The easy access to gambling activities online continues to raise concerns about excessive gambling and gambling harm. This issue was addressed by all gambling operators members of the Belgian Association of Gaming Operators (BAGO), who signed a new Duty of Care Agreement earlier this week. Primarily, the new agreement seeks to prevent problem gambling and identify risky behavior quickly.

The new Duty of Care Agreement was signed by all six BAGO members including Kindred, Napoleon, Ardent Group, Golden Palace, BetFirst, as well as Star Casino. The members joined forces to develop effective fact-based policies and collaborate with the government in Belgium.

The announcement comes at a time when BAGO identified that approximately 70% of the gamblers in Belgium engage in online gambling activities. According to the Association, while a majority of those customers enjoy the activity responsibly, there are cases of excessive gambling and gambling harm.

Ultimately, the Duty of Care Agreement revolves around four main pillars. All BAGO members agreed to develop effective policies that seek to provide the players with recommendations and information for the use of voluntary deposit limits, self-exclusion and other player protection measures.

Additionally, the Agreement calls for the development of a robust detection system that leverages AI, scientific-based criteria and algorithms that help flag potential risky gambling behaviors. Such criteria can include the number and intensity of deposits, playing time and frequency, among other relevant benchmarks.

BAGO members have also agreed to educate and provide special training for their employees to ensure they can effectively identify problem gambling and take relevant actions. Finally, the operators agreed to share details regarding the prevention policy with the country’s gambling regulator.

Sustainable Industry Cannot Be Built on Addictions

Tom De Clercq, BAGO’s chairman, revealed that an ongoing focus for the Association is to foster a gaming environment that enables the players to participate responsibly in such activities. “Such a duty of care is a useful addition to other existing protective measures, such as the EPIS check and the deposit limit with associated checks on default,” he added.

“Our focus is on creating an environment in which players can participate in gambling in a responsible and safe manner.“

Tom De Clercq, chairman of BAGO

Damien Thiéry, BAGO’s secretary general, added that according to Sciensano data, some 0.9% of the population in Belgium is “susceptible to a gambling addiction.” He explained that besides addiction, such individuals can also suffer from personal, emotional or financial problems. Thiéry said that a sustainable economic activity cannot be built on addiction. Finally, he said that gambling operators in the country want to offer a safe form of entertainment for their players.

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In the middle of an international crisis, Ukraine is trying to improve its gambling regulations and maintain the market secure and safe. New changes have been proposed by the government, and if they’re accepted, banks won’t be able to lend money to self-excluded customers.

The Committee of the Verkhovna Rada on Finance, Tax, and Customs Policy proposed an amendment that will ensure banks are double checking if the individuals who are requesting lends aren’t self-excluded from betting, including both online gambling and various land-based casinos in the country. Those not on the list of self-excluded gamblers won’t be able to get credit from the bank. The amendment has not been approved yet.

Growing Rate

The Ukrainian Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (KRAIL) a few months ago announced that the number of self-excluded players is increasing, and that was concerning to all included parties in Ukraine.

From January to April this year, 245 people made it to this list. Compared to last year, when the entire list consisted of 315 people, and 2021 when there were only 195 people total, the number of 687 by the end of April was a massive increase.

This isn’t the first change of the gambling law in Ukraine in the recent period. Only last month, the new law regarding procedures required for organizations subjected to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing risk was approved, and Ukrainian operators will have to pass more detailed inspections. Operators are warned about unscheduled inspections as well. The government’s action plan for 2023 included new KRAIL proposals, including a whole set of new regulations related to canceling and suspending licenses. One of the main points of discussion was whether the operators who are offering their services in occupied territories should continue working.

Future of KRAIL up in the air

KRAIL keeps working on new regulations, but its future is also uncertain. Mykhailo Fedorov, the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, in May, submitted a proposal that can make KRAIL be replaced by the new regulatory body. Besides being a Deputy Prime Minister, Fedorov is also a Minister for Digital Transformation, and his main concern about the body is its failure when it comes to the late issuing of gambling licenses to operators.

KRAIL currently consists of a chairman and six members, and for a license to be approved, five members must be present at a meeting. When the war began, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a President, signed the major decree “On the introduction of martial law in Ukraine”, which led to some KRAIL members being mobilized into military service, which prevented KRAIL meetings from happening.

Source: “Ukraine Gambling Regulations Self Exclusion”. iGaming Business. August 7, 2023.

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Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) games began to slowly increase their visibility more than a decade ago. Since then, their popularity has been expanding and many sports fans and bettors found such games engaging and entertaining. Mostly favored in the United States, DFS games are also available in different jurisdictions around the globe including Europe and Latin America.

In light of the increase in popularity of such games, the gambling regulator in Germany, the Federal Authority known as Gluecksspiel (GGL), recently looked into DFS games. But what are DFS games? Such games enable the participants to form a team consisting of virtual players that are based on the stats of real players from different sports leagues.

Once a team is formed, then the participants play against each other and depending on the statistics of the players, an outcome is determined which can be either a win or a loss. This functionality, which resembles a “game of chance,” according to the regulator, needs to be regulated.

Protecting the Consumers Is Paramount

The effort, GGL explained, comes at a time when the regulator seeks to implement effective protection for online gamblers. The GGL classified some DFS games as “illegal gambling.” However, upon further consultation late last month, it allowed a limited number of DFS games to operate and classified them as gambling products under the Fourth Interstate Gambling Treaty (GlüNeuRSt) in the country.

“Fighting illegal gambling is an important consumer protection issue and can only be effective if all other authorities involved, such as law enforcement agencies, pull together.“

Benjamin Schwanke, CEO of GGL

GGL’s CEO, Benjamin Schwanke, explained that the fight against illegal gambling can be effective only if different law enforcement, authorities and regulators join forces. Still, he acknowledged that protecting consumers from illegal gambling is significantly important.

“We find that our decisions are accepted by the providers and implemented promptly.“

Ronald Benter, Board member of the GGL

Ronald Benter, GGL’s Board member, added that the Authority sees that providers adhere to GGL’s decisions and implement changes quickly. He pointed out that the changes related to DFS games ultimately seek to protect consumers from gambling-related addiction and illegal gambling. Benter reminded that a whitelist containing all regulated operators can be found via GGL’s website.

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