A UK resident, that was convicted of rape went on a shopping spree after winning a £2.5 million ($3.2 million) jackpot more than a decade ago. The man, identified as Edward Putman, bought a few properties, luxury cars and obtained other assets. It has taken quite some time for Putman’s elaborate scam to be uncovered, as he actually won the jackpot by defrauding a lottery operator. Now, he is threatened to lose his home along with other assets while remaining incarcerated for nine years over the lottery fraud.

Back in 1993, Putman was sentenced to seven years in prison after he was found guilty of raping a 17-year-old pregnant girl. That prison sentence did not help rehabilitate the man as after going out of prison, he co-conspired to defraud a lottery operator by securing a jackpot with a forged ticket.

In 2019, Putman was sentenced to nine years in prison over the lottery scam and according to the Mirror, the Court may now repossess some if not all of his assets for his debt to be settled. Initially, he was ordered to pay back £940,000 ($1.2 million). However, Putman disagreed and wanted to challenge that decision, resulting in him paying only £100,000 ($125,100) out of the money he obtained via fraud. But now the tables have turned as the Court was greenlighted to take possession of Putman’s assets to resell them and put an end to the criminal case.

Defrauding the Lottery

The elaborate lottery scam dates back to 2009. At the time, Putman co-conspired with Giles Knibbs, who worked for Camelot, the operator that runs the National Lottery in the UK. Knibbs used to work as a part of the fraud detection team of the company. Using a fake winning ticket and collaborating with Knibbs, Putman was able to collect the multi-million-dollar jackpot.

It’s not unusual for such criminal co-conspirators to see their relationship deteriorate. This was precisely what happened between Knibbs and Putman. At some point, Knibbs thought that he didn’t receive the “fair share” of the lottery prize, considering the risk he had taken. Several years after the duo pulled off the scam, Knibbs eventually admitted to the crime before his family. However, it is likely that the crime had a significant psychological impact on the young man, considering that in 2015, he took his own life.

Knibbs’ suicide marked the downfall of Putman as well, considering that he left a note revealing details regarding the crime itself. Initially, the case didn’t lift off as there was not enough evidence. However, in 2017, the fraudulent ticket was uncovered which ultimately resulted in Putman’s sentence in 2019.

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Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ), Spain’s primary gambling regulatory body, uncovered 20 operators with “serious or very serious infractions.” According to a Ministry of Consumer Affairs (MCA) report, the seven most severe offenders lost their licenses, while the rest had to pay more than €35 million ($38.42 million) in fines.

The Country’s Regulator Was Very Busy

The MCA has published sanction records since July 2021 to promote awareness amidst the gambling industry and encourage operators to abide by the country’s strict regulations. Despite the DGOJ’s effective enforcement strategy and the hundreds of millions in fines, many gambling companies still chose to risk the regulator’s wrath.

In the second half of 2022, 20 iGaming and online sports betting operators received substantial sanctions for various contract breaches. Seven of them were guilty of “very serious infractions,” giving the DGOJ justification to suspend their licenses for two years and hit each with a €5 million ($5.5 million) fine. Unfortunately, the MCA report did reveal details regarding individual cases.

2022 Marked a Record Number of Offenders

The other 13 sanctioned operators faced less harsh punishments, as they were only responsible for “serious infractions.” Nine failed to comply with advertising restrictions and received written warnings or sanctions of €10,000 ($11,000). Four more had to pay fines between €125,000 ($137,200) and €160,000 ($175,600) for allowing individuals on the country’s self-exclusion register to gamble or failing to comply with technical requirements.

Overall, 2022 was rife with violations. H1 saw DGOJ sanction 53 operators, forcing 21 to shut down and collecting €84.3 million (92.6 million) in fines. The figures starkly contrast with 2021, which only had 19 operators pay up to €58 million (63.7 million). Such a sudden spike is likely due to the rapid growth of Spain’s gambling market, as revenues rose by 12% in 2022.

Spain Seeks to Regulate Other Similar Industries

While online betting is a notable contributor to Spain’s economy, the country’s government has been notoriously stringent with its regulations. The newest 2021 regulations imposed strict rules, restricting advertising and most industry-standard bonuses. These measures have contributed to a prosperous, sustainable market that can be an example to other European nations.

Thanks to the effectiveness of its gambling policies, the Spanish government is looking to expand its regulatory reach over adjacent industries. In January, DGOJ proposed to apply further advertising restrictions on lotteries. Another recent initiative seeks to crack down on online content creators, forcing them to be more transparent about their activities and sponsorships.

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The passage of the legislation has been welcomed by Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights CEO and president Cynthia Hallett who said that should the prohibition go into effect, both visitors and employees would end up benefiting.

Kansas Lawmakers Rally Behind Casino Workers Who Want Smoking Out

There have been heated debates all over the country about whether prohibiting indoor smoke would undermine the financial feasibility of many casinos in places such as New Jersey. In the Garden State, for example, casinos have been reluctant to snuff out cigars and cigarettes as they fear that the loss of turnover would further depress bottom lines.

Opponents have argued that casinos have recovered since the pandemic, but casinos riposte that much of the revenue has to be shared with third-party providers, and the actual margins are smaller. Covering Kansas’ bill, Hallett said:

We applaud Kansas Senators from both parties for recognizing that casino workers and guests deserve protection from dangerous second-hand smoke. Casino workers in Kansas, like in a growing number of states across the country, have been urging their legislators to act to finally end indoor smoking.

Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights CEO and President Cynthia Hallett

Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects is not limited to just New Jersey, however. Pennsylvania and Rhode Island casino workers have also taken up the rallying cry and said that they would come to support a nationwide prohibition of smoking in indoor places. In the majority of public spaces that are closed off, smoking is prohibited.

Casinos are the notable if somewhat notorious exception with the logic going that a lot of patrons would simply quit turning up if they were to not smoke inside. This is a fairly good argument, but it is outweighed by the established track record of people who suffer from smoking.

Live casino dealers with cancer have been speaking up – some accusingly while others less so. The fact remains that no matter how they feel about customer smoking in their faces, almost everyone who works in this environment cannot help but wonder if their diseases could have been avoided.

The evidence that smoking is harmful in enclosed spaces is there. Why are then casinos getting a free pass? Kansas may soon find no good reasons and introduce a ban.

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