Dabble, a fresh Australian social betting platform, is already eyeing expansion in the USA. This announcement follows its recent foray into the region.

For reference, Dabble was founded in 2020 and offers a variety of socially-charged betting experiences to its fans. Its clients can follow other users, chat with friends and other bettors, comment on other players’ betting activity and even copy others’ bets.

Dabble mirrors many features that make social media platforms popular, allowing bettors to enjoy unparalleled experiences.

Dabble forayed into the US in October 2023, following its success in Australia. The main difference is that the US-oriented app offers daily fantasy sports instead of sports betting. Despite that, the company still offers the social features that have made it so popular in Australia.

Dabble Will Double Down on the US Market

The United States has always been a key market for Dabble since its launch. Dabble is currently available in 20 US states and boasts over 450,000 registered users. It is currently among the top 10 sports apps on the US App Store, competing directly with some of the biggest names in the world of sports betting and fantasy sports.

However, Dabble doesn’t plan to end its US expansion here. The company is now planning to double down on its operations in the country in hopes of surpassing 1 million registered accounts by the end of June 2024.

To that end, the company will bolster its offerings, introducing many new games and game modes. Free-to-play, peer-to-peer and sweepstakes are just some of the offerings coming to Dabble. In addition, the company plans to add more sports to its product lineup, allowing it to tap into an expanded audience of sports fans.

As of the time of this writing, Dabble offers fantasy sports offerings for the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL, as well as for college football and basketball.

In addition to launching markets for more sports, Dabble is also eyeing launches in additional states. The company believes that it can earn daily fantasy sports licenses in additional 5-10 states. The company might also consider seeking sports betting licenses in some states, although it admitted that this would be a more expensive move.

Finally, the company plans to also diversify its payment options and introduce more and improved social features.

The post Social Betting Specialist Dabble Seeks US Expansion appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Lithuania’s parliament (Seimas) has received a new proposal that, if passed, would raise the minimum age limit for gambling to 21. As reported by SBC News, this proposal is part of the Seimas’ 2024 agenda and will be on voted by ministers later this year.

The new measure applies to both retail and digital gambling. In addition to discussing this measure, Lithuanian lawmakers will also discuss the implementation of new restrictions and ID requirements. Under the newly proposed rules, Lithuanian players under 21 will be unable to enter gambling venues, wager money and participate in online gambling.

The raise of the age limit for gambling was proposed by Jurgita Sejonienė, a member of Lithuania’s Homeland Union Party. According to Sejonienė, the age limit in question should be raised in line with Lithuania’s ongoing gambling reforms that have seen the introduction of stricter gambling laws.

The measure was fast-tracked to a vote and received unanimous initial approval. The Seimas will decide whether to proceed with these changes by July 2024.

Lithuania Aims to Introduce a Stricter Regulatory Framework

Currently, Lithuania allows players over 18 to gamble, although people under 21 are prohibited from entering and playing at casinos. Since the new measure will also ban under-21s from playing online, only those above the age of 21 will be able to participate in real-money games.

There is a notable exception, which is the country’s national lottery. As previously, the legal age limit for participating in the lottery would remain 18+. However, Lithuania recently introduced stricter ID check requirements for lottery retailers that require them to verify that consumers are over the legal age before they are allowed to participate.

In the meantime, Lithuania recently adopted increased gambling licensing fees, which was considered a significant development in the country’s regulations. Effective as of July 27, 2023, the resolution reflected the country’s desire to introduce a stricter regulatory framework.

Speaking of regulation, a few months ago, TopSport violated the country’s self-exclusion rules by allowing an excluded individual to play. As a result, the operator was required to pay a fine of $27,000.

The post Lithuania Seeks to Increase the Legal Age for Gambling to 21 appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Commenting on his LinkedIn page, Cory Brown, manager of problem gambling services at Ohio Casino Control Commission, has confirmed that the regulator is stepping up in providing local players with further safeguards.

Ohio Unflattering in its Commitment to Tackling Problem Gambling

One of the most challenging issues in terms of recovery from gambling addiction is the financial ramifications of reckless spending. This significant weight has been ignored by most healthcare providers worldwide, but Ohio intends to stay at the cutting edge of problem gambling help by addressing the taxing issue headlong.

Following the introduction of Time Out Ohio with the help of Gamban, a software dedicated to excluding players and preventing them from gambling, Ohio has now teamed up with GamFin, a company that specifically focuses on bringing together various professionals who can help better understand how gambling harm works and the financial implications of addiction, along with tested methodology that helps victims and vulnerable consumers recover and maintain their recovery.

People who get help in Ohio because of their gambling addiction will now also have access to financial counselors who can help them tackle this matter by looking into the unique financial circumstances of each problem gambler and charting a way forward. As Brown puts it, “GamFin can help you carry the load.”

Taking on the Most Challenging Aspects of Addiction

GamFin’s staff are trained financial counselors who can act as personal finance subject-matter experts, Brown shared, optimistically adding:

GamFin’s counselors are available both to individual clients and to treatment providers, helping you tackle financial questions and develop solutions to get back on track.

Cory Brown

Ohio is showing a very high commitment to tackling responsible gambling at a time when some jurisdictions, including Washington D.C. are actually cutting the budget allocated to problem gamblers.

In the meantime, Ohio is also trying to minimize harm in other ways, one of which is by restricting the number of advertisements and the connection between promotional offers and non-gambling transactions. This has been criticized by local operators. In truth, the move is unorthodox and Ohio is showing a much greater-than-average involvement in the fate of problem gamblers in the United States, a country which is right now going through a growth spurt

The post Ohio Seeks to Bolster Problem Gambling with Financial Advisors appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Sports streaming service DAZN is seeking ways to raise fresh funding, reports say. According to Bloomberg, the sports streaming giant wants to raise as much as $1 billion through various initiatives.

The reports claim that DAZN Bet has been discussing the matter with potential advisers and eyeing a range of capital-raising strategies. Bloomberg also implied that DAZN might come up with a definitive plan within a few months.

This news comes a few months after DAZN put its initial public offering plans on hold amid devastating losses and because of heavy market headwinds. The company reported a loss of £2.3 billion in 2021, causing it to rethink its strategy and postpone its IPO ambitions.

While an IPO is not yet out of the question, DAZN seems to be exploring alternative ways to generate funding. However, the company has yet to confirm whether this report is correct.

DAZN Wants to Be Self-Sufficient

DAZN’s goal is to become an independent streaming company that doesn’t have to rely on its sports betting business to be sustainable. According to Shay Segev, DAZN’s chief executive officer, DAZN should remain independent of its betting arm, leaving betting as an additional revenue stream.

In earlier interviews, Segev said that he isn’t necessarily hellbent on making DAZN go public but believes that the move would “make sense” as he hopes to follow the success stories of Amazon and Netflix.

DAZN has already secured sports media rights for a number of influential sports leagues, cementing itself as the biggest sports broadcaster in Europe.

Speaking of DAZN Bet, the company’s betting division secured access to the German market a few months ago, solidifying its European reach.

In November, DAZN Bet also formed a partnership with Pragmatic Play, which powered the operator’s business in Spain.

The post DAZN Seeks to Raise $1B in Funding, Reports Say appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Brazil continues to move forward with its sports betting legislation despite still experiencing setbacks. As the coming of wagering to the Latin American country seems around the corner, Brazil continues to revise its rules on advertising.

Two days ago, the Chamber of Deputies’ Communication Committee greenlit bill 3915/2023, which seeks to restrict the promotion of unlicensed gambling by influencers and digital celebrities. This proposal would mitigate the negative impact of the black market on younger players, lawmakers believe.

Since unlicensed gambling operators rarely offer a sufficient level of player protection to their players, Brazilian legislators believe that its promotion may lead to significant losses. This, paired with the influence digital celebrities have on younger audiences, may lead to higher problem gambling rates among the Brazilian youth.

The New Rules Envision Strict Sanctions for Violators

As a result, the new bill prohibits digital influencers from promoting unregulated gambling products and companies. The same rules apply to overseas entities that target the local market. It covers content on social media, video-sharing platforms, livestreaming services and other digital platforms.

Under Bill 3915/2023, Brazil will require many of the big digital media platforms, such as Facebook and TikTok to join forces with the local authorities and ensure that inappropriate content is reported and taken down.

The bill envisions fines for entities that violate its rules. Companies that breach these promotion restrictions risk fines of up to 2% of their revenue to a maximum of $10.2 million (converted to USD). Under the bill, online influencers also risk a permanent ban.

As mentioned, the bill was already given a go-ahead by the Chamber of Deputies’ Communication Committee. Now, it is up to the Finance and Taxation Commission to decide whether the bill would go to the Constitution and Justice Commission. If approved by the two entities, bill 3915/2023 will be eligible for further evaluation and plenary vote.

In the meantime, sports betting in Brazil continues to be delayed amid disagreements and calls for ambitious amendments. While the country is in the later stages of discussing betting legislation, its future remains uncertain.

This means bad news for Entain, which was just forced to shut down its dotcom operations in unregulated markets. While the DPA says that the company may request its exit date to be postponed if there are reasonable grounds to consider that the process of regulation will be completed within a reasonable time of the exit, Brazil’s slower pace when it comes to legislation may be a setback to the company.

The post Brazil Seeks to Stop Illegal Gambling Promotion by Influencers appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Kenya is on the path to significant gambling reforms. Under a new bill, the African country is set to establish a new regulatory body and overhaul its gambling rules.

The measure, dubbed Gambling Control Bill 2023, would replace the Betting, Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) with a new regulator. In addition, the bill is set to introduce regulations on betting, casino gaming and other forms of gambling and legalize prize competitions, public lotteries and media promotions.

Sponsored by National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah, the bill would change Kenyan gambling for good.

The bill is now before the Parliament with its future yet to be decided.

New Regulations Would Be Introduced

Under the proposed laws, gambling would expand but so would regulation. The bill envisions creating a regulator that has the powers necessary to deal with unruly gambling companies. To prevent regulatory breaches, the measure will introduce fines for violations of the country’s gambling law, preventing operators from simply ignoring the rules.

To make sure that operators do not violate the regulations, the bill would require them to post a bank guarantee or insurance security bond that would cover potential violations. Promoting an unlicensed lottery, for example, would carry a KES 1 million fine (approximately $6,500) or a year in prison.

The new bill will also prohibit bets under KES 20. Firms that violate this rule risk a fine of KES 50 million ($328,000).

In addition, the new regulator would be responsible for ensuring that minors do not engage in gambling. To that end, the measure would ban companies from advertising their products between 6 am and 10 pm.

Under the Gambling Control Bill, a 15% tax on gross revenue would be introduced, as well as a monthly levy. Lotteries, on the other hand, would be required to donate 30% of their proceeds to charity organizations.

The post Kenyan Bill Seeks to Introduce a New Regulator and Overhaul Gambling appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Dwight Manley, a 57-year-old real estate executive and a prominent high roller, is taking MGM Resorts to court. According to him, a spiked drink caused him to lose adequacy and wager away two million dollars. Manley alleges that the MGM staff did nothing to prevent his losses other than offering him credit.

Manley, a long-time customer of the MGM brand, visited the MGM Grand property in Las Vegas in 2021 after receiving an invitation to stay in the MGM Mansion. On December 10, the lawsuit says, Manley ordered a cocktail that had a suspicious “bitter” taste. After a second cocktail, the real estate executive began to feel “out of it” and act erratically.

Feeling disoriented, Manley broke an ashtray, cutting his hand. The lawsuit alleges that the casino staff provided him with band-aids and moved him to another table but did not offer any further medical help.

At that point, Manley was clearly not feeling well and yet he was offered a line credit of up to $3.5 million, the lawsuit alleges.

In the late afternoon, Manley collapsed in his villa. He later tested himself in California, with medical tests showing that he had ketamine in his system.

Manley Is Committed to Finding the Perpetrator

In addition to launching a lawsuit, Manley has hired the services of a private investigator. At the same time, Manley is seeking further info on www.Reward4InfoCasinoDrugging.com where anyone with any information can provide a report. The real estate executive promises a reward of $500,000 to anyone who can help him identify the perpetrators.

In his lawsuit, Manley also highlighted the dangers of ketamine, which could have put his life in danger. Because of that, he has also involved the Las Vegas Metro Police and the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

The lawsuit seeks damages, alleging that the casino shouldn’t hold Manley responsible for the money he has spent while under the influence of a potent drug.

For reference, ketamine is an anesthetic primarily used in veterinary medicine but has recently gained traction as a drug. Overdosing on ketamine is reported to cause a severe dissociative state.

The post MGM Player Seeks Damages after Losing Millions Because of a Spiked Drink appeared first on Keno Wizard.

An Illinois gambling businessman is seeking leniency after he was convicted of fraud, bribery and lying to FBI agents. He faces up to 20 years in prison for his crimes.

The businessman, James T. Weiss, was convicted in June this year and is currently awaiting sentencing from US District Judge Steven Seeger. Seeking leniency for his crimes, Weiss hopes to get out of this with a 27-month sentence.

For reference, the businessman was found guilty of bribing state officials to pass legislations that favored his business. Weiss’ company, Collage, manufactures sweepstakes machines which he wanted legalized in Illinois.

To that end, Weiss paid then-state Rep. Luis Arroyo $2,500 a month in hopes of pushing his agenda through. The sweepstakes legislation didn’t appear in Illinois’ gambling bill and, as a result, Weiss then conspired with Terry Link, a former senator and chief sponsor of the gambling bill.

When the scheme was discovered, Link cooperated with the authorities in hopes of reducing his sentence. Arroyo, on the other hand, was found guilty of additional bribery-related offenses and faced a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. The ex-representative was eventually sentenced to almost 5 years.

Judge Seeger, who also handed the sentence to Arroyo, is unlikely to reduce Weiss’ sentence as much as the businessman hopes.

Sweepstake Machines Remain in Illinois’ Gray Sector

Weiss was bullish on getting the sweepstakes machines legalized and has donated over $80,000 to sweepstakes machine legalization initiatives. He had many connections, allowing him to exercise certain influence to the point of being in a position to try to get certain laws passed.

One of the people he worked with, Alderman Gilbert Villegas, argued that sweepstakes machines are in Illinois, whether politicians like it or not, which is why they should be either outlawed or regulated.

Sweepstakes machines currently sit in Illinois’ legal gray area, mirroring other more unusual gambling offerings in other states, including skill games.

In unrelated news, Illinois recently stepped “away from incarceration and towards rehabilitation” by allowing former convicts to work at casinos in the state. While such people remain prohibited from serving in positions such as slot attendants and dealers, they can now serve as waiters, housekeepers, chefs, porters, etc.

The post Illinois Businessman Seeks Leniency after Bribing Politicians to Legalize Sweepstakes appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Flutter Entertainment announced that its Alpha Hub startup partnership program is looking for fresh companies that are able to create innovative safer gambling solutions. The program’s goal is to shape a better future for gaming and society as a whole, in line with the Positive Impact Plan.

Flutter’s Positive Impact Plan utilizes the company’s global presence to achieve important sustainability goals. As a company committed to having a positive impact, Flutter helps communities “Do More.” By the end of 2030, the operator hopes to have improved the lives of no less than 10 million people through sport, play and its colleagues’ skills.

In addition, Flutter seeks to help its customers “Play Well” and is working hard to promote its Play Well safer gambling tools to its players. The company hopes that at least 50% of its players will use these tools by 2026 and 75% by 2030.

Flutter’s Positive Impact Plan is reflected in its Flutter Tech4Good Award and the Flutter & RGC: Play Well Challenge initiatives that are focused on responsible gambling and community support.

The Flutter Tech4Good Award initiative seeks to leverage technology to solve pressing social issues and appeals to startups at any stage from around the world to join the initiative. Flutter wants to collaborate with startups that are meeting the needs of disadvantaged groups and have a clear plan to measure the impact of their solution.

Flutter & RGC: Play Well Challenge is a collaborative effort with the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) that seeks to solve real-world problems for the industry in partnership with promising startup companies. The challenge is seeking entrepreneurs and startups that want to create a better customer experience for everyone.

Flutter Desires to Make a Change

Conor Lynch, CIO at Flutter, commented on the Flutter Tech4Good Award and Play Well Challenge initiatives, saying that they align with the company’s ambitious targets. He added that the company plans to provide full support to promising startups that can make a change.

As part of this, we want to utilize our global scale and in-house talent to support the innovative startups that are developing technology that enhances consumer protection and drives positive change in the communities in which we operate.

Conor Lynch, CIO, Flutter

Meanwhile, Shelley White, chief executive officer of the Responsible Gambling Council, said that her team is proud to join Flutter for the Play Well program and work to minimize the negative impact of gambling-related harm.

The Flutter & RGC Play Well Challenge has the ability to drive real change in Responsible Gambling, globally, and ultimately create a safer gambling experience for millions of people.

Shelley White, CEO, RGC

Startup companies can find more information on how to apply on Flutter’s official website.

The post Flutter Seeks Startups Able to Improve the Gaming Sector and Tackle Societal Challenges appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Moving forward, three new licenses will be accepted with the state looking to strengthen the number of license holders, tax revenue, and overall benefit from regulating the sports gambling industry.

Arizona Gears Up for More Sports Betting Licenses

The Arizona Department of Gaming will be accepting one application from Arizona tribes and two applications from professional sports teams, with the regulator moving cautiously about expansion and trying to balance out as it goes along.

A webinar informing potential applicants of what to expect will be hosted on July 17, with an application deadline set for August 15.

Applicants will have to go through regulatory scrutiny with only the best ones – providing the field of contestants is greater than the available licenses – shortlisted and selected to proceed with the launch of dedicated sports gambling operations.

Arizona is already doing very well when it comes to the number of sports betting operators allowed. There are a total of 17 online betting sportsbooks as of the present moment. This competitive field of contestants is unlikely to dissuade other parties from joining, however, as the state’s sports betting handle has been steadily climbing – not considering the months after the biggest events and sports seasons in the country.

Even with somewhat diminished returns due to the lack of big events in the United States, however, Arizona’s sportsbooks have been doing well, and have been able to retain a bigger share of the total betting handle punters have been placing with them.

Fees to Enter the Market Aren’t as Steep

To apply, gaming companies and anyone seeking to gain a license would first need to pay $100,000 and then be prepared to pay $750,000, providing they are approved. The licensing fees despite not being too low are not prohibitively expensive which is what makes the regulator believe there is going to be interest, especially from professional sports teams.

Exact applicants have not been floated just yet but there are many companies that are absent from the market as of right now. Some of those include Betr, Tipico, Bet365, Fanatics, and more. Fanatics has been moving fast across the United States recently, making waves through the contested acquisition of PointsBet US.

The post Arizona Department of Gaming Seeks Three More Sports Betting Operators appeared first on Keno Wizard.