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Majority of gamblers hit with affordability checks have handed over info, but wider betting population unwilling

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2 years ago

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  • Most bettors asked to undergo financial checks agree
  • Higher spending players more willing than lower spenders
  • Most who’ve not yet faced affordability checks say they will refuse

The majority of bettors who have been asked for proof they can afford to gamble have provided it, but there are big questions over how things will play out if checks become mandatory or more common, the results of a new study by sports betting community OLBG show.

A survey of bettors carried out online by YouGov for OLBG found that the majority of those who had been asked by gambling operators to provide documents such as payslips, bank statements or other documents had complied with the request.

The survey, which polled 1,007 bettors, found that 21.8% of bettors had already been asked for documents by at least one bookmaker. Of these, 74.3% had provided them, but 17.9% had refused and started playing with a different licensed operator instead. Of the remainder, 4.1% refused and moved to an unlicensed operator, while 3.7% stopped betting entirely.

The willingness to provide documentation was less widespread among those who had not yet been asked to do so, however.

Of the 78.2% of punters who had not yet faced affordability checks, 37.3% said they would refuse and simply stop betting, 35.0% said they would move to a different licensed operator and 4.1% said they’d go to an unlicensed company. Only 23.5% indicated they would be willing to provide the documents.

“Most bettors who have been asked to provide documents have done so. More importantly, very few of those who were asked stopped gambling or went to the black market, the latter being the worst unintended consequence of measures aimed at making gambling more responsible,” said Richard Moffat, CEO at OLBG.

“However, there is a stark difference between those who have been asked and those who haven’t in terms of willingness.”

As the below table shows, overall 65% of bettors reported not being willing to comply with affordability checks. Those betting lower monthly amounts were the least open to handing over financial documents, with more than three in four (75.4%) of those betting less than £5 a month and 72% of those betting £6-15 a month unwilling to undergo affordability checks.

“Few people who are spending at this level are likely to think it is proportionate for a bookie to ask for proof they can afford it and it’s quite surprising how many lower spending players report already having been asked. From the rumours about what level mandatory checks might come in, it seems unlikely checks will be forced on players at levels under £100 per month,” said Moffat.

Players spending less than £100 per month

Have you been asked by a gambling company to provide payslips, bank statements or similar documents as part of an affordability or proof of funds check? All bettors Less than £5 £6-15 £16-25 £26-50 £51-100
Unweighted base 1,007 235 224 147 154 93
Yes, I have and I provided the required documents 16.16% 6.00% 10.08% 20.86% 16.55% 14.27%
No, I have not but I would provide the documents if asked 18.45% 18.20% 18.06% 23.14% 20.31% 21.62%
Yes, I have, but I didn’t provide the documents and bet with a different licensed company instead 3.92% 0.40% 1.77% 4.22% 4.53% 6.57%
Yes, I have but I didn’t provide the documents and bet with a different unlicensed company instead 0.90% 0.00% 0.47% 0.71% 1.29% 1.08%
Yes, I have but I didn’t provide the documents and stopped betting 0.79% 0.00% 0.43% 0.70% 1.94% 1.10%
No, I have not and if asked I wouldn’t provide the documents and would bet with a different licensed company instead 27.40% 20.40% 31.52% 24.80% 35.25% 38.36%
No, I have not and if asked I wouldn’t provide the documents and would bet with an unlicensed company instead 3.20% 1.30% 3.57% 4.17% 3.27% 1.11%
No, I have not and if asked I wouldn’t bet 29.18% 53.60% 34.10% 21.40% 16.86% 15.88%
Total willing to provide documents 34.61% 24.20% 28.14% 44.00% 36.86% 35.89%
Total unwilling to provide documents 65.39% 75.70% 71.86% 56.00% 63.14% 64.10%

Players spending more than £100 per month

Have you been asked by a gambling company to provide payslips, bank statements or similar documents as part of an affordability or proof of funds check? All bettors £101-200 £201-300 £301-500 £501-1000
Unweighted Base 1,007 57 16 16 20
Yes, I have and I provided the required documents 16.16% 30.04% 31.87% 50.63% 40.65%
No, I have not but I would provide the documents if asked 18.45% 19.41% 12.94% 0.00% 4.79%
Yes, I have, but I didn’t provide the documents and bet with a different licensed company instead 3.92% 12.40% 6.73% 0.00% 15.35%
Yes, I have but I didn’t provide the documents and bet with a different unlicensed company instead 0.90% 1.77% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Yes, I have but I didn’t provide the documents and stopped betting 0.79% 1.70% 0.00% 6.45% 0.00%
No, I have not and if asked I wouldn’t provide the documents and would bet with a different licensed company instead 27.40% 24.19% 36.36% 30.49% 28.90%
No, I have not and if asked I wouldn’t provide the documents and would bet with an unlicensed company instead 3.20% 5.19% 12.10% 6.45% 5.12%
No, I have not and if asked I wouldn’t bet 29.18% 5.31% 0.00% 5.98% 5.20%
Total willing to provide documents 34.61% 49.45% 44.81% 50.63% 45.44%
Total unwilling to provide documents 65.39% 50.56% 55.19% 49.37% 54.57%

* Players spending more than £1,000 per month were excluded as numbers were too small to be statistically significant.

However, while willingness to undergo affordability checks does seem to increase among players who spend more on a monthly basis, even among those spending £100-plus per month, less than half were open to affordability checks.

One big difference between players at lower spend levels and those spending more than £100 was the likelihood of players stopping gambling if asked to undergo checks. While 53.6% of those betting less than £5 said they wouldn’t gamble if faced with affordability checks, just 5.31% said the same in the £101-200 per month category.

Higher spending players were more likely to have moved to a different licensed company rather than provide documents, but across all spending amounts a significant proportion of players reported plans to do so if asked to provide documents.

“Many players reported either having already moved to a different licensed operator or being willing to do so over affordability checks. Therefore, there is now a big question mark over what might happen if affordability checks become mandatory and all licensed operators have to impose them at certain levels,” said Moffat.

The survey also found that younger players were more willing to submit to financial checks. About one-third (33.34%) of those aged 18-24 said they had been asked for and provided documents, while 22.86% said they hadn’t been asked but would do so. In the 55-plus age group, the percentage of players reporting the same fell to 6.40% and 15.37%, respectively.

More details on this breakdown can be found in the full survey report, along with various other findings on the UK’s gambling habits.

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UNLV International Gaming Institute Announces 2025 ESPN Research Fellows

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10 hours ago

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September 17, 2025

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Selected research projects will generate new insights into how responsible gambling messages are delivered and perceived in the rapidly evolving sports media landscape

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas International Gaming Institute (IGI) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 ESPN Research Fellowships. This year’s cohort features a group of scholars whose proposals will advance understanding of responsible gambling messaging in sports media and its implications for consumer well-being.

Fellowships recipients include:

  • Dr. Brandon Mastromartino, Director of the Institute on Sports Wagering and Gaming and Assistant Professor of Experiential Marketing at the L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, San Diego State University. Dr. Mastromartino’s project will evaluate two of the NFL’s responsible gambling PSAs using a fan-centered marketing framework.

  • Dr. Chris R. Noland, Assistant Professor of Advertising at the University of South Florida’s Zimmerman School of Advertising & Mass Communications. Dr. Noland will examine the influence of celebrity endorsements and promotional inducements in Instagram advertisements on online sports betting behavior.

  • Dr. Ramon Silva Leite, Professor in the Postgraduate Program in Management at Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Dr. Silva’s project will investigate how responsible gambling messages are constructed and delivered through sports media, and how young sports bettors perceive and respond to them.

  • Dr. Sarah Stokowski, Associate Professor of Athletic Leadership at Clemson University’s Department of Educational and Organizational Leadership Development. Dr. Stokowski will investigate how college student-athletes perceive and interact with sports betting content on social media.

These projects will provide important insights into practical strategies that policymakers and the industry can adopt to help safeguard the wellbeing of sports enthusiasts and the public at large.

“IGI is tremendously proud of the work our previous Fellowships produced. A key goal of this initiative is to support innovative and impactful research to better understand the rapidly changing global sports and betting environment,” said Dr. Kasra Ghaharian, Director of Research at IGI. “This research represents critical perspectives on how gambling is represented in sports media and holds important implications for all gambling stakeholders.”

“Responsible gaming continues to be a priority for ESPN, and we are proud to continue our collaboration with IGI to support research that delivers real-world impact,” said Kevin Martinez, Vice President of ESPN Corporate Citizenship. “These new projects will provide valuable insights into how responsible gaming messages can be delivered effectively across sports media and help strengthen standards that protect fans everywhere.”

Each research fellowship lasts six months. Research results will be featured in an IGI webinar in 2026.

The post UNLV International Gaming Institute Announces 2025 ESPN Research Fellows appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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ACR POKER’S HUGE ONLINE SUPER SERIES XL MAIN EVENTS KICK OFF THIS WEEKEND, AWARDING $4.25 MILLION GUARANTEED

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10 hours ago

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September 17, 2025

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Phase 1 of the $150,000 GTD Survivor Flips starts today and first Mystery Bounty Multi-Flight Day 2 gets underway this Sunday, September 21st

ACR Poker’s biggest-ever tournament series, Online Super Series (OSS) XL, is in full swing and this weekend the action really heats up with the colossal Main Events kicking off on Sunday, September 21st, offering $4.25 million total guaranteed.

Players can take their shot at the $2 million guaranteed ($2,650 buy-in), the $1.5 million guaranteed ($1,050 buy-in), and the $750,000 guaranteed ($215 buy-in) Main Events. Day 1A starts this Sunday, September 21st, Day 1B is on Sunday, September 28th, and Day 2 is on Monday, September 29th.

The flagship series boasts over $50 million in guarantees and runs until Tuesday, September 30th. It has a range of events catered to players of all bankrolls from as little as $0.55, which include the $0.55 Micro PKO, $6.60 Early Special, and $22 Euro Mini Special.

Adding further excitement is the high-energy Survivor Flips tourney ($130 buy-in), offering a $150,000 guarantee. Phase 1 and Steps Flips run from today (Wednesday, September 17th) to Sunday, September 21st at 3:00pm ET. Phase 2 is a regular tournament on September 21st at 3:05pm ET where all players start in the money.

There are also four Mystery Bounty Multi-Flight events, including two $500,000 GTD ($109 buy-in) events, with the first having its final flight and Day 2 this Sunday, September 21st. The $200,000 GTD ($33 buy-in) and $100,000 GTD ($5.50 buy-in) events have their final flight and Day 2 on Sunday, September 28th.

“OSS XL has already delivered incredible action, with huge fields, dramatic final tables, and amazing wins for players at every level but there’s still so much to come,” said ACR Pro Chris Moneymaker. “The Main Events are always the highlight of the series, and this weekend promises to be the biggest stage yet for anyone looking to make their mark.”

Finally, to add further sweat, ACR Poker’s Leaderboard Contest is awarding $65,000 in cash and tourney tickets across three tiers. The High Stakes ($104.50 buy-ins and above) will award a $15,000 top prize, while the Mid Stakes ($16.50 to $88 buy-ins) and Low Stakes (under $15 buy-ins) will award $7,500 and $4,000, respectively.

For further details on OSS XL, read the ACR Poker blog or visit ACRPoker.eu.

 

The post ACR POKER’S HUGE ONLINE SUPER SERIES XL MAIN EVENTS KICK OFF THIS WEEKEND, AWARDING $4.25 MILLION GUARANTEED appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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GGPoker to Broadcast WSOP Online 2025 Final Tables Live, Featuring GGPoker.tv Broadcast Debut of Poker Legend Phil Hellmuth

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15 hours ago

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September 17, 2025

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Join Jeff Gross and his legendary co-hosts on September 23 and September 30

GGPoker, the World’s Biggest Poker Room, today announced it will live stream the final table action of two of the most prestigious events from the ongoing WSOP Online 2025 tournament series. The broadcasts will be available on GGPoker.tv, the brand’s official YouTube channel, and will feature the debut of poker legend Phil Hellmuth as a live GGPoker.tv broadcast host.

The first broadcast, on September 23, will showcase the high-stakes drama from the final table of the $5,000 WSOP Online Main Event, arguably online poker’s most important annual tournament. This landmark event will be co-hosted by frequent GGPoker anchor Jeff Gross and the 17-time WSOP bracelet winner, Phil Hellmuth. Known for his “poker brat” persona and unparalleled tournament record, Hellmuth’s inclusion will provide viewers with an unprecedented look into the mind of one of poker’s greatest champions.

The action continues on September 30, with the final table of the $10,300 GGMillion$ High Rollers event. Joining Jeff Gross for this broadcast will be GGPoker Global Ambassador and fellow poker icon, Daniel Negreanu. Negreanu, with his engaging style and deep understanding of the game, will provide expert commentary and analysis, making this broadcast another must-watch for poker fans everywhere.

“We are incredibly excited to bring the WSOP Online 2025 action directly to our fans with these two live broadcasts,” said Paul Burke, Head of Public Relations at GGPoker. “Having Phil Hellmuth and Daniel Negreanu on air alongside Jeff Gross to break down the action will be a true treat. This will be more than just watching a final table; it’ll be a masterclass in poker strategy from two of the best to ever play the game.”

The post GGPoker to Broadcast WSOP Online 2025 Final Tables Live, Featuring GGPoker.tv Broadcast Debut of Poker Legend Phil Hellmuth appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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