Compliance Updates
Irish Politician Philip McGuigan Calls for Urgent Action on Gambling Harm Treatment
Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan, Chair of The All Party Group on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling, has called for urgent government action following the publication of a report presenting the findings from the 2024 Gambling Prevalence Survey, commissioned by Department for Communities, which reveals alarming levels of gambling-related harm in the north.
Speaking in the Assembly, McGuigan said what is perhaps most alarming from the survey’s findings, is the low number of people seeking help. Only 1% of those who gamble reported accessing support or information from gambling or mental health services.
He said: “The Minister of Health must act without delay to commission dedicated gambling treatment services. With existing addiction services already under pressure, additional funding is essential. The findings of this survey point to a serious gap in provision for addiction treatment in the north. The need is clearly there, but people aren’t getting the help they need.”
According to the “Prevalence of Gambling in Northern Ireland 2024” report, 3% of the population are experiencing severe gambling-related harms, while a further 10% are considered low or moderate risk gamblers. Shockingly, approximately one in seven adults who gambled in the past year admitted to betting more than they could afford to lose. Additionally, one in eight reported needing to gamble increasing amounts to achieve the same level of excitement, and nearly one in 12 said gambling had caused health problems such as stress and anxiety.
McGuigan said: “These figures are deeply concerning and underscore the serious social and public health implications of gambling addiction. This isn’t just about individuals losing money; it’s about broken families, damaged relationships, and communities struggling with the fallout of gambling harms.”
The survey also found that 10% of people affected by gambling had experienced the breakdown of a close relationship due to someone’s gambling, highlighting the wider ripple effects of the issue.
To address the funding gap, McGuigan is also calling on the Minister for Communities to bring forward the promised levy on land-based gambling operators without delay.
“Calling the Minister for Communities to introduce a levy is a fair and necessary step. The industry profiting from gambling must contribute to the prevention and treatment of gambling harm,” he said.
McGuigan also criticised the British Government for excluding Northern Ireland from the proceeds of the statutory levy on gambling operators introduced in Britain on 6 April. This levy is intended to fund research, prevention and treatment of gambling-related harm.
“Online gambling operators licensed by Britain’s Gambling Commission are freely advertising and profiting here in the North. Yet, our population is completely excluded from the financial benefits of the statutory gambling levy on these operators. That is unacceptable. Executive Ministers must demand that the North receives its fair share of this funding,” McGuigan said.
The survey further revealed that 66% of respondents believe there are too many gambling advertisements, and 71% support a watershed for gambling ads on TV and radio.
McGuigan is now urging the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy MP, to use her powers to implement tighter advertising restrictions, including a TV and radio watershed to limit exposure to gambling content during peak viewing times.
“The public clearly wants action. The evidence is there. We must act now to protect individuals and families from the devastating consequences of gambling addiction,” he said.
The post Irish Politician Philip McGuigan Calls for Urgent Action on Gambling Harm Treatment appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has fined the Werribee RSL $30,000 for failing to prevent 2 self-excluded customers from gambling.
VGCCC CEO Suzy Neilan said: “This is the first time the VGCCC has taken disciplinary action against a club or hotel for self-exclusion breaches.
“Self-exclusion programs empower people to manage their gambling by registering to be temporarily or permanently blocked from entering gambling areas of clubs, pubs and casinos.
“By failing to respect a person’s decision to self-exclude, a venue may put customers who have decided to take a break from gambling, or quit altogether, at risk of experiencing gambling harm.”
In January 2024, the VGCCC received an anonymous tip-off that a self-excluded person entered the Werribee RSL gaming room and used the poker machines. The venue self-reported a second breach in May 2024, after realising a different customer had gambled at the venue on at least 4 occasions between February and May 2024.
Ms Neilan said: “Taking disciplinary action is the last resort. We would prefer venues take their harm minimisation responsibilities seriously by complying with their legal obligations, including through the effective implementation of tools like self-exclusion.
“Venues and their staff are the last line of defence for self-excluded customers, who should be able to trust that their decision to self-exclude will be respected. They must have the appropriate controls in place to prevent self-excluded people from entering gaming rooms.”
The VGCCC acknowledged that Werribee RSL cooperated with the investigations and has since taken steps to strengthen its procedures. These include improved and regular staff training, daily audits of the self-exclusion register and greater use of technology to identify self-excluded customers who attempt to enter the gaming room.
This remedial action was taken into consideration in determining the amount of the fine.
The post VGCCC Fines Werribee RSL for Self-exclusion Failures appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Konami Gaming Inc. announced successful completion of Gaming-related Vendor Licensing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a key emerging market for commercial gaming. Konami Gaming is among the first in the industry to be awarded a Gaming-Related Vendor License by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), an independent entity of the UAE Federal Government with exclusive jurisdiction to regulate, license, and supervise all UAE commercial gaming activities. A leading global provider of casino games and casino management systems, Konami has been awarded official license to serve the UAE’s developing gaming market with its award-winning products and services.
“Since Konami Gaming’s inception, our global growth has been achieved with an unwavering commitment to compliance. As the United Arab Emirates expands its economy to the regulated commercial gaming space, Konami is dedicated to supporting this market with the same integrity, innovation, and excellence we bring to all 431 gaming jurisdictions we serve worldwide,” said Tom Jingoli, president & chief operating officer at Konami Gaming.
For a quarter century, casino players have enjoyed Konami Gaming’s slot machines for the Class III gaming space, in which game outcomes are determined by random number generators (RNG). The company has since expanded its world-famous casino entertainment to online gaming and a variety of central determination market sectors. Additionally, Konami Gaming has spent over 20 years delivering its industry-leading SYNKROS casino management system to some of the largest and most diverse gaming destinations on earth, with ultra-reliable 99.99% uptime.
The post Konami Gaming Awarded Gaming-related Vendor License in the UAE appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued ReadyBet with a remedial direction after the company marketed to customers who had registered with BetStop – the National Self-Exclusion Register (NSER).
An ACMA investigation found ReadyBet sent 273 texts and push notifications from its mobile app to self-excluded individuals.
Separately, the company also failed to promote the NSER in 2342 push notifications despite it being mandatory to promote BetStop in any marketing electronic messages.
The ACMA issued the remedial direction so that ReadyBet takes action to prevent it breaching the rules in the future.
Under the remedial direction, ReadyBet must commission an independent review of its marketing systems, including its use of third-party suppliers.
ReadyBet must also engage a provider to deliver training to its staff to avoid messages being sent to self-excluded individuals.
The ACMA may seek civil penalties if ReadyBet does not comply with the remedial direction.
The post ACMA: ReadyBet Breaches Gambling Self-exclusion Rules appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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