Covid-19 Leads to Rank Group Losses

The Rank Group lost £72 million in the year ending June 30. Last year they turned a profit. The result came after a Covid-19 lockdown in the U.K. The...

Published August 30, 2021

U.K. Bookies Pass Age Verification Test

To test whether certain businesses check for age limits, the British sent in secret shoppers. The results looked good for gambling as 90 percent verified age, better than supermarkets...

Published August 30, 2021

GambleAware Helps Fund Problem Gambling Center

U.K. problem gambling organization GambleAware has provided funds to help create Great Britain’s first academic center for gambling harm research. The center goal is to guide the elimination of...

Published August 23, 2021

Report Highlights U.K., U.S. Gambling Attitudes

Research firms Toluna and Harris Interactive have released a report on gambling attitudes in both the U.K. and U.S. The firm interviewed more than 4,000 people about sports betting,...

Published August 23, 2021

U.K. Survey: Peer Pressure Influences Young Gambling

A U.K. Gambling Commission survey concluded the largest influence on gambling among 16- and 17-year-olds is not advertising, but peer pressure. Scratchcards were the most popular form of gambling.

Published August 16, 2021

Finland Minister: Treat Gaming, Alcohol Profits the Same

Because Finland’s gaming monopoly suffered losses due to the pandemic, the minister of culture and sport, Antti Kurvinen, wants to treat revenues the same as alcohol revenues. To more...

Published August 16, 2021

Spain Will Soon Ban Gaming Ads

Spain’s new Minister of Consumer Affairs, Alberto Garzon is no fan of gaming. He plans to end all forms of gaming ads beginning September 1. The government also plans...

Published August 16, 2021

Portugal’s Casinos Reopen with Safety Protocols

Casinos in Portugal were allowed to reopen on July 24. In high risk areas or municipalities they will be required to ask for proof that guests have been vaccinated...

Published August 9, 2021

Belgium Lowers Gaming Deposit Limit

Belgium’s government is taking actions to reapply the €200 (US$235.20) per week deposit limit for gaming. The limit was raised to €500 per week during the pandemic, when many...

Published August 9, 2021

Gauselmann Wins WestSpiel Casino Bid

The Gauselmann Group, which operates 28 casinos in Germany and elsewhere, has just added four more to its portfolio. It has won the bidding to operate the WestSpiel-Spielbanken casinos...

Published August 9, 2021

Caesars Sells European & African Casinos to Metropolitan

In its ongoing effort to reduce operations in non-core assets, Caesars Entertainment last week so the casinos it operates in the UK, including London’s Empire Casino (l.), Egypt and...

Published August 9, 2021

U.K. Commission Considers ‘Affordability Checks’

The U.K. Gambling Commission has proposed affordability checks to ensure that gamblers don’t lose more than they can afford. Whether the checks are incorporated remains to be seen.

Published August 2, 2021

Flutter Sells Oddschecker to Investment Fund

Flutter Entertainment has accepted an offer to sell Oddschecker Global Media to Bruin Capital for £155 million. The sale will let Flutter focus on its core brands. Bruin has...

Published August 2, 2021

U.K. Gambling Fell in June

A survey from the U.K. Gambling Commission revealed that gambling participation fell in June 2021, across both gender and age categories. The number of problem gamblers also declined.

Published August 2, 2021

European Commission Investigates French Monopoly

The European Commission has begun an investigation to see if the company that runs the French lottery violated EU laws. In 2019, La Française des Jeux went private with...

Published August 2, 2021

U.K. Marks Freedom Day with Lifting of Covid Restrictions

July 19 was Freedom Day in the U.K., when Covid-19 pandemic restrictions were finally lifted. On that day, racetracks in the country opened to full capacity for the first...

Published August 2, 2021

Italian Casinos to Require Proof of Vaccine

Starting this week, Italian casinos and bingo halls will demand proof of immunity against Covid-19 before people can enter. Prime Minister Mario Draghi (l.) said the measure “is essential...

Published August 2, 2021

GAMSTOP Evaluation Proves Self-Exclusion a Success

GAMSTOP’s self-exclusion list has proven its worth in reducing gambling harm, according to CEO Fiona Palmer (l.). The research firm Sonnet found 82 percent stopped or cut back gambling....

Published July 26, 2021

Dutch Third Parties May Report Problem Gamblers

Third parties and gambling operators may recommend problem gamblers for Involuntary placement on the Netherlands' Cruks exclusion register. It must be shown that less drastic measures would be Ineffective.

Published July 26, 2021

Bremen Changes Casino Ownership Law

The city of Bremen, Germany changed casino ownership law to allow the city to take over ownership of casinos in Bremen and Bremerhaven and stop privatization. The casinos were...

Published July 26, 2021