Missouri State Treasurer Vivek Malek has reinforced his stance regarding the presence of his name on decals affixed to unregulated slot machines distributed by Torch Electronics, a company with strong political ties. 

Despite criticism and calls for removal from some quarters, Missouri Treasurer Vivek Malek remains resolute in his decision not to remove the decals, asserting that no taxpayer funds were used in their creation.

Malek, a Republican appointee seeking re-election, defended his position in a letter to Rep. Scott Cupps, emphasizing that the decals serve to promote the state’s unclaimed property program, without any intent to endorse or regulate gambling machines, reported the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 

Cupps, who raised concerns about the potential misperception among players, sought further discussion on the matter, but Malek declined, citing prior commitments.

The controversy stems from the widespread distribution of Torch-operated gambling machines in gas stations and bars across Missouri. While Malek maintains that these machines operate within legal bounds, critics argue otherwise, pushing for legislative action to declare the unregulated market illegal. 

Malek, however, refrains from preempting judicial intervention, suggesting that the courts should decide on the matter.

Torch Electronics’ Legal Struggles Cast Shadow Over Missouri’s Political Landscape

Malek’s steadfast stance comes amidst his bid for the GOP nomination in the upcoming primary elections, facing opposition from notable figures within the party. 

Meanwhile, Torch Electronics, headquartered in Wildwood, has faced legal challenges in its endeavor to prevent investigations into the legality of its operations by the Missouri Highway Patrol.

Moreover, the company’s political connections have come under scrutiny, with revelations of contributions to political action committees associated with former House Speaker Steve Tilley. These contributions, including support for Attorney General Andrew Bailey, have raised concerns about conflicts of interest, particularly in legal matters concerning the company.

Last year, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey withdrew from a lawsuit against the state concerning the regulation of unregulated slot machines after lobbying efforts from Torch Electronics and Warrenton Oil, who provided campaign contributions to a political action committee supporting Bailey. 

Despite efforts to regulate and tax these gambling machines, legislative measures have fallen short, leaving municipalities like Springfield to implement local ordinances banning their presence. The issue underscores broader challenges in reconciling regulatory frameworks with evolving forms of gambling in the digital age.

As the debate continues, Malek’s decision to maintain the decals on these machines reflects not only his commitment to promoting the state’s programs but also the complexities surrounding the intersection of politics, gambling, and regulation in Missouri.

The post Missouri Treasurer Defends Slot Machine Decals Amid Criticism appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Simmonds staunchly defended Safer Gambling Week, denouncing critics who she claims attacked the campaign due to their general aversion towards betting and gaming activities. The yearly campaign has enjoyed resounding success, uniting the UK gambling industry in support of gambling harm prevention and awareness. Simmonds was adamant that regulated operators adhered to strict guidelines and prioritized customer safety.

Last Year’s Event Was a Resounding Success

Simmonds highlighted the overwhelming success of Safer Gambling Week 2023, which extended beyond physical gambling venues such as betting shops, casinos, and bingo clubs, aiming to encourage conversations around responsible gambling. Simmonds noted a substantial positive impact from last year’s campaign, with around 200,000 accounts setting deposit limits and a remarkable 300% increase in players actively using reality checks.

Last year’s campaign also achieved impressive success online, garnering over 50 million impressions across major platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, marking a 70% increase from the previous year. Additionally, the Safer Gambling Week website witnessed half a million visits, indicating a significant uptake in accessing advice and support resources.

This truly was a whole industry endeavor; online, in betting shops, in bingo halls and casinos.

Bridgid Simmonds, BGC Chair

Simmonds reiterated the industry’s commitment to promoting responsible gambling, noting that the vast majority of participants engaged in gambling safely. She acknowledged the significance of addressing problem gambling while emphasizing the need to raise standards and promote responsible gaming practices, contributing to a sustainable, player-oriented market.

Simmonds Attempted to Deflect Rising Criticisms

Speaking for Politics Home, Simmonds expressed dismay at persistent criticism from certain quarters despite robust support from the government, independent regulators, and cross-party parliamentary backing. She accused detractors of merely disliking the gambling and gaming industry, thus undermining efforts to enhance industry standards.

They are not interested in genuine attempts to drive up standards – they simply dislike betting and gaming – and by extension, dislike those who enjoy it.

Bridgid Simmonds, BGC Chair

The BGC Chair highlighted the organization’s ongoing efforts beyond Safer Gambling Week, asserting the continuation of responsible gambling initiatives throughout the year. Simmonds confirmed that the BGC would continue dedicating time and resources to amplifying safer gambling tools and broadening support avenues for those in need.

Simmonds’s statements come during a tumultuous time for the UK gambling sector as the government finalizes consultations on its gambling white paper. Recent revelations regarding politicians receiving donations from the BGC raised lobbying concerns, while a proposed gambling tax increase caused further friction. While the industry’s safe gambling efforts are commendable, it should not so easily dismiss valid criticisms.

The post BGC Chair Defends Safer Gambling Campaign Amid Criticism appeared first on Keno Wizard.

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), the industry body representing the UK gaming and betting sector, faces criticism over the representation of information on separate occasions, a Monday report released by The Guardian reveals. The announcement comes at a time when BGC’s boss, Michael Dugher, is planned to appear in front of MPs on Tuesday as a part of the government’s plans to overhaul the regulation of the gambling industry in the country.

The Liberal Democrat peer Lord Foster, the new report suggests, raised his concerns about the reliability of the BGC, in light of controversial information regarding the results of a study published earlier this year. The study involved the impact of the illegal gambling market during the World Cup in Qatar between November and December 2022.

The results of the study, published late in January this year, warned that the number of UK gamblers visiting the unregulated online gambling market tripled during the World Cup. At the time the study was released, Dugher warned about the dangers of the black market and urged lawmakers to take a careful approach and “resist blanket, intrusive affordability checks at low levels that push even more punters to these dangerous sites.”

However, Foster argued that the representation of that particular report wasn’t entirely accurate, although the full report, which was compiled by Yield Sec, a gambling analysis firm, wasn’t published. Still, The Guardian noted that after obtaining a copy, it was uncovered that despite the increase in the customers visiting black market operators, they amounted to as little as 1% of the spent on gambling for the period. Additionally, the report described the impact of the unregulated market as “low.”

Criticism Comes amid Changes to the Gambling Regulations

Additional alleged inconsistencies included BGC’s stance on the mandatory levy for gambling operators to contribute toward gambling addiction treatment, education and research. Earlier this year, the Council said that such a move would be “welcomed” by its members but last year, Dugher labeled the mandatory levy for gambling companies to treat gambling-related harm as a “big step backwards.”

Referring to the report released earlier this year, Foster claimed that BGC’s representation wasn’t “fully accurate.” What’s more, he pointed out: “The solution to addressing the black market is to introduce proper enforcement to disrupt the operations of these sites … rather than abandoning much needed additional regulation of the gambling industry.”

The announcement comes at a time of change for the regulated gambling market in the country. It follows the review of the Gambling Act which sought to improve the regulations and make them more suitable for the digital age, amid growth and expansion of the online gambling and betting industry.

The post BGC Faces Criticism over Unclear Study Representation appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Earlier this year, ahead of the release of the White Paper of the Gambling Act in the UK, soccer clubs in the country showed support for a voluntary ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships. While the White Paper was released recently, major clubs in the country had already agreed to go through a transition period over the next few years before completely banning front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships.

That transition period, gave some room for clubs with existing deals or new short-term deals to complete them, through the end of the 2025/26 season, allowing the ban on gambling front-of-shirt sponsorships to be implemented with the 2027 season. Yet, while clubs vowed to gradually phase out such deals, new deals are still being signed.

Earlier this week, English Premier League (EPL) soccer club, Aston Villa FC, announced it entered into a new sponsorship agreement with the online gambling company BK8. Under the terms of the new three-year deal, the company was designated as Aston Villa’s main front-of-shirt sponsor, a move that immediately captured the attention of sports and responsible gambling organizations, stakeholders and even soccer fans.

BK8’s partnership with Aston Villa was noticed by the Aston Villa Supporters’ Trust, which issued a statement condemning the collaboration. On Thursday, the Trust said that it is unhappy with the club’s decision to join forces with a gambling company for the upcoming three seasons.

“The Aston Villa Supporters’ Trust is highly disappointed with the Club’s announcement of a Principal Partnership with BK8 as its front-of-shirt sponsor for the next three seasons,“

reads a statement released by the Aston Villa Supporters’ Trust

Scooping Financial Gains before Front-Of-Shirt Ban

According to the Trust, the club was contacted earlier this year by fan groups that joined forces for a statement, outlining the concerns of potential sponsorship with BK8. At the time, the joint statement warned that there are more than 400 gambling-related suicides every year in the UK.

Additionally, it said that millions of people are impacted by gambling harm and pointed to “BK8’s misogynistic marketing practices,” urging the team not to join forces with a gambling company for a front-of-shirt sponsorship. The aforementioned misogynistic practices the Trust referred to are old advertisements by BK8 that reportedly included simulated sexual acts by women.

The Trust said that Aston Villa “failed to listen to the legitimate concerns of fans about the role of gambling sponsorship in sports” and harshly criticized the new sponsorship with BK8. “The BK8 agreement is a cynical last-minute attempt to scoop the financial gains ahead of the voluntary ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsors taking effect from the 2026-27 season,” wrote the Aston Villa Supporters’ Trust.

The new sponsorship deal captured the attention of the charity Gambling with Lives, which called the deal “not only tone-deaf but also dangerous.” The charity warned that one person dies every day in the UK due to problem gambling. It added that sports fans include children which is why it is paramount gambling ads to be excluded from such events.

The post Aston Villa Faces Criticism over BK8 Sponsorship Deal appeared first on Keno Wizard.