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GAMSTOP marks fifth anniversary with parliamentary reception as record numbers chose to self-exclude
- Lords event hosted by peer who first advocated multi-operator self-exclusion
- GAMSTOP has registered more than 380,000 users since its inception in April 2018
- May 2023 was a record month for registrations, eclipsing March 2023
Parliamentarians, regulators, gambling charities operators, and those with lived experience, gathered at Westminster to mark the fifth anniversary of GAMSTOP, the UK’s independent online gambling self-exclusion scheme.
The event on Wednesday June 14th was hosted by Lord Browne of Belmont, who first advocated a national gambling self-exclusion scheme, and former gamblers spoke about the importance of GAMSTOP in helping them overcome their problems.
GAMSTOP was launched in April 2108 and two years later it became a licensing condition for all UK operators to integrate with the scheme, in addition to operating their own self-exclusion schemes. More than 380,000 people have registered with GAMSTOP since its inception, choosing to exclude themselves from all UK operators for a period of either six months, a year or five years.
Last month was GAMSTOP’s busiest ever with a record 8,594 new consumers registering for the free service, 90 more registrations than the previous record in March 2023.
Users interviewed recently by independent research agency, Sonnet, said that GAMSTOP provided an important safety net and self-exclusion was helping their recovery. The House of Lords reception brought together former gamblers, who shared their experiences in a video played to guests.
Stacey Goodwin, from Chesterfield, who is recovering from an eight-year addiction, said:
“GAMSTOP was vital for me in my recovery. I’ve had a lot of comments during my recovery such as ‘you’re so strong’ but I don’t feel that way. The truth is that when I don’t feel in a good place, GAMSTOP is the tool that is strong for me.”
Matt Blanks, who started gambling at 11 and lost around £700,000, said:
“GAMSTOP really is a lifeline not only for me, but for a lot of people struggling with gambling harm. It gives you the chance to stop and reflect and take away the temptation of gambling”.
Jack Scott, who has overcome his gambling addiction to become a successful endurance runner, said:
“GAMSTOP smashed through the roadblock, I was sick of the person I had become. With a tool like GAMSTOP, if it can promote you being the best person of yourself why would you not tick that box?”
Fiona Palmer, CEO of GAMSTOP, told guests:
“We are constantly looking at ways we can improve the experience for our consumers, ensuring that GAMSTOP offers secure and effective exclusion from online gambling for those who have registered. We are also looking at improving consumer journeys both in terms of enabling them to seamlessly exclude from all gambling, not just online, and ensuring that they are signposted effectively to further support and treatment should they want it”.
Speaking at the event, Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones OBE, National Clinical Advisor on Gambling Harms for the NHS, said the UK was leading the way on self-exclusion and called for further work to be done with land based self-exclusion. She said:
“We are fighting tech with tech. Patients are frustrated by self-exclusion measures because they cannot beat them. Some patients are returning to bookmakers because that’s the only thing left to do. They are using cashback from Tesco to get around bank blocks. There’s an enormous need to block people from going into bookmakers by having a universal scheme for the country”.
Former WBC cruiserweight champion to appear at PartyPoker Tour UK stops and take part in online activations.
PartyPoker has appointed former WBC Cruiserweight World Champion Tony Bellew as a brand ambassador for the remainder of 2026, with appearances tied to the operator’s live PartyPoker Tour and online poker offering.
The company said Bellew will be “a regular face” at its remaining UK tour stops this season following an earlier appearance at the PartyPoker Tour Birmingham. Bellew will also take part in online activity linked to the PartyPoker schedule.
“I had such a great time at the PartyPoker Tour Birmingham. The atmosphere, the people and the passion for the game were incredible. I’m really excited to be joining the PartyPoker team for the rest of the year, getting involved at the live events, meeting players and seeing where the cards take me,” Bellew said.
PartyPoker said Bellew is scheduled to attend each remaining UK stop on the 2026 PartyPoker Tour: London in July, Glasgow in August, Cork in November, and London in December. The operator also referenced a series of exclusive online events running alongside the live calendar.
The post Tony Bellew signs as PartyPoker brand ambassador through 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Cease-and-desist letters cite alleged felonies and underage access tied to BetOpenly, Bookmaker, Club WPT Online Poker, Kutt Inc., and Raffle Creator.
The Arizona Department of Gaming said it has issued cease-and-desist orders to five online platforms—BetOpenly, Bookmaker, Club WPT Online Poker, Kutt Inc., and Raffle Creator—after investigations that the Department says involved alleged illegal gambling activity and underage access in Arizona.
In its announcement, the Department said each enforcement action alleges conduct giving rise to three felonies under Arizona law: promotion of gambling, illegal control of an enterprise, and money laundering. The agency cited Arizona’s prohibition on gambling unless specifically authorized (Ariz. Rev. Stat. Tit. 13, Ch. 33) and said the legal gambling age in the state is 21.
“Arizona is taking decisive action against illegal gambling operators that put Arizonans at risk,” said Jackie Johnson, Department Director. “Our top priority is protecting Arizonans and I’m grateful for the efforts of our intelligence unit led by Chief Law Enforcement Officer Doug Jensen to do just that. Through these cease-and-desist orders we are putting operators on notice: their conduct runs contrary to Arizona law and they must stop promoting illegal gambling.”
The Department’s letters describe different alleged violations by operator. For BetOpenly, the Department said peer-to-peer gambling rules prohibit third-party benefit, and alleged the platform benefited via a commission structure while enabling event wagering and daily fantasy sports contests without the required state licenses, including availability to underage Arizonans. For Bookmaker, the Department said its investigation found wagering on horse racing, casino games, and sports betting without an event wagering license or an advanced deposit wagering provider license, adding that online casino games are not legal in Arizona.
For Club WPT Online Poker, the Department alleged the platform enabled individuals under 21 in Arizona to enter pay-to-play online poker tournaments for prizes while using deceptive “no purchase necessary” language; the Department said online poker is illegal in Arizona. For Kutt Inc., the Department said Arizona “social” gambling prohibits third-party benefit and directed the operator to stop allowing Arizona users to deposit money and wager on sports, politics, pop culture, and casino-style games. For Raffle Creator, the Department said the operator did not meet requirements that allow Arizona nonprofits to conduct lawful raffles and alleged it allowed people under 21 to purchase tickets for prize chances.
The Department said the notified entities are directed to immediately stop all gambling operations and activities in Arizona “whether through mobile applications, online, or otherwise,” and to cease any future illegal gambling in the state. It added that future actions may include criminal charges or civil action against entities, principals, and employees, and that operators “may be subject to a potential award of restitution” and forfeiture of monies acquired due to the alleged conduct.
The post Arizona regulator orders five operators to stop alleged illegal gambling activity appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Tony Bellew has officially joined the PartyPoker Brand Ambassador team for the remainder of 2026, strengthening the brand’s growing roster of ambassadors and reinforcing its commitment to bringing poker to a wider audience.
A former WBC Cruiserweight World Champion and one of Britain’s most recognisable sporting personalities, Bellew will play an active role across both PartyPoker’s live tour and online offering throughout the rest of the year.
Speaking about joining the team, Tony Bellew said: “I had such a great time at the PartyPoker Tour Birmingham. The atmosphere, the people and the passion for the game were incredible. I’m really excited to be joining the PartyPoker team for the rest of the year, getting involved at the live events, meeting players and seeing where the cards take me.”
His return follows a hugely successful appearance at the PartyPoker Tour Birmingham earlier this year, where he embraced the atmosphere, spent time with players and immersed himself in the event. After thoroughly enjoying the experience, Bellew will now become a regular face at the remaining UK stops on the PartyPoker Tour throughout the rest of the 2026 season.
As part of his ambassadorial role, Bellew will attend every remaining UK stop PartyPoker Tour in 2026:
- London – July
- Glasgow – August
- Cork – November
- London – December
With four live festival stops and a series of exclusive online events still to come, players will have plenty of opportunities to meet Bellew at the tables throughout the remainder of the 2026 PartyPoker calendar. Look out for opportunities to take him on online, and at the PartyPoker Tour in Glasgow, Cork and London.
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The post Former WBC World Champion Tony Bellew Joins PartyPoker as Brand Ambassador appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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