Tag: Gambling Commission

New research from the Gambling Commission published on 24 August has found that the percentage of "problem" gamblers remains low but stagnant. In the same report, the regulator has called for a renewed focus on addressing the harms that can arise from the issue. Tim Miller (pictured), Commission executive director, said: “For many, gambling is an enjoyable leisure activity. But for...

The European Union’s fourth anti-money laundering directive will not apply to the majority of the UK gambling industry for the time being.   Most of the UK gambling industry will be relieved to find themselves exempt from the EU’s fourth anti-money laundering directive, although the Commission maintains their “low risk” status is “not static.” The AMLD’s predecessor, the third directive, only applied...

In January 2017, one multi-site operator was reprimanded for the closure of several winning accounts during last year’s Cheltenham Festival. This case highlights the necessity of abiding by your own Ts and Cs, argues IBAS’ John Samuels.   The now well-documented mission by the Gambling Commission to improve standards in the gambling industry continues and, in January 2017, one licensed operator...

CEO of the Gambling Commission, Sarah Harrison, hints at the future of UK regulation outside of the EU, and urges the industry to keep improving trust in its consumers.   Changes are afoot in UK gaming. With Brexit now looming, questions arise as to how separation from the supra-state will affect cross-border cooperation with other regulators, particularly in areas of money...

The UK Gambling Commission has claimed that 53 footballers have been reported for breaching betting rules following an FOI request.   Pie-eating Roly Poly Goalies aside, 53 footballers have been reported for breaching betting rules over only an eighteen month period, according to the UK Gambling Commission. An FOI request revealed that the Sports Betting Intelligence Unit (SBUI) received 53 reports of...

In-game purchases within video games have been compared to gambling machine stakes in the latest report from the UK’s Gambling Commission. The UK Gambling Commission has released a position paper comparing in-game video game items to gambling machines, adding that when players can ‘cash-in’ these items for real world currency it is ‘likely to be considered a licensable gambling activity’. The...

The UK’s Gambling Commission has released a new report offering fresh insight into the gambling behaviours, participation and attitudes of adults in Britain.   A new report investigating gaming participation, behaviours and attitudes in the UK has discovered that 48 percent of all adults engage in some form of gambling each month, with more than two thirds of those surveyed saying...

Gambling Commission prosecute illegal gambling site targeting young football fans.   On Monday 6 February 2017, following a prosecution brought by the Gambling Commission, Dylan Rigby, 34, of Colchester, Essex, and Craig Douglas, 33, of Ilford, Essex, entered guilty pleas to offences under the Gambling Act 2005. Rigby was ordered to pay £174,000 in fines and costs, whilst Douglas was ordered...

The Gambling Commission has imposed a fine of £3 million on the National Lottery operator, Camelot, after looking into a historic prize claim.   Camelot, the operator of the UK National Lottery, has received a financial penalty of £3million following an investigation by the Gambling Commission into a 2009 prize claim. Last year allegations were raised that a fraudulent National Lottery prize...

Following this year’s Betting on Sports Conference, IBAS’ John Samuels comments on the need for co-operation within gaming to truly tackle fraud and become a socially responsible industry. Too many operators still feel that their competitors aren’t playing fair on social responsibility. It’s time to ditch the dog-eat-dog attitude and work together to fight fraud. An interesting time was spent at...

The Gambling Commission’s Sarah Harrison calls to industry to aim higher in terms of consumer safety and social responsibility.   The Gambling Commission is calling for operators to accelerate the pace at which they are putting consumers at the heart of business decisions. The call came from Commission chief executive Sarah Harrison during a speech to operators at the Commission’s first Raising...

The UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has taken the first steps in a wide-ranging review of gambling machine stakes and prizes; a review which is expected to place Fixed-Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) under severe scrutiny.   The UK government has launched an investigation into gaming machines and social responsibility measures, with B2 stakes and prizes expected to be...

New Responsible Gambling Trust (RGT) and PwC research reveals more work was required before innovative ‘Player Awareness Systems’ (PAS) can be proven to minimise harmful play on gambling machines.   Earlier this year, the Association of British Bookmakers (ABB) asked the Responsible Gambling Trust to commission independent research to assess the initial implementation by UK bookmakers of new ‘player awareness systems’...

A string of new Gambling Commission recommendations for reforming licence fees, including a move to a GGY-based model, could see the majority of licensees making savings. Nevertheless, some critics say the proposals have been too long in the making.   The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has laid out a series of fee reforms aimed at lowering licence fees for smaller operators...

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has warned operators in the eSports sector that they must be licensed if they wish to offer gambling services in the country. The regulator expressed concerns over the sector in a new discussion paper in which it set out its latest research on virtual currencies, eSports and social gaming. The paper has been prepared in...

South Wales Police has arrested 10 people relating to allegations of match fixing in a Welsh Premier League fixture involving Port Talbot Town Football Club.   Seven men and three women are in police custody on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud as part of an ongoing investigation by the force’s Economic Crime Unit. The investigation began after the Football Association...

Under a settlement reached in conjunction with the UK’s Gambling Commission, Betfred will donate £800,000 to socially responsible causes as well as undertaking an extensive audit of its anti-money laundering procedures and customer care policies   Betfred has opted to pay £800,000 to the victims of crime and selected socially responsible causes after the Gambling Commission reported that the bookmaker had...

New figures released by the UK Gambling Commission paint a mixed picture of the industry in Britain, with retail premises showing a marked decline while online GGY continues to balloon month-on-month. It remains to be seen whether Brexit will exact a high price on Britain’s industry - or offer freedom from the much-touted ‘red tape’ of Brussels.   Remote casino, betting...