Press Releases

UK Gambling Commission guidance in light of COVID-19 outbreak

Published

6 years ago

March 20, 2020

As the situation with COVID-19 continues to impact daily life in Great Britain, like many of you, the Commission is following Public Health England guidance and we have told all staff to work from home until further notice.

We recognise these unprecedented circumstances will be having a significant impact on businesses and many will be facing uncertain and unsettling times. The Commission has a well-practised and comprehensive Business Continuity Plan, which we have invoked with the intention of minimising the impact on our regulatory work and the advice and services we provide.

A number of operators have already contacted us to alert us to the challenges they face and seek our advice about how to respond. We realise that the unprecedented changes to daily life, and in some cases, financial uncertainty, will create challenges for your business. The changes will also increase the risks to some individuals, which means that despite the fact that these are challenging times we must all continue to protect consumers.

Here you can find information about how the Commission will be operating during this time, along with important reminders about how you should continue to protect consumers.

COVID -19 – A reminder to operators

First and foremost, we expect all our licensees to follow the applicable Public Health guidance. Where facilities for gambling are being offered we expect all our licensees to ensure that they have sufficient management, staffing and oversight in place to maintain compliance with the LCCP that apply to their licences.

Fees and applications

Our expectation remains that licensees ensure the maintenance of sufficient management, staffing and oversight in order to uphold the licensing objectives. Licensees should assess their ability to maintain compliance with the LCCP and consider voluntary partial or full suspension of their offerings should compliance not be achievable and until such time that a fully compliant service can be offered.

Unfortunately, due to the way that our fee system is structured we don’t have the ability to reduce fees.

We are also unable to fast track applications. We will continue to monitor the situation and will communicate any changes to our expectations accordingly.

A reminder specifically for online operators

The social distancing measures that are being put in place will mean that more people will be at home and we would like to remind online operators that they must continue to act responsibly, especially in regards to individual customer affordability and increased social responsibility interactions.

As a reminder, we expect licensees to:

Assess individual affordability on an ongoing basis – customers may be experiencing disrupted income. (Social Responsibility code 3.4 refers to our guidance – ‘Customer interaction- formal guidance for remote gambling operators’ )
Increase social responsibility interactions and intervene where customers are showing signs of gambling related harm
Onboard new customers in a socially responsible way and not exploit the current situation for marketing purposes
Refresh the information they have on customers regularly
Review the levels which trigger interaction for AML and SR
Ensure that your gambling products have been tested by a test house before they are released to the market.

Source: UKGC

Related Topics:COVID-19 UK Gambling Commission UKGC

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Scientific Games completes systems conversion for New Mexico Lottery

Published

40 minutes ago

May 13, 2026

Wladimir P.

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Modernization adds Momentum ecosystem tools and rolls out new terminals and self-service machines to 1,000+ retailers statewide.

Scientific Games has completed a technology systems conversion for the New Mexico Lottery, modernizing lottery operations with a new gaming system and rolling out retail technology to more than 1,000 locations across the state. The update went live May 11, 2026, according to the company.

Scientific Games said the new system now powers the Lottery’s draw-based and Scratchers’ sales and is designed to simplify product management for retailers. The conversion also includes the launch of the Scientific Games Enhanced Partnership (SGEP) instant game management program, which the company said combines analytics, logistics, retail optimization and product strategy.

“The New Mexico Lottery is officially live with new, modern technology systems that work together to enhance all aspects of our operations and ensure we are well-positioned for our next era of growth,” said David Barden, CEO of the New Mexico Lottery. “We’ve strategically planned every step of this holistic modernization effort with Scientific Games to intelligently operate our retail network, making our Scratchers games easier for retailers to manage in their stores and easily accessible to our valued players.”

Scientific Games said the conversion was developed over the past year and is built on its Momentum ecosystem. Components cited include an advanced central gaming system, the SciTrak instant game distribution system, the gem | intelligence retailer licensing and management portal and the INFUSE business intelligence platform. The company said WAVE clerk-operated terminals and PlayCentral self-service machines will be deployed to retailers in planned phases.

“Congratulations to the New Mexico Lottery for building upon our long-standing instant scratch game partnership, embracing innovation for the future,” said John Schulz, President of Americas & Global Instant Products for Scientific Games. “We are proud to serve as the Lottery’s full-line partner and help drive maximum proceeds for New Mexico college students.”

The post Scientific Games completes systems conversion for New Mexico Lottery appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Plaza Hotel & Casino brings back free Friday fireworks June 5 to Sept. 4

Published

40 minutes ago

May 13, 2026

Wladimir P.

plaza-hotel-&-casino-brings-back-free-friday-fireworks-june-5-to-sept.-4

Downtown Las Vegas show runs weekly at 9:10 p.m., with rooftop viewing options and planned Main Street traffic closures during launches.

Plaza Hotel & Casino will again stage its “Welcome to the Weekend” fireworks series in downtown Las Vegas every Friday night from June 5 to Sept. 4, launching at 9:10 p.m., according to the property.

The hotel said the free show is returning for a third consecutive year, with fireworks shot from the Plaza’s towers and visible across downtown and beyond. The Plaza also plans to close a portion of Main Street in front of the property to vehicle traffic during the shows to create pedestrian-only viewing access.

The Plaza will pair the fireworks with a rooftop pool party starting at 7 p.m., featuring food from the Plaza’s food truck and drinks from the rooftop pool bar. “Each year, the crowds only grow bigger for our free Welcome to the Weekend Summer Friday Fireworks Shows,” said Jonathan Jossel, CEO of the Plaza Hotel & Casino. “Our Friday fireworks have become an iconic part of summertime in Las Vegas that people look forward to. So, we are excited to bring the summer fireworks shows back again, for the third year, as a free and memorable experience for the whole community – visitors and residents alike.”

Each show will be initiated by a designated “TNT Ignitor,” which the Plaza said may include “a community leader, hotel guest, local hero, or social influencer.” The property is also selling a “TNT Ignitor VIP Experience” and a “Welcome to the Weekend VIP hotel package,” which include access and hospitality components tied to the rooftop viewing party.

The Plaza said the fireworks are weather-dependent and may be changed or cancelled, with updates posted to its social media channels including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

The post Plaza Hotel & Casino brings back free Friday fireworks June 5 to Sept. 4 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Scientific Games’ Systems Technology Creates Momentum for New Mexico Lottery’s Next Era of Growth

Published

40 minutes ago

May 13, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

scientific-games’-systems-technology-creates-momentum-for-new-mexico-lottery’s-next-era-of-growth

Company Delivers Successful Systems Conversion Featuring Instant Game Management Program and Advanced Retail Technology

Scientific Games and the New Mexico Lottery have modernized the Lottery’s operations, setting the stage for future growth with a new, advanced gaming system and a comprehensive suite of innovative technologies rolling out at 1,000+ retailers across the state. The integrated tech conversion also includes the launch of the Scientific Games Enhanced Partnership instant game management program—bringing together analytics, logistics, retail optimization and product strategy to drive game performance and maximize proceeds to education in the state.

The company’s new gaming system is now powering the New Mexico Lottery’s draw-based and Scratchers’ sales, simplifying lottery product management for retailers and enhancing convenience to players. The full-line technology solution also delivers precision analytics to help optimize sales performance and generate maximum revenues to benefit college scholarship funding for students in-state.

In development over the past year, the successful conversion features Scientific Games’ Momentum ecosystem, anchored by an advanced central gaming system, patented SciTrak instant game distribution system, gem | intelligence retailer licensing and management portal and INFUSE business intelligence platform. Scientific Games’ WAVE clerk-operated terminals and PlayCentral self-service machines are being deployed in planned phases at New Mexico Lottery retailers.

“Congratulations to the New Mexico Lottery for building upon our long-standing instant scratch game partnership, embracing innovation for the future,” said John Schulz, President of Americas & Global Instant Products for Scientific Games. “We are proud to serve as the Lottery’s full-line partner and help drive maximum proceeds for New Mexico college students.”

The company provides services and expertise from its location in Albuquerque, including the SGEP instant game portfolio management program featuring game planning services, data analytics, advanced logistics, licensed brand services, and retail sales and marketing support.

Serving 150 lotteries in 50 countries, Scientific Games is the world’s largest lottery games company, fastest growing lottery systems provider and a leading provider of digital lottery solutions. The company is one of the first lottery companies globally certified by the World Lottery Association as a Responsible Gaming Supplier.

Scratchers is a trademark of the New Mexico Lottery Authority.