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Two in Three People Experiencing Gambling Problems Keep Issue Hidden
As many as 2 in 3 adults (64%) in Great Britain who have experienced any gambling problem have kept their experience hidden, new research from GambleAware has revealed. With almost 2 in 5 (39%) of those who hadn’t opened up stating feelings of stigma such as shame, guilt and fear of judgement represent key barriers to reaching out for support – the charity is issuing a call to end damaging stigma and encourage those who may be experiencing gambling harms to “open-up about gambling”.
Zoë Osmond, Chief Executive of GambleAware, said: “It’s alarming to see the number of people who are struggling in isolation. As a hidden addiction, gambling harms can be incredibly hard to spot from the outside. It is therefore critical that people impacted are aware of the wide range of support services available, and that they feel safe to come forward. Anyone can be impacted by gambling harms, but the first step is to open up and have that first conversation, ideally as early as possible.”
The campaign launch comes as research also suggests that most of the public believe certain gambling products, such as instant win games, are addictive, indicating how gambling harm can affect anyone and the importance of building empathy for those experiencing harm. Specifically, over seven in ten (71%) respondents said they believe instant win games are very or fairly addictive, followed by 64% for scratch cards and 62% for casino games.
Noteworthy football commentator Clive Tyldesley said: “I think that since I’ve started to work with charities and meet and talk with both people who gambled which were in recovery and bereaved family members, the thing that has struck me is how normal and unremarkable their backgrounds invariably are. Harmful gambling really can affect anyone and very often those suffering show no outward signs of their issues. It’s a silent, invisible problem because too often the gamblers disappear into their own feelings of embarrassment and guilt. They think they’re to blame when they are not, they think they’re alone when many others are wrestling with the same issues. Getting them to open up and talk is half the battle to beating the problem, either with people close to them or via the professional support the GambleAware website offers. The first conversation is maybe the most difficult but it’s the most soothing and the most important too.”
Professor Dame Clare Gerada said: “When I opened the doors of the nation’s first Primary Care Gambling Service a few short years ago, I was a relative newcomer to the challenges surrounding gambling. However, since then, my eyes have been thoroughly opened.
“Gambling is an addiction which can only be described as ‘uniquely’ awful: the ruin it wreaks on people’s lives can be complete and multi-layered; the collateral damage is also considerable as families and loved ones suffer alongside. Its inherently hidden nature means that, at the moment, people have to see their lives collapse around them before they get the help they desperately need. It doesn’t need to be like this. There is an incredible breadth of support service, from how to deal with debt, to how to stop gambling completely which people can access for free through the National Gambling Support Network, and I urge anyone concerned about their gambling to do so.”
Positively, the research also supports the benefits of opening up, as three out of four (76%) who had talked about their problems stated they felt better after speaking to someone. With gambling harms often manifesting as intrinsically “hidden” and isolating, GambleAware is aiming to bring to the surface the power of conversations and provide reassurance that help is never far.
The campaign has been developed in close collaboration with the gambling harms lived experienced community, and is supported by a range of expert and influential voices including ex-Love Islander Scott Thomas, who has previously experienced gambling harms.
Scott Thomas, Entrepreneur and Presenter, said: “It’s an incredibly scary thing to first tell someone that you’ve got a gambling problem. Many people assume it’s just because you can’t handle your money, but it needs to be viewed as seriously as any other mental health condition. I was terrified when I first opened up about the problems I had been having but, once I did, I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I no longer had to hide. I want the same to happen for anyone out there who feels like they might be struggling on their own.”
There is a vast range of resources available and anyone who is worried that gambling might be affecting themselves or someone they love are encouraged to use the self-assessment tool to get free and confidential support tailored to them and their specific needs.
Elissa Hubbard, who has lived experience of gambling harms, said: “Every day was full of anxiety – trying to keep my gambling a secret, whilst finding opportunities to do it more. People think you can ‘just stop’, but you can’t… it’s so easy to be dismissed, and I didn’t want anyone to think bad of me. Finding help changed everything. I discovered that by keeping quiet, it helps no one, and when you start to talk about it, people start to understand you.”
GambleAware has also created tools to help users calculate the time and money spent gambling, served with recommendations in line with the internationally proven Lower Risk Gambling Guidelines. These are expected to become available from early December as part of a soft launch on the GambleAware website.
Dr Ellie Cannon, medical expert and commentator, said: “Gambling harms – or the negative consequences of gambling – are a complex issue that goes far beyond just financial challenges. It can lead to poor mental health, physical health, and relationships break down. They way these issues manifest will vary from person to person, but being aware and recognising the early warning signs of spending increasing amounts of time, money and hiding your gambling can help get people to a better place, sooner.”
Gambling Minister Stuart Andrew said: “Too often we see the devastating impacts of harmful gambling, and our white paper outlines a host of new measures we’re implementing to protect those most at risk. A key element of our plans is the introduction of a statutory levy on gambling companies to raise sufficient, sustainable and trusted funding for research, prevention and treatment of gambling related harm. Stigma is the biggest barrier preventing people from seeking help, and I welcome GambleAware’s vital campaign which is raising awareness of the issue and helping people get the support they need.”
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NyesteCasino.com Reports: iGaming Industry Navigates Dual Pressures of Regulation and Growth
Norwich, United Kingdom, June 15th, 2026, PlayNewswire
NyesteCasino.com, a leading iGaming analysis resource, released its latest industry overview, highlighting a week defined by intensifying regulatory scrutiny alongside continued global market expansion.
From U.S. Senate hearings and a widening circuit split to the localisation of crypto casinos and a surge in World Cup betting activity, iGaming operators have been balancing risk management with aggressive growth strategies.
Over the past week, the global iGaming sector has faced two powerful and often conflicting forces. Regulators across the United States, Europe, Southeast Asia, and South America have tightened rules around prediction markets, sweepstakes casinos, and credit card usage for deposits. At the same time, online gambling platforms, content providers, and policy advisors have accelerated product innovation and executed timely, region-specific sports marketing campaigns.
According to NyesteCasino.com’s team, these developments signal a broader structural transition across the industry—one in which compliance agility is rapidly becoming as critical to success as product quality. Despite increasing regulatory headwinds, the pace of innovation and market demand continues to point toward sustained sector growth.
Prediction Markets: Courtrooms, Congress, and Cross-Border Bans
The week started with a long-awaited US Senate Commerce Subcommittee gathering. The hearing named “No Sure Bets” took place on May 20 under Chair Marsha Blackburn, and Blackburn indicated more sessions were to come. The debate between American Gaming Association CEO Bill Miller and former Congressman Patrick McHenry quickly turned into a clash over the future of prediction markets. While Miller named the sports event contracts as backdoor betting operations bypassing the state licences, tax regulations, and integrity safeguards, McHenry talked on behalf of the Coalition for Prediction Markets and opposed him, stating that the current CFTC supervision is working perfectly.
On 22 May, a panel from the Ninth Circuit rejected the stay requests filed by both Kalshi and Polymarket, refusing to halt state enforcement proceedings in Nevada and Washington, which complicated the legal situation even more. The court ruled that a federal preemption defence under the Commodity Exchange Act cannot, on its own, establish federal jurisdiction. The ongoing disagreement in the appeals court of New Jersey, which had previously upheld a Kalshi injunction, has gained strength with this decision. Moreover, the process leading to a Supreme Court review of state jurisdiction over event contracts has accelerated even more.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs categorised Polymarket as an online gambling site, disregarding its crypto-based structure, and has requested a national ban on the market platform on May 25. The reason for this request was a viral contract regarding whether President Prabowo Subianto would resign before the end of his term in October 2029. The contract generated a trading volume of approximately $46,000. The number of jurisdictions where Polymarket is inaccessible is growing, exceeding 33 around the world now, including India, Brazil, and Singapore, among other new blockers.
State-Level Regulations: An Anti-Sweepstakes Bill from Tennessee
There have also been state-level restrictions in Tennessee on online gambling law. During the same week, Governor Bill Lee signed two vital bills. Senate Bill 2136 made Tennessee the ninth US state banning sweepstake casinos and dual-currency systems completely, which grants the attorney general the power to enforce it. And according to the SB 1992, the second bill signed by the governor, anyone who deliberately influences the outcome of an event whilst holding a prediction market contract will be charged with a Class E felony. It is expected that these bills will guide other state legislatures who are planning similar regulations at the moment.
Europe and Brazil: Tax Proposals, Ad Restrictions, and Credit Bans
The European Parliament held a plenary debate on May 20 on a proposed EU-level gambling levy. Budget Commissioner Piotr Serafin confirmed the Commission is actively assessing the option alongside digital services and crypto-asset levies as part of the next Multiannual Financial Framework. Proponent MEP Victor Negrescu estimated the levy could raise between €2 and €4 billion annually for education, youth, and addiction prevention programmes. Opponents from EPP and ECR blocs raised concerns over subsidiarity, competitiveness, and national tax sovereignty, with any operational package targeted for January 2028.
Belgium’s Kansspelcommissie and the Netherlands Gambling Authority separately issued formal World Cup advertising warnings to licensed operators ahead of the June 11 to July 19 FIFA tournament. France’s ANJ flagged a year-on-year rise of more than 25% in operator marketing budgets as the tournament approaches. Meanwhile, Brazil formalised rules on May 25 to close off Pix Crédito as a deposit method on regulated betting platforms, a move prompted in part by a Folha de São Paulo audit revealing that major banks including Bradesco and Banco do Brasil, were still processing credit transfers into betting accounts as recently as mid-May.
Editorial Perspective
“What this week makes clear is that the iGaming sector is entering a phase where regulatory IQ is as strategically important as product development,” said the editorial team at NyesteCasino.com. “The prediction markets debate alone spans courtrooms, congressional hearings, and international bans and it is far from resolved. Operators who can track and adapt to this multi-jurisdictional complexity while still executing on World Cup campaigns and localisation strategies will be best positioned for the second half of 2026.”
About NyesteCasino.com
NyesteCasino.com is a leading independent iGaming review and analysis platform. The editorial team tracks regulatory developments, operator news, and product releases across global markets to help players and industry professionals navigate the evolving online casino landscape. Users can learn more at nyestecasino.com.
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Anita Haugen
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DraftKings has renewed a multi-year agreement with GeoComply to continue providing real-time geolocation and compliance services, the companies said.
The extension comes after DraftKings’ Super App launch, a unified platform approach that lets customers access either sportsbook or sports predictions depending on their location. The press release positions the renewal as supporting scale, fraud controls, geolocation and compliance requirements tied to that rollout.
GeoComply said its geolocation signals are embedded into DraftKings’ internal risk workflows, including step-up authentication and automated decisioning. The vendor said it processes 2.5 billion checks a month across its platform.
Under the extended agreement, the companies said GeoComply will continue to support DraftKings with dedicated forward-deployed engineering support.
“The operators winning this next cycle are treating geolocation intelligence as critical trust infrastructure,” said Kip Levin, CEO of GeoComply. “DraftKings has done that for years. This extension reflects how seriously they take the architecture behind player trust—and it’s what lets them keep moving fast on everything else.”
The post DraftKings renews multi-year geolocation deal with GeoComply appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Platform pioneer unlocks one of the world’s most dynamic iGaming markets, offering operators and providers a seamless, compliant gateway to millions of new players.
Groove, the award-winning iGaming aggregation platform, has today announced a monumental leap in its global expansion strategy with the official granting of its license to operate in Brazil.
This landmark regulatory approval marks a decisive moment in Groove’s strategic blueprint for Latin America, a vision further reinforced by the significant strengthening of its established and fully regulated infrastructure in Argentina. Together, these developments create an unrivalled dual-hub strategy, positioning Groove as the definitive gateway to the continent.
This hard-won license provides a fully compliant and powerful conduit for Groove’s partners to engage a market on the cusp of historic growth. For operators, it translates to a frictionless, single-integration pathway for capturing market share in this coveted region. They can now leverage Groove’s robust platform to deploy a fully localised and compliant casino offering at unparalleled speed, complete with curated game portfolios tailored to local preferences, integrated local payment processing, and bespoke marketing tools designed to captivate Latin American players. This eliminates years of complex regulatory legwork, allowing partners to go to market in a matter of weeks, not years.
For game studios and content providers, the Brazilian license acts as a direct and streamlined conduit to a vast new audience. Groove offers a managed route to market, taking on the heavy burden of complex regulatory technical standards and certification processes. This allows creators to focus on their core mission of developing world-class entertainment, secure in the knowledge that their content will be efficiently placed in front of a massive, engaged audience through a trusted and fully compliant pipeline.
Rachel Tourgeman, Head of Partnerships at Groove, emphasised the transformative nature of this development. “The green light in Brazil is more than a license; it’s a key that unlocks a kingdom of opportunity for our partners. We’ve built a platform capable of not just entering, but driving in regulated markets.”
Tourgeman put the new license in perspective, saying: “Operators can now immediately tap into Brazil’s immense potential, while providers gain a trusted pipeline to a passionate new player base. This is a definitive moment that accelerates the entire LATAM iGaming ecosystem.”
This strategic expansion is a direct reflection of Groove’s commitment to being the most reliable and agile aggregation partner in the world’s most promising emerging markets. With over 20,000 games available and a raft of over 150 games partners, Groove brings unrivalled choice to the Brazilian market.
Yahale Meltzer, Co-Founder and CEO of Groove, commented, “Our vision has always been to build the bridges that connect great content with passionate players, wherever they are. Securing our Brazilian license and reinforcing our Argentine operations is a testament to our team’s relentless execution and our long-term commitment to LATAM.”
Meltzer concluded: “We are not just following trends; we are actively architecting the future of iGaming in the region, providing a secure, scalable, and sophisticated platform for our partners to grow with us. The door to Latin America is now open, and Groove is the key.”
For further information visit the new web domain at www.groovetech.com
The post Groove Secures Pivotal Brazilian License, Cementing LATAM Expansion appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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