Weekend Report: Betfred warns of shop closures, Dutch Lottery risk officer exits
Welcome to the Weekend Report, where iGB looks at the news that you may have missed across the last few days. This week: Betfred warns of UK shop closures, Dutch Lottery financial officer exits and Kambi pens Betnation deal in the Netherlands. Betfred could close all UK shops Bookmaker Betfred has warned it could close all its UK high street betting ships if gambling taxes rise as feared. According to The Guardian, Betfred is considering shutting all 1,287 of its shops. This would put 7,500 jobs at risk across the UK. The government is considering introducing higher tax rates for gambling companies active in the UK. Chancellor Rachel Reeves will set out the plans during November’s budget. Flutter Entertainment also recently said it plans to close shops in the UK and Ireland. Entain and Evoke also said they could shut branches in response to higher tax. Aerssen departs Dutch Lottery The Dutch Lottery has announced that Jet Roos-van Aerssen is stepping down as chief financial and risk officer (CFRO). Aerssen had worked for the operator since May last year, having succeeded Arjan Blok as CFRO. Blok went on to become CEO of the Dutch Lottery. Prior to joining the organisation, Roos-van Aerssen worked in various international and national financial roles. This included stints with Talpa Network, Aegon and General Electric. “Jet has made a significant impact on our organisation and our contribution to sports and exercise in the past year and a half,” Blok said. “We have come to know her as a professional and appreciate her commitment to the Dutch Lottery. We wish Jet every success in the future.” Kambi scores betting partnership with Betnation Also in the Netherlands, Kambi Group has agreed to a multi-year partnership with online operator Betnation. Kambi will deliver its turnkey sportsbook solution to Betnation in the country. This includes a range of sports betting technology and services, such as a betting engine and trading and risk management capabilities. Betnation has operated an online casino in the Netherlands since October 2022. “Kambi’s reputation for excellence, cutting-edge technology and a commitment to regulated markets made them the natural choice as our new sportsbook provider,” Betnation CEO Robert Schouten said. BetMGM extends with NFL’s Steelers BetMGM has extended its partnership with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. The deal will run to 2029, with BetMGM serving as an official sports betting, online casino and gaming partner. BetMGM and the Steelers will introduce new fan-focused experiences, as well as continue the “Decade of Black & Gold Sweepstakes”. The latter awards one fan in Pennsylvania or West Virginia with 10 years of season tickets and hospitality tent passes for Steelers home games. “This partnership extension allows BetMGM to continue delivering experiences that reflect the energy and passion of Steelers Nation,” said Casey Hurbis, BetMGM chief marketing officer. Svenska Spel details community funding programme Svenska Spel has launched a new initiative to fund local sports clubs in the Gotland region of Sweden. Föreningsdrömmen Gotland will distribute SEK1 million ($106,124) each year. This will see 10 clubs in the region receive SEK100,000 each. Clubs interested in the funding can begin to apply from 12 November. Funds can be used to fund equipment, travel, camps or support their own initiatives. “Sports are an important meeting place for children and young people. It is where joy is born, where dreams grow and where community takes shape,” Svenska Spel CEO and President Anna Johnson said. “With Föreningsdrömmen, we want to give more people the chance to be involved and feel the joy and belonging that sports create.”
Gambling Commission GSGB: A statistical shock and its political fallout
While the raw numbers from the 2024 UK Gambling Commission’s GSGB (Gambling Survey for Great Britain) suggest relatively modest year-on-year changes, the way they are being presented, and the uses to which they are being put by the anti-gambling lobby, could have far-reaching consequences for operators, campaigners and policymakers alike. What Gambling Commission GSGB numbers say The 2024 GSGB shows a decline in past-year participation, from 61.5% in 2023 to 59.6%. “Problem gambling” prevalence, defined as PGSI scores of 8+, rose slightly from 2.5% to 2.7%, while moderate-risk gambling fell from 3.7% to 3.1%. For certain groups, harms appear to be easing: the proportion of gamblers reporting severe adverse consequences declined, particularly among women, where it fell 18%. Serious financial harm indicators dropped by nearly a quarter, and more than halved among 18–24-year-olds. However, other harms moved in the opposite direction. Reported rates of harm to “affected others” (such as partners, families and friends), including violence and abuse, increased. These complexities are often lost in the headline framing: the figure that has dominated media coverage is the 2.7% PGSI rate, extrapolated to imply 1.4 million “problem gamblers” in Britain. From caution to ‘official statistics‘ Until this year, the Gambling Commission had insisted on a health warning: GSGB survey data could not be scaled up to national totals due to methodological uncertainty. That caveat has now been removed, with the regulator describing the survey as “official statistics” and encouraging licensees to use the figures in risk assessments. Melanie Ellis, partner at Northridge Law, believes this shift was a mistake: “It was premature of the UKGC to call these ‘official statistics’ and to take away the health warning, without sufficient scientifically rigorous testing to give confidence that the data is accurate,” she says. Ellis stresses that while the commission was right to modernise its GSGB survey methodology, it failed to pause when early results diverged drastically from NHS health survey benchmarks. “The regulator blinkered itself to the impact these figures would have on the industry,” she adds. Gambling Commission’s GSGC ‘an almighty headache‘ Dan Waugh, partner at Regulus Partners, is even more blunt. He describes the GSGB as the regulator’s HS2, an over-budget, politically committed project that cannot be reversed even if flawed. “The survey has uncovered a previously unheralded huge degree of gambling participation overall. … It suggests a massive unlicensed market which was not picked up in the health survey. So, either the commission has not understood the market it is regulating, or it has let rampant gambling disorder flourish,” Waugh warns. The removal of caveats, he argues, creates “an almighty headache for DCMS” as campaigners will now lobby ministers armed with the regulator’s own statistics. “This will absolutely feed into the discussion on tax,” he adds. “You will see intense lobbying over further ad bans. And it will effectively have the GC’s badge on it.” Bias, capture and sunk costs Regulus’ own analysis frames the GSGB controversy as a case study in regulatory bias and institutional inertia. The Gambling Commission, it argues, has shown a willingness to find vindication where none exists. Researchers at the London School of Economics conducted inconclusive experiments comparing survey modes, yet these have been cited as justification for lifting safeguards. “The willingness of the commission to find vindication where none exists smacks of a prior bias,” Waugh wrote in an analysis sent to Regulus clients. “The alacrity with which some academic researchers have abandoned previously held views may indicate the presence of ‘in-group bias’ or worse.” The problem is compounded by selection bias and self-reporting inconsistencies. Hard industry data on actual participation often fails to align with Gambling Commission GSGB responses. Waugh suggests in his written analysis that there are three possible explanations: The survey overstates gambling prevalence due to selection bias. There exists a vast unlicensed market previously undetected. Respondents misunderstand questions or answer inattentively. None of these explanations, the consultant argues, inspire confidence that the GSGB can yet serve as a sound basis for policy. Industry in denial? Another theme emerging from Waugh’s critique is industry complacency. For years, operators have dismissed or downplayed research framing gambling as an “unhealthy commodity” akin to tobacco. By failing to engage seriously, they now face the risk of punitive tax rises and stricter controls. “Within the next 12 months, UK Research & Innovation will start to distribute £20 million a year in levy funding, with gambling described as a ‘health-harming industry’,” Waugh notes. Without a coordinated response, the industry faces “over-taxation and over-regulation”. Waugh suggests that operators have failed to mount a serious challenge. “The industry has just sat there and done nothing,” he says. “I can’t see that this will not negatively affect the industry.” Black market blind spots For Ellis, the critical missing piece is the role of unlicensed operators. “If [the Gambling Commission] wants to assess whether player protection measures imposed on the licensed industry are effective, it urgently needs to be able to segment its GSGB data into customers using licensed and unlicensed operators,” she notes. The commission has acknowledged this challenge but progress is slow. Without it, assessing whether regulatory interventions reduce harm risks becomes meaningless. Worse, restrictions on licensed operators may push consumers into the unregulated sphere, undermining protections altogether. From survey to supervision For licensees, the key issue is how the Gambling Commission GSGB will be operationalised. Commission CEO Andrew Rhodes has “strongly encouraged” firms to use GSGB data to assess risk within their customer bases. Does this mean operators must assume that one in 10 online sports bettors are “problem gamblers,” as the GSGB suggests? If so, this would transform the expectations around customer monitoring and affordability. Yet ambiguity persists. Ellis cautions that if the commission bases enforcement on GSGB-derived thresholds, “it must ensure that decisions are defensible and acknowledge methodological caveats”. The politics of harm The political consequences are already visible. The Guardian and other outlets have amplified the “1.4 million problem gamblers” figure, fuelling calls from campaigners for advertising curbs and affordability checks. Ministers
GamCare rolls out new gambling harms campaign
UK-facing charity GamCare has announced the launch of a new digital campaign aimed at helping consumers recognise indicators of gambling harms and encouraging players to seek support. Designed in partnership with creative agency 23red, part of CapGemini, the campaign will run year-round. It will feature across multiple digital platforms, targeting men aged 18-44 and individuals affected by their loved ones’ gambling. Featured in the campaign will be several short creatives, with the primary piece of content being a 30-second film using metaphorical visual storytelling to demonstrate the emotions people can experience while gambling. GamCare encourages people to seek support The campaign forms part of a wider, ongoing effort by GamCare to promote support for those impacted by gambling harms. Established in 1997, GamCare provides information, advice and support for people dealing with problem gambling. “Our new creative visualises the inner turmoil that people experiencing gambling harms can feel,” GamCare CEO Victoria Corbishley said. “It’s a fresh approach that we hope helps people in need, whether they gamble themselves or care about someone who does. We hope they will see those signs and reach out sooner for support.” 23red Creative Director Tristan Cavanagh added: “Unhealthy gambling habits are often hidden in plain sight. We set out to create something people who are experiencing gambling harms instantly recognise and feel rather than just watch, with visuals that mirror the quiet chaos inside someone’s head. “Our aim was to cut through the usual tropes and deliver a piece that resonates emotionally, prompting conversations before harm escalates.” The campaign launches as another industry charity, GambleAware, prepares to close. In July, GambleAware said it will halt all activities and transition its work to the British government by the end of March 2026. This followed the introduction of a new statutory levy earlier this year. In August, GambleAware named Anna Hargrave as its transition CEO to oversee its managed closure. Hargrave took on the position after Zoë Osmond stepped down as CEO on 30 September.
UK online deposit limits to be phased in from end of October
On Tuesday, Great Britain’s Gambling Commission published guidance for operators on the new online deposit rules that had been announced in February. The measures will be introduced in phases, the commission said, with the initial stage to commence this month. The introduction of deposit limits follows a recommendation made in the Gambling Act review white paper. Mandatory limits are becoming common practice and are already enforced in the Netherlands and Germany. From 30 June 2026, all UK online operators must provide users with the opportunity to set a deposit limit. Clarifying this, the Gambling Commission said these limits must be based on the amount customers pay into their account over a set duration. As part of the scheme, gambling operators can also offer loss limits or limits on withdrawals, on top of the required deposit limits. These, the regulator said, could be loss limits based on gross deposits, meaning total deposits made during a period, rather than deposits minus withdrawal. October deposit limit deadline around the corner The new rules will be introduced in stages, with the first set of amendments effective from 31 October. From the end of October, operators must ensure new customers are met with a prompt to set a financial limit before they make their first deposit. This, the regulator said, should be easy to review and alter. Operators will also be required to remind consumers every six months that they must review their accounts and transaction information. Licensees must also offer financial limits using free text at an account level to help customers set meaningful limits Other changes include operators providing financial limit-setting facilities via a link on the homepage and deposit pages. These must be clearly visible and accessible, and require a low number of clicks to reach the facilities. Finally, operators will be required to respond immediately to customer requests to decrease their financial limit. Changes are to empower customers The commission said the changes mainly focus on how limits are to be defined and communicated to customers. This, it said, will help consumers better manage their gambling habits. Helen Rhodes, director of major policy projects at the Gambling Commission, added that the new rules will give players more control over their gambling. She added that the new-look limits will “empower” consumers. “These further changes will also bring consistency and clarity for those consumers choosing to set deposit limits, while still supporting gambling businesses to offer customer choice for different forms of limits,” she said. Consultation heralds mixed responses The new rules are based on responses from a Gambling Commission consultation launched in March. This review sought to help the sector understand what the incoming measures could look like. The consultation focused on three main proposals: setting gross deposit limits as default, whether to allow consumers to select “net” limits – deposits minus withdrawals – and the definition of the term “deposit limit”. It received mixed responses, with some respondents raising concerns over the regulator making gross deposit limits mandatory. There were also some calls to make implementation guidance clearer, as well as to place restrictions on the use of “deposit limit” as a term. Taking this into account, the commission first sought to clarify certain terminology to reduce the risk of confusion. One example being that only limits that meet the “gross” deposit limit – total deposits made during a period – can now be defined as a “deposit limit”. The regulator also concluded that operators must offer deposit limits as a minimum but can also set other limit types. However, these must be given equal prominence on the operator’s website. Reducing confusion among consumers In terms of technical settings, it was decided that when a consumer sets timeframes across several limit types, the one with the most restrictive setting must apply. The commission also reiterated that consumers who set a deposit limit cannot deposit again until this period has ended or they opt out of the limit, with the latter subject to a 24-hour “cooling off” period. As for operator guidance, the commission said the term “spend limits” will be replaced by “stake limits”. This, it said, better aligns with gambling behaviour and will be less confusing for consumers. Other points included clarifying what “loss limit” means to the consumer. Operators should make clear that this is defined as total stakes minus any winnings within a set timeframe. In addition, the commission had advocated for the introduction of the term “net deposit limit”. This, it said, is defined as deposits minus withdrawals within a selected period.
Weekend Report: Footballer banned for betting, new Broadway Gaming CEO
Welcome to the Weekend Report, where iGB looks at the news that you may have missed across the last few days. This week: Footballer banned for betting, new CEO at Broadway Gaming and Light & Wonder launches cancer social impact campaign. Footballer banned for betting breach Dutch professional footballer Osman Foyo has been banned from playing for five months after breaching rules on betting. Foyo, who plays for English League One team AFC Wimbledon, placed 252 bets on matches. The BBC said the bets were made between 29 October 2023 and 28 March 2025. English Football Association rules say players across the national pyramid are not permitted to place bets on football. Those who breach the regulation risk fines and bans. Four of the five months in the ban issued to Foyo have been suspended, meaning he will only miss an initial month. He was also ordered to pay a fine of £1,000. Broadway Gaming names Cleary as CEO Online bingo specialist Broadway Gaming has appointed Mark Cleary as its new CEO. Confirming the news on LinkedIn, Broadway said Cleary will make the step up from chief operations officer. He has served in his current role for more than eight years. Cleary replaces founder David Butler as CEO. Butler will transition into the role of executive chairman, where he will focus on strategic partnerships and M&A opportunities. “Mark has been instrumental in the company’s growth, operational excellence and team culture and driving Broadway to become the UK’s largest independent online bingo operator,” Broadway said. Hickey takes managing director role at Games Inc Another new appointment was confirmed at Games Inc, with Fiona Hickey becoming managing director. Hickey takes on the role at the slot game studio after working in the iGaming sector for more than 15 years. She joins after six years with Push Gaming. Hickey will focus on three areas: growing the studio’s distribution footprint, ramping up game output and strengthening its platform. “I am excited to be leading such a talented team at a really pivotal moment for Games Inc,” Hickey said. Danish regulator raises awareness of helpline Danish regulator Spillemyndigheden has launched a new campaign to raise awareness of the StopSpillet helpline. Running throughout October and December, the campaign will mainly target men in their 30s and 40s. Research showed fathers of that age may have more difficulty seeking help. Since its launch in January 2019, StopSpillet has had almost 4,000 conversations with players and their relatives. “The campaign is intended to show more of what you risk missing out on if you let gambling fill you up too much,” said Anders Dorph, director of Spillemyndigheden. Light & Wonder launches cancer support campaign Light & Wonder has partnered with several organisations to launch a new campaign focused on battling cancer. “Gaming vs Cancer” will seek to raise awareness, funding and support for cancer research, care and community programmes. Global Gaming Women is among the organisations working with Light & Wonder on the initiative. To support the initiative, Light & Wonder will hold a month-long fundraising campaign to benefit the American Cancer Society. It will match all donations up to $10,000 made through the Light & Wonder Game Changers for Good portal. “As the leading cross-platform global games company, we recognise both the responsibility and the opportunity we have to make a meaningful impact in the communities where we live, work and play,” said Shannon Demus, CFO Gaming Americas at Light & Wonder.
AGA issues guidelines on mitigating crypto laundering in AML best practises
More than any time since the 2018 PASPA decision, anti-money laundering best practices at the largest casinos on the Las Vegas Strip have come under intense scrutiny. This year alone, three major casinos reached settlements with the Nevada Gaming Commission to resolve charges related to AML deficiencies at their properties. Ahead of next week’s Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas, the American Gaming Association released a comprehensive guide to best practices for developing a robust AML framework across the gambling industry, not just in Las Vegas. The association, which represents the $329 billion US casino industry, sponsors the expo each year. G2E annually ranks as one of the largest gambling conferences around the world. The 64-page guide provides a roadmap for commercial sportsbooks on how to mitigate the widespread risks of money laundering. As gaming transactions through virtual currencies proliferate, the AGA devoted a lengthy section to best practices on combating crypto laundering. To discourage illegal financial activity and safeguard the integrity of the gaming industry, casinos must develop effective risk-based programmes that ensure compliance with the legal requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act, according to the AGA. Heightened AML risks through sports betting The binary outcomes offered through various sports wagers make the bet types a popular vehicle for money launderers, the AGA stated in the memo. As with games such as baccarat, craps and roulette, sports betting gives a customer the option to wager both sides as a way of laundering funds. For example, if a bettor uses dirty money to wager $100 on a home team, then $100 on the other side, the bettor would only lose the vig, while receiving a clean payout from the casino. According to the AGA, similar risks may arise when a patron places a bet with a legal sportsbook on behalf of an unidentified third party to conceal the source of funds. In gambling parlance, the practice is known as wagering through a “beard”. AML best practises have received added scrutiny over the last 24 months in the wake of multiple convictions of illegal Southern California bookmakers during that span. In August, Matt Bowyer received a sentence of approximately one year in federal prison in connection with operating one of the nation’s largest illegal sports betting rings. Bowyer is the bookie who accepted roughly $325 million from Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani In Las Vegas, Bowyer laundered millions of dollars through Resorts World Las Vegas. Beside Resorts World, MGM Resorts and Wynn Las Vegas also reached settlements with Nevada regulators this year to resolve AML charges. In March, the Nevada Gaming Commission approved a $10.5 million settlement with Resorts World, the second-largest in state history. The NGC also levied fines of $5.5 million and $8.5 million against Wynn and MGM Resorts, respectively. Challenges in enforcing crypto money laundering Two other bookmakers in the case, Wayne Nix and Damien LeForbes, are awaiting sentencing. LeForbes, a pro poker player, also allegedly laundered millions in a casino purported to be Resorts World. In a 38-page federal plea agreement, prosecutors document a conversation LeForbes had with one of his betting clients. Concerned that law enforcement might find a way to monitor the transaction, the client sought advice from the bookie. In response, LeForbes instructed the client to structure the payment by sending the debt to several different addresses: “I’d send $100K at a time to different addresses. You can create a different address in a wallet every time. Just don’t send [it] to an exchange.” Authorities seized two Trezor wallets from LeForbes’ residence during a search on 22 December 2023. When applying best practices for crypto transactions, the AGA advises that any virtual currency should be converted to US dollars prior to use at a sportsbook. Upon conversion to dollars, the transactions will be subject to the same Suspicious Activity Report reviews as other cash activity within a casino, according to the AGA. Next week, several panels during the G2E conference will be devoted to AML practices throughout the industry. Compliance officials from MGM, Wynn and Resorts World will appear at a session early next week.
Spain introduces tobacco-style addiction warnings across online gambling products
On Wednesday Spain’s Ministry for Consumer Affairs ordered online gambling operators to display warnings about the dangers of gambling addiction, similar to the messaging used on tobacco products. However, the market’s gambling trade body JDigital has criticised the measure, warning that comparisons between gambling and tobacco are unreasonable. In a statement to Infoplay on Thursday, the trade body said the measure was “difficult to justify” and “did not correspond to the nature of regulated online gambling in Spain, which is one of the most monitored and controlled activities in Europe”. The rule has already been implemented into Spain’s gambling laws this week as part of the Royal Decree 958/2020, which covers marketing and gambling communications. Spain gambling warnings to help prevent addiction The announcement was made by Minister for Social Rights Pablo Bustinduy at a safer gambling event on Wednesday. He said the messaging must be displayed across online games and in any banners and marketing messaging on social media. Current messaging which includes “play responsibly” will be replaced by warnings such as: “Gambling addiction is a risk of gambling”, “The probability of being a losing gambler is 75%” and “Losses for all gamblers are four times greater than their winnings”. “The responsibility should not fall on users but on the authorities, who have the democratic duty to ensure that the environments they access are safe,” Bustinduy told attendees. These new warnings are based on 2024 addiction research published by the Spanish Ministry for Health, which formed part of the country’s National Drug Plan. The report sought to determine the prevalence of gambling, both online and in-person, among the Spanish population. Within its findings, the research said up to 82% of treatment admissions in Spain during 2022 were related to gambling addiction. The minister said the new measure would help prevent gambling addiction and problem behaviours before they occur. Referencing land-based betting, he said “unscrupulous” companies have no qualms about taking advantage of those in greater need. This, he said, is also happening online. Ban on celebrity advertising back on the cards Notably, the minister is also working to reinstate regulations banning celebrities and influencers from promoting gambling activities and banning welcome bonuses aimed at young people. This change is being processed through the Spanish Congress and he did not offer a timeframe for the measure to be reinstated. It relates to a host of previous measures passed in November 2020 restricting marketing activities for gambling operators. These included banning sponsorship deals with operators and welcome bonuses. However, these were partly reinstated in April last year, meaning operators could once again use celebrities to market their products and could offer welcome bonuses. But some stakeholders have hinted that certain measures could be reinstated, as Minister Bustinduy indicated on Wednesday.
Gambling Commission GSGB: Under 35s more likely to suffer ‘severe’ consequences from gambling
Young people are over six times more likely to experience “severe” adverse consequences from their own gambling behaviour than older adults, according to the second annual edition of the Gambling Commission’s Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB). Published on Thursday, the survey assessed players’ behaviour during 2024. Findings were based on the responses of 19,714 people from all areas of Great Britain. Of those aged 18 to 34, some 5.3% noted a “severe consequence” as a result of gambling in the past 12 months, compared to 0.8% of those aged 55 and over. Again, the Gambling Commission’s GSGB survey used the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) to measure both behavioural symptoms of gambling disorder and certain adverse consequences from gambling. Of all players, 8.8% had a PGSI score of one to two, at the lower end of the spectrum. Some 3.1% scored between three and seven, while 2.7% had a score of eight or more, indicating a problem or being at risk of harm. The commission noted that the latter percentage was in line with the previous year. Also similar to year one were the severe consequences of gambling. The most reported issue was a relationship breakdown, with 1.6% of respondents flagging this. Male participants who had gambled in the past 12 months were more likely to experience at least one severe consequence due to their own betting habits than female gamblers. The contrast between men and women was 3.5% against 1.7%. The Gambling Commission’s GSGB also raised concerns of suicide ideation or attempts, with participants asked if they had thought about taking their own life or had attempted to do so during the past 12 months. Of the 12.2% that said yes, 5.2% said this was in some way related to gambling. Almost half of surveyed adults gambled in last month Overall, 48% of adults aged over 18 gambled in the last four weeks, although this decreased to 28% when excluding those who only purchased lottery tickets. This, the commission said, was in line with the first edition of the survey, published last year. Participants were more likely to gamble online (38%) than in person (29%). However, lottery again played a major factor as, after excluding lottery ticket purchase, online play rate was 16%. This compared to 18% gambling at a physical location. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the National Lottery was the most popular form of gambling, with 31% taking part. Buying tickets for other charity lotteries was next on 16%, followed by scratchcards with 13%. It was also noted that men were more likely to have gambled in the past four weeks than women. Some 51% of men gambled in the reporting period, compared to 44% of women, which was in line with the 2023 findings. As to how people felt about gambling, of those who gambled in the past 12 months, 42% said they had a positive experience. This was compared to 21% who rated it negatively. Some 85% of players said the chance of winning large sums of money was the primary reason that they gambled. Players also listed gambling being fun as another core reason, with this coming in second on 72%. Number of gamblers accessing help remains low Other key points from the Gambling Commission’s GSGB included access to help. Just 3.4% of those who gambled in the past 12 months had sought support because of their own gambling. The most popular source of help was gambling support services at 1.2%, while 1.7% said they accessed mental health services and food banks or welfare organisations. It was also noted that 3.3% of people reported that someone close to them who gambled had sought some form of support. “The GSGB is a key building block of the evidence base which helps government, industry and other partners understand both gambling behaviour and potential consequences from gambling,” Gambling Commission Chief Executive Andrew Rhodes said of the statistics. “This year’s findings deepen our understanding of the consequences from gambling and provide crucial insight into risk profiles among those who gamble most frequently. We strongly encourage operators to use this evidence to consider the risks within their own customer bases. “Data and research, such as GSGB, is essential to help us identify where our regulatory focus should be and informs our ongoing work to implement player protection recommendations from the Gambling Act review white paper.”
Brazil regulator enforces divisive ban on betting among social welfare beneficiaries
The Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) has enforced a formal ban on betting among those benefitting from social welfare programmes such as Bolsa Família in Brazil. Last November, the Supreme Federal Court in Brazil upheld an emergency measure to ban gambling using social welfare proceeds. Then in April, SPA chief Regis Dudena confirmed the ban was incoming. However, legal assessments of measures were needed before any ordinance could be published in order to formally introduce the total ban. On Wednesday, the SPA published Normative Ordinance No 2,217/2025 and Normative Instruction No 22, regulating the participation of beneficiaries of the Bolsa Família and Continuous Benefit Payment programmes in fixed-odds betting. Notably, the ban completely prohibits social welfare beneficiaries from betting – something that goes beyond the initial ban on betting with direct social welfare proceeds. Dudena believes the ban will protect Brazilians from betting beyond their means, noting in a Wednesday statement: “To ensure compliance with the Supreme Court’s ruling, it was necessary to develop a robust technical tool, carefully ensuring that the measure guaranteed the protection of the rights involved. “Protecting citizens, their security, their rights and their personal data are always objectives of the Brazilian government.” Dudena had previously warned the ban on just the use of social welfare proceeds for betting would be difficult to implement. It was reported by the National Secretariat of Citizen Income (Senarc) that only 1% of Bolsa Família households use the programme’s physical card. The other 99% rely on the linked online bank account, which can also receive wages and other payments. How will the ban work? A database of those receiving benefits from social welfare programmes has been created. Operators must consult the database during their checks, referencing player registrations and logins. Additionally, betting operators must also consult Sigap, Brazil’s betting management system, to crosscheck bettors’ Individual Taxpayer Registry numbers to verify which users are included in the database of social welfare beneficiaries. This process must be carried out at least every 15 days for all users registered in an operator’s betting system. If they are included on the database, operators must block their registration, close their account and return any deposited amounts to the account holder. The rules came into effect with the publication of Normative Ordinance No 2,217/2025 on Wednesday. Operators have up to 30 days to implement the ban. Responsible gaming ordinance amended to include ban In enforcing the measure, the SPA amended Normative Ordinance No 1,231, published on 31 July 2024, relating to responsible gambling regulations in Brazil. Before closing a bettor’s account, operators must inform the user of the ban via email, messaging applications, SMS or other available means within one day of receiving confirmation from Sigap. The operator must also inform the user they are able to voluntarily withdraw their funds within one day of the consultation, with a further two-day period allocated for the withdrawal. If unclaimed within 180 days, the money will go to the Student Financing Fund and the National Fund for Public Calamities, Protection and Civil Defence. If a user’s CPF number is removed from the Prohibited Persons Module on Sigap, they will once again be allowed to bet. However, operators are prohibited from any targeted advertising or directly notifying such users about the possibility of readmission into their betting systems. Beyond the 30-day limit for implementation of the ban, operators have 45 days from the Normative Instruction’s publication to cross-reference its list of registered bettors with Sigap’s prohibited list for the first time. Any operators failing to comply with the ban will face the sanctions outlined in previous ordinances. These could include licence terminations or suspensions. Additionally, they could face a fine of between 0.1% and 20% of their proceeds over the year prior to proceedings starting. This fine cannot exceed BRL2 billion. Bolsa Família ban splits opinion The ban has certainly been divisive in Brazil. For instance, the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) sent a note to the SPA in October, taking issue with the complete ban on social welfare beneficiaries from betting. According to the ANJL, this contradicts the Supreme Court’s initial decision on the matter, which only banned users from betting with their welfare proceeds, rather than banning them from gambling entirely. Luiz Felipe Maia, founding partner of Brazilian law firm Maia Yoshiyasu Advogados, previously told iGB the ban could infringe upon the civil rights of Brazilians. “What we’re saying is ‘Okay, if I am in a situation where I need welfare, I cannot decide where I’m going to spend my money, so I have limited freedom’,” Felipe Maia said. “Either you give them stamps and say, ‘Okay, these stamps are for food and you can only use those for food’, or you’re giving them money and you’re allowing them to decide what they’re going to do with that money.” Ed Birkin, managing director of H2 Gambling Capital, also warned that while the ban is well intentioned, it could lead to increased black market activity. “There may be some who say, frankly, you should spend money on what you want,” Birkin told iGB. “But if you’ve been given benefits for a certain reason, then that’s it. “But this idea that they can stop them betting; unless they’re able to really go down to restricting almost what they can spend it on [and say] you cannot spend it with a legal betting operator, they’re just spending with the illegal ones.” However, the Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR) has thrown its support behind the ban, believing it’s another step in the right direction of protecting vulnerable people in Brazil.
Gamble Aware Nigeria slams fintech apps linked to gambling products
Gamble Aware Nigeria General Manager Gabriel Akpabio has slammed a number of operators over “gross malpractice” and “unethical representation of responsible gaming policies through fintech brands”, in an interview with iGB this week. Akpabio bemoaned the absence of regulatory action against bad actors that are collaborating with fintech companies to bypass regulations in the country and deliver uncensored betting ads. As in many emerging markets, gambling addiction rates are growing in the West African market and this advertising loophole is having an impact. “Fintechs have turned into extensions of gambling operators and no one is saying a word,” Akpabio tells iGB. “You can now place a bet from your Opay app as it takes you to a gambling site through the app. Opay is not licensed by regulatory authorities to do so. They are bombarding some underage people with over 15 messages to gamble per minute.” Opay Digital Services Limited is a very popular personal finance app in Nigeria, currently serving several millions of users, due to its lightning-fast mobile payment ability. Many online operators are adopting it as a payment solution, alongside Palmpay, another mainstream choice. Currently, these fintech brands have over 30 iGaming companies each as their client providers. However, while they are licensed and regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria and insured by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, they are not approved to provide or advertise betting in any way to their users. Nigerian operators falling foul of responsible gambling? “Last week, a bettor sent us a screenshot of over 11 messages received in just a minute, asking him to fund his betting account, prompting him to click on an ad to get a free bet,” says Akpabio. “Another ad read, ‘If you deposit in your betting account daily, you stand a chance to win an iPhone.’ Stuff like that is horrible. “In what country is that permissible? For something that could get extremely addictive, no one should be prompted to bet [through these instant payment apps],” he added. “Bettors should gamble for entertainment, and with monies they can afford to lose. Not every day would a bettor want to lose money, but now the operators are pushing them into doing this as often as they can.” Gabriel suggested that regulatory bodies could have directly or indirectly contributed to the problem as they have refused to respond to letters and calls to action from Gamble Aware. “I have reached out to the LSLGA, the biggest regulator in Nigeria at least 22 times this year, sent them at least four letters in hard copy as well,” Akpabio says. Gambling addiction threat in Nigeria Last month, Nigerian state regulator LSLGA launched SafePlay, a national self-exclusion portal for problem gamblers, but Akpabio insists problem gambling rates are still on the rise, including among minors who are being targeted by these fintech apps. “Over 60 million Nigerians are gamblers and more than 14% of that number are actually struggling with the addiction that comes with it,” he adds. “Today, there are a lot of minors being exposed to betting through these fintech apps. We handle cases of underage gamblers a lot, and when you try to ascertain how they got introduced to this the answer is always the same – through these apps.” Lagos State Lottery laws for operators require gambling ads to be “ethical”, Akpabio explains, with 15%-20% of the ad’s running time to be used to raise awareness of gambling addiction. He says the charity is not anti-gambling but is calling for better protections for players. “Awareness about the harmful effects of gambling needs to be created. It shouldn’t be just us, or Gamble Alert [doing that work]. It really should be championed by the regulators and these operators. If not, the worst could happen.”