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.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (Board) at its public monthly meeting approved four consent agreements presented by the Board’s Office of Enforcement Counsel (OEC) resulting in fines totaling $180,000 against:
Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment, two separate fines totaling $80,000:
A $40,000 fine for three instances of permitting underage individuals to access the gaming floor and play slot machines or table games;
A $40,000 fine for permitting the employment of five unlicensed individuals who had access to iGaming account holders’ personal identifying information through its betParx platform.
Additional fines were levied against:
Wind Creek Bethlehem LLC received a $50,000 fine for failure to follow Know Your Customer (KYC) guidelines that resulted in fraudulent withdrawals from iGaming accounts of more than over $92,000; and,
Fantasy Contest Operator YFS Sub LLC, a subsidiary of Yahoo Fantasy Sports, a $50,000 fine for failure to notify and gain proper approval of the Board for a change of control of its license.
The Board also took actions to place 8 individuals on its various Involuntary Exclusion Lists. Placement on an Involuntary Exclusion List prohibits individuals from either gaming in a casino in Pennsylvania, via an online betting site regulated by the Board, or at a Video Gaming Terminal (VGT) location. These matters, presented by the Board’s Office of Chief Counsel and the OEC, set the number of individuals now on the Board’s various Involuntary Exclusion Lists to 1463.
The Gaming Control Board is scheduled to meet next at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 in the Board’s Public Hearing Room located on the second floor of the Strawberry Square Complex in Harrisburg.
The post PA Gaming Control Board Levies Fines Totaling $180,000 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
The Swedish gaming giant confirms its entry into another regulated market, with its industry-leading portfolio of games set to launch in Alberta.
Play’n GO, one of the world’s leading casino entertainment providers, has been granted a licence to supply online gaming content in the Canadian province of Alberta, marking another milestone in the company’s expansion across regulated North American markets.
The licence, awarded by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis Commission (AGLC), allows the company to offer its portfolio of premium online casino titles to licensed operators in the province ahead of Alberta’s planned market launch later this year.
Alberta represents an important new regulated opportunity within Canada, complementing Play’n GO’s established presence in Ontario and Quebec, while reinforcing the company’s commitment to operating exclusively in regulated jurisdictions.
Magnus Olsson said: “Being granted a licence in Alberta is another important step in our North American growth journey and further strengthens our presence in Canada.
“Regulated markets are the foundation of our business, and Alberta represents an exciting opportunity to expand our footprint in a jurisdiction that shares our commitment to high standards, player protection and long-term sustainability.”
The Alberta licence forms part of Play’n GO’s broader strategy of expanding through regulated markets, working closely with licensed operators to deliver compliant, high-quality gaming content focused on innovation, responsibility, and long-term commercial value.
As part of its market entry preparations, the company has aligned its technology and game portfolio with Alberta’s regulatory standards and requirements, with an initial batch of titles already undergoing certification to ensure launch readiness.
About Play’n GO
With more than 20 years of experience in mobile-first gaming, Play’n GO is a global leader in casino entertainment and the creator of some of the industry’s most iconic online titles, including Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead, Reactoonz, and Moon Princess.
A pioneer in the sector, Play’n GO was among the first to recognize the potential of mobile gaming, developing casino content for mobile devices as early as 2005, before the smartphone era.
Today, the company offers a portfolio of more than 450 premium titles, available to regulated operators across over 35 jurisdictions.
Play’n GO is strongly committed to a fully regulated, sustainable gaming industry built around entertainment, safety, and long-term collaboration.
The company works closely with operators, regulators, and research institutions to promote responsible gaming standards across all markets in which it operates.
With a deep understanding of both operators’ and players’ needs, Play’n GO focuses on creating high-quality, enduring content designed for long-term engagement.
In addition to game development, the company also provides backend services and solutions that support operators in delivering a seamless gaming experience.
Beyond gaming, Play’n GO has expanded into complementary entertainment verticals with Play’n GO Music and Play’n GO Shop, and is also a proud partner of the TGR Haas F1 Team.
For more information, please visit www.playngo.com
The post Play’n GO granted Alberta iGaming licence, expanding Canadian market footprint appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Play’n GO has been granted a licence to supply online gaming content in Alberta, as the province prepares to launch its regulated online market later this year.
The licence was awarded by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis Commission (AGLC). Play’n GO said the approval allows it to provide its online casino games to licensed operators in the province.
Magnus Olsson, Chief Commercial Officer at Play’n GO, said:
“Being granted a licence in Alberta is another important step in our North American growth journey and further strengthens our presence in Canada.
“Regulated markets are the foundation of our business, and Alberta represents an exciting opportunity to expand our footprint in a jurisdiction that shares our commitment to high standards, player protection and long‑term sustainability.”
Play’n GO said it has aligned its technology and game portfolio with Alberta’s regulatory requirements, with an initial batch of titles undergoing certification ahead of launch. The supplier is already active in Canada, with an established presence in Ontario and Quebec, according to the company.
The post Play’n GO secures Alberta iGaming supplier licence from AGLC appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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