Morm Rithy, who is one of the leaders in Cambodia’s labor movement, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for a Facebook post he used to criticize the treatment of a casino worker.  

Union Leader Rithy Faces Legal Battle Over Facebook Critique

Rithy who is also the president of the Cambodian Tourism and Service Workers’ Federation (CTSWF) and the vice president of the Cambodian Labor Confederation (CLC) was charged with incitement and discrediting judicial decisions, reported The Camboja News. 

The reason behind the charges is a Facebook post from February 24, 2022, with which Rithy expressed concerns about the arrest of Morm Sreyleak, a female employee at the Jin Bei 2 casino, and questioned the legitimacy of her being detained. He also called for more transparency in the judicial proceedings. As a result, the Chinese-owned Jin Bei Group filed a complaint against him.

Following prolonged legal proceedings, Rithy was arrested on May 7 this year outside the offices of CLC in Phnom Penh. Scheduling conflicts prevented Rithy from attending the hearing and the verdict was pronounced in his absence. 

Cambodian Rights Groups Decry Union Leader’s Sentence

Licadho and other human rights groups have spoken against Rithy’s prison sentences. The have labeled the imprisonments an attempt to scare labor unions and thwart their activist operations. 

The incident is part of a wider crackdown on activists and union leaders in Cambodia. A couple of days before Rithy’s arrest Cambodia’s Supreme Court confirmed the verdict of Chhim Sithar who is also a labor unionist and several other individuals who organized a strike at NagaWorld Casino.

Cambodia has faced criticism that such activities undermine its reputation as a democratic state and violate fundamental freedoms. The Cambodian government has stated that it abides by the law, however, it is still the subject of allegations of politically motivated prosecutions and judicial harassment.

Cambodia has a history of authoritarian governance including former Prime Minister Hun Sen. Against this backdrop the country is still struggling to uphold democratic values and protect human rights and the freedom of speech. Despite a change in leadership, observers have yet to witness significant improvements in the country’s human rights landscape.

Following Rithy’s arrest and prison sentence, fellow union leaders and activists have vouched for his release. They see the incident as a threat to the labor movement‘s ability to advocate for workers’ rights.

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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.

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Crown Resorts urged the community to exercise caution regarding counterfeit social media accounts and advertisements falsely using Crown’s identity. The operator was adamant that online gambling in Australia was strictly prohibited, reaffirming it did not offer any form of iGaming. Such developments further threaten Crown’s public image as the company struggles with reforms.

The Operator Urged People to Report Any Offending Websites

Crown’s official warning highlighted the rising prevalence of fraudulent social media accounts, advertisements, or apps that utilize Crown’s name, logo, images, and other identifying information. The operator was adamant it did not operate an online casino or provide any form of online gambling, as its activities are only limited to its physical venues.

Crown Resorts advised the public to refrain from engaging with such suspicious accounts, avoid disclosing personal information or credit card details, and promptly report fraudulent content or suspicious activity. Despite the Australian government’s efforts to curb illegal online operators, the country struggles to enforce its regulations, leaving many people vulnerable to gambling harm.

Crown continuously works with social media and technology companies to seek removal of fraudulent content as a priority.

Crown Resorts official statement

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has been the country’s leading authority in identifying and dealing with illegal online operators. It regularly requests internet service providers to block offending websites and has been steadily intensifying its efforts. However, such measures usually have limited success as offending operators can change their IP address and circumvent restrictions.

Crown Still Struggles to Regain Compliance

The cautionary message comes amid Crown Resorts’ comprehensive reform initiatives across its Melbourne, Sydney, and Perth integrated resorts. The company is actively working to regain its casino licenses following inquiries in these three states, which delivered unfavorable assessments. Regulators have generally observed steady progress, raising hopes for the beleaguered operator.

Notably, Crown Melbourne recently implemented mandatory time and loss limits for all patrons using electronic gaming machines in compliance with recommendations from the Finkelstein Royal Commission. The company’s rigorous reform agenda is paying off in other jurisdictions, thanks to company-wide safer gambling initiatives and a determination to return to suitability.

Despite Crown’s progress, some recent developments have raised new integrity concerns. The company’s CEO is under investigation over allegations that he allowed removed patrons back into the company’s properties. If confirmed, these suspicions could substantially hinder Crown’s progress toward compliance, and seeing the company’s logo on illegal websites does little to improve its image.

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The new division, Hard Rock Games, operating under the umbrella of Hard Rock Digital, will focus on creating free-to play online and mobile games that may one day lead to fully-fledged gaming experiences for the online casino operations of the company.

Hard Rock Games to Focus on Social Gaming Growth

Hard Rock Games is created in the wake of the WGames acquisition, a developer of mobile games, which will now give the new division a strong purchase in this new and exciting journey.

Hard Rock Digital executive managing director Rafi Ashkenazi was excited at this new opportunity and said that the company was looking to create world-class games that would help accelerate the social gaming business for the company.

“Hard Rock Games’ enhanced capabilities will allow us to better engage our worldwide player communities with exceptional digital experiences and entertain our players like no one else can,” added Ashkenazi.

Hard Rock Games is openly expanding into the vertical with WGames’ assets, which include proprietary in-house technology that will help boost the growth in the social gaming sector for the newly-setup studio as well.

WGames founder, Daniel Kajouie, who will continue to work on the division through Hard Rock Games, and serve as the managing director for the newly setup social gaming arm, said that he was confident in this new alliance and working under the Hard Rock roof, expressing high hopes for the future and what it may bring to players worldwide, not just in the United States.

Exploring the Potential of Online Casino Gaming

In the meantime, the Hard Rock Bet launched its sports betting operations in Florida, after a prolonged legal fight with several plaintiffs who have alleged that mobile gambling launched under a tribal compact between the state and the Seminole Tribe was unconstitutional.

Hard Rock has got the better of that exchange, although the app launched after a two-year delay, and after it was originally introduced in 2021. The local brand may also consider launching online casino games of chance, although this is still highly speculative at the time of writing.

Having access to an established and dedicated in-house social gaming studio, though, would certainly give the brand a lot more breadth when it considers its next iGaming move.

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A recent study by The British Medical Journal (BMJ) highlights the dangers social media presents to young people’s health. This, according to the experts, includes higher chances of participation in gambling and, by extension, higher risks of gambling harm.

Dubbed Social media use and health risk behaviors in young people: systematic review and meta-analysis, the study evaluates potential links between the use of social media and addictive tendencies. Primarily focused on people from 10 to 19, the study sought to understand how social media affects young and vulnerable audiences.

The BMJ linked the daily use of social media to the use of alcohol consumption, drug use, tobacco use, anti-social behavior, multiple risk behaviors and gambling. The study also found out that content showcasing health risk behaviors led to increased odds of use of electronic nicotine delivery systems, unhealthy dietary behaviors and alcohol consumption.

According to The BMJ’s findings, the daily use of social media increased young people’s odds of gambling by a whopping 200% compared to those who use social media infrequently. While the overall youth gambling in the UK is declining, the findings are a step toward further understanding of how to prevent it.

The BMJ experts concluded that the regular use of social media is associated with adverse health risk behaviors among young people. However, the study added that further research would be needed to better understand these links.

For reference, the study saw The BMJ evaluate over 126 previous surveys conducted between 1997 and 2022, involving millions of adolescents.

Another Survey Shows Youth Gambling Is on the Decline

As mentioned, the UKGC recently conducted another, more gambling-oriented study on younger people. Titled Young People and Gambling Survey for 2023, it probed into audiences aged 11 to 17 and learned that youth gambling is actually on the decline.

The study engaged 3,453 online participants across the United Kingdom and recorded a decrease of 5%. The encouraging results attested to the efficiency of the UKGC’s latest efforts to protect younger Brits.

For reference, some of the commission’s recent initiatives led to a 10% decrease in exposure to gambling advertisements among 11-17-year-olds.

The survey identified only 0.7% of young players as problem gamblers. It also identified 1.5% of respondents as at-risk players and 23% as non-problem gamblers. In the meantime, 74% of the young people had not taken part in gambling over the past year.

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Serious allegations have been made when it comes to Amazon – the e-commerce giant is allegedly involved in an illegal online gambling operation.

The lawsuit

The company allowed its users to download various social casino apps and play on them, which helped make billions of dollars of revenue.

Steven Horn from Nevada sued the company for making profits on social casino games. According to the class action complaint, the players can download casinos from Amazon for free. Even though they can’t earn any real money, they can buy virtual chips to play.

Virtual casinos and chips aren’t allowed in Washington, and the plaintiff is positive that the company is guilty. A similar situation occurred in August 2022 when International Game Technology and DoubleDown Interactive were selling illegal virtual chips, and they settled it for $415 million.

The lawsuit is supposed to make Amazon stop these games and return the earned money to its customers. There are 34 brands mentioned in the lawsuit, and among them are big industry names such as Jackpot Party, Monopoly Slots – Casino Games, Lotsa Slots, Jackpot Master, Black Diamond Casino, and Quick Hit Slots. On top of that, there is an illegal casino called Big Fish Casino.

Social casino apps and huge revenue

According to iGaming Business, the lawsuit says: “Social casinos are so lucrative because they mix the addictive aspects of traditional slot machines with the power of Amazon to leverage big data and social network pressures to identify, target, and exploit consumers prone to addictive behaviors.”

Social casino apps don’t have permission to operate on such high levels, and Amazon is directly involved in its distribution and sharing of revenue.

According to Statista’s research, only in 2020 about $6 billion was spent on gambling. It is stated in the lawsuit that Amazon took 30% of every bet placed on the platform. To compare, the traditional casinos take between 1% and 15%. This means the company earned $1.8 billion in 2020.

The consequence of the collaboration between the biggest e-commerce platform in the world and social casino brands is the serious addiction of the players, which has many consequences, including depression, divorce, and even attempted suicide.

In the US, social casinos are legal in the majority of cases, but the Washington Court has considered them illegal since 2018, especially mentioning Churchill Downs and Big Fish Casino. The virtual chips are considered “things of value,” so playing these games is actually gambling – but this didn’t stop Amazon from participating in such games.

The company hasn’t commented on the lawsuit yet.

Source: Fletcher, Robert, “Amazon faces legal challenge over “addictive” social casino apps”. iGaming Business. November 14, 2023.

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Prominent social casino operator Virtual Gaming Worlds (VGW) has announced its decision to pull out of the Michigan market. The move follows a series of regulatory crackdowns on unlicensed gambling operations, ultimately forcing VGW to discontinue its popular social gaming brands, including Chumba Casino, Global Poker, and Luckyland Slots, in Michigan.

Social Casinos Thrive Despite Regulatory Challenges

Social casinos, a growing trend in states where real-money online casinos are not yet legalized, offer players a similar gaming experience without dealing in actual US dollars. Instead, these platforms use their own digital currencies, providing players with the opportunity to win genuine prizes. Despite the absence of real money transactions, the allure of tangible rewards has attracted a substantial user base to these platforms.

VGW’s official statement regarding its withdrawal from Michigan read: “VGW continually evaluates their business operations in the interests of all their stakeholders, and after careful consideration, they have decided to take this course of action.”

VGW’s decision comes in the wake of an order by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, who directed Golden Hearts Games to halt its operations in the state after a thorough two-year investigation. The move reflects the state’s commitment to cracking down on unlicensed gambling establishments, emphasizing the importance of consumer protection and adherence to gaming laws.

Michigan Players Race Against Clock as VGW Ends Social Casino Funding Options

Players in Michigan have until November 1 to purchase digital currencies on VGW’s platforms. After this date, funding options will cease, leaving players with existing balances the opportunity to utilize them until December 1. Furthermore, players have until February 1, 2024, to redeem any available prizes on the sites. VGW has assured players that their personal data will be handled in accordance with the company’s privacy policy, emphasizing their commitment to data protection and privacy.

This unexpected exit from the Michigan market highlights the rapidly changing landscape of online gambling in the United States. While social casinos have provided a viable alternative in states without legalized online gambling, the growing trend toward regulation and legalization of real-money online casinos raises concerns about the future of these platforms.

As more states consider legalizing online gambling, social casinos, once considered a secure option, face increasing uncertainty. Meanwhile, in June, Michigan’s licensed iGaming and online sports betting operators generated a total revenue of $169.3 million, experiencing an 8.9% decrease due to a significant drop in sports betting caused by the absence of major sporting events, leading to a 21% decrease in handle.

Despite the decline, online casinos earned $151 million, and online sports betting brought in $18.3 million. Michigan has 15 legal online gambling and sports betting operators, and the Michigan Gaming Control Board anticipates receiving nearly $51 million in funding for 2024 to support its regulatory efforts.

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In an unexpected twist, two bitter poker rivals set aside their differences to expose a social engineering scam that exploited their mutual dislike. Benjamin “Blank Check Ben” Lee and “Wes Side” Wesley Fei found themselves embroiled in a complex web of deception. Their journey from rivals to allies in uncovering this elaborate scheme serves as a cautionary tale on the dangers of online fraud.

The Attacker Employed Clever Tactics

The story began on 4 September when a WordPress website titled “Uncovering Wesley” emerged. It claimed to be authored by someone who had fallen victim to a $250,000 cryptocurrency scam involving Wesley Fei in 2022. The blog also alleged that Wesley had sent individuals to burglarize the accuser’s home.

Benjamin Lee, an outspoken rival of Wesley, then received a message from the accuser via Instagram. The victim intended to expose Wesley’s alleged wrongdoings but claimed he first needed financial support as he had supposedly lost his entire life’s savings. Initially, Lee trusted his instincts and declined to get involved.

Lee’s Resistance Gradually Eroded as He Sent More Funds

A few months later, the accuser approached Lee again, revealing that Wesley had offered him $35,000 to unveil Lee as the “instigator of a character assassination campaign.” Concerned about the potential damage to his reputation, Lee decided to wire the other person $2,500, believing he was also an innocent victim.

The situation only escalated from there. The alleged victim presented himself as Russell Thamer, a London-based financial recruiter, and demanded more money. He offered evidence of Wesley’s involvement in immigration fraud for $100,000. Despite initial hesitation, Lee relented. However, Thamer pressed on, claiming he was facing threats, possibly from associates of Wesley.

He manipulated me with a victim story that exploited my sympathy and strong hatred for injustice. He also took advantage of my personal dislike for Wesley.

Benjamin “Blank Check Ben” Lee

Fearing for his safety, Lee hired a security firm and transferred an additional $28,000 in cryptocurrency to Thamer. However, the poker pro had grown suspicious, deciding to share his experiences with Ryan Feldman, co-owner of Hustler Casino Live. As Lee and Wesley compared notes, the two players discovered they had been manipulated against each other and that the supposed evidence did not exist.

The Scammer Is Still at Large

Thamer had attempted similar tactics on Wesley, who fortunately did not fall victim to the scam. In response to his role in the deception, Lee publicly apologized to Wesley. The two players’ shared ordeal brought them closer, and they have since put aside their differences and forged a budding friendship as viewers eagerly await their return on Hustler Casino Live.

I have already twice apologized to Wesley for my part in all this. His reputation has suffered for no reason other than that I was gullible enough to be manipulated by a fraudster.

Benjamin “Blank Check Ben” Lee

According to Lee’s latest tweets, Thamer continued to blackmail him, threatening to increase incriminating information. This ongoing story presents a stark reminder of the dangers of online fraud and social engineering, proving that nobody is safe from manipulation. However, the events also demonstrate the importance of vigilance and collaboration in uncovering and combating such fraudulent schemes.

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Livespins, an innovative slots streaming platform, has enhanced its product offering with the addition of content from SlotMatrix, EveryMatrix’s aggregation division. As agreed, Livespins will be able to create socially-charged iGaming experiences featuring SlotMatrix titles.

The current deal follows an earlier agreement between Livespins and Everymatrix whereby the latter company agreed to distribute the former company’s content to its operator partners.

As a result, Livespins’ content creators will be able to leverage recent titles such as Aladdin’s Rollover Respins and Fairy Fantasy Exotic Wilds, as well as established hits like Wild Willy’s Gold Rush and Hot Hot Honey. The branded hit The Lioness featuring the MMA athlete Amanda Nunes will also be available on Livespins.

The agreement allows Livespins to greatly expand its library. SlotMatrix, on the other hand, will get to tap into an entirely new demographic of players, many of which may not have played or seen its games before.

Livespins is breaking ground in the social casino space thanks to its innovative concept that allows players to bet behind their favorite streamer, brand ambassador or celebrity. The social element is further reinforced by chat functionalities packed with emojis and other engagement tools.

The product is constantly being enhanced thanks to new content agreements with industry-leading suppliers. Some of the latest agreements saw Livespins partner with companies such as 4ThePlayer, REEVO and Wazdan.

The Deals with Big-Name Providers “Keep on Coming”

SlotMatrix’s chief executive officer of games, Razvan Haiduc, said that the deal with Livespins will allow his team to engage with new audiences in an authentic way. He praised Livespins for its innovative concept that is revolutionizing the online casino space.

This is ground-breaking when it comes to how slots are delivered to and experienced by players, and we are delighted to have joined Livespins for what will be an exhilarating ride.

Razvan Haiduc, CEO of Games, SlotMatrix

Michael Pedersen, Livespins’ chief commercial officer, also shared his thoughts on the agreement. He highlighted the importance of agreements with big-name suppliers to his company and said that his team is looking forward to onboarding SlotMatrix content.

SlotMatrix is looking to leverage our audience of highly engaged players, many of which fall into the Millennial and Generation Z demographics, and drive awareness of its titles in a new way.

Michael Pedersen, CCO, Livespins

In other news, SOFTSWISS recently recognized the potential of Livespins and integrated the innovative product into its portfolio. Earlier this year, Livespins secured the Innovation in Slot Provision award at the EGR B2B Awards.

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March Madness is one of the hottest events in professional sports. Needless to say, it attracts millions of bettors each year. While many enjoy wagering regardless of the outcome, others are so focused on winning that they end up abusing athletes on the web.

ESPN addressed this relevant issue, highlighting how online bullying can affect professional players. It noted that abusers would sometimes go as far as threatening the players’ well-being. An FBI agent spoke with ESPN on the matter, saying that this is an issue that seems to be growing proportionally to the expansion of sports betting in the United States.

Meanwhile, Epic Risk Management’s head of delivery, Mark Potter, told the news outlet that colleges are aware of the issue and are stressing over it.

According to ESPN, losses affect players. Damion Baugh, a Horned Frogs player, was one of the many college athletes bombarded with abusive messages from angry bettors.

Baugh’s team was recently losing to Gongaza by six points. However, Baugh was able to score three additional points for his team right before the end of the game. While the young player failed to change the fact that his team lost, he jeopardized certain bettors’ wagers, prompting an assault of abusive messages.

Baugh had not been abused on social media before. He was let down by the sports fans who only care about the bets.

Everybody playing sports growing up, we play until the whistle, play until the end of the game. People just forgot about that. Saying I shouldn’t have taken the shot is saying, ‘We don’t care about the game. We just wanted to win our money.

Damion Baugh, Horned Frogs player

Baugh slammed the people who think that abusing college athletes is okay.

Abusers Will Use Whatever They Can to Hurt the Players

ESPN attributed the issues to the rapid growth of sports betting in the US. Five years ago when the PAPSA was repealed, around 1% of players had access to legal betting. Now, this number has skyrocketed to 56%.

Right now, online abuse primarily affects male athletes but ESPN predicts that, in the future, it may become commonplace in women’s sports too.

Anthony Grant, Dayton men’s basketball coach, previously proposed introducing rules that prevent abuse in sports. He said that people who attack kids on social media sicken him.

Luckily, at least some of the people who send death threats on social media get punished for their misbehavior. In 2019, Benjamin Patz, a young bettor told a Pepperdine basketball player that his “throat will be severed open” and that his family “will be beheaded and burned alive.” Patz was eventually sentenced to 36 months of probation after pleading guilty to transmitting threats.

Patz is but one of many people who send similar threats to players. While some get used to it, others never do. Abusive messages oftentimes include racial slurs, death threats and angry remarks.

The Issue Unites Leagues, Operators and Regulators

On March 7, 125 collegiate sports officials, regulatory specialists and executives of gambling companies gathered to discuss harassment in professional sports. They determined that this is one of the issues that unite them all.

Not only does such abuse hurt the integrity of sports but it is oftentimes indicative of a gambling problem. This, on the other hand, may be related to substance abuse or mental health disorder, Keith Whyte, the executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, said.

Matt Schuler, the executive director of the Ohio Casino Commission, was angrier with the abusers and called them “lowlifes who are under the impression that athletes are there to make money for them.”

Such issues have forced the NCAA to try and stay away from the sports betting industry. Jim Brown, a former NCAA official noted that, curiously, the issue is much more prevalent in North America than in other markets where sports betting is legal.

Some analysts fear that the problem is only going to get worse.

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