Compliance Updates
UK Government launches review to ensure gambling laws are fit for digital age
The Culture Secretary has launched a major and wide-ranging review of gambling laws to ensure they are fit for the digital age as committed to in the manifesto.
Online restrictions, marketing and the powers of the Gambling Commission will be looked at as part of a call for evidence, to examine in detail how gambling has changed over the past 15 years.
Protections for online gamblers like stake and spend limits, advertising and promotional offers and whether extra protections for young adults are needed will all be explored.
The findings will be used to inform any changes to the Gambling Act 2005 to ensure customer protection is at the heart of the regulations, while giving those that gamble safely the freedom to do so.
The review will also look at evidence on the action customers can take where they feel operators have breached social responsibility requirements, such as intervening to protect customers showing clear signs of problematic play, and how to ensure children and young people are kept safe from gambling-related harm.
The Government recognises the need to balance the enjoyment people get from gambling with the right regulatory framework and protections.
It has also been announced today that the minimum age for playing the National Lottery will be raised from 16 to 18 from October 2021.
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver Dowden, said:
“Whilst millions gamble responsibly, the Gambling Act is an analogue law in a digital age. From an era of having a flutter in a high street bookmaker, casino, racecourse or seaside pier, the industry has evolved at breakneck speed.
“This comprehensive review will ensure we are tackling problem gambling in all its forms to protect children and vulnerable people. It will also help those who enjoy placing a bet to do so safely.
“This builds upon our clear track record of introducing tough measures to protect people from the risk of gambling harm – banning the use of credit cards, launching tighter age verification checks and cutting the maximum stake on fixed odds betting terminals.”
Minister for Sport, Tourism and Heritage Nigel Huddleston said:
“We’re committed to protecting young people from gambling related harm which is why we are raising the minimum age for the National Lottery. Patterns of play have changed since its inception, with a shift towards online games, and this change will help make sure the National Lottery, although already low-risk, is not a gateway to problem gambling.”
It follows a range of measures recently introduced by the Government to protect consumers from the risk of gambling-related harm. These include cutting the maximum stake on fixed odds betting terminals, bringing in tighter age and identity checks for online gambling, banning gambling using credit cards and expanding national specialist support through the NHS Long Term Plan.
In September the Government launched a call for evidence to explore young people’s experiences of loot boxes in video games. This will provide a clearer picture of the size of the loot box market in the UK and fully examine any evidence of harms or links to problem gambling.
The review of the Gambling Act 2005 will also consider the Gambling Commission’s powers and resources to ensure it can keep pace with the licensed sector and tackle the black market.
In October the Gambling Commission introduced new rules on VIP schemes, and has called for evidence around how to ensure operators identify and intervene where people are at risk of harm, including through carrying out affordability checks. The Commission will also soon set out new rules on safer game design for online slots and withdrawing winnings.
Alongside the launch of the review, the Government is announcing its decision to raise the minimum age to play the National Lottery from 16 to 18, to protect young people from gambling related harm.
Since it began in 1994 the National Lottery’s games portfolio has changed significantly and there has been a growing trend towards online play and instant win games like scratchcards. Following a consultation, from October 2021 it will be illegal to sell all National Lottery products to under 18s.
The Government is working with the Gambling Commission and Camelot to roll out the new age limit across the National Lottery products as quickly as possible and to ensure that it is in place by October. Under current plans, online sales to 16 and 17 year olds will stop in April 2021.
Source: gov.uk
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Betsson Group
Betsson Group Shortlisted at the Global Regulatory Awards 2025
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Betsson Group has been shortlisted for “Legal Team of the Year” at the upcoming Global Regulatory Awards 2025 (GRAs), while its General Counsel, Corinne Valletta, has been nominated for “Chief Compliance Officer of the Year.”
Organised by Vixio Regulatory Intelligence, the Global Regulatory Awards celebrate excellence across the compliance and responsible gambling sectors, recognising individuals and teams who continuously raise industry standards and champion best practices.
These accolades testify to Betsson’s commitment to raising standards in compliance to ensure a safe and stable business.
The post Betsson Group Shortlisted at the Global Regulatory Awards 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Andrew Rhodes
UK Gambling Commission Concludes Four-part Series on Illegal Online Gambling
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The UK Gambling Commission has published the fourth and final report in its series exploring the complex and evolving issue of illegal online gambling.
The series — launched earlier this year — set out to improve understanding of consumer engagement with illegal online gambling, the risks it poses and the actions being taken to disrupt it.
Over the past months, the Commission has published three reports examining:
Part 1: Consumer awareness, drivers and motivations
Part 2: Consumer engagement and trends
Part 3: Disruption of illegal online gambling
This report — “Estimating the size of the illegal online gambling market” — explores the challenges of quantifying an activity that is, by its nature, hidden.
Understanding the challenge
The report highlights that while measuring the scale of the illegal online gambling market is essential for effective enforcement and policy-making, doing so presents significant methodological challenges. Reliable data is limited, and assumptions are often required to fill gaps — meaning that confidence in any single estimate is inherently constrained.
The Commission draws parallels with other areas of illicit activity, such as the trade in illegal tobacco, where government departments face similar difficulties estimating financial impact.
Building on progress
Although no single estimate of market size has been published, the Commission’s work to date has built a stronger evidence base and clearer understanding of both consumer behaviour and illegal operator tactics.
The series has found that:
• consumer motivations to use illegal sites are varied — there is no single driver of engagement
• some consumers are unaware that they are gambling illegally, highlighting the need for greater public awareness
• not all activity in the illegal market represents a direct loss to the regulated sector, as some consumers are self-excluded or otherwise unable to gamble legally
• there is currently no evidence of sustained growth in engagement with illegal websites where data has been collected
• a range of disruption and enforcement tactics are being deployed, supported by cross-industry and international collaboration.
A shared responsibility
The Commission emphasises that tackling illegal gambling requires a coordinated response. Efforts to measure, monitor and disrupt the illegal market will depend on continued collaboration across government, industry, digital platforms and financial services.
Chief Executive, Andrew Rhodes said: “Illegal online gambling remains a serious threat to consumers and to the integrity of the regulated market.
“While measuring the full scale of the problem is complex, our understanding is growing — and so too is our ability to disrupt illegal operators.
“Our independent research has strengthened the evidence base, improved transparency, and underlined that progress depends on a collective effort across sectors.”
Next steps
Although this marks the end of the current series, the Commission will continue its programme of research, data collection and enforcement activity.
The post UK Gambling Commission Concludes Four-part Series on Illegal Online Gambling appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
ADM
Swintt games go live in Italy after receiving ADM certification
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Rapidly-expanding software provider enters its 13th regulated market following Italian regulator’s approval of Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt titles
Having previously outlined its intentions to enter more regulated markets throughout 2025, sought-after software provider Swintt has announced that it has now officially been greenlit by Italy’s Agencia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM) to offer its slots in the country.
The new certification has initially been granted for Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt titles, and though further approval is planned for both SwinttPremium and SwinttSelect releases in the not-too-distant future, the provider has already put pen to paper with two of Italy’s leading operators.
Launched in 2024 following Swintt’s acquisition of Elysium Studios, Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt is a cutting-edge collection of releases that incorporates elements of social, mobile and casino gaming to deliver a more engaging experience that’s custom-made for the modern player.
Featuring inventive themes, innovative features and intuitive, mobile-first game mechanics, some of the biggest hits to come from the collaboration to date include the quirky, folk lore-inspired I Hate Fairytales and the swashbuckling skull and bones epic, Pirate Pledge Hold & Win.
Given both titles boast a cast of characters that includes everything from punk rock princesses to salty sea dogs and a huge selection of rewarding bonus rounds, the two games and many more from the Elysium Studios line-up are certain to prove a popular addition among Italian audiences.
With Swintt’s successful acquisition of ADM certification now paving the way for the provider to enter its 13th regulated market, the decision will significantly expand the company’s European footprint and enable it to form further partnerships with Italian operators in the months to come.
David Mann, Chief Executive Officer at Swintt, said: “At Swintt, our focus has always been on ensuring that our content gets put in front of players in as many regulated markets as possible – and acquiring ADM approval to offer our games in Italy is another significant step on this journey.
“As an established iGaming market with a huge emerging player base, we feel our Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt line-up can make a big impact in the region and we look forward to being able to roll out our other core line-ups very soon.”
The post Swintt games go live in Italy after receiving ADM certification appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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