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Compliance Updates
CMA: Spreadex required to sell Sporting Index
An independent CMA panel has decided Spreadex should sell Sporting Index after finding the deal harmed competition for licensed online sports spread betting services.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has accepted the proposed sale of Sporting Index, to address the competition concerns it had found in the licensed online sports spread betting market, with some modifications and enhancements.
Last year, Spreadex acquired the ‘business-to-consumer’ business of Sporting Index from Sporting Group Holding Limited (Sporting Group). Spreadex and Sporting Index both provide sports fixed odds betting and sports spread betting services to customers based in the UK.
Sports spread betting involves customers betting on a range of outcomes of sporting events rather than the standard ‘win or lose’ outcomes offered by fixed-odds betting. In spread betting, the closer a customer’s bet is to an outcome, the more money they stand to win, and the further away from the outcome they are, the more they stand to lose. This means that, in contrast to fixed odds betting, customers’ wins and losses could be far higher than the amount they bet.
After conducting an in-depth Phase 2 investigation into the deal, the CMA’s independent panel has concluded the deal created a monopoly in the UK licensed online sports spread betting market, eliminating competition in that market. The panel concluded that the merger could lead to a worse user experience, a more limited range of products and/or higher prices for consumers in the UK.
The panel has concluded that, with some modifications and enhancements, the sale remedy proposed by Spreadex is sufficient to remedy the competition concerns and restore competition in this market that is lost as a result of the deal.
The CMA now has 12 weeks to either accept Final Undertakings from Spreadex, or to make a Final Order requiring Spreadex, to sell Sporting Index to a suitable CMA-approved buyer.
Richard Feasey, the chair of the independent panel reviewing the merger, said:
“This deal eliminates competition in the supply of licensed online sports spread betting services in the UK.
Sports spread betting – like any other market – needs competition to drive good customer experience, maintain choice and keep prices competitive. To achieve this, we have decided that Spreadex should sell Sporting Index, so that customers can choose between two firms for the best user experience and prices, rather than having to use only one. “
Further details are available on the SpreadEx / Sporting Index case page.
The post CMA: Spreadex required to sell Sporting Index appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Compliance Updates
Texas Lottery Moves to Ban Lottery Courier Services
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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.
Compliance Updates
Missouri Sports Betting Launch Delayed Until Fall 2025
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Missouri’s plan to launch legal sports betting this summer has been delayed after Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected an emergency rulemaking request filed by the Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC). The decision, announced on February 21, means that regulators must follow the standard rulemaking process, effectively pushing the anticipated June launch to late summer or fall 2025.
Hoskins stated that the proposed emergency rules, which were submitted to Governor Mike Kehoe on January 27, did not meet the legal requirements for emergency approval.
Under Missouri law, emergency rulemaking can only be granted if there is “immediate danger to public health, safety, or welfare” or if the rule is necessary to “preserve a compelling governmental interest that requires an early effective date.” Hoskins determined that sports betting regulations did not meet these conditions, meaning they must proceed through the standard rulemaking process, which includes a public input period.
The MGC had initially targeted June 2025 as the market’s launch date, despite the state’s legal deadline requiring that wagering begin no later than December 1, 2025. Following Hoskins’ rejection, the MGC confirmed that its proposed licensing rules, which were filed alongside the emergency request, will become effective on August 30, 2025.
The post Missouri Sports Betting Launch Delayed Until Fall 2025 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Australia
VGCCC Concludes Underage Gambling Investigation
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“Nothing can make up for the harm a Melbourne family experienced as a result of the failure by multiple operators to prevent a young teen from gambling between May 2022 and October 2023,” Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) CEO Annette Kimmitt AM said.
Her comment followed the conclusion of VGCCC’s most comprehensive action to date for underage gambling – more than 2000 hours of investigations, 14 prosecutions against 10 entities, 98 charges and fines totalling half-a-million dollars.
The VGCCC investigation was prompted by concerns reported by the mother of the then 17-year-old, whose neurodiversity, in addition to his age, put him at high risk of gambling harm.
Ms Kimmitt said: “I can only imagine how difficult it was for the mother to come to us and I commend her for doing so. I hope the outcomes and conclusion of these proceedings bring her some comfort, following the significant trauma she and her family have gone through.
“When industry is not diligent about complying with its legal and social obligations, the consequences for everyday Victorians can be serious and long lasting, which is why the VGCCC is determined to hold operators to account.”
The final case was heard before the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria on Thursday 13 February. Correct Bet Pty Ltd, the operator of the Coburg TAB outlet, pleaded guilty to two charges and was fined $3000 without conviction and ordered to pay VGCCC costs of $5500.
Magistrate Hodgson considered that Correct Bet had no prior convictions in 14 years of operation across multiple venues and had implemented additional measures, including staff training, mobile phone policy changes, and regular CCTV monitoring.
Separately, on Friday 7 February, Supreme Edinburgh Pty Ltd, trading as the Duke of Edinburgh in Brunswick, pleaded guilty in the Magistrates’ Court to three counts of breaching the Gambling Regulation Act 2003. The operator was fined $2500 and ordered to pay VGCCC costs of $4950.
Ms Kimmitt said: “It is a venue’s responsibility to ensure minors do not access a designated gambling area, let alone gamble, no matter how determined or convincing a child might be.
“We welcome the outcome of these court hearings, which bring to a close all prosecutions involving this family. Unfortunately, the family’s recovery from this experience is likely to take a lot longer and leave a painful scar.”
The post VGCCC Concludes Underage Gambling Investigation appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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