

Compliance Updates
Texas Lottery Moves to Ban Lottery Courier Services
Texas Lottery Commission Executive Director Ryan Mindell on Monday, Feb. 24, issued a Policy Statement, announcing that lottery ticket courier services are not allowed under Texas law and that the agency will move forward with proposed rule amendments prohibiting lottery courier services within the state.
The Policy is effective immediately and aligns with legislative efforts to address serious concerns raised by players and state leadership regarding the integrity, security, honesty, and fairness of lottery operations. Under the proposed amendments, a retailer that works in concert with a courier service would have their lottery ticket sales agent license revoked. The rule amendments will be formally proposed by agency staff to the Commission board at an open meeting scheduled for Tuesday, March 4, with the intent for the amendments to be adopted at an April open meeting following a 30-day public comment period.
Couriers are unregulated companies that take lottery ticket orders from customers online. Upon receipt of funds from a customer, the courier purchases lottery tickets from a licensed lottery retailer with whom the courier has a private business arrangement. In practice, the courier and the retailer are often located in the same building or office. The courier transmits a scanned image of the ticket to the customer and retains the ticket until it is determined to be a winning or non-winning ticket. Couriers charge a fee for their service to purchase and manage their customers’ tickets. These activities all occur without the oversight of a regulating authority to ensure that the public is protected from potential crime and other harms.
“The Texas Lottery was established to provide a secure and transparent system for players to purchase tickets in person from licensed brick-and-mortar retailers for the purpose of generating revenue for public education and veterans’ services in a responsible manner. Lottery courier services operating in Texas have been a significant concern for many of our stakeholders. Previously, the agency interpreted its authority as not extending to the regulation or prohibition of these services. Since I became executive director less than a year ago, I have been keenly focused on making changes to improve the public’s perception of Texas Lottery games and how they are played and operated. In recent days, our agency conducted a review of our authority under the State Lottery Act. As a result of this review and information from recent retailer investigations, the Commission will revoke the license of a retailer that works with or assists a courier service and we are moving to prohibit courier services in Texas to ensure all ticket sales comply with state law and agency regulation as well as to maintain public trust,” said Mindell.
The impact of lottery courier services has raised public concerns regarding consumer protection, compliance with state law, the proliferation of crime, and the potential for unauthorized expansion of lottery sales. In recent years, scrutiny over the role of these services has increased, with calls for regulatory action to ensure all ticket purchases remain within a clearly defined, secure, and enforceable legal framework.
“Our priority is to protect the security and integrity of the Texas Lottery and the public’s confidence in our games. By this rule proposal, the agency will take decisive action to ensure that ticket sales remain in full compliance with state law. Maintaining a well-regulated lottery system that serves the people of Texas is essential to fulfilling our mission of responsibly generating important revenue for public education and veterans’ services in our state. I look forward to adopting these rules and continuing our commitment to the people of Texas. The Texas Lottery Commission is dedicated to upholding the integrity of lottery operations and will work in full cooperation with the Legislature to implement any further changes deemed necessary,” Robert G. Rivera, Chairman of the Texas Lottery Commission, said.
The post Texas Lottery Moves to Ban Lottery Courier Services appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Ben Clemes
High Roller Submits Gaming License Application in Ontario

High Roller Technologies, operator of the premium online casino brands High Roller and Fruta, announced the submission of its Internet Gaming Operator license application in Ontario, Canada, targeting the launch of its flagship brand HighRoller.com in the second half of 2025.
“The submission of our licensing application to access Ontario’s regulated online gambling market is an important milestone in our Company’s journey. Once our application is approved, we anticipate that we will have the opportunity to launch our online casino product into the market later this year,” said Ben Clemes, Chief Executive Officer at High Roller.
Ontario is one of the largest regulated online gambling markets in the world as measured by gross gaming revenue. In 2024, regulated online gambling operators within the province generated approximately $2.3B in gross gaming revenue, and growth continues to be recorded in the first half of 2025. Recently, the province of Alberta passed enabling legislation to establish a regulatory framework for online gambling. Once available, the Company also intends to pursue licensure in Alberta to expand its regulated market footprint in Canada.
“Ontario is missing an elegant brand like High Roller. We’re excited to roll out the red carpet for our new customers, and we’re looking forward to showcasing our tremendous product,” said Clemes.
The post High Roller Submits Gaming License Application in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Compliance Updates
UKGC Launches New Consumer Voice Framework

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has unveiled a new and improved Consumer Voice framework, marking a major step forward in how the regulator listens to and understands the experiences of people who gamble in Great Britain.
The new framework expands the Commission’s research capabilities by introducing four specialist research suppliers, each bringing unique expertise to the table. This shift allows the Commission to delve deeper into the views, motivations, and behaviours of gambling consumers – including those from underrepresented or harder-to-reach groups such as people gambling on specific gambling products, particular demographic groups and those experiencing negative consequences from their own or someone else’s gambling.
Under the new framework, the Consumer Voice programme will now be supported by:
Yonder Consulting – specialists in mixed methodology research
The Behavioural Insights Team – experts in experimental and behavioural research
Humankind Research – qualitative experts with a focus on hard-to-reach audiences
Savanta – providers of fast-turnaround, cost-effective research.
Each supplier has signed a two-year contract, with the potential for extension until 2029.
“This new framework gives us greater agility and reach than ever before. With these four partners, we’re better equipped to commission high-quality research quickly and use a range of approaches to respond to emerging trends or risks as they develop. The Consumer Voice programme is central to our efforts to ensure our decisions are grounded in the lived experiences of all consumers and the evolving realities of gambling,” said the Gambling Commission’s Head of Research, Laura Carter.
Consumer Voice complements the Commission’s nationally representative Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) by offering a flexible, targeted approach to gathering insight. It allows the Commission to conduct deep dives into specific issues, test new ideas and track consumer sentiment over time.
In 2024 alone, the programme engaged with over 10,000 gambling consumers. Previous studies have tackled issues like financial risk checks, bonus incentives and gambling during the cost-of-living crisis.
Joe Wheeler, Associate Director of Yonder Consulting, said: “Over the past three years Yonder Consulting have partnered with the Gambling Commission in delivering mixed-methods research for the Consumer Voice Programme. We’ve supported on a wide range of impactful research programmes, covering elements of the consumer experience like trust in the industry, engagement with the unlicensed market, behaviours during key sporting events and the impact of marketing and bonus offers. We’re delighted to continue our ongoing partnership and to support the Commission in delivering against key policy evidence gaps.”
Eleanor Collerton, Senior Advisor of the Behaviour Insights Team (BIT), said: “We’re delighted to contribute to the Gambling Commission’s Consumer Voice programme. As a global research and innovation consultancy, BIT combines a deep understanding of human behaviour with evidence-led problem solving to improve people’s lives. We’re excited to contribute our expertise in experimental research to generate new insights, address key evidence gaps, and help ensure consumer voices shape meaningful and effective gambling policy, building on more than five years of work to reduce gambling harms in GB.”
Tom Silverman, Co-Founder of Humankind Research, said: “Humankind Research specialises in research with a positive impact, and much of our work is exploring lived experience of complex issues and under-served groups. So we are delighted to be chosen to be the Gambling Commission’s partner for ‘in-depth qualitative research’ within the Consumer Voice framework. It is a fantastic opportunity to work in close collaboration with the Commission to really understand the experiences and needs of people who are involved in or affected by gambling; using sensitive and inclusive research approaches to gain strategic insights that can help to guide policy and priorities.”
The post UKGC Launches New Consumer Voice Framework appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Compliance Updates
Michel Groothuizen Joins GREF as Board Member

Michel Groothuizen, chairman of the Netherlands Gambling Authority, has been unanimously appointed as general board member of the board of the Gambling Regulators European Forum (GREF) for the period 2025-27. GREF is a partnership in which gambling regulators from Europe share knowledge, experiences and best practices and work together on a safe and fair gambling market.
In his new role, he will spend the next two years working to strengthen the importance of GREF and to further grow the organisation. His personal mission is to work with other regulators to establish shared standards in the area of gambling supervision.
“An example of this is the clear standard that gambling under the age of 18 is an absolute no go,” said Groothuizen.
He looks forward to a pleasant collaboration with other countries in the coming administrative period.
The post Michel Groothuizen Joins GREF as Board Member appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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