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Affordability checks will undermine the safer gambling success story, argues Gambling Business Group CEO, Peter Hannibal

Published

5 years ago

January 20, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Peter Hannibal, chief executive of the cross-sector Gambling Business Group, has warned that the introduction of affordability checks as proposed by the UK Gambling Commission, will jeopardise the current low incidence of problem gambling and in the process undo much of the positive work that’s been achieved by the industry in partnership with its regulator and the wider stakeholder community, including the safer gambling agencies and charities.

Commenting on the Gambling Commission’s proposal that players should be required to provide evidence of affordability based on the highly controversial creation of a monthly discretionary spend ceiling – a figure which the cross-party think-tank the Social Market Foundation has recommended is set at £23 a week (£100 pcm) – Peter Hannibal said: “I would like to stress from the outset that although the Gambling Commission’s affordability proposal has been framed in relation to online players, it would be naïve in the extreme to assume that the principles and philosophy will not be extended to all gambling entertainment activities across all verticals including Adult Gaming Centres, Licensed Betting Offices and Bingo Clubs in some shape or form.

“While this proposal is wrong on virtually every level imaginable, the biggest concern for all those who genuinely care about safer gambling and continuing the UK industry’s internationally acclaimed success story in consistently maintaining problem gambling levels to below 1 percent for the last three decades, is the impact affordability checks will have on driving players away from regulated and responsible sites to unregulated offshore sites.

He added: “Currently the demand to play on unregulated sites is limited but the unintended and I assume unforeseen consequences of affordability checks will be to create such a market and then to sustain it.

“Make no mistake, this is prohibition by another name and wherever you look in the world prohibition has never worked and will never work, more than often creating exactly the set of problems that it sets out to address.”

Hannibal believes there’s a danger a proposal of this significance does not receive the necessary degree of scrutiny particularly in relation to its’ impact on safer gambling. He explained: “In December I contacted DCMS regarding what I feel was a balanced and logical set of Terms of Reference for the Review of Gambling, but pointing out that it was illogical for the Gambling Commission to be continuing their own unilateral consultation into what it refers somewhat euphemistically as ‘customer interaction requirements and guidance’.

“I argued that it would be more logical to include any proposals for controls on consumption – that could have a profound impact on the public – as part of the Government Review. It would also be in the public’s interest for proposals for such intrusions into personal affairs to be subject to the same Aim and Objectives as those DCMS have set out for the Review of the Act which appear free of preconceptions and well considered.

“The affordability proposal raises a huge range of quite fundamental ethical, legal and practical issues – not least a precedent for state intervention in consumer spending alongside a quite startling presumption that gambling entertainment, enjoyed responsibly by 99 percent of consumers, represents a public health issue way beyond that of tobacco, excessive alcohol consumption or obesity. As such it merits much deeper, evidence-based scrutiny.”

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NdP INTERAZAR 2026 – Participación de Melilla en Interazar

Published

8 hours ago

March 3, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

ndp-interazar-2026-–-participacion-de-melilla-en-interazar

Interazar reunirá de nuevo a Operadores, empresas y administraciones en Madrid los próximos días 28 y 29 de abril

Interazar volverá a ser el gran escaparate donde se mide el pulso real de la industria nacional, y en esta nueva edición contará nuevamente con la participación activa de la Ciudad Autónoma de Melilla, que refuerza así su compromiso con un Sector clave para su estrategia de crecimiento económico y tecnológico.

En este contexto, Melilla llega a la Feria Española del Juego los próximos días 28 y 29 de abril con la intención de seguir ganando visibilidad como destino atractivo para el Juego online y para las empresas tecnológicas que orbitan en torno al Sector. La ciudad ha ido construyendo un entorno competitivo basado en un marco fiscal favorable, acompañamiento institucional y una apuesta clara por la innovación aplicada al Juego.

Interazar se presenta, así, como un escenario natural para seguir avanzando en esta estrategia. La participación de Melilla refleja una estrategia continuada, con resultados visibles, que busca afianzar su posición como uno de los polos emergentes del Juego online y la innovación en España.

The post NdP INTERAZAR 2026 – Participación de Melilla en Interazar appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Conferences

SportsGrid to return to NEXT NYC 2026

Published

9 hours ago

March 3, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

Tuesday 3rd March 2026 – SportsGrid has confirmed its renewed media partnership with NEXT.io and will attend NEXT Summit: New York to cover key discussions and insights from North America’s premier iGaming and sports betting event. The content will be syndicated across SportsGrid’s streaming and digital platforms.

NEXT Summit: New York, in partnership with Morgan Stanley, will take place from 10–11 March at Convene 225 Liberty Street, bringing together 1,400 senior-level delegates for two days of high-impact content and networking.

This year, Emerging Verticals will accompany NEXT Summit: New York, providing a dedicated focus on the fast-growing sectors reshaping the industry — including sweepstakes, micro-markets, crypto, esports, new betting formats, and the evolving intersection of technology and capital.

Now in its fifth edition, the Summit continues to deliver insider knowledge, high-level networking, and direct access to the latest innovations shaping the future of the industry.

Across the two days, leaders from the most influential operators, investment firms, regulators, and technology providers will take to the stage.

Confirmed speakers include:

Adam Greenblatt, CEO of BetMGM;
Adam Rosenberg, Senior Advisor, Gaming & Leisure at Blackstone;
Benjie Cherniak, Principal at Avenue H Capital;
Lloyd Danzig, Managing Partner at Sharp Alpha Advisors;
Roger Ehrenberg, Managing Partner at Eberg Capital;
Ramy Ibrahim, Managing Director at Moelis & Company;
Joey Levy, Founder and CEO of Betr;
and Gavin Isaacs, Former CEO of Entain.

The programme will also feature voices from across the regulatory, legal and association landscape including:

Tres York, VP of Government Relations at the American Gaming Association;
Paul Burns, President & CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association;
Kelci S. Binau, Gaming Law Attorney at McDonald Carano;
and Katie Lever, General Counsel, Chief Privacy Officer & Corporate Secretary at Great Canadian Gaming Corporation.

From the casino floor to emerging tech and capital markets, sessions will also include:

Brooke Hilton, Head of Casino at PointsBet Canada;
Chris Garrow, Director of Gaming at Prairie Band Casino & Resort;
Davis Catlin, Managing Partner at Discerning Capital;
Jeffrey Haas, Venture Partner at DreamCraft VC;
Jamison Selby, CEO of Rubystone;
Desiree Dickerson, Founder of THNDR;
Kevin Scott, Chief Technology Officer at PGA of America;
and Darren Woodson, Former NFL Player.

“NEXT Summit: New York continues to set the standard as North America’s premier meeting point for senior leaders in online sports betting and iGaming. With Emerging Verticals joining the Summit this year, the conversations are expanding into some of the most disruptive and fast-moving areas of the industry. We’re excited to once again partner with NEXT.io and bring on-the-ground coverage of the event’s most important discussions to a wider audience across SportsGrid’s streaming and digital platforms,” commented Jeremy Stein, CEO, SportsGrid, Inc.

“NEXT Summit: New York is where the industry’s biggest names come together to define the future of online gaming and sports betting,” said Pierre Lindh, Co-Founder & Managing Director at NEXT.io. “With Emerging Verticals accompanying the Summit this year, and more than 1,400 senior decision-makers attending, having SportsGrid on-site strengthens our mission to share critical insights and discussions with the broader iGaming community.”

SportsGrid will be on the ground at NEXT Summit: New York, covering conference sessions, interviews, and key discussions. Content from the event will be syndicated across its streaming video network and relevant media channels, extending the reach of discussions to a broader audience.

This initiative marks the continuation of a long-term collaboration between SportsGrid and NEXT.io, with plans to provide rich, curated content exploring the latest trends, innovations, and developments shaping the global gaming industry.

For more information on NEXT Summit: New York and to register for the event, visit: next.io/summits/newyork/

The post SportsGrid to return to NEXT NYC 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Latest News

GR8 Tech at SAGSE Latam: Where Platform for Champions Meets the Region

Published

9 hours ago

March 3, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

gr8-tech-at-sagse-latam:-where-platform-for-champions-meets-the-region

GR8 Tech will exhibit at Booth 103 at SAGSE Latam on March 18–19 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

With Latin America a major growth market for the company, GR8 Tech brings regional expertise and the full platform ecosystem to the floor to showcase capabilities that turn ambitious operators into the next iGaming Champions.

Five flagship solutions make up the lineup, each built for operators competing in dynamic, high-growth markets:

ULTIM8 Sportsbook—Flexible, high-performance sportsbook perfect for fast-moving Latam markets
Hyper Turnkey—End-to-end iGaming business infrastructure for fast, reliable market entry and operations
Crypto Turnkey—A platform built to attract and retain VIP and crypto-first players
Aff.Tech—Affiliate management that tracks performance and optimizes acquisition across channels
Infinite Casino Aggregation—A wide game catalog accessible through a single integration

Each solution is part of GR8 Tech’s Platform for Champions—a proposition that goes beyond technology into expertise, genuine partnership, and a community built around pushing each other to the top.

“When people talk about Latam iGaming, Brazil often gets most of the attention, but the opportunity across the rest of the region is substantial and largely underserved by platforms built for larger markets,” said Yevhen Krazhan, CSO at GR8 Tech. “SAGSE Latam is the right room to bring the conversation to the potential of markets like Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and we’re looking forward to connecting with new partners.”

Book a meeting with the GR8 Tech team at SAGSE Latam and start your move to dominate the region.

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