Compliance Updates
Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) Joins Congressional Leaders to Reintroduce SAFE Bet Act Ahead of March Madness
The Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) at Northeastern University School of Law supports Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) as they reintroduced the SAFE Bet Act, which addresses the risks associated with legalized gambling.
As of 2025, 39 states and the District of Columbia have legalized sports betting, but the necessary safeguards are not in place to address the public health risks that legalizing sports betting creates. The SAFE Bet Act, first introduced in September 2024, addresses those public health concerns.
The SAFE Bet Act establishes federal standards while preserving the opportunity for anyone who wishes to participate in legal sports betting. These standards will address advertising, affordability, and artificial intelligence issues.
Director of Gambling Policy at PHAI, Dr. Harry Levant, said: “The rapid and unprecedented expansion of the gambling industry has resulted in a public health crisis the scope of which we are only beginning to recognize.”
“Once unthinkable partnerships between the gambling industry, professional and collegiate sports, broadcast media, and technology companies have resulted in the delivery of non-stop gambling action on virtually every phone, tablet, computer, and television. Gambling is a known addictive product, and the 2025 SAFE Bet Act protects the public by replacing the ethically flawed ‘responsible gaming’ model with comprehensive public health solutions designed to prevent gambling-related harm,” Levant added.
“Like cigarettes, online sports gambling apps are a highly addictive product designed to entrap consumers into compulsive use, robbing them of free choice as well their money. The Safe Bets Act aims, among other things, to eliminate the predatory features of current sports betting apps, still allowing users to bet on the game but not to bet compulsively instead of even watching the game,” said PHAI President and Professor of Law at Northeastern University, Richard Daynard.
“Where there is a public health problem, there needs to be a public health solution. At PHAI, we understand that blaming the people who are struggling with gambling and referring to them as ‘irresponsible’ consumers is not a public health solution. The 2025 SAFE Bet Act recognizes that the government needs to take a more active role when dealing with the new high-intensity sports gambling products that are causing so much pain today. The SAFE Bet Act is a public health solution,” said Mark Gottlieb, Executive Director of PHAI.
The post Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) Joins Congressional Leaders to Reintroduce SAFE Bet Act Ahead of March Madness 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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