British Horseracing Authority illegal gambling concerns
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has expressed concern in the proliferation of illegal betting in the UK following the release of a new study that shows a significant rise in player activity across illegal gambling websites in the UK.
Published by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities’ Council on Anti-Illegal Betting and Related Crime, the report shows 522% growth in website traffic to unlicensed sites between 2021 and 2024,
During that time unique visits to 22 of the most popular non licensed sites skyrocketed, the report claimed. From January to September 2024, more than 600,000 unique visits were reported every month.
In the same period, the report claims unique visits per month to 10 legal UK licensed sites grew by just 49%.
“From the outset of the Gambling Act Review, British racing has repeatedly warned of the unintended consequences of well-meaning policy decisions on our sport, including the threat of inadvertently growing illegal market activity,” BHA acting chief executive Brant Dunshea said. “This study certainly demonstrates that very concerning threat is becoming reality.”
More illegal gambling websites blocked in Australia
On the subject of illegal gambling, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued blocking orders for eight websites.
JokaRoom, AUDPokies888, Aura Play, Instant Casino, Leon, Rich Papa. UUSpin and Wild Pokies all face being blocked. ACMA has requested Australian internet service providers block access to each site.
Some 1,154 illegal gambling and affiliate websites have been blocked since the ACMA made its first blocking request in November 2019.
In addition, approximately 220 illegal services have exited Australia since ACMA started enforcing its new illegal online gambling rules in 2017.
“ACMA is reminding consumers that even if a service looks legitimate, it’s unlikely to have important customer protections,” ACMA said.
Aristocrat Interactive welcomes new igaming MD
In the US, Aristocrat Interactive has appointed Nir Hakarmeli as the managing director of its igaming and sports division.
Hakarmeli joins Aristocrat Interactive having worked in the gambling industry since 2014. He started out as head of gaming at William Hill before moving to Ladbrokes Coral.
Hakarmeli then became chief marketing officer of Addison Global, the company behind the MoPlay brand. He was most recently managing director for international at Evoke.
“What excites me most about this role is the opportunity to drive growth by delivering a diverse range of innovative offerings to operators worldwide,” said Hakarmeli, he officially took on his new position at Aristocrat Interactive in January.
“The chance to contribute to this growth and lead a team with the potential to become a true global leader in the coming years is incredibly motivating.”
Abios partners Kindred on esports betting
Finally this week, Kambi Group subsidiary Abios has entered into an esports betting deal with Kindred Group.
As part of the agreement, Abios will provide its range of esports betting solutions to Kindred. This includes odds, data, widgets and always-on content.
This will be in addition to the esports odds service Abios currently provides to Kindred as part of Kambi’s turnkey sportsbook service.
The new content will be available across Kindred’s Unibet and 32Red brands.
Ben Colley, sportsbook director of Kindred, said: “Esports continues to grow in popularity, and it’s essential that we offer our customers the best possible experience in this exciting category.”
Original article: https://igamingbusiness.com/legal-compliance/weekend-report-bha-illegal-betting-websites-blocked-australia/
