Compliance Updates
Breaking News: New £2 maximum stake for under 25s playing online slots in the UK
- Stake limits for online slot games introduced for the first time in September in landmark moment for regulation of online gambling
- Maximum £2 stake for 18 to 24-year-olds for online slot games to be introduced
- £5 limit for adults aged 25 and over brings stakes in-line with casinos
Easily accessible online slot games are one of the most addictive forms of gambling, and can be associated with large losses, long sessions, and binge play. Unlike land-based gaming machines, such as in casinos, they have no statutory stake limits.
To counter the increased risk of significant harm and life-changing losses from online slot games, the Government will introduce a £5 stake limit for adults aged 25 and over.
Responding to evidence, a lower level stake limit for young adults aged 18-24 years old will be set at £2 per spin. This age group has the highest average problem gambling score of any group, as well as lower disposable income, ongoing neurological development impacting risk perception and common life stage factors like managing money for the first time. The evidence also points to a stronger link between gambling related harm and suicide among young adults.
The decision follows a 10-week consultation period in which the majority of respondents agreed with the gambling white paper proposal to introduce statutory limits for online slot games to help reduce the risk of gambling harm. Consultation responses included views from industry, academics, treatment providers and individuals.
Gambling Minister Stuart Andrew said: “Although millions of people gamble safely every single day, the evidence shows that there is a significantly higher problem gambling rate for online slot games.
We also know that young adults can be more vulnerable when it comes to gambling related harms, which is why we committed to addressing both of these issues in our white paper.
The growing popularity of online gambling is clear to see, so this announcement will level the playing field with the land-based sector and is the next step in a host of measures being introduced this year that will protect people from gambling harms.”
Evidence from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that young adults can be particularly vulnerable to gambling related harm, with under 25s having the highest average problem gambling score of any age group.
NHS survey figures also show that there is a problem gambling rate of 8.7 per cent for online gambling on slots, casino or bingo games, one of the highest rates across gambling activities.
CEO of GambleAware Zoë Osmond said: “We welcome the Government’s announcement to introduce lower online stake limits for under 25s as an important mechanism to protect young people. Our research shows a concerning trend with this age group experiencing an increase in harm arising from gambling and online slots are very high-risk products.
As we continue our work to tackle this growing public health issue, we will collaborate with the Government and others across the gambling harms sector to ensure there are no missed opportunities when it comes to the introduction of robust preventative measures, including new regulations such as these.”
The limits will come into force in September this year, following secondary legislation. There will be a six week transition period for operators to become compliant with the general £5 stake limit rules, followed by a further six weeks for the development of any necessary technical solutions to ensure operators are fully compliant with the lower stake limit of £2 for young adults aged 18-24.
Although most people gamble without issue, the restrictions introduced today are just some of the proposals set out in the Government’s white paper to modernise the gambling sector and make it fit for the digital age.
This includes the introduction of a statutory levy for research, prevention and treatment, as well as financial risk checks designed to prevent catastrophic, life-changing losses. The Gambling Commission and the Government continue to listen to concerns from campaigners, the wider public, and both the gambling and horse racing industries as part of the consultation process on these checks. The Gambling Commission continues to refine its approach on the design to achieve the right balance between protections and freedoms.
As well as introducing measures to protect people from gambling related harm, the white paper package contains proposals that will support the land-based gambling industry to thrive. The industry supports thousands of jobs across the country and the Government has been clear it does not want to harm its success.
Responses to the wider white paper measures will be published soon.
Australia
Victoria’s Gambling Industry Held to Account
In 2023–24, the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) took 88 disciplinary actions against gambling licensees and employees, demonstrated zero tolerance for betting on or by minors, and began implementing a new risk-based, intelligence-led regulatory approach.
Tabled in Victoria’s Parliament, the VGCCC annual report demonstrates a commitment to ensuring gambling providers not only live up to the letter of the law but abide by its spirit.
“Our regulatory response is proportionate to the risks posed and harms caused when a gambling operator fails to comply with its obligations,” VGCCC Chair Fran Thorn said.
“We have no tolerance for deliberate or opportunistic contraventions of the law and will not hesitate to take appropriate action when we detect a breach.”
During the year, the VGCCC undertook more than 1600 audits, completed 2770 inspections of venues across the state, including a regional blitz, and brought 10 successful prosecutions.
Disciplinary action was taken against various licensees, including Tabcorp and the Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group (ALH). They included fining:
• Tabcorp $1 million for repeated failure to comply with directions during a VGCCC investigation into a major system outage
• ALH $480,000 for operating poker machines at 8 venues outside of nominated trading hours and failing to observe mandatory shutdown periods
• Myndit Pty Ltd, the former operator of the Rye Hotel, $80,000 for multiple breaches of cheque payment and financial record-keeping requirements. On one occasion, Myndit paid a cheque for poker machine winnings to a person who was not in the venue at the time the winnings were accrued.
Ms Thorn highlighted the success of the VGCCC’s new tip-off function, which makes it easier for members of the public to anonymously report inappropriate or suspicious conduct.
“In the first year, we received more than 260 tip-offs across a range of issues,” she said.
Following an online complaint from a member of the public, the VGCCC investigated and prosecuted bookmaker Bluebet Pty Ltd for illegally displaying gambling advertising on a public road. The company was found guilty of 43 charges and fined $50,000.
“We also worked with the AFL to implement tighter controls for Brownlow Medal voting and betting following reports that an umpire allegedly leaked the results of round-by-round voting in 2022.
“And in response to community concerns, we engaged with sports controlling bodies to successfully ban betting in Victoria on all under-19 sporting competitions and the performance of individual players under the age of 18 in junior and senior sports.”
In March 2024, after 2 years under the supervision of the government-appointed Special Manager, the VGCCC determined Crown Melbourne was fit to hold the casino licence.
“The licence comes with strict operating conditions, including that Crown continue its reform program under a 3-year Transformation Plan against which it will be held to account,” Ms Thorn said.
“We have a responsibility to ensure gambling activities in Victoria are conducted in compliance with regulatory obligations and providers operate safely, fairly and with integrity.”
Asia
India Investigates Google Over Policies for Real-money Games
India’s competition oversight body has ordered a probe into Google over its policies for real-money games on its platform
The investigation comes after a complaint by online gaming group WinZO that called Google’s policies restrictive.
WinZO contacted India’s Competition Commission (CCI) back in 2022, after it was excluded from Google’s Play Store, despite some of its competitors being allowed.
Google’s policy had allowed for real-money games which include rummy and fantasy sports but the company was rejected for carrying games in other categories that Google did not accept – including car racing, puzzles and Indian carrom.
“By granting preferential treatment to select app categories, Google effectively creates a two-tier market where some developers are accorded superior access and visibility while others are discriminated against and thus, left with a competitive disadvantage,” indicates a letter from the CCI.
Compliance Updates
Gaming Control Board (GCB) Statement on Allegations Regarding Curaçao’s Licensing Reforms
The Gaming Control Board (GCB) took notice of a recent complaint made regarding the National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK) reform process and the integrity of Curaçao’s licensing regime and wishes to state as follows.
Authority to issue licenses
In pursuance of the National Ordinance on Hazard Games (NOOGH), the Governor is authorized to grant licenses for operating hazard games on the international market via service line providers. This authority was mandated to the Minister of Finance in December 2019, who subsequently mandated this authority to the GCB in March 2020, followed by an amendment in November of 2023. Hence, the GCB has the authority to grant, amend, suspend temporarily, revoke, or deny licenses, as well as attach terms and conditions to licenses. The allegation that the GCB lacks the legal authority to grant license is therefore incorrect.
The licenses granted on the basis of the NOOGH are not provisional licenses. Any applicant whose application is approved will be issued a license.
When the new regulatory framework (LOK) is enacted and comes into force, NOOGH license holders will automatically be granted a provisional license based on the LOK. This allows them up to one year to comply fully with all LOK requirements as a transition period.
Comprehensive Licensing Process
Under the current regime, GCB has established a multi-phase license assessment process.
License applications undergo completeness checks for the required documents, due diligence on decision-makers including sanction screening, review of the business plan and initial evaluation of the websites.
At each stage, communication with the applicant is facilitated via the GCB online portal resulting in absolute transparency, and real-time checklists are available to every single applicant.
This assessment process concludes with a report, based upon which the GCB executive team decides whether to grant or deny a license. The applicant can follow this process through the portal. The application and monitoring processes are largely manual but are supported by technology. Currently, there is little to no use of AI by the GCB, although going forward it would be remiss not to incorporate emerging technologies where it adds value. This licensing process is managed by the GCB with the support of its team of advisors.
Fee Payment
Once licenses are approved, invoices are issued by the GCB and the operators pay their fees directly into an official government bank account and not via the online gaming portal. There is no scope for mismanagement. The assertion that funds may have been embezzled is therefore not correct. Once the payment has been received the license will be granted by the GCB.
Foreign Violations
Operators are responsible for ensuring compliance with the legal requirements of all jurisdictions in which they operate. Violations are addressed by competent foreign authorities. The GCB does not have the jurisdiction to oversee or intervene in alleged breaches of foreign regulations. In this context, the GCB relies on formal decisions issued by competent foreign authorities. Enforcement actions taken by the GCB depend on factors such as the severity of the violation.
Player Complaints
Player complaints handling is the responsibility of the online operators, based on their terms and conditions, which are reviewed by the GCB. Under the LOK, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) will be made mandatory to ensure more independent evaluations. Complaints received from players and future reports from ADR entities will be used as inputs in the GCB’s risk-based supervision process.
Experienced Team
In the interest of effectively implementing the new policy, the GCB collaborates with global experts, including reputable consultants with extensive experience in regulated gaming jurisdictions. All these engagements are in compliance with GCB’s internal policies.
Bankruptcy Declaration: BC.Game
Due to confidentiality obligations, the GCB will not comment on specific details of this case. The issue involves a dispute between the website (BC.Game) and certain players. Bankruptcy was declared because Small House/Blockdance failed to pay players due to the dispute, leading to the court’s declaration of bankruptcy. However, this bankruptcy is administrative (based on a civil law statute in Curacao) and is not due to insolvency. A trustee has been appointed to handle the estate and ensure payments to players. The GCB is consulting with the regulated entity involved to determine appropriate regulatory measures.
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