Crown Resorts is set to cut jobs at its Sydney casino, which continues to struggle with low visitation. The casino operator will also reduce its working hours, according to a report by The Sydney Morning Herald.

The NSW news outlet said that the casino operator’s Sydney property does not have enough visitors to justify the 24/7 working hours of the property. The casino, which already shut down one of its gaming floors, will thus reduce its work hours and will close down for eight hours every day.

Under the new schedule, Crown Sydney will close at 2 am and will reopen at 10 am from Monday to Thursday, as well as on Sundays. On Fridays and Saturdays, the casino will close at 4 am instead.

This change will also affect Crown Sydney’s workforce as the operator prepares to part ways with as many as 180 workers. This would mean that the gambling company has cut off a total of 275 since it opened the Barangaroo property in August 2022.

According to a Crown spokesperson, the dismissed workers include many people in frontline gambling-related roles. Some people in casino support and hospitality are also likely to be affected by the layoffs.

Crown Sydney promised to redeploy as many people as it can to its other casinos in the state and promised to provide support to the rest.

Crown’s Business Remains Troubled

Crown Resorts continues to struggle in the aftermath of the regulatory trouble it recently encountered. Multiple violations forced the company to introduce changes to its leadership and implement remediation measures to prevent repeated offenses.

Amidst these hurdles, Crown recently tried to renegotiate its AUD 1 billion tax guarantee with the government of New South Wales. However, Premier Chris Minns said that he believes Crown should either honor its agreement or return the land.

Adding to Crown’s woes, the company narrowly avoided a strike at its Melbourne property. Luckily, the casino operator was able to reach an agreement with its workers.

In the meantime, a former guard is preparing to sue the casino company once again, alleging that Crown and its ex-president James Packer failed to pay him the AUD 260,000 they owed in relation to a previous lawsuit.

One of Crown’s competitors, Star Entertainment, has encountered similar troubles and recently sold its Grand Mirage Resort Gold Coast property.

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The partnership in question has to do with Spinwise, an established operator that runs numerous brands across various jurisdictions. Moving forward, Enteractive will assist Spinwise and help the operator to reactivate and better engage with players and dormant accounts.

Helping Gambling Operators Leverage Their Knowledge

The goal is to boost the player bases for the operator and its brands by tapping into its existing user base. Spinwise.com CEO Peter Kovisars has welcomed the opportunity to team up with Enteractive and seek to reengage players, bringing plenty of worthwhile opportunities for the brand, and players as well.

Kovisars explained that the company and its brand needed a more personalized approach to renew entertainment and maximize performance. “Enteractive will target those audience segments which we’ve seen will respond better to more direct and personal engagement,” the executive explained.

Enteractive chief business officer Andrew Foster was similarly pleased with the development and he said that his company had experience in working with international customer bases, driving success and results for its partner operators. Foster added:

They see the untapped potential of the lapsed player accounts, and Enteractive has the right mix of technology and reactivation agents to make a considerable difference in active player revenues.

Although a fairly new company in this particular sphere, Enteractive has been in the spotlight over the past months, as the company has been able to deliver the desired results industry-wide and for a number of brands. Enteractive’s first forays into reactivation and engagement were with Winnerz, an iGaming brand, with the campaign driving significant results for all parties involved.

Enteractive Brings Decade-Long Reactivation Experience to Gambling

Enteractive has been reactivating and working on retaining player bases for the past 12 years, and it has duly carried over its decade-long expertise into the online gaming sector which has been paying off dividends to various brands. With Spinwise.com the latest to undertake a similar journey, both the company and Enteractive are confident in the long-term success of the partnership.

Previously, Enteractive has teamed up with Coolbet, another prominent and respected brand, to help it grow its footprint in Latin America and drive better engagement and retention with its local audiences in the region.

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France and Belgium’s regulators have signed a new cooperation protocol that will see them share information and coordinate their regulatory activities. The authorities hope that this new alliance will help them promote safer gambling across the two countries.

As outlined in the document, l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) and the Belgian Gambling Commission (BGC) will cooperate on a strategic level. In addition to sharing data, the two bodies will probe the sector together and will compile collaborative reports.

In addition, the two regulators promised to keep each other updated on any regulatory amendments that may happen in the future.

The full collaboration agreement is available on the website of the BGC but, as of the time of this writing, the protocol is only available in French.

The document bears the signatures of Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin and Magali Clavie, chairwomen at the ANJ and BGC respectively. It was signed during the European Gaming Regulators Forum that took place last week.

France and Belgium Seek Further Regulation

The collaboration comes amid intense efforts to regulate gambling in the two markets. France, for example, has serious problems with problem and underage gambling and has been seeking new measures that would solve the issue.

To that end, the ANJ recently prohibited sponsorship campaigns featuring sports celebrities, hoping that this will lead to a decrease in harm. In addition, the ANJ places its licenses’ safer gambling plans under intense scrutiny, rejecting those that are deemed insufficient.

Gambling is very popular in France, bringing billions in revenues and millions in tax money. However, the high problem gambling rates are something that has concerned the ANJ for a long time now.

Just like France, Belgium seeks to limit the negative effects of gambling advertising. Because of that, the country will introduce a ban on advertising that is scheduled to kick off on July 1 and has the support of King Philippe and Justice Minister Vincent van Quickenborne. It will effectively prevent companies from actively advertising their products to the general populace, hopefully leading to a decrease in gambling harm.

The decision to crack down on ads in Belgium comes amid what many called a “tsunami of advertising.” Many customers have complained about being constantly bombarded by gambling ads, which is especially bad for vulnerable people.

Belgium has further plans to remove gambling imagery from sports fields starting in 2025 and banning sports sponsorship deals with gambling companies from 2028.

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Despite the expected significant obstacles, the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ) believes cross-operator deposit limits are vital for a safer market. The regulator’s decision to press on comes in response to growing concerns about the potential harms of excessive gambling. With potential market imbalances threatening players, the DGOJ continues its mission to promote responsible gambling practices.

Rising Challenges Necessitate a More Comprehensive Approach

One of the key objectives of the DGOJ’s recent decision to press on with a cross-operator deposit limit system is to promote responsible gambling practices among online operators. By imposing deposit limits relevant across different platforms, players will be encouraged to spend responsibly and effectively manage their gambling activities. 

Such a measure will introduce a valuable tool for self-control, enabling players to maintain a healthy balance between enjoyment and responsible gambling. DGOJ director general Mikel Arana noted that more than half of multi-operator players who had exceeded the current limits were among the biggest losers.

There is an undeniable relationship between surpassing the limit, doing so in more than one operator… and showing symptoms of a potential gambling problem.

Mikel Arana, DGOJ director general

The regulator’s data suggests a significant disbalance in the Spanish market. Statistics indicate that 1% of active online players contributed more than 40% of GGR. Furthermore, operator revenues between 2017 and 2022 skyrocketed by 75% despite a modest 200,000 increase in active players. A few individuals accounting for most gambling losses raise significant concerns, necessitating the DGOJ’s continued efforts.

The Planned System Faces Significant Challenges

Implementing cross-operator limits will complement the Spanish regulator’s forthcoming reforms. The new Royal Decree on Responsible Gambling Environments marks another milestone development for the country’s gaming market, introducing over 30 changes to existing regulations. These new rules seek to protect Spain’s youth and introduce a personalized approach for at-risk gamblers and new monitoring requirements.

Thanks to effective enforcement, gambling companies in the country will do their best to abide by the new rules. However, introducing a unified system spanning all operators will be no easy feat, posing budgetary, regulatory, and technical challenges. While not an all-encompassing solution, cross-operator limits will complement existing measures and serve as a lynchpin for player protection.

We see the cross-operator deposit limit system as an additional tool. It is intended… to complement (existing) operator limits and, of course, be voluntary for the player.

Mikel Arana, DGOJ director general

Collaboration between regulatory bodies and online operators, technological advancements, and public support will be crucial in successfully implementing the planned measures. As Spain maintains its focus on player protection, introducing cross-operator deposit limits will set a positive precedent for responsible gambling regulation worldwide.

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The measure enjoys bipartisan backing with the Senate and House okaying the passage of Senate Bill 1462 with minimum opposition. Thanks to this document, casinos and the hospitality industry will be able to employ people who have felony convictions, as the state’s strategy to both expand the hiring pool in general and also to ensure that this target group can be integrated safely and reliably back into society.

Minimum Opposition from Members of the House and Senate

Understandably, some members of the public have grumbled against the decision, but lawmakers managed to demonstrate that voting on floors was overwhelmingly in support of the bill. Senate passed the bill with a 44-12 vote in favor in March.

Of course, convicted felons still need to go about securing a job based on the established order. A similar success story was written in the House where a floor vote saw 78 votes in favor against 27 lawmakers opposing the bill altogether.

Applicants would still need to obtain the necessary licenses for one, which are issued by the Illinois Gaming Board. The bill does acquiesce that further controls may be necessary to ensure that everything is in order. Therefore, the regulator has been granted additional powers to review each license as it sees fit.

Essentially, the watchdog will try to determine whether a specific employee could pose a danger to public security or the integrity of the gambling facilities. The bill is now going to most likely to be signed by Gov. JB Pritzker whose office has not commented on the developments. The change in hiring attitude is not necessarily prompted by goodwill among lawmakers, but there are certainly ethical implications as well.

Getting Workers in Casinos Could Be Hard

Convicted felons often find it hard to get back to work, because background checks immediately disqualify them from a range of jobs. New York, another casino state, has recently debated whether it should expand its hiring pool by including convicted felons as well, but no progress has been made over the past months.

In any event, Illinois could serve as a good success story and example of why letting felons to work at casinos may have a meaningful impact on the hiring pool of an industry that is struggling to find enough helping hands while also serving as a strong moral imperative for the country as well.

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Spelinspektionen, Sweden’s gambling regulator, announced that the government has urged it to work together with the Financial Supervisory Authority (Finansinspektionen) to combat illegal gambling. This comes following the introduction of changes to the gambling regulator’s powers.

According to the Swedish government, the Spelinspektionen and the financial authority should work together to control financial transactions related to gambling. Collaboration between the two regulators will help them closely oversee the sector and, for example, block payments to unlicensed companies when needed.

Camilla Rosenberg, director general of the Spelinspektionen, addressed the matter, saying that she sees the government’s proposal as very positive. According to her, partnering with the Financial Supervisory Authority will provide ample opportunities to put the tools available to the Spelinspektionen to use.

The strengthened cooperation with the Financial Supervisory Authority will provide good conditions for all tools to be used efficiently and result-oriented, which we see as very positive.

Camilla Rosenberg, director general, Spelinspektionen

Prior to tasking the Spelinspektionen to working with the Financial Supervisory Authority, the government introduced changes to the regulator’s powers. As noted by the gambling authority, more changes will be introduced within the next six months.

Other Spelinspektionen News

Last month, it was proposed to provide the Spelinspektionen with more funds to combat illegal gambling. Around $230,000 was to be set aside for the watchdog, strengthening its abilities to fight against crime and illegal gambling in Sweden.

The proposal was a part of the spring budget amendment and was based on an agreement between the government and the Sweden Democrats. Back then, the Spelinspektionen welcomed the proposal, saying that this will help it fight money-laundering, match-fixing and other gambling-related crimes.

Meanwhile, the BOS, Sweden’s Trade Association for Online Gambling, approved a separate call for increasing fees for license applications and issuing, saying that the extra funds would help the Spelinspektionen cover its costs for licensing and supervision.

In early April, the Spelinspektionen released an update on its board. As announced by the regulator, its board will continue to field seven members, with the only notable change being that it will now be chaired by Per Håkansson.

The Watchdog Continues to Regulate the Market

In other news, the Spelinspektionen just issued a B2B license to Soft2Bet, allowing it to complement its existing B2C business in the country. A few days prior to that, it also issued B2B licenses to Push Gaming and Pariplay.

Meanwhile, the authority slammed Bet365’s Hillside Hit brand with a $7.7 million fine over various violations. A day earlier, the Spelinspektionen also fined Betfair for accepting illegal bets in the country.

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This comes at a time when the country is preparing to welcome ample changes to the gambling industry. The period has been long and fraught with a White Paper review expected to drop on Thursday, April 27 and change much about how the industry is regulated.

Reaffirming the UKGC’s Commitment to Consumers and Employees

Over the years, there have even been calls to completely overhaul the UK Gambling Commission or, in more extremist views, scrap the regulator in its current form due to its “inefficacy.” The latest distinction therefore is an important boost to the regulator’s reputation which has been busy in the past months, issuing some of the stiffest penalties on record.

The regulator has been praised for a number of reasons, including the watchdog’s approach to hybrid working, making full use of technology, and hosting various events and digital initiatives to bring staff closer together and improve the working environment across the board.

The UK Gambling Commission has also been praised for its massive data-collecting effort and the meaningful and impactful leveraging of that information as part of various internal programs and initiatives. This approach has helped the regulator considerably increase its competency and efficacy.

Much Hard Work Has Gone Into Securing the Distinction

Commenting on these achievements, UKGC chief executive Andrew Rhodes hailed the accolade and commended the hard work of all colleagues at the Commission who have made this possible. Rhodes added:

We pride ourselves on putting people first and doing the right thing by focusing on areas such as personal development. I’m delighted that has led to us being recognized as one of the country’s best places to work over the past 12 months.

UKGC chief executive Andrew Rhodes

Great Place to Work did not pick the UKGC at random. The initiative performed evaluations of hundreds of workplaces, and making the shortlist is indeed a demanding process that expects companies to be on point across a range of factors. The regulator now faces a busy road ahead of it as the reregulation of the UK gambling market is on the cards.

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