Compliance Updates

Betting and Gaming Council’s Response To Peers For Gambling Reform’s Report

Published

4 years ago

May 27, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Michael Dugher, the chief executive of Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), issued a statement as a response to recommendations of a recent report by Peers for Gambling Reform (PGR), an informal group of legislators with a common interest in gambling reform.

PGR had claimed in the report, based on the findings in its study that an overhaul of gambling would have a positive social effect on gambling in terms of employment, tax revenue and staff salary.

We reproduce here excerpts from BGC’s response.

European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

“We welcome the Government’s Gambling Review and we are confident that Ministers will make sensible decisions for the future that are based on serious evidence, rather than the fantasy figures contained in this report.

“We 100 per cent committed to change and we hope that the White Paper will lead to a package of reforms that continue recent significant improvements in safer gambling.

“The dream of anti-gambling prohibitionists has always been to somehow force people not to gamble or to gamble less, just because they don’t like betting. A minority of peers may look down their noses at the millions of working people who enjoy a bet, but the truth is that the overwhelming majority do so perfectly safely. And the idea that somehow restricting betting would create more jobs is economically daft and frankly for the birds. This is the theory that if you closed the betting shops there would somehow be a boom in the sale of scented candles.

An authoritative report earlier this year by EY found that BGC members alone support 119,000 jobs, generates £4.5bn in tax to the Treasury and contributed £7.7bn for the UK economy in gross value added in 2019. This contribution will be vital as the Government tries to repair the nation’s finances in the wake of the pandemic.

“The financial support our members have given to sports such as horse racing, football, rugby league, darts and snooker has been a lifeline over the past year, so the suggestion that a ban on sponsorship will do anything other than drive people to the black market is bizarre.

“Furthermore, our members are spending £100m on research, education and treatment of problem gambling, as well as £10m on the Young People’s Gambling Harm Prevention programme.

“If people were restricted from betting in the regulated industry, they would simply migrate to the growing unlicensed, unsafe black market online that employs no one, pays no tax and contributes nothing to UK plc.”

Balkans

CT Gaming Receives Approval to Launch Diamond King 4 in Bulgarian Market

Published

3 days ago

February 21, 2025

Niji Narayan

ct-gaming-receives-approval-to-launch-diamond-king-4-in-bulgarian-market

Reading Time: < 1 minute

CT Gaming has announced that its latest multigame, Diamond King 4, has officially received certification to launch in the Bulgarian market.

“The certification of Diamond King 4 marks a significant milestone, allowing us to expand our presence in gaming halls across the country. This further solidifies our market position and provides operators and players access to one of our most innovative offerings,” Biser Bozhanov, Director of Strategy & Business Development at CT Gaming, said.

Built on the success of its predecessors, Diamond King 4 is designed to exceed expectations and establish itself as the next favorite among players. Launched in celebration of the company’s 25th anniversary, this multigame embodies CT Gaming’s core values – innovation and tradition. It combines classic and modern titles, appealing to both long-time fans of iconic games and new-generation players with enhanced graphics and contemporary gameplay solutions.

One of Diamond King 4’s standout features is its integration with the progressive jackpot Diamond Tree Deluxe. The new concept introduces a variety of reward options and a more engaging player experience, enriched with additional bonus features. Furthermore, the multigame package includes the fan-favorite Duck of Luck, now featuring a fully updated Buy Bonus option.

“We believe this certification is just the beginning of Diamond King 4’s successful integration into key markets – both in Europe and globally,” Biser Bozhanov added.

The post CT Gaming Receives Approval to Launch Diamond King 4 in Bulgarian Market appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Australia

Network 10 Breaches Gambling Ad Rules During Formula 1 Grand Prix Broadcast

Published

3 days ago

February 21, 2025

Niji Narayan

network-10-breaches-gambling-ad-rules-during-formula-1-grand-prix-broadcast

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Network Ten has been found in breach of broadcasting rules after airing gambling advertisements during the australian Formula 1 Grand Prix in March 2024.

An Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) investigation found four gambling ads were aired at prohibited times during a broadcast of the first practice round of the Grand Prix.

Under the Commercial TV Code of Practice (the Code), gambling promotions cannot be shown during broadcasts of sporting events between 5am and 8.30pm, including the five minutes before and after the event.

Authority member Carolyn Lidgerwood said the rules around gambling advertisements on TV are there to protect the community from gambling related harms.

“Broadcasters should have strict controls in place to ensure compliance with the restrictions on gambling ads during sporting events,” Ms Lidgerwood said.

Practice rounds and qualifying rounds for motorsports are subject to the same restrictions on gambling advertising as the main event itself.

This is the first breach by Network 10 of the gambling advertising rules in the Code. During the investigation, Network 10 submitted that the broadcasts occurred due to human error.

Following the ACMA’s breach finding, Network 10 voluntarily improved the planning, checks and balances it has in place for ad scheduling and has, at the ACMA’s request, agreed to review its processes to introduce additional quality controls.

Network 10 will also train staff to avoid similar issues in the future and will provide a written progress report to the ACMA.

In a separate investigation in 2024, the ACMA found that streaming service 10 Play, provided by Network 10, breached online gambling advertising rules during two live-streamed sports events.

“The ACMA will closely monitor these actions and Network Ten’s compliance with the broadcasting and online gambling advertising rules,” Ms Lidgerwood said.

The post Network 10 Breaches Gambling Ad Rules During Formula 1 Grand Prix Broadcast appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Compliance Updates

Washington’s Lottery Achieves Nation’s Highest Level of Responsible Gambling Certification

Published

3 days ago

February 21, 2025

GamingAmericas.com

washington’s-lottery-achieves-nation’s-highest-level-of-responsible-gambling-certification

Washington’s Lottery announced that it has achieved the highest level of responsible gambling certification in the country. As acknowledged by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL), Washington’s Lottery officially was certified for “Responsible Gambling Verification Best Practices at the Sustaining Level” in December 2024, the culmination of a process that began with certification at the Planning Level in 2019 and Implementation Level in 2021.

Washington’s Lottery is only the third state lottery in addition to Virginia and Ohio to achieve this milestone. NCPG and NASPL also recognize nine other state lotteries that have achieved a similar certification through the World Lottery Association.

“I can’t begin to express how proud I am of the work our team has done to achieve this important standard. We have a unique obligation as a state agency that sells a gambling product and need to balance the goal of raising money for important state initiatives like education with the need to acknowledge and assist the small percentage of players who may experience gambling-related distress. We take that work very seriously and weave it into all aspects of our jobs,” Kristi Weeks, Director of Legal Services for Washington’s Lottery, said.

To receive the Sustaining Level certification, Washington’s Lottery was evaluated by a team of four independent experts, who reviewed the lottery’s efforts in eight key categories related to responsible gambling: planning, employee training, retailer training, public education and awareness, product oversight, research, advertising, and resources.

“The key to our success has been the integration of responsible gambling initiatives into each and every employee’s position rather than centralizing it into only one or a few positions,” Weeks added.

The post Washington’s Lottery Achieves Nation’s Highest Level of Responsible Gambling Certification appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.