Regulation round-up 5 July 2016
The biggest regulatory news from the egaming industry in the last seven days (29 June to 5 July 2016)
Gambling Commission gets tough on novelty betting
British regulator warns operators must conduct business with integrity when accepting bets on pre-recorded shows
UK-facing operators could have their licence placed under review following reports of suspicious betting activity around pre-recorded television shows.
The warning comes from the Gambling Commission, which in a letter to operators said it had seen “repeated instances” of operators offering markets on pre-recorded TV programmes and then highlighting suspicious betting activity to media outlets.
“This media reporting appears to have originated from the operators themselves who purport to have either over-exposed their liability or identified integrity concerns tenuously linked to the programme or event,” the letter read.
“In a world of social media and rapid communication, the outcome of these markets is likely to be known to an ever-expanding group of consumers before the result is formally announced.
Gibraltar minister allays Brexit fears
Gibraltar’s gaming minister has quashed speculation operators could leave the peninsular following the UK’s Brexit vote, claiming firms remain “strongly committed” to their Gibraltar operations.
In a statement, Albert Isola revealed he had recently spoken with every operator based in Gibraltar to ensure them of the Gibraltarian government’s support for the industry in the “short, medium and long term”.
Isola said he expected there to be “little or no change” to current border arrangements, while adding a number of operators had said they intended to press ahead with plans to expand their Gibraltar operations.
Seven days in regulation:
UK egaming industry worth almost ?4bn
The UK online gaming industry generated almost ?4bn in gross gaming yield (GGY) in the 12 months to September 2015, according to new figures from Great Britain’s Gambling Commission.
UK remote operators delivered approximately ?3.96bn in the year to September 2015, accounting for a 29% of the UK gambling industry.
The figure is more than double the industry’s previous GGY, but exact comparisons are difficult since the Point of Consumption tax was introduced in November 2014.
ASA bans Sky Vegas ad for glamorising gambling
Sky Betting & Gaming (SB&G) was reprimanded by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) last week for releasing a TV advert the watchdog deemed glamorised gambling.
The ASA ruled the Sky Vegas ad must not be broadcast again in its current form after ruling the ad suggested gambling could enhance the personal qualities of people gambling.
The 30-second ad featured a close-up of a character named ‘Michael’ who is described as the “roulette rock star” of Sky Vegas, sporting images of guitars and roulette tables in the reflection of his sunglasses.
New Brazil legislation to ban sports betting and egaming
Brazil’s gambling commission has recommended that online gaming and all forms of sports betting be prohibited in a bill set to be introduced in the country’s Congress.
The Comiss??o do Marco Regulat?rio dos Jogos no Brasil was formed last October and tasked with creating a single bill out of the 14 different pieces of gaming legislation introduced over the last 25 years.
However its subsequent report, released last month, would prohibit online gaming, and sports betting in general, except sports-related federal lotteries.
Australian operator UBet prosecuted for drink gambling advert
Australian operator UBet has been fined by a New South Wales (NSW) court for a YouTube advert showing punters drinking and betting.
The video, called UBet Punters Academy, showed ‘students’ of gambling learning how to bet on rugby matches while drinking “glasses of alcohol”.
NSW’s 2012 Betting and Racing Regulation bans adverts promoting the consumption of alcohol while gambling, as well as advertising that induces NSW residents to participate in any gambling activity.