Compliance Updates

British legislatures demand stricter guidelines for gambling ad content

Published

6 years ago

May 28, 2018

Reading Time: 3 minutes

A group of Britain’s Members of Parliament (MPs), cutting across political party lines, demanded that gambling companies should display the warnings of the harms and health issues surrounding gambling and betting in their advertisements – like what tobacco companies do in their ads.

According to the MPs, gambling must be treated as a public health issue and gambling companies should not suggest through advertisement that gambling or betting is “fun.” Further, they call for a ban on gambling advertisements during live sporting events.

The group, which includes shadow culture secretary Tom Watson and former Tory minister John Hayes, states that the current regime in which “the onus of social responsibility remains subject to the self-regulation of the licensee is not working”. It says that rules around betting ads are being flouted by the gambling industry, claiming that loopholes in the law mean they are doing so “without fear of meaningful sanction.”

The number of over-16s who have a problem with gambling is thought to have risen by a third in three years, with about 430,000 sufferers in 2015. The plea comes after the government announced its intention to tackle fixed-odds betting terminals, dubbed the “crack cocaine” of gambling, by reducing the maximum stake from £100 to £2.

However, the cross-party group – which criticises ads, such as those run by Bet365 featuring actor Ray Winstone, which promote “in game” betting – wants ministers to go further. In an open letter to Culture Secretary Matt Hancock, it demands sweeping measures to ensure “greater compliance, fairness and social responsibility in the advertising and licensing of gambling”. Politicians including Watson, Hayes and former Lib Dem minister Don Foster, as well as the lord bishop of St Albans, have put their names to a series of proposals to tighten the rules on gambling companies, drawn up by the ResPublica think tank. The proposals would see Britain take a similar approach to that in New Zealand, where gambling policy is handled by the Department of Health.

A chief demand is to treat the gambling industry like big tobacco. “Gambling advertising should be consistent with other types of addictive or harmful products to public health such as cigarette packs, by featuring clearly identifiable health warnings that cannot be absorbed into an advert’s overall design. The wording of gambling advertisements is a problem because words such as ‘win’ and ‘fun’ are emphasised rather than ‘harm’, thus normalising the idea of gambling as a leisure pursuit rather than an addiction.”

The group also asks for a clampdown on rules that allow bookmakers to show ads during live matches and events: “The current exception to the watershed that permits gambling adverts during live sporting events needs to be closed.

“Echoing a range of voices including the Church of England, we’ve found that this loophole both undermines the principle of the watershed and poses a risk of harm to young people – particularly young men and at-risk gamblers.

“We think the only way of closing the current loophole is a comprehensive ban on gambling advertising during live sporting events, including TV ads, billboard ads and clothing sponsorship.”

They also criticised the practice of “affiliate marketing”, which has seen adverts disguised as news articles used to direct people to betting sites, and tipsters allowed to earn commission by recommending long-shot bets unlikely to pay off. Affiliates are agencies paid to drive gamblers to online casinos and bookmakers.

The group calls for companies to be threatened with having their licences revoked should they be found to benefit from the practice.

The gambling industry is self-regulating, but has faced criticism after a string of failings. Last year online betting company 888 was fined £7.8m after more than 7000 people who had voluntarily banned themselves from gambling were still able to access their accounts. Last week online company Sky Bet was fined £1m for allowing hundreds to keep betting after they asked to be barred from doing so.

Watson said: “Gambling addiction is Britain’s hidden epidemic. It’s time to start treating this as the public health crisis it is.”

A spokeswoman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said: “As well as reducing the maximum FOBT stake to £2, we have set out a package of measures to increase protections around online gambling and advertising. From next month, responsible gambling messages must appear on screen throughout all television gambling adverts, and a multimillion-pound safer gambling advertising campaign will launch later this year.”

Australia

Venues Warned to Play by the Rules on ANZAC Day

Published

20 hours ago

April 24, 2024

Alan Campbell

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Liquor & Gaming NSW is urging licensed venues across the state to plan ahead and have proper measures in place to ensure safe and responsible ANZAC Day commemorations.

Pubs and clubs can face additional challenges on April 25 that come with managing larger than normal crowds and the playing of two-up.

Two-up was a popular game among World War I veterans and, while illegal as an unregulated form of gambling most of the year, is legally played every ANZAC Day, Remembrance Day and Victory in the Pacific Day in their memory.

Liquor & Gaming NSW Executive Director Regulatory Operations, Jane Lin, said inspectors would carry out checks of licensed premises in Sydney and regional areas on ANZAC Day to ensure compliance with the state’s liquor and gaming laws.

“Two-up is a great Australian tradition and a way for people to come together at pubs and clubs to enjoy the ANZAC spirit,” Lin said. “While venues do not need a permit to host two-up, they are encouraged to fully understand and observe the traditional rules of the coin-tossing game.

“Licensed venues are reminded to properly manage potential risks linked to larger crowds, increased rates of intoxication, gambling disputes, extended high volume trading and special ANZAC Day liquor promotions.”

Venues’ advertising and promotions must align with liquor promotion guidelines.

More information about ANZAC Day in New South Wales is available at https:/ /www.NSM.gov. au/about-nsw/anzac-day-nsw. Two-up rules can be found at https:/ /www.LiquorAndGaming.nsw. gov. au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/858562/fs3098-two-up-factsheet. pdf.

Compliance Updates

Boldplay Awarded UKGC Licence

Published

22 hours ago

April 24, 2024

George Miller

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Boldplay, the renowned provider of premium casino games, has been awarded a remote operating licence from the UK Gambling Commission, to sit alongside their existing licenses in Gibraltar, Malta, Romania, Argentina, and Peru.

This latest development marks a significant step for the company and further solidifies Boldplay’s position as a trusted provider within the iGaming industry. The UKGC licence will allow the company to further expand in regulated territories, a key element of their growth plan, and establish new partnerships within the vibrant UK market.

Having fulfilled the criteria to provide services to UK players Boldplay is well-positioned for success. With a diverse catalogue of over 100 titles, ranging from slots and table games to bingo, keno, and virtual scratch cards, the company is well-known for its innovative features, including their trademark Boldplay Spins.

Speaking of the UK Gambling Commission’s decision to grant the operating licence, Boldplay CEO, Valli Fragoso, said: “We are proud to receive our remote software supplier licence from the UK Gambling Commission. This milestone reflects our commitment to providing high-quality, engaging casino games to licensed operators while upholding responsible gaming standards. We can’t wait for UK players to try our games.”

Asia

Indonesian Govt to Form Task Force to Tackle Online Gambling

Published

2 days ago

April 23, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has chaired a limited meeting which discussed the efforts taken to eradicate online gambling in the country on Thursday 18 April, at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta. Minister for Communication and Information Technology Budi Arie Setiadi, in his press statement after the limited meeting, said that the Government will form a task force to counter online gambling.

“It has been decided that within a week, we will formulate measures to form an integrated task force in order to eradicate online gambling,” Budi said.

Minister for Communication and Information Technology mentioned that forming a cross-ministries/institutions task force is aimed to handle online gambling more thoroughly, collaboratively and efficiently.

“Gambling is an illegal act based on regulations. So, we need to impose measures effectively to settle it,” Budi stated, adding that his ministry will focus on handling online gambling websites and contents, while the law enforcement officers will enforce the law.

“Our authority is only to take down the websites, while the Financial Services Authority (OJK) blocks their financial accounts, and then followed by law enforcement officers, police officers, and the public prosecution service officers,” he remarked.

Similarly, OJK’s Chairperson of Commissioner Board Mahendra Siregar also highlighted the importance of holistic measures in eradicating online gambling in Indonesia.

“Some online gambling activities are not conducted in Indonesia, some are cross-borders, some do not use bank accounts, some needs to be tracked and traced through bank accounts, including transfers and so on. So, the next layers must also be addressed, and that way it leaves no empty rooms,” Mahendra explained.

Mahendra said that according to the institution’s authority, from the end of 2023 to March 2024, OJK has blocked around 5000 bank accounts that indicate its relation to online gambling.

“So far, we have cooperated closely with Communications and Information Technology Ministry. So, if we receive a list of bank accounts suspected to be used or are being used in online gambling activities, we immediately block them, and it has reached up to 5000 bank accounts,” Mahendra mentioned.