

Compliance Updates
UKGC Welcomes OSR Review of Gambling Survey for Great Britain
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has welcomed the findings from the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) regarding the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB).
Both the public statement and comprehensive review of the GSGB praised the development and transparency of the survey and provided a series of important recommendations to further enhance its reliability and user engagement.
Ben Haden, Director of Research and Statistics at the UKGC, said: “We welcome the findings from OSR, both the public statement regarding casework they have received in relation to GSGB and their overall review of the GSGB. We are pleased they recognise the huge amount of work that the team has put into developing and delivering the largest survey of its kind in the world. We also welcome OSR’s recommendations for further action, which closely align with work that we already have underway.”
The GSGB collects the Commission’s official statistics on gambling behaviours in Great Britain. After several years of extensive development, the Commission asked the OSR to review GSGB against its standards in the Code of Practice for Statistics to support continual improvement and provide independent assurance on quality and transparency.
As OSR rightly states, the absence of accredited official statistics status does not imply the GSGB is of lower quality or reliability, despite some claims to the contrary. The decision on which one to use should be based on user need and not accreditation status.
It also acknowledged that the Commission has presented clear and impartial information about the strengths and limitations of the methodological approach and statistical uncertainty of survey estimates.
The Commission has already acted on several areas outlined in the report based on earlier feedback and will provide a further, fuller update in July in line with OSR’s request.
As part of its commitment to improvement, the Commission has already updated its guidance for users of the GSGB in February 2025, with clearer examples and dedicated contact channels for questions or concerns. The Commission has also committed to promoting this guidance more widely and embedding it across all future releases.
The OSR noted that communication and user engagement will be critical to the GSGB’s ongoing success. In response, the Commission has announced plans to establish a GSGB Statistics User Group. Around 70 stakeholders have already expressed interest in joining the group, which will serve as a forum for dialogue, feedback, and shared learning.
Further improvements are underway in line with recommendations from Professor Sturgis’s independent review of the GSGB. An experimental research project was launched in April 2025 to test specific aspects of the survey’s methodology. Fieldwork is now in progress, with findings expected in Summer 2025. These results will inform the second GSGB annual report, due for publication on 2 October 2025.
Other recommendations already actioned:
• survey improvement plan updated with further information for users
• new survey questions designed to validate GSGB findings against external data sources such as Gamstop and the Bingo Association
• improvements to accessibility and usability of GSGB outputs – links to guidance added to statistical outputs released on 22 May.
Other recommendations that will be actioned:
• comparisons with forthcoming datasets from the Health Survey for England and the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, due later in 2025
• publication of a communications strategy to improve how GSGB updates are shared
• ongoing improvements to accessibility and usability of GSGB outputs to be informed by GSGB stats user group.
The Commission continues to engage with other official statistics producers, including Ofcom, the Money and Pensions Service and devolved government agencies, and is reviewing user engagement frameworks to develop a formal user engagement strategy.
The post UKGC Welcomes OSR Review of Gambling Survey for Great Britain appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
California State Assemblymember Avelino Valencia
New Bill in California Could End Online Sweepstakes Gaming

California State Assemblymember Avelino Valencia (D-Anaheim) has introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 831 to protect Californians from unregulated online gambling by prohibiting online sweepstakes games that use a “dual currency” model to mimic casino-style wagering.
“Sweepstakes” platforms sell virtual coins that are used to play casino-style games and can be redeemed for cash or prizes, essentially operating as unlicensed gambling businesses. By exploiting “No Purchase Necessary” disclaimers, they sidestep California’s regulatory framework and evade the state’s voter-approved proposition related to Tribal-State gaming. Many of these “sweepstakes” operators are based offshore and function without proper oversight, avoiding requirements like consumer protections, responsible gaming safeguards, background checks, and tax compliance.
“We cannot look the other way while these platforms exploit legal grey areas. These operations undermine the voter-approved framework that affirms Tribal governments’ sovereign right to conduct gaming in California. AB 831 strengthens that framework and ensures gaming in California remains fair and accountable,” said Assemblymember Avelino Valencia.
AB 831 fortifies existing sweepstakes laws and clarifies the illegality of internet-based sweepstakes that use the dual currency model. It reinforces the shared responsibility between the State, licensed operators, and Native Nations to keep gaming safe, transparent, and accountable. AB 831 is co-sponsored by the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA), and the Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations (TASIN), reflecting strong support from across Indian Country.
“For over 25 years, Tribal governments like Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, have upheld the will of California voters by operating gaming with integrity. That commitment has allowed us to reinvest in our communities, boost local economies, and support essential public services on reservations and in partnerships across the state. Illegal online gaming now threatens this foundation—compromising voter-approved law and putting Californians at risk,” said Yuhaaviatam Tribal Council of San Manuel Chairwoman Lynn Valbuena.
“We support this legislation that will close dangerous loopholes and strengthen the integrity of California’s gaming system. We remain committed to defending a proven framework that protects the sovereignty of Tribal Nations and delivers real and lasting benefits to all Californians. Together, Tribal governments and the State of California will continue to address and take decisive action against illegal internet gaming in all its forms,” said Yuhaaviatam Tribal Council of San Manuel Vice Chairman Johnny Hernandez, Jr.
“Tribal government gaming contributes nearly $25 billion to California’s economy, sustains over 112,000 jobs, and funds critical community programs. Unregulated online sweepstakes threaten this voter-approved system by imitating casino gaming without oversight, accountability, or community investment. These illegal platforms erase the benefits of regulated gaming while exposing consumers to serious risks,” said CNIGA Chairman James Siva.
AB 831 is pending a hearing in the Senate.
The post New Bill in California Could End Online Sweepstakes Gaming appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Compliance Updates
New Initiative from DI Council Aims to Enable Betting on Professional Sports

The Division I Council introduced a proposal that, if adopted in October, would change sports betting rules to permit student-athletes and staff members to bet on professional sports and refocus the Association’s enforcement efforts on college sports betting and behaviors that directly impact game integrity. If adopted, the change will be implemented only if Divisions II and III also vote to allow betting on pro sports.
The council’s introduction of the proposal, which comes after a directive from the Division I Board of Directors in April that the council adopt changes to sports betting rules, is not an endorsement of sports betting behaviors, especially for college athletes. The NCAA’s prohibition against betting on college sports would remain in place, as would the prohibitions against sharing information about college events with bettors. The NCAA also would continue to maintain its prohibition for NCAA championships against advertising and sponsorships associated with betting.
“NCAA rules prohibiting sports betting at all levels were written and adopted at a time when sports gambling was largely illegal nationwide,” said Josh Whitman, athletics director at Illinois and chair of the council. “As betting on sports has become more widely accepted across the country, Division I members have determined that further discussion of these sports betting rules is warranted, particularly as it relates to the potential distinctions between betting on professional versus collegiate sports. Throughout our discussions, the council has remained focused on student-athlete wellness and educating student-athletes about the risks and potentially harmful impacts of betting.”
Current NCAA rules do not allow student-athletes or institutional staff to engage in sports betting at any level (professional, college or amateur) for any sports that have NCAA championships, and NCAA members have continually maintained that any betting by a student-athlete on his or her own team or own sport in college should continue to result in a permanent loss of any remaining collegiate eligibility. However, in 2023, Division I changed the reinstatement guidelines for student-athletes who participate in sports betting on professional sports to focus on harm reduction for problematic betting behaviors.
“Deregulating professional sports betting may provide schools an additional opportunity to implement harm-reduction strategies, which can be more effective and have long-term benefits not seen with abstinence-only approaches. Harm-reduction strategies include education, stigma reduction and acknowledging actual behaviors,” said Dr. Deena Casiero, NCAA chief medical officer. “By meeting student-athletes where they are, schools may be more effective at preventing, identifying and supporting student-athletes with problematic gambling behaviors. Regardless of the change, schools are encouraged to use the many sports betting resources already available.”
The recently released Harm Reduction Considerations for Gambling & Sports Betting in Collegiate Sports references available sports betting resources, including the NCAA Mental Health Best Practices. Additionally, more than 100,000 student-athletes, coaches and administrators have been reached through the NCAA’s education efforts with EPIC Global Solutions, and the NCAA has launched an e-learning module to educate student-athletes on problem gambling harms and the integrity risks associated with sports betting.
Several sports betting-related violations by staff members at NCAA schools have been resolved through the infractions process in recent years, and the enforcement staff is working on issuing Notices of Allegations in several ongoing cases that involve allegations of betting on professional and college sports by student-athletes and/or athletics department staff members at a handful of NCAA schools.
The proposed rule change would not be retroactive. If it is adopted, it would apply only to sports betting activities that occur after the effective date of the proposal.
“The enforcement staff’s sports betting-related caseload has significantly increased in recent years, and our staff — including our new sports betting integrity unit — has been effective in detecting and pursuing violations,” said Jon Duncan, NCAA vice president of enforcement.
The Association prioritizes competition integrity, which is vital to college sports. The NCAA uses a layered strategy to respond responsibly to the rise in sports betting across the United States by monitoring over 22,000 contests per year, advocating for limits on prop bets that pose heightened risks, reducing the potential for student-athlete abuse by aggrieved bettors, and creating greater transparency to assist with the timely investigation and resolution of integrity-related issues.
This layered approach includes the most recent agreement extension with Genius Sports to establish unprecedented betting restrictions on high-risk proposition bets. Sportsbooks licensing NCAA championship data must cooperate fully with NCAA investigations, including providing access to account data, financial history and geolocation records. This will allow the NCAA to work with the sportsbooks to gather detailed account information when harassers are identified to prevent repeat offenders from continuing to place bets across platforms, increasing safeguards to protect student-athlete mental health and well-being.
The post New Initiative from DI Council Aims to Enable Betting on Professional Sports appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Compliance Updates
Nick Rust to Step Down as Chair of UKGC’s Industry Forum

Nick Rust has announced that he will be stepping down as Chair of the UK Gambling Commission’s (UKGC) Industry Forum when his agreed two-year term comes to an end in November.
Nick has been instrumental in the creation and development of the Forum, working closely with the Commission to ensure that the voices and expertise of industry stakeholders are heard and reflected in its work. His leadership has helped establish the Forum as a vital part of the Commission’s wider engagement and governance structure.
Nick said: “It’s been a privilege to Chair the Industry Forum and help the Commission’s Executives and Board to gain insights on policy and operational performance from an industry perspective. I’m pleased with the work the Forum has delivered and believe it has helped the Commission better understand the implications of its existing and planned policies for consumers and industry operators.
“I’d like to thank my fellow Forum members for their work and also the Gambling Commission team who support the Forum. I look forward to seeing how the Industry Forum continues to support the Commission to achieve its regulatory aims.”
Helen Child, Head of Governance at UKGC, said: “Nick has been instrumental in the creation of the Forum, helping to develop and embed it into the Commission’s expert groups. I have very much enjoyed working with him as we established the Forum, and I would like to thank Nick for his hard work in getting the group to this point. We wish him well for the future.”
Andrew Rhodes, Chief Executive of UKGC, said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed working with both Nick and the Forum over the last two years. Nick has been such a valuable sounding board, a constant fount of knowledge and insight and a great support to me personally.”
“A new Chair will be appointed in due course, with further updates to follow. We are grateful to Nick for his significant contribution and continued support during the transition,” the Commission said.
The post Nick Rust to Step Down as Chair of UKGC’s Industry Forum appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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