Archive | July, 2019

Hefty penalty incurred by GVC for past AML & social responsibility failings by Ladbrokes Coral Group

The Gambling Commission has announced this morning that Ladbrokes Coral Group – comprised of Ladbrokes Betting and Gaming Limited (Ladbrokes) and Coral Interactive (Gibraltar) Limited (Coral) – is to pay £5.9million for past “systemic” failings in anti-money laundering and social responsibility that occurred prior to its acquisition by GVC, that completed on 28 March 2018. Investigation […]

The RET Funding Conundrum

An article by David Clifton entitled “The RET Funding Conundrum” has been published today by U.S. based CDC Gaming Reports as part of its regular Tottenham Report feature. You can download it below. In his article, David: explains the background to the voluntary “RET” (i.e. problem gambling research, education, and treatment) donation-based system that is underpinned by the UK Gambling […]

Seven bookmakers face licence reviews for under-age failures

The Gambling Commission has reported on its website that it is reviewing the operating licences of seven bookmakers following age verification test purchasing failures conducted at Royal Ascot in June 2019. The Commission’s website posting (that can be downloaded below) reads as follows: Seven bookmakers are having their licence to offer gambling reviewed after allowing […]

Understanding why people gamble

We have previously reported on in-depth qualitative research commissioned by the Gambling Commission to better understand how gambling fits into people’s lives. The Commission has now published the second in a series of blogs that it intends should “encourage interested parties to consider and discuss the fresh perspectives offered … and create conversation about how future developments in the gambling industry […]

UK Government’s new Economic Crime Plan welcomed by Gambling Commission

The Gambling Commission has welcomed the UK Government’s new Economic Crime Plan, agreed between the Chancellor, the Home Secretary, major financial institutions, legal, accountancy and property organisations, and law enforcement (that includes the Gambling Commission). The following gambling industry organisations were consulted in the development of the Economic Crime Plan: British Amusement Catering Trade Association (BACTA) […]

Oral evidence given to the Social and Economic Impact of the Gambling Industry Inquiry

We have reported previously on the House of Lords Select Committee inquiry into “the social and economic impact of the gambling industry”, that is required to make recommendations and report by 31 March 2020. That Committee has so far held the following evidence sessions. The first (on 16 July 2019) – “Problem gambling in the UK” – was with Government […]

Is the end in sight for gambling online with credit cards?

The Gambling Commission has today announced that, commencing in mid-August 2019, it will be holding a twelve-week consultation on the issue of gambling online with credit cards. This follows the Commission’s earlier call for evidence on this subject in February this year. The Commission outlines the options as follows: One approach would be to ban gambling online […]

Gambling Commission evidence to Immersive and Addictive Technologies Inquiry

We reported in December 2018 that a Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Select Committee inquiry (titled the “Immersive and addictive technologies inquiry”) was to be launched into links between gaming & gambling, loot boxes and eSports. In February 2019, we updated that report, referring to publication by the House of Commons Library of a briefing paper entitled “Loot boxes in […]

DCMS Committee inquiry into the future of the National Lottery

  It has been announced that the DCMS Committee is launching an inquiry to consider whether changes are needed in the operation of the National Lottery as the process begins to award a new licence from 2023. We have reported here on the fourth National Lottery Competition, presently projected to be launched at the end of […]