for one of the fastest‑growing regulated markets in the industry. 

Victor Arias, VP of Latin America at ARRISE, a global iGaming software and services leader and a key partner to Pragmatic Play, said

“Latin America remains one of the most dynamic and fast-growing regions in the industry, and partnering with Black Label allows Pragmatic Play to further boost its reach across the market.  

“Combining Pragmatic Play’s award‑winning content with Black Label’s locally aligned platform to support operators and players across the region is another positive step, and one that further cements Pragmatic Play’s status in Latin America.”

 Roberto González, general manager at Black Label, added: “Pragmatic Play is a globally respected supplier, and integrating its multiproduct portfolio is a major milestone for Black Label. 

“Our platform is built specifically for the needs of Latin American operators, and adding Pragmatic Play’s high‑performing content further strengthens the value we deliver to our partners.       

The post Pragmatic Play signs Latam Agreement with Black Label appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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Advanced Compliance Technology

Advanced Compliance Technology partners with the Soccer Federation of Rio Grande do Norte

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ACT has been selected to collaborate in building integrity programs of Brazil’s football leagues through its independent, real-time Sports Integrity monitoring technology and specialized education programs  to strengthen Brazilian Sports Integrity.

Advanced Compliance Technology (ACT), a leader in compliance, sports integrity and risk solutions for the global regulated betting and gaming industry, has entered a partnership with the Soccer Federation of North Rio Grande, a regional member of the national Brazilian Soccer Confederation (CBF).

The agreement signifies an important step forward in Brazilian football’s vision for the future as it adapts to the needs of the country’s new sports betting regulations, with an equal focus on safeguarding the integrity of competitions and protecting the athletes.

Under the agreement, ACT will conduct a comprehensive analysis of the current status of the leagues’ needs operating within Brazil’s emerging regulated market.

ACT will also deliver educational programs tailored to the Brazilian sports markets, drawing on its expert sports leadership team, who share decades of experience and who have identified some of the largest match-fixing incidents in the United States.

The ACT team will combine their knowledge of sports betting, insider trading, and specialized analytics to address the growing need for sports integrity monitoring across Brazilian leagues. This will include the application of advanced technology through ACT’s proprietary online monitoring platform, the only real-time technology of its kind that is independent from betting operators and trading services.

Susan Bala, Co-Founder and Director at Advanced Compliance Technology, and former Delegate for the U.S. Commerce Department in Central and South America said: 

“We are entering a new chapter in global sports with the introduction of legalised sports betting in Brazil. The country has an incredible and proud history in soccer, producing many of the game’s greatest athletes.

ACT is very pleased to collaborate with the leadership of the Soccer Federation of Rio Grande do Norte league in their mission to build a strong future through education and application of the most advanced technology solutions to safeguard the sport.”

Felipe Silva, Acting President of the Soccer Federation of Rio Grande do Norte, and José Silva, Vice President of the Brazilian Soccer Confederation, said: 

“We are extremely pleased to be working with ACT on this initiative. We recognise the importance of educating our athletes and protecting the sport we love. It is our mission through this work to contribute to the future success of Brazilian football.

About Advanced Compliance Technology (ACT)

Advanced Compliance Technology is a leading provider of regulatory technology solutions for compliance and integrity monitoring in the global betting and gaming sector.

ACT’s all-in-one platform delivers the most advanced technology tools to help leagues, operators and regulators meet their complex compliance requirements with an independent expert service and real-time performance.

The company’s technology combines advanced geolocation intelligence, identity verification, advanced anti-fraud mechanisms, sports integrity and behavioural analytics to prevent circumvention, strengthen market integrity and support player protection.

The post Advanced Compliance Technology partners with the Soccer Federation of Rio Grande do Norte appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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