In most states across the US, lottery winners cannot remain anonymous. Even if the winnings are in the millions, most states require the winners to be identified, which can sometimes cause trouble for the lucky few. Maine is one of the states that requires winners to be identified. However, the winner of one of the largest Mega Millions jackpots in the state was able to collect their winnings through a limited liability company called LaKoma Island Investments earlier this year. This effectively enabled the person to remain anonymous and collect the grand prize.

Now, a new report released by the Portland Press Herald suggests that the lucky winner is willing to go to great lengths to protect his identity. Reportedly, the person who won the $1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot filed a lawsuit against the mother of his child with the US District Court in Portland. With scarce details on the topic, the lawsuit identifies the man only by a pseudonym and confirms that he currently resides in Maine. Similarly, the mother of his child was also identified with a pseudonym, but it was confirmed that she lives in Dracut, Massachusetts.

The new lawsuit alleges that the woman breached a non-disclosure agreement that was signed with the winner of the jackpot. This agreement reportedly dates to February this year and was signed between the duo before the man claimed the Mega Millions jackpot. The winner of the jackpot alleges in his lawsuit that the mother of his child shared “protected subject matter” with two persons she was not allowed to under the non-disclosure agreement. The defendant is given time until December 6, 2023, to submit a response.

The Lottery Winner Seeks Injunction, $100K in Damages

The lucky winner of the $1.35 billion jackpot beat incredible odds of 1 in more than 300 million to win the grand prize. As with other big sums, the winner can select a lump cash payment or annual installment payments for the full sum. The winner from Maine selected a lump cash sum payment, taking a staggering $723.6 million. It’s important to note that lottery winnings across the US are taxable so this sum is before the applicable taxes.

In his case against the mother of his child, the lottery winner seeks injunctive relief from a judge. Moreover, the winner is after some $100,000 in damages from the defendant.

Undoubtedly, the lawsuit reaffirms the lottery winner’s dedication to concealing his identity. The legal claim explains that the non-disclosure agreement signed between the winner and the defendant was to address “the unique safety, security, and privacy concerns associated with winning the lottery.” The legal document confirmed that the winner wanted to protect his identity so he could avoid irreparable harm to himself and his assets.

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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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Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto was recently suspended from the National Hockey League because of his involvement in sports betting. Prohibited from participating in the next 41 games, the player has now sparked concerns about the prevalence of wagering.

The Canadian Press spoke with experts on the matter. According to gambling researchers, young athletes are very vulnerable to the temptation of betting.

The American Hockey League is currently discussing whether changes to its gambling-related policies are needed. The Canadian Hockey League, in the meantime, created a new sports betting policy prior to the start of the current season.

The CHL’s new athlete program includes gambling education that helps athletes realize the dangers of gambling and provides them with knowledge of the risks they take when placing a wager.

The NHL Should Protect Younger Athletes

Professor David Hodgins from the University of Calgary, who is a member of the Alberta Gambling Research Institute, believes that operators’ aggressive advertisement makes it impossible not to have such cases. Hodgins said that it is “inevitable” that some athletes would be enticed to involve themselves with gambling.

The professor advised the NHL to not ignore the issue and to recognize the dangers of gambling addiction.

Andrew Kim, another University of Calgary professor, said that leagues need to realize the dangers that gambling poses to young people. He pointed out that younger adults are usually at much greater risk of developing addictive tendencies. Unfortunately, not all problem players exhibit clear signs of their addiction, Kim added.

Kim added that young NHL players might be unhappy to be prohibited from gambling while fans the same age as day are allowed to be exposed to gambling and bet on games. The professor said that the situation is “intertwined” and very complex.

Kim concluded that many young athletes turn to betting because of false security in their knowledge of the sport. He said that many players believe that they are experts in predicting outcomes and analyzing games, just because they are playing professionally. Kim said that this might be true for some but pointed out that gambling, by design, makes it more likely to lose than win.

In the meantime, the NFL recently introduced changes to its gambling policies coming shortly after a gambling scandal involving young Iowan athletes. Some players in that case were even accused of “tampering with records,” although lawyers refuted these claims as ludicrous. One legal representative noted that the state shouldn’t be so surprised when young athletes demonstrate interest in betting.

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The United Lotteries for Integrity in Sports (ULIS), a mutualized monitoring body dedicated to stopping corruption in sports, has been selected to protect the ongoing FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 from fraud. In this position, the ULIS is tasked with monitoring the betting markets throughout the event and identifying potential suspicious activity.

The ULIS was selected for the position during a meeting of the FIFA Integrity Task Force, which it is a member of. The preliminary meeting was held on July 20 and was attended by other members of the Task Force as well.

Major international organizations such as the Council of Europe, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, INTERPOL and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime participated in the meeting and oversaw the designation of ULIS as the body responsible for the betting integrity of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.

The professional women’s sporting event will take place from July 20 to August 20. The event is jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

The ULIS Will Shield the Tournament from Corruption

The FIFA Integrity Task Force is an alliance that seeks to protect one of the biggest soccer associations from the manipulation of betting markets and match outcomes. As a member, the ULIS is responsible for waging war on fraud and protecting the sector from corruption.

As the body responsible for safeguarding the integrity of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, the ULIS will leverage its monitoring intelligence and expertise to crack down on suspicious activities. In addition, the body will promote fair play throughout the competition.

To protect the league from fraud, the ULIS will also rely on the ULIS Monitoring and Intelligence Group, a collaborative platform that serves as a fixed international lottery task force that encompasses ULIS members and a team of industry experts.

This will notably mark the second time a FIFA Women’s World Cup event is being monitored by a task force. The first time, for reference, was in 2019.

The ULIS Continues to Grow with New Members

Earlier this year, the ULIS welcomed a bunch of new members. In late May, the integrity body was joined by the Spillemyndigheden, Denmark’s official gambling regulator.

Two months earlier, the ULIS also welcomed the British Columbia Lottery on board. Around the same time, the monitoring body also welcomed Playtech as an associate member.

The latest official member of the body is NeoGames.

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The English Gambling Education Hub (EGEH), published its first Insights Report in the wake of its first networking event dedicated to the dangers of gambling harm to young people. The original event was held in March and attracted many experts in the fields of health, education, voluntary local authority.

The hub, which encompasses GambleAware-funded organizations, such as ARA, Aquarius, Beacon Counselling Trust, Breakeven, GamCare, NECA and YGAM vowed to continue protecting the youth from harm.

During the networking event, the experts discussed how gambling harm affects young people. The EGEH members assessed the risks and confirmed that they are committed to raising awareness about the problem.

The event, furthermore, helped to introduce the EGEH and highlight the importance of collaboration to the provision of efficient educational materials to the public.

The EGEH Identified Four Main Points

The EGEH believes that tackling the issue is of extreme importance since a recent UKGC study demonstrated that a concerning 0.9% of the people aged 11 to 16 engage in problem gambling. The bad news did not stop there as the commission also noted that an additional 2.4% are at-risk customers.

During the inaugural networking event, the experts identified four main points that can contribute to solving the problem.

First of all, young people are more likely to respond to initiatives developed by other young people. As a result, collaboration with the youth will be crucial to the success of educational programs.

Furthermore, the experts agreed that gambling harms can be caused or exacerbated by other issues. As a result, organizations would need to find links between problem gambling and other risky behaviors.

In addition, safer gambling organizations should work together rather than compete with one another. By sharing resources and experience, experts can be far more efficient.

Lastly, organizations need to be mindful of the diverse communities that can experience harm and try to understand the inherent differences and similarities between them. Efficiently connecting with various groups is at the heart of EGEH’s mission.

The hub will continue its efforts to provide free and reliable educational materials for problem gambling, helping people across the UK get their habits under control. The EGEH members will, in the meantime, continue exploring ways to connect with young people and protect them from harm.

The hub will continue working with other organizations in the sector to make sure that progress is being made.

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The upcoming Oakland Athletic baseball stadium may force the Tropicana to close its doors for up to two years, threatening the livelihoods of its staff. Faced with this looming issue, the Culinary Union stood firmly on the side of the workers, pledging to protect their rights and support them in the event of a closure. While the ballpark project is still in its infancy, the union’s clear message should help alleviate the concerns of Tropicana employees.

The Ballpark Project Can Have Substantial Repercussions

Oakland Athletics’ recent announcement of a $1.5 billion Las Vegas stadium project reverberated across the industry, drawing mixed responses. Such a high-profile endeavor should significantly bolster tourism, drawing in sports fans and benefiting all surrounding properties. However, the planned stadium’s proximity to the iconic casino hotel means the Tropicana may temporarily need to close during construction.

A FAQ document by project partner Bally’s Corporation revealed that the Tropicana could cease operations between 18 to 24 months. The company issued an update soon after, clarifying it would keep the property open for as long as possible. However, a temporary closure will likely still be necessary, endangering the livelihoods of the venue’s approximately 120 employees.

Employee Rights Seem in Safe Hands

While Bally’s reiterated its commitment to supporting its employees, the Culinary Union also immediately stepped up, vowing to protect workers in the event of a closure. The union, representing thousands of hospitality workers in the region, has long been a staunch advocate for labor rights and fair treatment within the industry.

Such a pledge is a proactive measure to protect employees’ livelihoods and rights during any potential Tropicana downtime. Any laid-off workers should receive free job training, retain their benefits, and have guaranteed rehiring opportunities once the property reopens. Culinary Union secretary-treasurer Ted Pappageorge reiterated the organization’s commitment to negotiate a fair agreement with the venue.

Culinary Union members at the Tropicana Casino have a strong union contract, which means that Tropicana workers are protected.

Ted Pappageorge, Culinary Union secretary-treasurer

The Tropicana Las Vegas has been integral to the city’s vibrant hospitality landscape for decades. While the potential closure may cause substantial short-term disruptions, the Culinary Union’s efforts will ensure that employee rights will receive adequate protection. If the stadium project is successful, the long-term benefits should significantly outweigh the few months of closure.

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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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In response to the mandatory levy that is expected as part of the UK government’s white paper on the gambling industry, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has said that the fee must be tiered to protect land-based casino operators.

The body said it was not fazed about the imposition of the statutory levy because its members had already been voluntarily contributing to support health and charitable organizations in the UK. While it was the BGC that proposed to the government last year that contributions should be made mandatory, it advised that a blanket fee must not be implemented.  

The council says a one-size-fits-all approach would financially harm land-based casinos, which have more overhead costs including more premises and staff. Similar to other retail, hospitality, and entertainment businesses, land-based casinos continue to face challenges following the COVID-19 pandemic and are experiencing challenging economic conditions.

READ: Best UK casino sites in 2023

The BGC said that imposing a one per cent levy on land-based operators would result in a reduction of post-tax profits by approximately 10 to 15 per cent, owing to fixed expenses that do not impact online operators in the same manner.

Speaking on the development, BGC CEO Michael Dugher said, “What’s important is that the money goes to helping the tiny minority of people who need it, not wasted on the cottage industry of anti-gambling prohibitionists, masquerading their biased work as ‘research’. 

“But most importantly, any new system must be tiered to protect land-based operators like bingo, casinos and betting shops, who have disproportionately higher fixed costs because of buildings and tens of thousands of staff.”

It is expected that the levy will help fund the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), which has declined donations from the gaming industry until now for moral reasons.

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