#GamblingCompliance Notebook

Kick-start your week by catching up on six of the stories from the #gamblingindustry, across the world, that our Vixio analysts covered last week:

New York Mobile Betting Increases Revenues, Problem Gambling Calls

Taxes on mobile #sportsbetting in New York generated $727.4m in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, but a report by state comptroller Thomas DiNapoli also found there was a double-digit rise in requests for problem #gamblingservices.

The report found a 26 percent increase in problem gambling-related calls to the NYS Office of Addiction Services and Supports from 2021-2022, according to the New York State Gaming Commission .

This, DiNapoli said, should lead to more attention on the impacts of mobile sports betting, particularly on younger people.

With a tax rate of 51 percent on gross #gaming revenues, New York joins Rhode Island and New Hampshire in levying the highest rate in the nation. In fiscal year 2021-22, mobile sports betting generated $360.7m in tax revenue, far more than the $99m initially projected.

The $727.4m collected for the first full year of #mobilesportsbetting was double the projection of $357m. The higher collections were due primarily to the number of licenses issued to #mobilesports wagering providers and the higher tax rate imposed subsequent to initial projections, the report found.?

“Gaming has significantly expanded in the state in the last several years,” DiNapoli said in a statement on Thursday (October 11).?

Chile’s Football Association Ends Partnership With Betsson

In a landmark move, the National Association of Professional Football (ANFP) will officially end its partnership with #onlinebetting operator Betsson Group on Sunday (October 15).?

“The above responds to a decision by Betsson in accordance with the contracts signed between the parties,” read the terse statement on the ANFP website. ? Betsson and the ANFP were ordered to terminate their contract by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights at the beginning of September after an investigation.?

Deputy Sebastián Videla, who is responsible for requesting the investigation, cited at the time "the legality of the ANFP having commercial ties with online casino companies, which are not authorised by law in Chile". Despite lawyers calling the move out of the ministry’s authority, and vowing to fight it, Betsson made the decision to initiate leaving the sponsorship arrangement. Part of their deal included giving Betsson name rights to the football first division tournaments and the national team.?

National Council On Problem Gaming Partners With Mindway AI

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and Mindway AI announced a strategic partnership on Wednesday (October 11) that will allow Mindway to integrate their Gamalyze solution into NCPG's responsible #gambling website, ResponsiblePlay.org.

The NCPG said this partnership signifies a significant leap forward in providing tools and resources for individuals seeking information about #responsiblegambling and feedback on their own #gamblinghabits.

Gamalyze is a gamified reinvention of the self-test, designed to identify risky #gamblingbehavior and draw insights from neuroimaging, and provides personalized interventions to individuals who may be at risk of developing gambling-related problems.?

"Education plays a pivotal role in preventing gambling-related harm,” said NCPG’s executive director Keith Whyte in a statement. “The integration of Gamalyze into ResponsiblePlay.org will empower visitors with an innovative tool to help them make well-informed choices about their gambling behavior.”

By partnering with Mindway AI, NCPG aims to leverage more engaging and actionable insights to enhance the effectiveness of responsible gambling programs.

Sweden Set To Join Macolin Convention

The Swedish government has said it plans to join the Macolin Convention on match-fixing, a move welcomed by state-owned operator Svenska Spel .

The 2014 convention created by the Council of Europe promotes the creation of various “national platforms” to coordinate efforts to prevent #matchfixing.

“By joining the Macolin Convention, Sweden will be fully integrated into the global network of countries that actively work to protect sport from manipulation. International cooperation is an important key and by sharing information across borders we gain access to valuable insights and tools that make it more difficult for criminals to influence sporting events,” said Patrik Hofbauer, CEO of Svenska Spel.

Two Swedish ministers confirmed in a recent article in national newspaper Expressen that the country intends to join the convention.

Malta is notable by its decision not to sign up, despite the island hosting a large concentration of gambling companies. The Maltese government has previously objected to the definition of “illegal online gambling” in the convention.

Match-Fixing Crisis Spreads To Ecuador

Ecuador has raised match-fixing alarm bells, with a team in the first league (LigaPro) confirming that two players have been found guilty of deliberately incurring corner kicks.?

Marlon Granda, the president of the club in question, Libertad FC, confirmed that the team had executed an internal investigation and found that two of its players were involved in match-fixing and #sportsbetting. Players Milton Bolanyos and Jordan Chillambo admitted their guilt when confronted with the evidence.?

LigaPro is now investigating whether it is an isolated incident or part of a larger network of corruption.?

The case follows in the footsteps of Brazil, Chile, Peru, Colombia and Bolivia who face their own match-fixing investigations of differing scales.??

In June, Ecuador’s constitutional court approved a tax reform that would tax online betting, including on sports. Local operators are expected to pay 15 percent on their total income minus prizes, while players will pay 15 percent tax on total winnings.

Professors To Put Pressure On Gambling Ads

UK academics have received funding to investigate #gamblingads in sports, alongside alcohol and tobacco, in what they are calling a “direct response” to the lack of pressure placed on advertising in the recent UK government white paper.

Researchers from the 英国诺丁汉大学 , the 英国格拉斯哥大学 and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, U. of London will conduct the study, which is being funded by the Wellcome Trust .

The research will extend back as far as 1965 and up to 2025 to assess how advertising for gambling, along with other vice industries, has become closely associated with sports such as football, rugby, cricket, Formula One and tennis.

“Given the near ubiquity of professional football and gambling partnerships, it's often difficult to remember that it didn't used to be this way. As the gambling industry extends their partnerships with other sports, it’s vital to explore the actions they took to establish this ‘new normal’,” said University of Glasgow professor and veteran gambling academic, Heather Wardle.

“This project will examine how commercial power and decision-making has influenced our sporting environments and what should be done about it,” she said.