Compliance Updates
UK Government proposals to undermine the ‘aim to permit’ of the Gambling Act 2005?
Richard Bradley, partner at gambling licensing law firm Poppleston Allen, shares how new proposals in Parliament may affect licensed premises
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The ‘aim to permit’ principle may be under threat
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Switching the burden of proof from “if nothing wrong with the application, it should in theory be approved” to “the application can be rejected if on the licensing authority’s opinion the grant may not uphold the licensing objectives”
Members of the House of Lords have begun their further examination of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, (EDCE) which is in report stage and will be discussed again today, with report stage concluding 13 April 2026.
Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, a Labour Life Peer in the House of Lords, has tabled an amendment to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill which proposes to introduce Gambling Impact Assessments by inserting two new sections to the Gambling Act 2005 (‘the Act’).
If the amendment is passed and these sections are inserted into the Act, this will allow a licensing authority to publish a Gambling Impact Assessment (GIA) where the authority considers the granting of any relevant licence to premises in their area is not likely to be reasonably consistent with one or more of the licensing objectives because:
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The cumulative impact of relevant licences in respect of premises in the affected part(s) or
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Other reasons which relate to that licensing objective, or those licensing objectives, and to the affected part(s).
A relevant licence has been defined as being:
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a bingo premises licence
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adult gaming centre premises licence
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family entertainment centre premises licence or
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a betting premises licence.
An authority would also be able to limit the numbers of licences in an area.
As part of any published assessment, the authority must set out evidence for how they have come to the opinion that the grant of any relevant licence would not be reasonably consistent with the objectives set out above.
Authorities will also be required to review any published GIA from time to time, and should the authority take the view that the assessment should be revised or withdrawn, they must publish any revision.
Where an application is submitted for a relevant licence and a GIA has been published and the authority has included in its Statement of Gambling Principles that there will be a presumption to refuse applications for relevant licences, then it will be deemed lawful for the authority to refuse such application solely on the ground that it falls within the scope of the GIA.
That being said, the amendment does confirm that refusing an application will be unlawful where the applicant asserts in the application that the grant would be reasonably consistent with the licensing objectives or objectives set out in the GIA and provides evidence that the grant would be reasonably consistent with the objectives.
Full details of the tabled amendment can be found here.
The post UK Government proposals to undermine the ‘aim to permit’ of the Gambling Act 2005? appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Armenian Parliamentary Committee on Economic Affairs
Armenia to Implement Strictest Gambling Regulations to Combat a Massive Surge in Addiction
At its meeting on last Wednesday, the Armenian Parliamentary Committee on Economic Affairs postponed the first reading of amendments to the Law “On Regulation of Gambling Activities” and several related laws until the next meeting for further revision.
Hayk Sargsyan, the author of the legislative initiative and a member of parliament from the ruling Civil Contract faction, stated that the volume of online casino bets in Armenia has increased more than 35-fold over the past eight years.
“While in 2017, the volume of online casino bets was 0.2 trillion drams, in 2025, it will increase more than 35-fold, reaching 7.4 trillion drams. Online casinos have become a scourge and a plague for our people,” Sargsyan said.
According to him, hundreds of thousands of citizens are wasting their money on gambling addiction. Regardless of their location, they have 24/7 access to online casinos and are unable to break their addiction.
“In an attempt to recoup their money, citizens are accumulating debts and loans, thereby further worsening an already critical situation. Under the current circumstances, the National Assembly is obliged to take preventive measures aimed at maximally restricting participation in online casinos for individuals who no longer want to gamble but are unable to overcome their addiction, as well as those in dire social situations or those using government support programs,” Sargsyan said.
The bill proposes establishing a mandatory requirement: all online casinos must place a publicly accessible self-blocking button on their websites and apps.
“After clicking this button, playing at online casinos will be prohibited for a period of five years, with no possibility of early reinstatement. After this period, the ban is automatically extended for another five years unless the citizen submits an application to lift the restriction five days before its expiration. Information about the self-ban will be communicated to the gaming operator. Activity in other online casinos and gaming platforms will also be suspended,” Sargsyan said.
He also stated the need to prohibit participation in online gaming for recipients of social benefits, individuals whose primary source of income is a pension, individuals in bankruptcy proceedings and participants in subsidy programmes implemented with funding or co-financing from the state budget. Furthermore, it is proposed to set a limit on participation in online gaming at 20% of annually declared income.
Government representatives approved amendments that are planned to come into effect on January 1, 2027, following the introduction of the gaming operator institution, which will likely be selected mid-year and implemented as soon as possible.
The post Armenia to Implement Strictest Gambling Regulations to Combat a Massive Surge in Addiction appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced that it is suing Kalshi, Robinhood, Coinbase, Polymarket, Crypto.com, and their affiliates, to halt their alleged facilitation of illegal sports betting, a form of unlawful commercial gambling, in Wisconsin.
“Thinly disguising unlawful conduct doesn’t make it lawful. These companies’ alleged facilitation of sports betting in Wisconsin should be shut down,” said AG Kaul.
Except in limited circumstances, sports betting and other forms of commercial gambling have long been illegal in Wisconsin. Yet, as alleged in these lawsuits, the defendant companies have chosen to flout Wisconsin law through disguising the sports betting they facilitate on their online platforms as “event contracts,” which pay out just like ordinary bets based on the odds of sports-related outcomes.
The complaints further allege that the companies collect a fee for every bet made, meaning they generate revenue from Wisconsinites by violating the state’s gambling laws. Kalshi, as one example, reportedly generates more than $1 billion in annual revenue from its sports contracts, representing around 90% of its total estimated annualized revenue.
As the complaints allege, by making money from the sports bets they facilitate, these companies are engaging in unlawful gambling activity.
Wisconsin DOJ’s lawsuits, filed on last Thursday in Dane County, request a declaration that, by making sports-related event contracts available for trading by customers located in Wisconsin, the defendant companies are violating Wis. Stat.§945.03(1m) and thereby creating a public nuisance. The lawsuits additionally request preliminary and permanent injunctions enjoining and restraining the defendant companies from making sports-related event contracts available for trading by customers located in Wisconsin.
The post Wisconsin DOJ Sues to Stop Alleged Illegal Sports Betting Operations in Wisconsin appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Amusnet has announced its official entry into the Philippine market. In a double milestone for the company’s expansion strategy, Amusnet has successfully gone live with its first local operator, 747Live, and is now officially featured on the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) List of EGLD-Approved Electronic Games. The list currently includes a total of 214 approved titles, representing a significant achievement and reinforcing Amusnet’s position as a trusted B2B partner in the country.
“These are two major achievements for us: a strong PAGCOR-approved portfolio and going live with our first partner in the Philippines, 747Live – both laying the foundation for accelerated growth and a stronger market presence,” said Kalin Angelov, Business Development Manager at Amusnet.
“We are very pleased to welcome Amusnet to our platform, as their reputation for premium content perfectly aligns with our mission to offer the best gaming experience in the Philippines. As Amusnet’s first partner in the region, we are excited to introduce such an extensive selection of approved titles to our audience,” said Enrico Menghini, CEO at 747Live.
The initial integration with 747Live allows local players to experience Amusnet’s world-renowned gaming mechanics, immersive graphics and signature jackpot features. To celebrate this market entry, Amusnet is highlighting a selection of top-performing titles, such as the dynamic 100 Golden Coins: Reel Fishing, the fan-favourite Extra Crown and the high-energy 100 Golden Coins.
This expansion into the Philippines marks a new chapter for Amusnet. The supplier continues to set new standards in the iGaming industry, providing operators with a robust and diversified portfolio of high-quality content. By entering the Philippine market with such a strong lineup, the company establishes itself as a premier partner for local operators, dedicated to bringing premium gaming experiences to a new and growing audience.
The post Amusnet Officially Enters the Philippine Market appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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