UFC president Dana White recently rhapsodized about Adin Ross, noting that Ross has been more than dabbling in gambling, spending heavily without seemingly affecting his net worth.

Adin Ross Celebrated by Dana White for Low Risk Aversion

White, a bit of a gambling buff himself, appeared on the FLAGRANT podcast hosted by Akaash Sing and Andrew Schulz. White became very passionate about gambling when it was brought up and shared a story about Charles Barkley, who once wagered $650,000 at a party.

Barkley is known for his often excessive gambling and not always wise decisions. Yet, White was fascinated by Barkley’s risk aversion and was happy to share the story. “I’ll tell you this, though—Charles Barkley is a gambler, too. Charles Barkley came to Power Slap, and the one that we did at the Durango, I have a big gambling party after, and he f**king beat him for, like, $650,000,” White recounted.

Even Barkley’s exploits paled in comparison with what Adin Ross was able to do during Power Slap. “This kid is what, 22? He goes on fking… he’s up a million, he’s down $750,000, he’s up $1,500,000 in a fking Power Slap weekend,” White said, growing more excited with his account.

Adin Ross has been a fixture in gambling and streaming, often finding himself in controversial stories. He once lost $4 million in a single session, and a UNILAD story claimed that he also cheated during a game with marked cards.

In the meantime, criticism against the streamer had been shut down by fellow gambling icons, such as xQc, real name Félix Lengyel, who said that people who criticized him or Adin Ross were hypocrites who would have opted the same deals if they were offered to them. Admittedly, the paychecks both streamers command are enough to tempt the majority of people.

Adin Ross Continues to Fascinate with His Relentless Affinity for Gambling

He is also said to have lost $15 million in a single gambling session, according to media news outlet The SportsRush, citing the player’s own account, but the story was never corroborated by other sources.

Whether it’s betting or casino gaming, Adin Ross has been keen to participate, according to popular accounts. Ross also made headlines when he announced that he would be quitting his Twitch streaming career (he had been banned by the platform) to join Kick, a newly formed rival at the time. Twitch did consider unbanning Ross, but the CEO faced public criticism for potentially allowing gambling to proliferate on the Amazon-owned platform.

The streamer was also escorted out of a TwitchCon event in October 2023, following his ban from Twitch. At the time, Ross arrived with a few friends, donning Kick apparel to promote the new platform. He and his entourage were escorted out by security.

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On April 27, 2023, the Gambling Act Review white paper was published in the UK, and everyone hoped it would be greatly helpful when it comes to gambling regulation. However, here’s what happened after one year.

Changes in the law

The GB Gambling Commission discussed online and land-based casinos, as well as horse racing. The consultations about the Commission’s proposals began in July, and its main focus was promoting sustainable and safe gambling, as well as conducting affordability checks.

The discussion about the relationship between operators and players was one of the main topics. According to Victoria Reed, a Founder of Better Change, the standards are already high, and in order to develop more strict regulations, the balance is needed. She said: “This is already a heavily regulated industry so I would argue that standards are generally pretty high when compared with other industries. But the nature of our business is heavily influenced by technology and customer trends – therefore, there is never time to rest on our laurels and think we have got it all figured out.”

Matt Zarb-Cousin, Gamban’s co-founder and director of external affairs, is positive that operators will benefit from improving the relationship, and in order to do that, they would have to comply with a change of standards.

The sustainability and safety of gambling must be priorities, even from a preventive standpoint. Reed commented on that: “We see “safer gambling” very much as the practice of gambling safely. Therefore, the act of restricting, limiting, banning, blocking, and even stigmatizing gambling has no place in safer gambling. As a result of this, we see very little in the white paper that for us constitutes safer gambling – instead, we feel the measures such as stake limiting and financial risk checks are more aligned to player protection.”

Preventing problem gambling and major concerns

Better Change keeps supporting Positive Play and tries to prevent problem gambling before the issue occurs. Proposals from the white paper comply with that, but in order to work, they have to be carefully implemented.

The losses have to be limited since the players who lose more are at higher risk of becoming addicts, so setting the limits is one of the best ways to prevent it.

Even the operators would benefit from that, since if the customer loses all their money, they would have to be self-excluded and they would never get back. The Commission is ready to set up the affordability checks, but it will have to be done case-by-case in order to work. On top of that, a statutory levy on gross gambling yield will be imposed, and it will be 1%.

Zarb-Cousin commented on that: “Affordability checks, if they’re done properly, and the levy will make a big difference. The quantity and the resources that will be able to go into treatment and prevention campaigns – all of this will make a big difference.”

The main issue about the proposals from the white paper is funding. There are some funds donated for research, education, and treatment of problem gambling, but it seems the only way to get funds is a mandatory levy.

However, Zarb-Cousin hopes that the suggested changes can be implemented by October 2024, including the pilot program for affordability checks, which should be finished by then. Next year, the new levy system is supposed to be implemented, two years after the release of the white paper.

However, Melanie Ellis, a gambling regulatory lawyer and partner at Northridge Law LLP, is concerned that the new regulations could drive the players to illegal operators. She said: “There is a risk that some proposals, such as the stake limit for online slots and restrictions on bonuses and incentives, could lead to a significant increase in the number of customers turning to unlicensed operators, where they may not be offered tools to control their gambling or interventions if they display indicators of harm.”

However, it’s clear that the white paper increased the awareness of problems in the industry and was a significant step towards solving the majority of them. However, a lot of work is ahead of the UK regulators, and only years of hard work can result in complete change. Sustainability remains the main focus.

Source: “Gambling Act review white paper: One year on”, iGamingBusiness. April 24, 2024.

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White Hat Studios has released a brand-new promotional tool called Win Spins. For a while, the solution will be exclusively available with BetMGM, allowing its customers to be the first ones to try it out.

Win Spins has been designed to provide a huge boost to the customer experience as it guarantees the amount of Win Spins up front. This feature eliminates the disappointment of low winning free sins and zero wins that some slots players experience from time to time.

The solution is available within a pre-selected range of White Hat Studios’ slot games, allowing players to continually spin until they have achieved the number of winning spins they have been assigned as part of the promotional offer.

The new solution is expected to provide White Hat Studios’ operator partners with improved customer acquisition and retention rates. This would further cement the studio as a leading and reliable developer of cutting-edge iGaming content and solutions.

As mentioned, Win Spins will be exclusively available to BetMGM customers at first, solidifying the gambling giant as a leading industry innovator. Following the conclusion of this limited period, the solution will be made available to all of White Hat Studios’ partnering operators.

White Hat Wants to Drive Innovation in iGaming

White Hat Studios’ vice president of gaming, Armen Tatarevic, commented on the newly launched solution, saying that it will change how players perceive promotions and rewards. He believes that the US iGaming market has been lagging behind the online sports betting sector, which has been driven by innovation and fierce bonusing competition.

Because of that, White Hat Studios continues its efforts to change iGaming and make it more entertaining to customers.

By introducing Win Spins, we are modernizing the way in which players receive promotional rewards and making them far more enjoyable. We’re excited to have launched Win Spins initially with BetMGM and we have seen fantastic player engagement from the initial campaigns.

Armen Tatarevic, VP of gaming, White Hat Studios

In other news, White Hat Gaming recently launched its PAM system in New York with Bally’s Entertainment, expanding its existing alliance with the American gambling giant. This was the sixth rollout with the cooperation in several months and followed the success of similar rollouts in Colorado, Virginia, Arizona, Indiana, and Ohio.

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Three days ago, the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party held a conference to discuss policies. During the event, Gordon Moody and Green Pen Consulting organized a panel dedicated to the white paper called “The Gambling White Paper: Implications for Treatment.”

The panel saw experts comment on the measures outlined in the paper with Jane Rigbye, Ygam’s chief executive officer, expressing her thoughts on the new levy system. According to Rigbye, the new system should see the money used for gambling education and harm prevention initiatives.

Rigbye slammed the notion that some of the recipients of the levy funding are working in cahoots with gambling operators and are not independent. The CEO called this a “misguided narrative” and said that such opinions should not affect the creation of new infrastructure and processes within the industry.

Rigbye argued that organizations seeking funding should instead be measured on the quality, scalability and impact of their services.

The Money Should Prioritize Prevention over Treatment

Speaking of how the money should be used, Rigbye pointed out that it is important that the new levy is able to recognize the difference between research, education and treatment programs. Otherwise, donors may be reluctant to provide funding before the eventual establishment of the new system.

Rigbye also pointed out that this period may see the services provided by organizations reliant on the current system disrupted or discontinued.

CEO Rigbye’s call for more clarity is currently being answered by the UKGC and DCMS, which continue to discuss the future of the white paper measures.

Rigbye also noted that prevention should be prioritized over treatment.

Ygam argues that investment would be better off made upstream, so that less people need those treatment services in the first place.

Jane Rigbye, CEO, Ygam

Ygam is one of the largest gambling research, education and treatment organizations in the United Kingdom and would be one of the key beneficiaries of industry funding if the proposed levy is introduced.

In addition to Ygam representatives, The Gambling White Paper: Implications for Treatment was also attended by many other notable individuals, including politicians and company leaders.

While the Conservative Party did its best to consider the future of the country, statistics show that British bettors do not trust the party to stay in power. According to Betfair bettors, who have previously predicted outcomes such as Liz Truss’ resignation, Rishi Sunak may lose as many as 201 seats or more during the upcoming elections.

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A recent Men’s Health survey on sports betting habits among US male residents has unveiled a significant trend – millennial black men are outpacing their white counterparts in the frequency of sports betting. 

Survey Unveils Complex Dynamics of Ethnicity, Age, and Technology in Sports Gambling

Among the 3,800 American men surveyed, the findings challenge conventional assumptions, shedding light on a complex relationship between ethnicity, age, and technology in the realm of sports gambling.

Of those surveyed, 1,500 admitted to placing at least one sports bet in the past year, a figure that provides a unique perspective on the landscape of sports gambling.

Millennials, known for their comfort with technology, have emerged as the most active participants in sports betting. The convenience of mobile applications and online platforms has driven their engagement, resulting in an increased frequency of betting. Strikingly, millennial Black men have emerged as the frontrunners in this trend, betting more frequently compared to their white counterparts.

It is interesting to note that the LGBTQ+ community is not represented in this survey, however, another recent study showed that such communities are at higher risk of problem gambling.

Technology has undoubtedly played a role in shaping the habits of the modern bettor. A majority of those surveyed, a striking 76%, revealed that they place their bets through mobile applications or computers, and the evolution of app-based wagering has led to an increase in betting frequency for two-thirds of the respondents.

Favored Sports and Sportsbook Operators Unveiled in Survey Results

The survey also sheds light on the favored sports among bettors, with football, basketball, and baseball taking the top spots. An interesting trend emerged in the preference for sportsbook operators, with 61% of respondents favoring DraftKings and 56% choosing FanDuel. Another noteworthy finding is the preference for professional sports over college athletics, with 56% of respondents indicating a preference for the former.

While the sports betting landscape has experienced considerable growth since the overturning of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018, the survey has highlighted that concerns remain. A notable portion of 34% of respondents expressed annoyance at commercials run by sportsbook companies during games, and 38% felt that broadcasters should abstain from making betting references while on air.

The survey reveals a concerning aspect, as 44% struggle to enjoy sports without feeling compelled to bet, while 58% report detrimental effects on their mental health, including stress, anxiety, and depression. Nearly 4 out of 5 individuals admit to experiencing anxiety while betting, reflecting the emotional intensity tied to such activities. Additionally, 43% indicate that sports betting has taken a toll on their physical well-being, contributing to issues like headaches, high blood pressure, and weight gain.

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The appointments include those of Kiran Ranu, who will now serve as the company’s business development manager, and Martin White, who is stepping in as business development director.

Freemarket Strengthens Team of Experts

Both additions have significant experience working in the gaming and gambling industries. Their appointments come shortly after the selection of Annie Osborne, a former Xace chief executive, who joined the company as business development director last week.

White himself has more than 30 years of relevant work experience, with 23 years of working in the payments vertical. He will now move forward with helping Freemarket strengthen its positions in the gaming and gambling industry which are fast becoming important points of interest for Freemarket.

Ranu has worked with TrueLayer, Trustpilot, and AAT, and she has a lot to offer as well, bringing a diverse set of skills that has to do with coaching, leadership, recruitment, account management, and more.

Freemarket VP of sales Richard Harrison has welcomed the additions of Kiran and Martin and said that the duo added to the talent momentum the company has been enjoying recently, pointing out Osborne’s hiring. Harrison added:

Both bring fantastic energy to the business, as well as the drive and tenacity that is very much central to our company. Their experience and network bolster the gambling team and I am very excited to see the huge impact that they will undoubtedly have.

Freemarket VP of sales Richard Harrison

Company Ready to Offer Gaming Sector What It Needs

Meanwhile, both White and Ranu welcomed their appointments. Ranu said that she was confident that she will be able to build the company’s presence in the gambling industry and take it to the next level.

As to White, he is similarly thrilled to be joining the company and bringing his know-how and expertise. He argued that the gambling industry needed cross-border payments and currency exchange solutions that Freemarket is now fully capable of bringing.

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The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee has taken a significant step toward shaping the future of gambling regulations in the country by inviting public reactions to the recently released white paper. In a new call for evidence, the committee seeks to gather insights, opinions, and feedback from various interested parties, including industry representatives, experts, and advocacy groups.

The Committee Posted Three Vital Questions

Recognizing the importance of public participation in shaping gambling regulations, the DCMS select committee has launched a call for evidence, inviting stakeholders to share their views on the gambling white paper. The document proposes significant reforms to modernize the UK’s gambling laws, address emerging challenges, and enhance player protection. Soliciting public input allows the committee to consult multiple perspectives during the final decision-making.

The DCMS call for evidence contained three questions, hoping to receive focused feedback. Its first query asked participants to outline the proposal they most agreed with. The second question has stakeholders share any perceived gaps in the outlined reforms. Finally, the commission asks whether the interested parties believe the government will successfully implement the paper by the summer 2024 deadline.

The resulting data will be instrumental in forming the committee’s recommendations, leveraging shareholders’ significant industry knowledge and expertise. Their collective input will contribute to a well-rounded understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the upcoming legislation, hopefully allowing lawmakers to shore up any potential deficiencies.

The Time for Consultations Is Running Out

Despite the DCMS’ good intentions, its decision to extend the consultation period has drawn significant criticism. In mid-2023, the UK will hold its General Election, meaning that a potential new government may have different views on the country’s gambling laws, significantly delaying the much-needed reforms. Many politicians have urged a swift implementation, as later refinements remain possible.

How long will it take to have more consultations? We are ready to go with this.

Conservative peer Lord Grade of Yarmouth

The need for further consultations seems understandable, given the substantial criticism from various organizations. However, many stakeholders continue to urge for faster progress, noting that each day without proper regulation leaves people without adequate protection from problem gambling. The government must walk a tight line, deciding on priority updates with a narrowing timeframe.

The committee’s willingness to consider a wide range of perspectives ensures that future gambling regulations will reflect the needs and concerns of all interested parties. However, impending elections impose a limited timeframe, likely necessitating compromises. Hopefully, the country’s new government will maintain the focus on gambling reforms, curbing the growing cost of gambling harm.

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In different jurisdictions, gambling regulators monitor gambling activities that can be a lottery, online casinos, sports betting or keno, among others. As regulated gambling activities, they bring tax revenue while a regulator is usually in charge of licensing and monitoring the compliance of the operators to the established framework.

In the UK, for example, anyone can view public data related to licensed operators in the country by visiting the Gambling Commission’s website. Similarly, the gambling regulatory watchdog in Germany, Gemeinsamen Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL), also presents information regarding licensed operators. This public information enables the consumers to determine if an operator holds a license or supplies its services illegally.

Earlier this week, GGL released an update to its white list, adding another prominent gambling operator. In the updated version of the list, the regulator included NetBet, the globally-recognized gaming and entertainment company.

Within the regulated market in Germany, the company operates under the name NetBet Enterprises Limited. Judging by the updated version of GGL’s list, NetBet is permitted to legally offer its services via two different domains. Those domains are vegas.netbet.de, as well as netbet.de, the gambling watchdog explains.

The Company Continues to Expand

In addition to helping users determine if an operator holds a license in Germany, GGL’s white list can also help different providers of media and advertising services. This is because some operators, that do not hold a license in the country can try and engage in advertising services, an action that would be in breach of the existing regulatory framework. Thanks to the list, such companies can ensure they are joining forces only with licensed gambling operators.

The update within GGL’s white list comes after only recently, the Higher Administrative Court of the State of Saxony-Anhalt confirmed that the gambling regulator can enforce penalties over breaches of the regulations from operators. The approval confirms that the GGL can impose penalties for operators that purposefully breach the regulatory framework by using affiliates to advertise their products illegally in the country.

Securing a spot on GGL’s white list in Germany marks an important achievement for NetBet. This is because it helps the company continue to expand its already strong presence on the Old Continent. Only recently, NetBet signed a new deal with G Games for the regulated gambling market in Italy. Although NetBet has established a strong presence in the country already, the new deal will undoubtedly help the operator reach new clients by delivering titles from G Games.

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After much delay and anticipation, the White Paper of the Gambling Act review in the UK was published late last month. The White Paper proposes significant changes to the gambling market in the country, ensuring that its laws are fit for the digital age. Essentially, it calls to build upon the Gambling Act 2005 but seeks to ensure the protection of users and implement strategic guidelines and restrictions for online gambling operators.

Now, in light of the upcoming changes to the market in the UK, researchers suggest that other markets may be impacted as well. Professor Sally Gainsbury of the University of Sydney and director of the Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic explained that the whole world sees that the market in the UK will change.

Similar to the UK, Australia is also seeking to improve its regulations related to gambling. According to the professor, the changes in the UK can have an impact on the future of the gambling market in Australia. Gainsbury did not explain to what extent the changes can impact the Australian market, but further discussion on the topic is expected later this week. It is likely that Australia can implement similar changes to the ones proposed in the UK, yet, it all remains in the hands of lawmakers.

“There are a lot of people around the world watching what happens in the UK. Australian gambling regulation is currently being reviewed and the changes in the UK are likely to impact future Australian gambling reforms.“

Professor Sally Gainsbury

Discussions on the Topic Continue

Recently, Professor Gainsbury along with Assistant Professor Kahlil Philander from Washington State University discussed the topic in a webinar with Tim Miller, UK Gambling Commission’s executive director for research and policy, as well as its director, Ben Haden. At the time, Haden noted: “We are going through a testing phase to move to a new methodology for what we’ll call the Gambling Survey for Great Britain.” According to him, this data will help the country better understand consumer behavior and gambling harm.

Miller added that the White Paper suggests many changes to the regulated gambling market in the country. He explained that while the specific changes seek to match the market in the UK and consider the views of consumers and stakeholders, they may be applied to other jurisdictions as well.

Discussions on the topic are set to continue this Thursday. Gainsbury, Philander, as well as Miller and Haden, are set to speak once again on the topic this week. They will discuss different aspects of the proposed changes within the White Paper and how evidence can help in the process that seeks to overhaul the gambling market.

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After years of waiting, the Gambling Act Review white paper was finally released. After careful evaluation, the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) published its plans for the implementation of the changes outlined in the paper.

The document covers more than 60 areas of work for the UKGC alone and will likely take years to complete. However, the commission believes that it will be able to make quick progress in a number of key areas and has already prepared teams to do that.

According to the regulator, some white paper objectives must be delivered through the License Conditions and Codes of Practice – a list of practices that defines what licensed operators have to do. However, the UKGC will first have to consult these changes with its licensees.

Tim Miller, the commission’s executive director for research and policy, said that the regulator hopes to publish the first set of white paper-related LCCP consultations this summer. He said that pre-consultation talks with stakeholders have started in a number of policy areas.

Importantly, these consultations will be sharply focused on how changes are implemented. Whilst not all, many questions of public policy have been settled by the White Paper itself. Where they have, our consultations will not be an opportunity to reopen those debates.

Tim Miller, exec director for research and policy, UKGC

Miller noted that the UKGC wants to introduce carefully-planned and consulted policy changes instead of rushing them and causing unintended consequences for the British public.

Change Will Take Time

The UKGC will remain focused on delivering the reforms proposed by the white paper. Miller pointed out that the document has trusted the UKGC to deal with illegal gambling and facilitate cross-government collaboration with the regulator. While the commission’s regulatory powers will increase, so will its responsibilities.

Miller said that the scope of the white paper is large and that it will remain the dominant policy initiative of the UKGC for the next few years. The regulator will go through various stages of development, implementation, evaluation and review to make sure that gambling regulations are up to date with the modern age.

The UKGC will hear its stakeholders’ input during each of the stages but noted that it is important to do this in a manageable way.

The scale of change, even with increased resources in future, means there will be very little space for the Commission to consider other policy developments not included in the white paper.

Tim Miller, exec director for research and policy, UKGC

Miller noted that the white paper will not signify immediate change. On the contrary, changes will only come into effect after consultations and legislation changes. He said that his team will do its best to implement the recommendations in the white paper in a timely manner but that will not distract the UKGC team from pursuing compliance with its existing requirements.

Miller concluded that the UKGC will continue to vigilantly ensure that its standards are met and will take action to protect customers when needed.

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