Each week, CasinoBeats breaks down the numbers behind some of the industry’s most interesting stories. In the latest edition we take a look at financial penalties in Sweden and New South Wales, a UK-based safer gambling commitment and a Maltese annual report.
8
Eight online gaming operators have been penalised SEK 42.2m (£3.5m) by the Swedish regulator, after being found to have permitted betting on sporting events where the majority of participants were under 18 years of age.
Licensed organisations within the country are forbidden for allowing betting on events where players are predominantly under the age of 18, as it’s believed it could heighten the direct danger of minors being exposed to attempts to manipulate sporting results.
Considering the violations to be serious, the eight organisations, namely Hillside, The Stars Group Interactive, Betfair, ElextraWorks, Zecure Gaming, CasinoStugan, Bethard and Polar, have each been handed a warning and a variety of penalty fees for the breaches by the Spelinspektionen.
5
GVC Holdings has provided further details of a commitment to increase safer gambling messages and support for problem gamblers, agreed last month alongside bet365, Flutter Entertainment, Sky Betting and Gaming and William Hill.
It was revealed that the five have entered into a partnership that seeks to introduce a package of measures to fund an expansion of treatment for problem gamblers, as well as initiatives to create a safer gambling environment.
Following discussion with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, one step is raising the current 0.1 per cent voluntary contribution of their UK gross gambling yield to one per cent over the next four years, which it is said will raise approximately £60m in 2023 and be maintained at that level for future years.
Within this commitment, the five organisations will also contribute 0.1 per cent of their annual GGY to GambleAware, to support existing treatment commitments and to continue its independent research programme.
139
The Malta Gaming Authority has published its annual report for 2018, providing a summary of its igaming industry during the year as well as providing an overview of the activities and work performed by the regulator.
Moving to implement its new gaming act, a strengthening of regulatory compliance via a number of internal and external initiatives was highlighted, as well as striving to bolster anti-money laundering supervision.
Placing a strong focus on effective enforcement, the MGA issued 16 notices of reprimand, 73 notices of breach, suspended four licences and cancelled eight during the period, as well as handing out 139 fines to operators following various regulatory breaches.
Furthermore, via its fit and proper committee 63 individuals or companies were deemed to be unsuitable for a licence, or for a significant role in a licensee, with 209 applications for a licence received and 93 subsequently issued, with the remaining ones still going through the acceptance process.
14,000
Australia gaming giant Tabcorp has been ordered to pay in excess of $14,000 in fines and costs, after being found to have offered an illegal gambling inducement in New South Wales.
Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court handed down the penalty this week after the organisation pleaded guilty to breaching the state’s gaming laws, with the prosecution following an investigation by Liquor and Gaming NSW.
This looked into a promotion that appeared on Tabcorp’s mobile app in October last year, featuring an advertisement that read “HEAD TO HEAD SPECIAL – KHABIB VS MCGREGOR – if your fighter loses by decision, bonus bet back up to $50”.
Under the NSW betting and racing act it is an offence to publish a gambling advertisement that “includes any inducement to participate, or participate frequently, in any gambling activity (including an inducement to open a betting account).”
