Compliance Updates
PRIZE DEBT: CALLS TO REVIEW GAMBLING REGULATIONS AS CONSUMERS RACK UP MILLIONS ON CREDIT CARDS
· Consumers spent £117m on credit cards entering prize draws and competitions, which are not currently regulated by the Government, in a bid to win dream prizes(1)
· Promise of a charitable donation makes nearly half of participants more likely to enter
· Jumbo Interactive calls on the UK Government to regulate the growing prize draw and competition market and for a clampdown on credit cards use
The UK Government is being urged to review current gambling regulations, as new research reveals consumers are racking up millions on credit cards entering popular prize draws and competitions.
The research from Jumbo Interactive found consumers spent £117m on credit cards entering prize draws and competitions in the last year, which due to a loophole, are not currently regulated in the same way as lotteries and raffles.
The study found nearly one in 10 people who entered ‘big ticket’ prize draws, offering the chance to win multi-million pound houses or luxury cars, or prize competitions, have ended up in debt as a result.
Using credit cards to gamble was banned in April 2020, but a loophole in regulation means there are currently no restrictions on commercial prize draw or prize competition companies. For prize draws, this is because they offer “free” entry methods, where it’s possible to play by post for the cost of a postage stamp. Yet, despite this ‘free to enter’ route, an estimated £860m was spent on entries into prize draws in the last year[iii].
Prize draws and competitions that promise a donation to charity also makes 45% of participants more likely to enter, yet over half of players (57%) admit to not checking how much actually goes to good causes.
Jumbo Interactive is now calling for greater regulation of the growing prize draw and competition market, highlighting significant consumer protection concerns over credit card debt, as well as a lack of transparency around prizes and charity donations from entry fees.
It is also urging consumers to check the T&Cs as there is little enforcement of minimum donation percentage for prize draws and competitions. This compares to regulated society lotteries, which give a minimum of 20% of gross ticket sales and often over 50% to good causes.
Nigel Atkinson, UK General Manager, Jumbo Interactive comments: “A huge amount is being spent on credit cards on prize draws, pushing people into debt – despite the free entry option being the reason they are exempt from oversight. With so much money changing hands, the government needs to look at the proper regulation of prize draws and competitions to better protect consumers.
“For many, the fact that some of the cost of entering prize draws and competitions goes to charity is a big part of why they enter. But it remains easy for companies to bury information in the terms and conditions about how much actually goes to charity. Society lotteries on the other hand have minimum donation rates and help raise funds for a wide range of important causes, large and small. Public trust is crucial for society lotteries to operate successfully, and increased regulation of the prize draw and competition market will offer that consistency and transparency.”
Tony Vick, Chair of The Lotteries Council, adds: “The Lotteries Council is increasingly concerned about the use of prize draws operated by commercial gambling companies which are marketing themselves in a similar way to charity lotteries. Lotteries face a series of legislative hurdles that restrict our ability to grow and raise funds for good causes while prize draws face no limits on how many tickets they can sell, what prizes they can offer, and choose whether and how much to give to any charity. We hope the Government looks at this to ensure a fairer playing field.”
Falling foul of scams has also been an issue for 15% of entrants, including paying money for postage on a prize that never arrives, paying a significant amount of money on phone calls or texts to enter a competition without it being clear that it would cost that much, or winning a prize that turned out to be of less value than advertised.
Notably, 72% of those who enter lotteries, draws or competitions think prize competitions and prize draws should be regulated in the same way as gambling.
Compliance Updates
Compliable Expands Licensing Offering to Europe and Latin America
Leading licensing management solution now supports new global markets
Leading compliance software provider Compliable is now supporting licensing in European and Latin American markets, further strengthening its proposition following a successful period of growth in the United States.
With experience of working with prominent industry brands including FanDuel, Bet365 and BetFanatics in North America, Compliable’s platform can now help companies complete, manage and maintain gaming licenses across multiple global jurisdictions.
Compliable is expanding into new markets at a time of increased regulatory obligations in numerous regions as well as a heightened demand from suppliers and vendors to get licensed from a reputational point of view.
Markets in Europe as well as emerging regions in Latin America are now supported by Compliable’s software solution, which enables operators and suppliers to enter new countries more quickly and reduces the ongoing burden of regulatory requirements.
Compliable’s software platform and tools provide customers both significant time and cost savings, as employees enter key information just once in the licensing process with the information then auto-populated across multiple forms, generating error-free applications every time.
The solution cuts the time it takes to get employees licensed by 90% to less than an hour, which has led to an increase of up to 700% in the number of employees that can be onboarded.
“Following discussions with our customers and prospects, it became clear that there is a demand for our market-leading licensing management solution outside of the United States and we are pleased to now be able to streamline the licensing process for even more companies in additional jurisdictions,” the Chief Executive Officer for Compliable, Chris Oltyan, said. “Licensing compliance can slow down your ability to expand into new markets but it doesn’t have to. Using our platform to remove bottlenecks in the acquisition and management of licenses frees up time and attention so our customers can focus on their go to market plans.”
Compliance Updates
ITIA: Croatian Official Suspended from Tennis
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) confirmed that Croatian tennis official Marko Stojanovic has been suspended from the sport for five years and six months after admitting to breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme (TACP).
Stojanovic, a national-level official, admitted to 15 breaches of the TACP, including manipulating data from matches in which they were an official to facilitate betting.
Stojanovic, who is accredited at national level and has officiated at ITF tournaments, co-operated fully with the ITIA investigation and accepted an agreed sanction, waiving their right to a hearing before an independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer. Stojanovic has also been fined $25,000, of which $18,750 is suspended.
The official’s agreed sanction began on 19 February 2024 and will end at midnight on 18 August 2029.
During the suspension, Stojanovic is prohibited from officiating at, or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA (ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, Fédération Française de Tennis, Wimbledon and USTA).
The ITIA is an independent body established by its tennis members to promote, encourage, enhance and safeguard the integrity of professional tennis worldwide.
Compliance Updates
MGA Successfully Hosts its First Sports Betting Integrity Conference
The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has hosted its first Sports Betting Integrity Conference, further cementing the Authority’s dedication to fostering open dialogue, knowledge-sharing and maintaining a gaming landscape that is free from corruption and any form of unethical practices.
The event convened high-profile stakeholders integral to the sports betting integrity sector, including the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), the eSports Integrity Commission (ESIC), Genius Sports and Sportradar.
Local stakeholders included the Malta Police Force, the Malta Football Association (MFA), the Authority for Integrity in Maltese Sports and the Office of the Attorney General.
Opening the conference, MGA CEO Charles Mizzi said: “As the MGA, ensuring the integrity of sports betting is not merely a regulatory obligation; it is a cornerstone of our commitment to fostering a fair and sustainable gaming environment.”
Mr Mizzi emphasised that the conference’s foremost objective was that of leading a united effort in addressing the complex challenges of maintaining integrity within sports and sports betting. As the industry continues to transform – introducing new technologies and increasingly sophisticated methods – success depends on the ability to share knowledge, experiences and best practices. Through this synergy, stakeholders can outpace those intent on corrupting the essence of sports and betting.
Such gatherings, therefore, serve as invaluable opportunities to pool resources and expertise, serving as catalysts for positive change. The Authority extends its gratitude to all attendees for their engagement and participation.
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