News Archives - Online Casino UK Helper

Shadow Minister Shares Thoughts on RET Funding Issue

Summary Jeff Smith MP said RET funding concerns must be addressed in the White Paper Smith wants White Paper to provide clear information on RET funding Betting and Gaming Council is opposed to statutory levy on RET funding Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM) recently held a Parliamentary Reception in Westminster where it launched...

NetEnt Launch Fully Themed Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen Slot

by Mike Ashley

Having secured the required licence from ITV and Humble Pie Media, NetEnt have now launched one of their very latest, all themed, fully branded slots, that being the Hell’s Kitchen slot, which does of course feature the star of that show, Gordon Ramsay. No expense has been spared on the design of that brand new...

BGC Says Gambling Reforms Should Focus More on Protecting Youth

by Mike Ashley

Summary BGC calls on UK Gov to adopt a genuine strategic approach to gambling reform It highlighted successful industry initiatives aimed at protecting young people It has once again warned the government to avoid implementing intrusive measures With just weeks away before the publication of the Gambling Act Review White Paper, the Betting and Gaming...

UK Gambling Review To Be Overseen By New Acting Chair of DCMS Committee

by Mike Ashley

Summary Damian Green takes over the role from Julian Knight who is being accused of sexual harassment The Ashford MP will supervise major policy works, including the Gambling Review Sky News recently revealed names of MPs receiving donations from the gambling industry Damian Green has been appointed as Acting Chair of the Digital Culture, Media...

N. Ireland To Increase Problem Gambling Awareness In Schools

by Mike Ashley

Summary The new resource includes five lessons discussing the dangers surrounding gambling It is targeted at Key Stage 3 students aged 11 to 14 years old Among the topics covered are in-game features, such as loot boxes Northern Ireland’s Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment (CCEA) has put together lessons about gambling and gaming,...

DCMS Will Continue To Push For Stringent Regulations

by Mike Ashley

Summary Paul Scully said the DCMS is taking the lead on all aspects of UK gambling regulation Scully made it clear discussions on gambling issues will continue after the release of the White Paper There is still no clear indication when the white paper will be released Paul Scully, minster for the Department for Digital,...

UKGC Chief Tackles UKGC Challenges At CEO Briefing 2022

by Mike Ashley

Summary UKGC CEO Andrew Rhodes said emerging products have presented a new regulatory challenge Rhodes admits it will be difficult to eliminate black market activities He said the Commission cannot condone bad practices in the licensed market The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) recently hosted a CEO Briefing with gambling operators where Andrew Rhodes shared his...

NHS Want Mandatory Donations From UK iGaming Operators For Problem Gambling

by Mike Ashley

Summary The number of patients referred to NHS gambling addiction clinics rose by 42% Most of those referred are young men and has caused serious concern for the NHS NHS clinicians are backing a proposed statutory RET levy on the industry The NHS is putting pressure on licensed iGaming operators to contribute a mandatory fee...

UK Watchdog Happy That Less Young Brits Are Engaging In Gambling Activities

by Mike Ashley

Summary The latest Young People and Gambling Report was published on November 10, 2022 The latest report shows a drop in the number of young people involved in gambling The UKGC noted though that 0.9% of young people are struggling with problem gambling The UK Gambling Commission has described as “encouraging” headline data around regulated...

UKGC Lifts LEBOM Suspension After Operator Integrates GAMSTOP

by Mike Ashley

Summary LEBOM was suspended earlier this month for failing to integrate GAMSTOP The UKGC has now lifted the suspension citing “remedial action” taken by the firm The regulator gets tough on offenders as the Gambling Act Review continues The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has decided to lift the license suspension it earlier imposed on football...

GambleAware Study Highlights Importance of Transparency In Safer Gambling Messages

by Mike Ashley

Summary GambleAware commissioned a study to evaluate the transparency of safer gambling messages Previous research found that operators use misleading promotional tactics to attract customers The new study recommends that operators must put transparency at the heart of their safer gambling messages GambleAware is urging gambling operators to be transparent when posting safer gambling messages...

UK Operators Can Now Rejoin ECA After Two Year Break

by Mike Ashley

Summary The UK’s eight casino operators have been admitted back to the ECA They left the organization back in 2020 when the UK withdrew from the EU The UK’s ECA membership was formally approved during an industry forum in Austria The UK has officially rejoined the European Casino Association (ECA) after a two-year break. The...

UK MP Warns Against Heavy Handed Politics On Gambling Sector

by Mike Ashley

Summary MP Grahame Morris has warned the UK government of heavy handedness against the gambling sector Stringent gambling regulations will hurt thousands of Brits employed in the gaming and betting industry Morris says empowering players to make better decisions is the way forward The long awaited white paper with proposed changes for potential gaming regulations...

UK and Ireland Braces Itself For Changes To The Gambling Landscape

by Mike Ashley

Summary Entain says it’s preparing for major changes to UK’s gambling laws under the new Truss government The company expects to see more betting and sponsorship restrictions being implemented Gambling operators in Ireland can also expect the same with the establishment of a new regulator With the UK now under new leadership, major changes are...

UKGC Trying to Establish Link between Multiple Suicide Deaths and Gambling

by Mike Ashley

Summary UKGC is reported to have sent letters to UK operators to inquire about 10 suicide cases The regulator is investigating whether the victims suffered from problem gambling Campaigners are calling on the government to introduce a wide-ranging gambling law reform to protect players The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is reportedly making inquiries regarding multiple...

Energy Crisis Could Have Massive Impact on UK Casinos and Bookmakers

by Mike Ashley

Summary Some UK gaming operators have reported dealing with energy hikes of up to 300% The rising costs are slowing down the post-pandemic recovery of the UK’s casinos and betting shops The BCG says urgent action is needed to protect the industry The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has raised concerns over the rising energy...

Gamblewise To Assist Land Based Casinos With Better Player Protection

by Mike Ashley

Summary Land based casinos can promote responsible gambling with Gamblewise Better Change Limited is the provider behind the new Gamblewise tool Gamblewise will not cost the player any money and protect them from gambling harm All of the top iGaming operators in the market deploy a set of responsible gambling tools at their online casinos...

UKGC Report Shows Gambling Addiction Rates Have Dropped Year on Year

by Mike Ashley

Summary Gambling addiction rates have dropped in the UK UKGC report shows intensity in gambling activity in youngsters Gamstop confirms over 300k exclusions in first 6 months The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has released a new report that monitors the rate of gambling addiction in the country. The report shows that gambling addiction rates in...

UK Launches New Website To Promote Safer Gambling Week 2022

by Mike Ashley

Summary Safer Gambling Week 2022 gets a new website Safer Gambling Week runs from 17 to 23 October Sixth edition of Safer Gambling Week in 2022 Safer Gambling Week was launched when the UK was facing a significant spike in gambling addiction and licensed gaming operators were under pressure to do more to protect British...

UK MP Says Statutory Gambling Levy Needed to Protect Children

by Mike Ashley

Summary Paul Blomfield supports the implementation of a mandatory gambling levy He expressed concern over the increasing number of children becoming addicted to gambling A statutory levy will address funding issues and ensure better protection for UK children The UK government needs to do more to protect its citizens, particularly vulnerable young players from gambling...