Category Archives: Online Gambling

Online betting in London has been on the rise for some years and continues to expand at a rapid pace. The London market has had a stratospheric ascent since its inception, following the internets transformation of the gaming industry as a whole.

Before the advent of the Internet, gamblers had to go to land-based casinos and regulated betting shops to gamble. Today, it is possible to do it from the convenience of ones home, and this is largely responsible for the markets continuous rise.

The Demographics of Online Gambling in the United Kingdom

The UK gaming market is fueled by circa 25 million adult gamblers. 10.5 million people, out of a total of 25 million people, bet online. According to statistics, almost 45 percent of Britons bet at least once a month.

The annual gambling market in the United Kingdom is estimated to be worth 14.3 billion, with internet gambling accounting for 38.6% of the figure

It has long been assumed that the majority of gamblers are between the ages of 44 and 64. However, gambling is growing increasingly popular among the younger generation in the United Kingdom.

Those between the ages of 25 and 34 have dominatedonline betting, with 23.1 percent betting online every month. Individuals between the ages of 35 and 54 account for 22% of monthly online gambling revenue.

Users may now pick from hundreds of different online casinos and gaming sites, all of which are vying for the attention of UK customers. Some of the best betting sites in UK offer players large game libraries, lucrative signup bonuses, and cutting-edge digital platform technologies to stand out in a highly competitive online industry.

Reasons for the Growth of Online Betting in London

Changes in Government Regulations

The fact that more players can now gamble in peace is one of the numerous reasons for the gambling industrys expansion in London.

Previously, the London government and state regulators were opposed to the practice. Regulation, on the other hand, has grown in importance throughout time. As a result, more individuals are participating in the game, and more operators are joining in.

The fact is that all UK internet gambling firms are now operating legally. Some betting firms, for example, are publicly traded on the stock exchange. The local London government has taken important steps to secure the expansion of the gambling sector. It also ensures the resolution of issues with fixed-odds betting terminals.

Advancements in Technology

Over the past decade or two, weve also seen technological breakthroughs. People nowadays live in a world where smartphones, tablets, and computers play an important role in their daily lives. Sincetechnology is almost omnipresent, individuals are more inclined to begin utilizing it for amusement and entertainment.

Technology and the internet have undoubtedly contributed to the growth of the online betting sector, making it much easier for everyone to place a wager at an online sportsbook or play roulette in an online casino. Gambling has become much more comfortable and straightforward, and this is paying off by attracting even more clients.

Advanced Advertising Strategies

Advertising has always played an important role in the development of the online betting industry. Nowadays, we see more advertisements on television, online, and social media platforms.

Betting companies are increasingly sponsoring sports teams, with football clubs being a popular target. If you can get the message out to people and they pay attention, theyll most likely end up at the advertised online casino or sportsbook, which will continue to drive revenue to dizzying new heights.

Promotions and Bonuses

Even though land-based casinos give incentives for purchasing chips, online casinos offer a plethora of bonuses and promotions. Almost every online casino will reward you with a bonus when you make your first deposit.

The bonus might be worth up to 100% of your first investment. Welcome incentives and promotions entice players to utilize various online casino websites and applications. This has resulted in the growth of online betting in London.

The Convenience of Online Betting

Players can bet for real money at online casinos at any time and from any location. You dont have to fight traffic to get to the casino, nor do you have to beat the crowds to play your favorite games.

Simply turn on your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer and go to the greatest online bettingwebsite. In a matter of minutes, youll be playing for real money. And the greatest thing is that you can do it in total confidentiality, which is a big benefit when it comes to real money gambling.

Apart from gambling websites, leading online casinos also provide mobile gaming applications for download.

Cost Saving

You may save money on travel fees by betting online instead of visiting a physical casino. You can also save money on meals and beverages. The truth is that its difficult to avoid indulging in the extras that come with visiting a land-based casino.

One of the main reasons why most people choose to gamble online is that it is more affordable. Whats more, by 2022, there will be many low-deposit UK casinos, allowing you to save even more money.

Players on a tight budget can place bets and still have a chance of winning at online gambling sites with minimal minimum deposits and incentives.

The Popularity of Football Sports

Football betting is extremely popular, accounting for around 48.4% of the total sports betting market.

Many individuals who would never have watched or participated in football previously have found themselves pulling for specific teams or making wagers on their favorite players.

Conclusion

In summary, there is no doubt that online betting will continue to develop and become one of the leaders in the entertainment sector. Operators will continue to embrace technological advancements and inventive ideas to provide even more fascinating, intriguing, and interactive goods and/or services.

The majority of Britons favor online casinos because of their ease and other benefits discussed in this article. We hope that you now have a better grasp of why online betting in London and generally in the United Kingdom is rapidly expanding.

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The Growth of Online Betting in London Through the Years - London Post

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Game Day announces their newest offering in The Game Day Casino site, expanding The Game Days offerings and capabilities beyond traditional and mobile sportsbooks to brick and mortar and online casino space.

The Game Day Casino offers online casino insight, unbiased reviews and property comparisons, legalized gaming state information, and news about the latest bonuses and promotions across the US, all with the intention of helping the casino player make informed decisions. The Game Day Casino welcomes both beginners and experienced players and encourages responsible gambling.

"As The Game Day continues to experience almost daily growth and engagement focusing on the sports and the sports betting sector, it is a natural extension for us to delve further into the traditional gaming space, further enabling us to offer partners and sponsors additional opportunities to reach target audiences and new customers, said Matt Heiman, CEO, The Game Day. The Game Day Casino is for the casino player as The Game Day sports brand is for the sports enthusiast and gambler. The platform offers current and potential gamblers an easy to digest source of information needed to bet confidently online and/or in-person.

Designed to help amateur and professional gamblers have an enhanced betting experience, The Game Day Casino seeks to capitalize on the growth and success of its parent platform, The Game Day, and become a leading information portal for legal and regulated online casino gaming in the U.S. Backed by industry experts and experienced gaming reviewers, the site offers:

The launch of The Game Day Casino comes at a time when gaming and online casinos continue to flourish and grow in popularity. The third quarter of 2021 was the best quarter in the history of the U.S. casino industry. According to numbers released by the American Gaming Association, commercial casinos in the country set a quarterly record with $13.89 billion.

ABOUT THE GAME DAY

The Game Day, a digital media company for the next generation of betting and fantasy fans, providing the latest news, entertainment, real-time updates and resources in both the sports betting and casino gaming arenas. The company offers the recently launched The Game Day Casino, focusing on brick and mortar and online gaming, which compliments the companys parent platform, The Game Day.

By working with leading influencers, athletes, gaming experts and talent from across the gaming and sporting universe, the platforms offer original content and social distribution network designed to make the betting experience more accessible and entertaining, informing potential sports and traditional casino games bettors to make better gaming decisions. The Game Days Network delivers, on a monthly basis, over 36M+ impressions, 3M+ engagements to more than 5.8 Million Followers. The Game Day network and its content can be found on Instagram, Facebook , YouTube, and Twitter. and TikTok. The Game Day Casino site is accessible at https://thegamedaycasino.com/.

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The Game Day Expands Into iGaming Sector With The Game Day Casino - Business Wire

Online gambling is becoming more and more popular everyday among gambling enthusiasts; it specifically experienced a spike during the recent pandemic. There are plenty of options when it comes to choosing an online casino, which can make it an overwhelming task. If you are having problems choosing a suitable online gambling platform, dont worry, weve got you covered. This comprehensive guide will take you through the aspects you need to consider before you pick a platform and let you experience online gambling at its best.

Plenty of online casinos provide promotional offers like giving players 2-4 times the deposited amount, whereas others might offer a welcome bonus. This bonus can be used to play and win attractive prizes. However, many online websites have implemented several regulations that dont allow the earnings to be fully withdrawn. To understand more about these offers, visit relevant websites, study the rules of the game, and try to comply with wagering instructions.

The first thing to look for in an online casino is its level of security and safety. You need to ensure the game is conducted fairly, without violating any state or federal laws related to online gambling. There are a lot of online services that might seem legitimate. However, not all of them can be trusted as fraudsters can run fake casinos and gambling websites that will scam you for money. These fraudulent platforms can easily pretend to be legitimate by showing licenses from authorities that may not have any actual official value. Licensing bodies like these should not be recognized as authoritative.

You can check the legitimacy of an online gambling platform by reviewing if their current licenses are issued by government-regulated authorities. Having licenses ensures that the casinos are following set requirements that ultimately improve the online gambling experience. Furthermore, a scam online casino will not only put your money at risk but also compromise valuable data and personal information which can be used to conduct other fraudulent activities.

Due to a competitive market, each online gambling platform and casino strives to provide the best services, the most interesting interactive games, and the easiest wins in the market. To ensure you pick the most suitable gambling platform for you, you need to read some online casino reviews from reliable sources. Comparing the available services can clarify which ones would suit you the best. Therefore, give your research the time and energy it deserves to reach the best possible outcomes.

Each gambling platform has a unique interface that offers a variety of options that should be reviewed. Evaluating the user interface is necessary because a player should feel comfortable while interacting with the digital space. Furthermore, beware of gambling websites that have a terrible response rate, do not provide the claimed services, or fail to provide certifications. Avoiding websites like these make sure that you dont end up signing up for a scam online platform.

As mentioned earlier, you might find online betting platforms that can easily restrict your withdrawals by implementing certain rules, regulations, and wagering instructions. Besides looking at whether there are any restrictions on withdrawals, consider betting at reputable platforms that have made a name for themselves. Selecting a renowned betting service ensures that you have more options to deposit or withdraw cash. Furthermore, if you are using a betting platform that is based in a foreign country, make sure that you research the options that would be the safest for deposits and withdrawals.

Online betting websites offer a variety of enjoyable games that players can select from. You can find hundreds of games ranging from card games to slots. If you are new to online gambling, it might take some time to familiarize yourself with the rules of each game and develop your gaming skills. Therefore, start with games like slots that have simple rules for better outcomes. There are even casinos and gambling places that give you the liberty to select from a variety of slots and enjoy the experience. Table games are a necessity if you are a gambling enthusiast that loves blackjack or poker.

Casinos and gambling platforms are always structured to keep an upper hand. They keep the ratio of wins and losses at a balance to keep their business always functional. No matter how good you are at the game, playing when anxious or in a hurry without considering your decision can cost you money. Therefore, stay calm during gaming sessions and never try to chase your losses as they might lead to further loss. We hope that you find the above-mentioned information useful and assist you in online gambling in the safest possible manner.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Claritas only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS), which includes Dream11 as a founding member, has filed a new writ petition in Karnataka high court arguing that the state's gaming ban does not apply to fantasy sports platforms.

The bench decided to hear the arguments of FIFS on the next date of hearing in this case, that is, December 14, 2021. FIFS petition will be heard along with the six other petitions that have challenged the state's anti-gambling law. The six other petitioners include the All Indian Gaming Federation (AIGF), Mobile Premier League, Games24x7, Gameskraft, Head Digital Works Private Limited, and Junglee Games.

Last week, the bench decided that the ongoing interim plea hearing will be deemed as the final hearing on the matter, as the arguments have been advanced at length.

Fantasy sports platform Dream11 had earlier said in a media statement that FIFS advised that Karnataka Police (Amendment) Act 2021 does not apply to its member fantasy sports operators, which is why the company continued operations even after the notification of the new law on October 5, 2021.

Later, Dream11 suspended its operation in Karnataka after an FIR was registered against Dream11 co-founders Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth in the Bengaluru police station. The two co-founders petitioned the court to quash the FIR and have been given interim protection by the court. The bench directed the state to not take any coercive steps against the petitioners till the next date of hearing.

Karnataka is not the first state to bring regulations on online gaming. Over the years, regulations in various states have pushed companies operating in formats like online fantasy sports (OFS) and online rummy to prove skill predominance in their respective game formats.

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Online gaming ban: Fantasy sports body petitions Karnataka HC holding ban doesnt apply to them - The Hindu BusinessLine

Online casinos in India have already been thriving recently, but nobody seems to know why. And besides, isnt it more fun to play the match in a real-world casino, encircled by other gamblers, distributors, as well as music? Conventional casinos, it sure turned out, arent as impactful as they once were because digital gambling platforms now have a lot more to offer.

According to one study, the global online betting market is expected to be worth $57 billion in 2020 as well as $97 billion by 2025, with a CAGR of 11.31 percent.

There is no definitive explanation for the growth of best online casinos india business owners; rather, there are a number of explanations that expose the power of virtual gambling. Well go over seven of the most critical growth drivers with you.

The manner in which individuals spend so much time trying to play online casino games is the ease of access. The concept is straightforward: online casino in India are always available, and you can begin gambling in seconds.

Almost everyone on the planet owns a smart telephone, and Internet access has become ubiquitous. Aside from that, because online casinos do not have set working hours, they are available around the clock, making them even more appealing to the ordinary gambler.

A traditional casino requires visitors to spend a significant amount of time planning their visits, from lodging to travel accommodations. Indian online casino, on the other side, speed up the process much faster and easier by providing a plethora of perks and benefits.

Why is this so for igaming affiliate marketing and commission types? For instance, joining a digital wagering platform can garner you thousands of free spins.

You can also get a 100% bonus or have your deposit doubled. In fact, you can play at virtual casinos with really no account at all. When you combine all of this with the ease of access, its easy to see why online casinos are so popular.

A typical gambler isnt interested in learning about casino legislation and rules, though one thing is critical here: many countries have also decided to legalise online gambling.

This action alone aids the growth and development of online gambling platforms, making it one of the most important and powerful success drivers.

Another reason for the growth of online casinos is the variety of games and themes available. Its a crucial feature but since modern platforms entice players with their sheer diversity as well as versatility.

Instead of just playing traditional slots, you can then use slots apps with a variety of themes ranging from basketball as well as adventure to intervention and horror. The same is true for all other slot machine games, and it has wowed new generations of gambling addicts.

COVID-19 has had a significant impact not only on our daily hygiene and health-related habits, as well as on businesses including casino gambling.

Instead of going to a real-world casino, gambling addicts had to resort to playing games on the Internet. Many of them became accustomed to online gambling and then became active players in the digital world, which is just another growth force in the industry.

Do you realise that todays customers live as well as breathe micro-moments? These are reactions that people have when they want to learn new things or entertain oneself. They generally do it on their smartphones, so online casinos fit right in by providing users with real time entertainment.

So no need to wait for a wagering fever to strike virtual casinos seem to be available at the touch of a button and ready to provide you with all the excitement you crave.

The hegemony of shady and harmful gambling websites has long passed. The legalisation of online gambling encouraged reputable companies to step in and take control of the burgeoning industry. This effectively means that the vast majority of gambling websites are now completely safe and secure.

Visitors who look closely will notice details such as a companys about information, a licence, and security credentials. In other phrases, Internet gamblers really arent afraid to play their favourite games. If you enjoyed it, why not check out more content from the author, Monin Manne.

For a variety of reasons, online casino businesses are growing in size and influence. They appear to be on their way to disrupting the traditional gambling industry and gradually replacing physical casinos. Whether you like it or not, and thats how gambling is done these days on the Internet.

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Top 7 Reasons Why Online Casino Industry Is Up And Booming - Inventiva

DETROIT, MI (WKZO AM/FM) Michigan residents who place wagers on unregulated gaming sites may gamble on more than they expected and become identity theft or deposit theft victims, according to the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB).

If you share personal information with an unregulated gambling site, there are no guarantees your information wont be sold to or used by criminals, MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams said in a statement. Identity theft is the most common complaint received by the Federal Trade Commission. In 2020, 1.3 million identity theft reports were made in the U.S., including more than 24,000 cases of identity theft reported in Michigan.

The federal Internal Revenue Service says thieves use personal information to apply for credit, file taxes or obtain medical services. This unauthorized activity can damage credit status and cost time and money to recover.

Based on complaints to the MGCB, unregulated gambling site patrons say winnings are not being paid or they cant obtain a deposited refund. Officials say patrons using unregulated sites dont have recourse to seek recovery of their money through regulatory agencies or the courts.

Unlike regulated gambling, there is no mechanism for the MGCB to handle a patron dispute with an unregulated, offshore gambling site, Williams said. Our agency does not have the authority to pursue a dispute with an unregulated site.

Other crimes are associated with unregulated gambling sites. The Federal Bureau of Investigations has identified unregulated online gambling as supporting organized crime through money laundering.

By contrast, regulated casinos and online gaming sites must follow know your customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering requirements.

On its website, the MGCB offersa listof authorized/approved internet casino gaming and online sportsbetting sites licensed by the MGCB.

For more information, click here.

Further Reading

In a related matter, the Michigan Lottery is warning customers to be aware of scams surrounding lottery prizes.

For more information on that story, click here.

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MGCB Residents may risk identity theft and loss of deposits through unregulated gaming sites - WKZO

What would you picture if Canada cropped up in a conversation?

For those with a sweet tooth or three, then it is definitely maple syrup. And for the more sporty, it would be ice hockey which is probably the most popular sport in Canada.

A relatively unknown fact is that Canada is the second largest country in the world which means that it has no shortage of beautiful landscapes. From the Rocky Mountains and Niagara Falls to the Okanagan Valley and the cities of Vancouver, Victoria and Calgary, Canada has some of the most wonderful natural and urban sights. And thats even before venturing to the wild north, where rivers flowing out to the Arctic Ocean create unique landscapes.

Another element which is increasingly becoming associated with Canada is online gambling.

Gambling in Canada has a chequered history. Several forms of land-based gambling activities have been legal in Canada for years. In the early 1900s, bingo and casual raffles were allowed for charitable events, and horse races were legalised. Then in 1985, gaming machines were made legal and casinos started appearing in Canada. Today most forms of brick-and-mortar gambling have been legalised.

Internet gambling, though, is a bit more complicated. Players can enjoy a spot of entertainment online, as long as the casino websites they are playing at are located offshore. This means that for operators, it is currently illegal to operate a web-based casino from Canada.

While online gambling is illegal, every province can legalise types of gambling that may be operated on or through a computer within their borders. This means that every province can decide whether or not to legalise online gambling operations within their confines. The situation is further complicated because a particular section of Canadas criminal code specifically refers to the fact that it is only the government of the country and its provinces that may operate any form of gambling.

The only exception is the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory, which has received permission to provide its own casino website to players. And this explains why most offshore gaming servers are located on the Kahnawake reserve, which is still on Canadas territory.

The Kahnawake reserve has its own commission, which is the Kahnawake Gaming Commission this special gaming regulatory body can issue licences and regulate web-based casinos, online poker rooms and sportsbook websites. Apart from such online activity, this commission also has control of three land-based poker rooms located within the Kahnawake territory.

For the Kahnawake Gaming Commission to grant a licence, casinos have to meet certain criteria the commission itself then has the right and responsibility to monitor, control and regulate such operations.

It is being suggested that the whole country adopts this approach. In fact, one of the more recent updates to Canadas gambling regulations has legalised single event sport betting. The legislation has decriminalised single event sport betting which is now supported, as long as it takes place in a safe and regulated environment, while supporting good and well-paying jobs for Canadians.

Such regulation updates also came in the wake of the Canadian Gaming Associations estimates, which show that Canadians spend approximately $10 billion per year on single event sport betting conducted illegally through organised crime, and approximately $4 billion through offshore internet sites that are not provincially regulated.

With these amendments, provinces and territories are permitted to conduct and manage single event sport betting in their respective jurisdictions and offer Canadians an opportunity to place bets in a regulated and safe environment either online or in physical facilities, with the exception of betting on horse racing, which will continue to be regulated by the federal government.

These amends will also open the door to other amends, which could make online gaming in Canada even more popular.

The bottom line is that for players to enjoy some online entertainment in Canada, the usual rules apply. Players should look for licensed casinos that are trusted by players and which abide to responsible gambling regulations. The best approach to source these casinos is through canadacasino24.com, which lists the best new online casinos for Canada. The website also lists the best available promotions, and casinos with the best free spins and no deposit bonuses.

Disclaimer: Play responsibly. Players must be over 18. For help visit https://www.gamcare.org.uk/

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Where to find the best new online casinos in Canada - Times of Malta

The online gambling operator Kindred has vowed to support the Racing Is Everyones Sport initiative, run by Great British Racing, and help it in its corporate social responsibility inclusivity endeavors.

The Racing is Everyones Sport campaign, alongside the soccer-oriented initiative Rainbow Laces, is a way to show that the sports community is welcoming to all people, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Kindred already showed its intentions of promoting a more inclusive racing community by supporting the Unbibet Becher Chase Day at Liverpool through its Unibet betting brand. The gambling giant incentivized the jockeys to wear rainbow-patterned armbands and/or pin badges in order to demonstrate support of the LGBTQ+.

Unibet also saw the saddlecloths of racers detailed with rainbows for the day broadcast on ITV, showing that the sport is indeed for everyone.

Kindreds head of racing communications and sponsorships, Ed Nicholson, spoke on the matter, affirming that the whole company is committed to building a diverse team with an inclusive and equitable experience for all. Therefore, deciding to join the Racing is Everyones Sport initiative was an easy choice for the company, as it already shared its ideals.

As sponsors of one of the big meetings on Saturday, were particularly pleased to donate one of our four ITV televised races from Aintree to help highlight the profile of the campaign, Nicholson added. The head of racing communications and sponsorships explained:

All four of our Unibet televised sponsored races, including the Unibet Becher Chase itself, will feature branded Unibet saddlecloths, each embroidered with bespoke names of the horses that will carry them and embellished with the Rainbow Laces colors.

Kindred also donated 20% of its marketing assets to the day of the campaign.

David Letts, the chairman of Racing with Pride and member of the Diversity in Racing Steering Group, spoke on the fact that racing as a whole is taking steps to a more inclusive future. It is fantastic to see racing join the wider sporting community in celebrating Stonewalls Rainbow Laces initiative, Letts said.

He mentioned that the Racing Is Everyones Sport is a great opportunity for the British horseracing community to demonstrate its ongoing commitment to the LGBTQ+ and show fans of the sport that progress is being made and the sport is becoming more welcoming to all.

The inclusivity movements have taken the British sports scene by storm, and the betting companies havent been indifferent to that. Recently Stake.com also demonstrated its intentions of being a part of the broader pro-LGBTQ+ initiative by vowing to update its branding for the Watford vs. Chelsea match in the Vicarage Road.

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Kindred Supports the LGBTQ+ By Backing Racing Is Everyones Sport - GamblingNews.com

PROBLEM GAMBLING IN IRELAND HAS RISEN DURING COVID, WHILE THE GAMBLING INDUSTRY REMAINS UNREGULATED AND YOUNG AUDIENCES ARE BEING EXPOSED TO ITS HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED PRODUCTS

The walls started to close in around me. Between borrowing money, and telling lies, and getting into financial difficulty, the walls were closing in.

Niall McNamee (36), who was in his mid-teens when he started going to the bookies on Saturdays to place a few bets on horse racing, is talking about when his gambling addiction began to overwhelm him

A few early wins had a bad effect.

It planted a seed, that maybe I could make a few bob on this, the Offaly county footballer says. And that was how it started. It just went from being one day a week, to being two days a week, and eventually it was seven days a week; it was 24/7 in terms of the gambling and being on my mind and the worrying and everything that goes with it.

The GAA player gambled on horse and dog racing rather than football matches, because of the greater speed involved.

For me to sit through a soccer match for 90 minutes to see the result at the end of it would be pure torture. I needed the bet to happen quickly and the result to come in quickly.

Because of the money he was losing, and the time he was spending in the bookies, McNamee found himself telling more and more lies.

If you keep doing it [lying], week in, week out, then whatever bit of goodness is in you, it kind of starts to chip away at it, and its just not a nice place to be. Your relationship with yourself becomes a very, very difficult one.

By 2016 the stress from his secret addiction was making him feel as if the walls were closing in.

Basically I had a conversation with my father and said, look, Im really struggling with gambling here and I need to get a bit of help. A couple of days later I saw an addiction counsellor, and about a week and a half later I went into the Rutland Centre in Dublin for the residential programme for about five weeks, and from that day Ive never really looked back.

It is eight years since the American Psychiatric Association recognised gambling addiction as a condition that sits alongside alcohol and drug addiction. Up to then it was seen as an impulse control disorder.

Ireland is regularly cited as the third-ranked country in the world in terms of gambling spend per head of adult population, after Australia and Singapore, yet the legislation that regulates gambling in this jurisdiction dates from the 1930s.

The Government recently published the outline of a law to establish a Gambling Regulatory Authority, and the authority is to be established and operational by 2023, according to a spokesman for the Department of Justice.

The position of a CEO-designate for the proposed authority is to be advertised shortly, he said. The authority will seek to limit the damage caused by gambling.

With severe gambling addiction, just as with severe alcohol and drug addiction, a persons ability to care for themselves can collapse, affecting not just their finances and their relationships, but their capacity to care for their health and general wellbeing.

The arrival of the internet, data mining, and the smartphone means that highly-addictive gambling products designed by highly-qualified maths graduates are now just an App away from most people.

A good proportion of people will gamble and not have a difficulty, said Colin OGara, a clinical professor of psychiatry at University College, Dublin, who treats gambling addiction at St John of God Hospital, in Dublin. Most people gamble, suffer a loss, compute the loss as a negative, and act on that basis.

But a proportion of the population the size of the proportion, OGara said, is hotly contested - are susceptible to becoming problem gamblers.

Approximately five per cent of the population are suffering from a serious problem with gambling, and, within that group, 0.7 to one per cent of the population have a severe gambling addiction whereby they are utterly preoccupied by their condition, the psychiatrist said.

Those who cannot control gambling have deficits in the key risk processing areas of the brain where decision-making occurs.

This can be inherited, or it can be the product of being exposed to a gambling environment, particularly if this occurs at an early age.

So it is both genetic and environmental. It is an interplay between the genetics and the environment, which is known as gene environment interaction, or epigenetics. A gambling addiction is not a deficit of will or a weakness of character.

OGara believes approximately 250,000 people are affected by gambling in ways that lead to financial difficulties, relationship difficulties, neglect of physical health, and other problems.

If we didnt have a gambling product, we wouldnt have to worry about a genetic predisposition because, ultimately, it is the product that is addictive. The product, by its nature, is addictive, as are drugs and alcohol, and more recently, internet video games.

The internet, advertising, and sophisticated software have combined to produce a world where gambling has become normalised in the lives of the young, he says, to the point where it is now normal that young men (especially), when watching a sports fixture, have their phones out, and are distracted from actually watching the game.

The immersion of young people in an environment where gambling is normalised is also happening by way of games that are marketed to young children, OGara says.

An example of this is loot boxes, where a person playing an online game pays for a mystery box which, when opened, will contain items that will be of different levels of advantage to the person playing the game.

So, for example, a teenager playing an online soccer game who pays for a loot box and gets Ronaldo for his team, has won in comparison with his friend whose box opens to reveal a player from the Portuguese league whom neither teenager has ever heard of.

Such deals have similar characteristics to gambling and should be outlawed, according to OGara.

The reason they are still there is that they are a multi-billion euro industry and there is no question in my mind that they are priming kids for future gambling.

Free downloadable apps on an iPad that might advise parents that they are suitable for children as young as four years old, can include spin it and win it games.

Parents wouldnt be aware that their children, four-, five- or six -year-olds, are being exposed to a gambling feature there as well, said OGara. The point I am making is that it is not just online [football games]. The proliferation of gambling is on every level. It is online, on social platforms, on the high street, on radio, television, everywhere you look. It is proliferating at the moment, and it is big business.

The profile of the patients OGara sees at St John of God Hospital has changed because of the internet, with more people being enticed to indulge in non-sports related online gambling.

The prevalence of online gambling at first presentation has rocketed. Of particular concern is the transfer of young people from the sports betting product to the online casino suite, and in particular online slot machines.

The arrival of Covid-19 and the resultant public health measures have given an additional boost to gambling addiction, according to Barry Grant, an addiction counsellor with Extern Problem Gambling, which is based in Waterford City.

During the lockdowns we started seeing rapid onset gambling addictions. People who had never gambled before, or who had only done so moderately, were developing very severe issues over a couple of months because they were stuck at home, bored, with no social outlet.

With a lot of sports fixtures cancelled, people started playing online poker, casino games, the crack cocaine end of gambling, he says. We are seeing people in their early to mid-20s who have gone off the rails completely and are suffering severe consequences already at that stage in their lives.

While the clients tend to be male, there are more women coming forward, which is good because we know that there are more women getting involved.

The Irish gambling company, Paddy Power, founded in 1988, has become, by way of organic growth, acquisitions, and mergers, Flutter plc, a global gambling operator based in Dublin that employs 14,500 people in offices around the world.

In August, Flutters share price rose by more than 8 per cent when it disclosed that its pre-tax profits had trebled to 72 million sterling (91 million) in the first six months of 2021.

Operating profit in its Irish and British businesses, which include Paddy Power, Betfair and Sky Bet, increased 54 per cent to 297 million, with all of this growth happening online. Because of Covid, the betting shops had been closed for most of the period, and had racked up 59 million in losses.

Online definitely saw a benefit during that period, Conor Grant, chief executive of the UK and Ireland division of Flutter, told The Irish Times. But the growth in business did not result in an increase in problem gambling, he says. We decided in March 2020 to step up monitoring and didnt see any increased harm.

Paddy Power is the focus of a recent book by Dublin journalist, Aaron Rogan, called Punters: How Paddy Power Bet Billions and Changed Gambling Forever. In the book Roganoutlines how, while marketing itself as a fun-focused, punter-friendly corporate entity, Paddy Power also used sophisticated technologies and data-mining to track and maximise the losses of those who availed of its products.

The book paints a picture of a company where gamblers who lost the most money were called VIPs, and were offered gifts, corporate hospitality, and other inducements to continue gambling, while those whom the company assessed as likely to win more than they would lose were frozen out.

Grant, who started his career in Paddy Power, says he would refute any implication from the book that Paddy Power, or Flutter, seeks to profit from problem gamblers. Such a suggestion couldnt be further from the truth. The vast majority of our customers enjoy betting and gaming safely.

The company is in favour of regulation, is in favour of Ireland setting up a gambling authority, and has been pressing the Government to do so for years, he says. He adds that it is entirely untrue that the industry wants to self-regulate.

Stewart Kenny (70), one of the founders of Paddy Power (he hired Grant on a graduate programme), resigned from the board of the company in 2016 because of his frustration that it was not doing enough to protect problem gamblers, he told The Irish Times.

I have huge regrets that I was not a lot more proactive when I was on the board, even though I did raise it at every board meeting for three years in a row, and resigned on the issue, he says. I was fast asleep at the wheel when it came to the dangers of online and I would have huge regrets, even though I was calling for the measures.

Measures were taken by Paddy Power back then, he says, and measures are now being taken by the industry. However he feels they are mostly driven by public relations concerns.

One of my major concerns is that an 18-year-old who has seen all the ads on telly since he was 10, and who opens an account to . . . put a tenner on his team, the next thing he gets absolutely bombarded and sucked into the much more addictive casino product and he is offered free bets and everything.

Gambling is an incredibly profitable business and the highly addictive casino products are easy money, Kenny says.

I was really relaxed about my children opening an account, but as long as they are trying to suck people into the casino, I would not be relaxed about my grandchildren opening an account.

He believes that as well as appointing a regulator (experienced, from abroad) the Government should introduce direct legislation banning aspects of the current gambling regime.

In my view there should be no cross-selling, no sports bets punters being cross-sold to casinos.

He would also like to see gambling advertisements banned until 9pm each day so the children are not affected, and that there is nothing done to normalise gambling for children.

I love gambling. The majority of people gamble responsibly and for fun. The idea that [introducing restrictions would be] a libertarian disaster, well, no, because those restrictions wont affect anybody other than the vulnerable.

Grant moved from Paddy Power to work at Boyle Sports, Sky Betting, and now Flutter. Asked if he shares Kennys regrets, he says everyone can have the benefit of hindsight. What we have to recognise is that our industry has not always put its best foot forward. What we are doing today is making serious strides to reduce harm.

The sophisticated technologies and use of data that are highlighted in Rogans book and that allow operators detect the most profitable customers, also allow the industry to monitor its customers and intervene when problem gambling is detected, Grant says.

We do, like any business, segment our customers and any online business will have a customer segmentation profile. Absolutely. That is part of our business. We offer different customers different offers, and customers can opt out of them at any point in time.

But the company is nevertheless focused on identifying problem gamblers and intervening as part of a harm reduction strategy, he says.

We are investing heavily in safer gambling. Ive got 200 people working on safer gambling and monitoring customer accounts all the time. That didnt exist five years ago. When you talk to Stewart Kenny and these people, that didnt exist. So what you are seeing is night and day in terms of the approach of operators like ourselves to reducing customer harm.

Flutter has already introduced measures to protect young people in relation to online casino and online slots, as well as a ban on TV advertising from five minutes before a match kicks off, to five minutes after it ends (a whistle to whistle ban).

But it is Flutters ability to monitor all its millions of customer accounts that, Grant says, gives it a powerful ability to protect its customers from harm.

Account-based controls are more pertinent than pointing out one product . . . and saying it is the heart of the issue.

As well as having a responsibility to protect customers from gambling harm, Flutter also, he says, has a responsibility to its millions of customers who enjoy its products safely.

We as a business are leading the race for safer gambling.

The general scheme of the Gambling Regulation Bill, recently published, gives the proposed authority the discretion to prohibit the use of credit cards by gamblers. The proposed new law envisages that operators will be prohibited from offering inducements such as free bets or tokens, or higher prizes or better odds, or VIP or preferential treatment to gamblers.

The authority will develop binding codes on spending limits and codes on advertising that licenced operators will be bound to comply with, the law envisages.

The Irish Association of Bookmakers, which includes Flutter among its members, has recently added a ban on credit card use by customers to its voluntary code of practice, and introduced whistle to whistle bans on TV ads during sporting events other than horse and dog racing. It is supportive of the introduction of a gambling regulator.

Australia passed its law creating a gambling regulator in 1999, and the UK did so in 2005. Both jurisdictions have long had restrictions that still dont exist here.

OGara has a list of measures he would like to see imposed by a new regulatory regime, but his number one priority is that a regime is introduced in the first place. In 2013 gambling control legislation was published but never passed into law.

I would be fearful that history might repeat itself, he concluded.

See the rest here:

Gambling addiction: 'It is everywhere you look, and it is big business' - The Irish Times

Identity verification is a necessary step for new players when signing up for an online casino account. Manually checking documents can take time and drive players away, but technological advances are streamlining the process and new forms of ID could make it even faster.

Before a new player can bet on a match or take a spin on a slot machine, they usually have to prove that they are who they say they are. Regulators in every jurisdiction impose identity verification requirements for a number of reasons, but while compliance protects the casinos as much as it protects vulnerable players, it can also add some friction to the onboarding process.

Whether youronline gambling platformspecializes in casino games,sports betting,live dealers, orvirtual sports, you should familiarize yourself with the ins and outs of identity verification as well as its future.

Regulators mandate that online casinos implement know your customer (KYC) measures to verify players identities in order to prevent underage gambling, problem gambling, money laundering, and fraud.

Casinos verify ID to ensure theyre not allowing underage gambling. In most countries, the age requirement for gambling participation is 18. Underage gamblers usually try to open an account by using one of their parents identities or a counterfeit ID, making stringent KYC essential.

Problem gambling is a serious concern for authorities in fully regulated markets.

Some countries have nationwide problem gambling organizations to help players who are worried that their playing habits are becoming an issue. In the UK, for example, GamStop lets players exclude themselves if they fear theyre developing a problem. Players register for the program for a certain period of time, and during that time, they are unable to access any casinos based in the UK.

Not only is it a point of social responsibility that casinos verify ID to prevent self-excluded players from visiting their platforms, but they can also be subject to heavy fines if they are found to have been negligent and those fines can be staggeringly high. In April 2020, the United Kingdom Gambling Commission fined Caesars Entertainment 13 million (roughly $16 million at the time) for consistent negligence regarding problem gambling and anti-money laundering failures.

Money laundering is another major cause of concern for gambling regulators.

Links to criminal activity, both real and perceived, harm both the gambling industry and the societies its a part of. The well-documented history of criminal organizations using gambling as a means to launder money has even prompted some governments to ban the gambling industry outright. In the modern era, many governments have also shifted to focus on the financing of terrorist organizations.

In addition to protecting players and adhering to licensing requirements, KYC measures also protect the casino.

Unfortunately, there are a few routes that malicious actors can take if they want to defraud a casino. Its all too common for players to try to open multiple accounts in order to claim sign-up and no-deposit bonuses and then disappear into the ether.

But one-off fraud cases cause no real threat to the casinos bottom line; the broader, systemic problem is individuals or organizations that develop strategies to abuse welcome bonuses again and again with multiple identities. By employing hundreds of false identities, dozens of laptops, and IP address-masking VPNs, its possible to exploit casino bonuses to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Effective ID verification can minimize casinos risk of being exploited.

Every jurisdiction has its own KYC requirements, and some are stricter than others.

The United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) usually sets the standard by which all other regulators eventually follow. The UKGCs licensing conditions state that online casinos must ask for proof of ID immediately, and the players identity must be verified before he or she can deposit or play. Necessary information includes name, address, and date of birth.

Operators are legally prohibited from asking for additional identification documents when players want to withdraw funds. In the past, players were allowed immediate access, casinos had a period of time in which to verify ID, and the KYC checks had to be complete before the player could withdraw their winnings.

Some of these measures were adopted due to a trend among online casinos to only request additional ID documents when the player was ready to make a withdrawal, leading to many player complaints.

While KYC measures are important, there are a few downsides for online casino operators.

ID verification processes can be time-consuming. If the casino is equipped to do the verification process digitally, it can be completed almost instantly. However, without a digital solution, the verification process can take weeks. Its common for online casinos to have entire compliance teams in place to process players documents. In order to speed up the process and add an extra level of security, some casinos request players to send a selfie with either their ID or payment card to confirm their identity or payment method.

As mentioned earlier, KYC failures are the source of some of the biggest fines in the iGaming industry. But in addition to costing brands millions, sustained problems with KYC measures can cause them to have their licenses suspended or revoked.

Another problem is player patience. The onboarding experience is already a hurdle though effective frontend design can lower the bar that players have to jump and in a world of instant gratification, every test of a players patience carries the risk of diverting it elsewhere. Tedious sign-up forms can drive players to platforms that have found a way to minimize the interval between sign-up and spin.

Continuing advances in technology and even government initiatives are shaping the future of ID verification for KYC requirements.

Some platforms use products that employ AI and biometric data to accelerate the ID verification process. Using facial recognition technology, AI can instantly compare a players selfie to their ID and reveal if theyre a match or not.

But in Europe, a big change on the horizon could even make this technology obsolete.

Strong customer authentication (SCA) is already trending in the financial services and e-commerce sectors, and the growing importance of ironclad ID verification has led to calls for a digital solution.

In June 2021, the European Commission announced a plan to create a continent-wide eID that would enable European citizens to share electronic documents. While the digital ID is aimed at smoothing all kinds of financial transitions, the European Gaming and Betting Association noted several obvious benefits for the iGaming industry. The introduction of the eID could reduce or even eliminate the costs of identity verification software.

Slotegrator offers business and jurisdictional consultations for the worldwide iGaming industry. Contact us to learn more about what it takes to run your own online casino or sportsbook, from the best jurisdiction for your resources and goals to how to reach your target audience.

Read more from the original source:

The future of ID verification for online casinos - Yogonet International