- United States  -
As sports betting takes off, Connecticut doesn’t require betting operators to share problem gambling data
 

The state of Connecticut requires operators of sports betting and online casino gaming to make tools available to players who want to bet responsibly. The operators – the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, the Mohegan Tribe, and the Connecticut Lottery – are also obligated to offer gamblers a way to formally opt out of betting.

But the state doesn’t require those operators to collect or share data on how people are making use of these problem gambling tools.

Some lawmakers hope they will.

“The whole point to me was that if internet gaming is generating better data about problems, we're going to be able to take advantage of that and help people,” said Democratic state Rep. Maria Horn, co-chair of the state’s public safety and security committee. She also said she supported legalized gambling in part because operators told her it offered an increased ability to catch problems as they develop.

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Connecticut Public Radio, July 8 2022

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- New Zealand -
Equity the new focus in battle against problem gambling

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The Ministry of Health has launched a new strategy to put equity in the centre of their response to preventing the harms of problem gambling, buoyed by publicly-funded research from the University of Auckland.

The rejigging of the approach to gambling-related harms will focus on filling current gaps in the spectrum of support services, reducing stigma and preventing problem gambling among groups of the population who are adversely affected, such as Māori, Pasifika, Asian people and young people.

The Health and Lifestyle survey by the ministry in 2020 found Māori were more than three times more likely to be moderate-risk or problem gamblers than non-Māori and non-Pacific people, while Pasifika were around two and half times more likely.

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Newsroom, July 11 2022

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- Uniuted Kingdom-

Premier League clubs will vote on gambling sponsorship ban

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Clubs have been asked to vote on the Premier League’s proposal to introduce a voluntary ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship.

UK.- Earlier this week, the English Premier League was reported to have delivered a proposal to the UK government in a bid to avoid a complete ban on gambling sponsorship in football. It’s proposed that clubs voluntarily phase out front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship while other forms of advertising, including on shirt sleeves, would remain permitted.

Now it’s emerged that the Premier League’s teams have been asked to vote on the proposal. The proposal will need the support of 14 out of the league’s 20 teams to go ahead. It’s not clear whether this means that the government has already suggested that it would accept the move, but it has been reported that Chris Philp, the minister responsible for gambling, was considering it.

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Focus Gaming News, July 7 2022

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-The Netherlands  -
Six Dutch political parties unite behind proposed loot box ban

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The Netherlands could be the next country to ban loot boxes in video games, as multiple political parties unite behind the bill which would see the country outlaw randomised in-game purchases.

The motion, first posted to ResetEra by user Poklane, would still have to move through the country’s Senate, however, due to such bi-partisan support of the bill, it seems incredibly unlikely to fail, meaning The Netherlands would join Belgium in its ban of loot boxes.

The motion claims that “in video games, children are manipulated into making microtransactions and that loot boxes are also a form of gambling”.

It goes on to claim that as a result of these payments, “they can get addicted and can burden families with unexpected bills for these transactions”.

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Video Games Chronicle, July 3 2022

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- Switzerland  -
Swiss gamblers to lose access to websites of foreign casinos

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Last June 73% of voters approved the overhaul of the country’s gambling law despite claims by opponents of government censorship. The law came into effect in January but blocking of foreign gambling websites will begin next month. Swiss gamblers will be able to bet online only with Swiss casinos and lotteries that pay tax in the country and take measures to protect people from addiction.  

A list of unauthorised gambling providers will be published on the websites of the Federal Gaming CommissionExternal link and the Lotteries and Betting CommissionExternal link. Those on the blacklist will be automatically blocked by Swiss telecommunications service providers by means of DNS (domain name server) blocks. Only websites accessible from Switzerland will be blocked. Foreign service providers who voluntarily withdraw from the Swiss market with appropriate measures will not be blocked. 

Swiss gamblers signed up with foreign casinos will have to contact them directly for any money due as Swiss regulators have no jurisdiction over them.  

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Swissinfo.ch, June 24 2022

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- The Netherlands-
Dutch Gambling Regulator Boss Tells Companies to Self-Regulate Better

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Self-regulation could have been a panacea for many gambling markets across Europe, but alas, brands are always doubling down on player acquisition, and it’s an instinct that is difficult to overcome. This is why Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA) boss Rene Jansen is not entirely convinced whether operators are even able to uphold unspoken rules that are not inscribed in strict policies.

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Jansen Calls on Stakeholders to Step Up

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In fact, Jansen suggested that many operators in the newly-regulated market in the Netherlands were after a quick profit at the expense of Dutch players. Whether this is the case is another matter altogether, but if the KSA boss is criticizing the current conduct of operators, this should raise some worries in the industry. And it has.

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gambling news, June 27 2022