Compliance Updates
Congratulations on appointment and invitation to meet ahead of Gambling Review
The below letter is from John White, CEO of bacta, the trade body which represents seaside arcades and adult gaming centres across the UK.
Congratulations on your appointment as Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy. We enjoyed a positive working relationship with your predecessor, Chris Philp MP, and look forward to enjoying a similarly productive relationship with you and your team.
The upcoming review of the 2005 Gambling Act provides a vital opportunity to update legislation to reflect the modern and rapidly changing nature of the industry. The result must be a system which delivers the most socially responsible products, provides the Gambling Commission with the powers it needs, and is fit for purpose in the 21st Century.
As you know, bacta represents the amusement machine industry and supply chain. From creating jobs on the high street, permanent and seasonal work at the seaside, and high-tech manufacturing jobs in the supply chain, the amusement and gaming industry drives economic growth and spreads prosperity to all corners of the UK. Indeed, we provide economic activity in some of the most deprived areas of the country. We are also the sector that provides juke boxes, fruit machines and pool tables to pubs and clubs helping to support what is now, sadly, a dwindling number of venues. You will know both from when we met a few years ago and from direct correspondence that our sector is an important contributor to the local economy in Folkestone.
It is vital that the upcoming Review recognises the importance of the land-based sector to the wider industry, whilst also taking steps to ensure that those businesses on our high streets, seafronts and across the supply chain are given the support they need to flourish.
Ahead of the publication of the Review, which we have heard could be as soon as next week, we would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss our views on the Review and how it can support our members.
We were concerned by reports last month that the White Paper may not support our ask to allow debit card transactions for gaming machines in venues. It is our view that, while the Review is supposed to be about bringing the act into the digital age and redressing the balance between online and offline, such a move disadvantages members like ours, and stands in contrast to the wider societal trends towards cashless payments. This was a view we set out in a letter to the Prime Minister last week, and we would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with you directly.
I hope you will be available to meet with us ahead of the publication of the Review, and look working with you in your new role.
Yours sincerely,
John White
Chief Executive
Bacta
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The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has fined the Werribee RSL $30,000 for failing to prevent 2 self-excluded customers from gambling.
VGCCC CEO Suzy Neilan said: “This is the first time the VGCCC has taken disciplinary action against a club or hotel for self-exclusion breaches.
“Self-exclusion programs empower people to manage their gambling by registering to be temporarily or permanently blocked from entering gambling areas of clubs, pubs and casinos.
“By failing to respect a person’s decision to self-exclude, a venue may put customers who have decided to take a break from gambling, or quit altogether, at risk of experiencing gambling harm.”
In January 2024, the VGCCC received an anonymous tip-off that a self-excluded person entered the Werribee RSL gaming room and used the poker machines. The venue self-reported a second breach in May 2024, after realising a different customer had gambled at the venue on at least 4 occasions between February and May 2024.
Ms Neilan said: “Taking disciplinary action is the last resort. We would prefer venues take their harm minimisation responsibilities seriously by complying with their legal obligations, including through the effective implementation of tools like self-exclusion.
“Venues and their staff are the last line of defence for self-excluded customers, who should be able to trust that their decision to self-exclude will be respected. They must have the appropriate controls in place to prevent self-excluded people from entering gaming rooms.”
The VGCCC acknowledged that Werribee RSL cooperated with the investigations and has since taken steps to strengthen its procedures. These include improved and regular staff training, daily audits of the self-exclusion register and greater use of technology to identify self-excluded customers who attempt to enter the gaming room.
This remedial action was taken into consideration in determining the amount of the fine.
The post VGCCC Fines Werribee RSL for Self-exclusion Failures appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Konami Gaming Inc. announced successful completion of Gaming-related Vendor Licensing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a key emerging market for commercial gaming. Konami Gaming is among the first in the industry to be awarded a Gaming-Related Vendor License by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), an independent entity of the UAE Federal Government with exclusive jurisdiction to regulate, license, and supervise all UAE commercial gaming activities. A leading global provider of casino games and casino management systems, Konami has been awarded official license to serve the UAE’s developing gaming market with its award-winning products and services.
“Since Konami Gaming’s inception, our global growth has been achieved with an unwavering commitment to compliance. As the United Arab Emirates expands its economy to the regulated commercial gaming space, Konami is dedicated to supporting this market with the same integrity, innovation, and excellence we bring to all 431 gaming jurisdictions we serve worldwide,” said Tom Jingoli, president & chief operating officer at Konami Gaming.
For a quarter century, casino players have enjoyed Konami Gaming’s slot machines for the Class III gaming space, in which game outcomes are determined by random number generators (RNG). The company has since expanded its world-famous casino entertainment to online gaming and a variety of central determination market sectors. Additionally, Konami Gaming has spent over 20 years delivering its industry-leading SYNKROS casino management system to some of the largest and most diverse gaming destinations on earth, with ultra-reliable 99.99% uptime.
The post Konami Gaming Awarded Gaming-related Vendor License in the UAE appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued ReadyBet with a remedial direction after the company marketed to customers who had registered with BetStop – the National Self-Exclusion Register (NSER).
An ACMA investigation found ReadyBet sent 273 texts and push notifications from its mobile app to self-excluded individuals.
Separately, the company also failed to promote the NSER in 2342 push notifications despite it being mandatory to promote BetStop in any marketing electronic messages.
The ACMA issued the remedial direction so that ReadyBet takes action to prevent it breaching the rules in the future.
Under the remedial direction, ReadyBet must commission an independent review of its marketing systems, including its use of third-party suppliers.
ReadyBet must also engage a provider to deliver training to its staff to avoid messages being sent to self-excluded individuals.
The ACMA may seek civil penalties if ReadyBet does not comply with the remedial direction.
The post ACMA: ReadyBet Breaches Gambling Self-exclusion Rules appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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