Britain’s Betting and Gaming Council said that it would welcome a mandatory levy to fund gambling research, education and treatment (RET) services if it is independent and tiered to protect land-based companies.

The mandatory levy is a measure proposed ahead of the release of the white paper which will revolutionize British gambling law. It would force operators to provide 1% of their proceeds as funding for RET services, helping to keep problem gambling rates low.

For the past two decades, RET services in the UK have been dependent on voluntary donations. BGC’s four largest members, for example, have been providing millions in RET contributions for the last few years.

However, some believe that enforcing a mandatory levy would be a preferable alternative. The proposed levy has become the subject of various debates and controversies with some claiming it would cause more harm than good.

The Government Must Protect Land-Based Businesses

The BGC would accept a mandatory levy if the new system would ensure mandatory contributions and continued independence of funding allocation. In addition, the commission said that land-based companies, who have inherently higher expenses, should pay less than their online counterparts.

The BGC disagrees with the proposed blanked 1% fee on all members because of the differences between the businesses within the gambling industry. A recent industry analysis, the commission pointed out, shows that a new blanket 1% statutory levy to land-based operators would be the equivalent of a 10-15% hit on post-tax profits because of the fixed costs which do not apply to iGaming companies.

The BGC’s chief executive, Michael Dugher, voiced his thoughts on the matter:

We want to see continued sustainable funding for RET provided it recognizes the fact land-based operators are under greater cost pressures, so there has to be appropriate mitigation, and that funds continue to be distributed effectively and genuinely independently.

Michael Dugher, CEO, BGC

Dugher added that the union’s largest members already voluntarily pay 1% to fund RET services. These companies, he said, want to be sure that their money would be used to fund independent evidence-led research.

Dugher noted that it is imperative to maintain gambling harm rates low and make sure that people with gambling disorders can receive the help they need. He noted that there is “some brilliant treatment” available in the third sector and noted that the government should make sure not to put that provision at risk.

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

Michael Dugher, CEO, BGC

The CEO also emphasized that the government should be careful not to jeopardize the jobs of people within the industry when introducing a new tax.

The BGC concluded that it supports the gambling white paper and considers it an opportunity to raise standards and deliver jobs and growth. However, the union is firm that change should be handled responsibly and in a way that will not amplify harm by channeling people toward the dangerous black market.

This is going to be the second time Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira meet inside the UFC Octagon, while they’ve also fought twice in a kickboxing match. Pereira is 3-0 against Adesanya, but online sportsbooks expect The Nigerian Nightmare to get his revenge this Saturday.

Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya 2 Odds

*Odds taken from BetUS on Monday, April 3, 2023.

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: Miami-Dade Arena in Miami, Florida
• Date: Saturday, April 8, 2023
• Time: ~10:00 PM ET
• How to Watch: PPV

Israel Adesanya Plotting Revenge

Adesanya is 23-2 in his professional MMA career, with one of those losses happening in the UFC Light Heavyweight division (vs. Jan Blachowicz). In his natural division (Middleweight), he’s got only one loss, which happened in his most recent fight – Alex Pereira beat him by TKO in November 2022.

The loss in question happened in the second minute of the fifth round. Before that, Adesanya was on-pair with his opponent. That said, he really should feel bad about not surviving the whole five rounds. The loss meant that he ended up losing his championship belt, which used to be in his possession for three years.

Adesanya’s TKO loss to Pereira was his third loss to the Brazilian. He lost to Pereira twice in kickboxing bouts. One of those losses was a KO loss – it happened in 2017 in Adesanya’s last kickboxing match.

Alex Pereira is Adesanya’s Kryptonite

Adesanya is one of the best strikers in the UFC, but Pereira might be even better. The Brazilian is a former kickboxing champion in Glory and other promotions. Since transitioning to MMA, he’s 7-1 with six wins by KO/TKO.

This guy lands 5.23 significant strikes per minute, some of which are incredibly powerful. He’s competing in the UFC Middleweight division, but he’s got the power of a light heavyweight fighter. In fact, during his kickboxing days (until 2021), he fought many fights in the light heavyweight division.

Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira 2 Prediction

Israel Adesanya is one of the best fighters in the history of the UFC Middleweight division, and if he’s going to challenge for the GOAT status, he needs to beat his archnemesis, Alex Pereira. It won’t be easy, but we think he’s going to pull it off, using his good-old strategy of out-striking the opponent and winning by decision.

Each of his last three wins happened this way, and he was very close to beating Pereira by a decision last November. He wasn’t lucky that evening, but this time, we think his plan will come true.

Pick: Israel Adesanya to win by decision

The premier management advisory firm that has significant experience within the global gaming vertical, SCCG Management, announced a new strategic partnership with the professional American football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Cincinnati Bengals. The duo confirmed last week that they joined forces for a new market access support deal.

Per the new collaboration, SCCG Management and its CEO, Stephen A. Crystal are going to help the team join forces with a second “skin,” a branded mobile sports betting partner. The new skin is expected to bring benefits for the Bengals fans and further expand their presence within the betting vertical. At the same time, the new collaboration is expected to deliver engaging experiences for Bengals’ fans.

Ultimately, the new deal will see the team’s management collaborate with SCCG Management to join forces with an organization that will help expand its fan base and reach. That process was described by the company’s CEO as “positive interactive engagement.”

The Deal Builds upon the Success of Other Collaborations

The recent tie-up comes as no surprise, considering that SCCG Management helped the Bengals with its deal with Betfred USA Sports. That collaboration, dating back to July 2022, designated Betfred as the official sports betting partner of the Cincinnati Bengals. Building upon the success of that collaboration, now, SCCG will provide further strategic guidance and help the Bengals find a second sports betting partner.

Besides the deal between the Bengals and Betfred, SCCG played an important part in other collaborations. The company helped facilitate multiple successful sports sponsorship deals with teams including the Colorado Rockies, Iowa Cubs, Denver Broncos and the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Additionally, SCCG contributed toward a deal with America Ultimately Disc League and a consultation agreement with Major Arena Soccer League.

“We couldn’t have found a better partner than the Cincinnati Bengals to showcase the growth of our sports marketing division.“

Stephen A. Crystal, CEO and founder of SCCG Management

Sharing his excitement about the new deal, Crystal pointed out that the collaboration with the Bengals reaffirms the potential and growth of the company’s sports marketing division. “The Bengals team have a vision for their organization that is positive, and growth-focused – we are honored to have been asked to be a part of it again,” he explained in conclusion.

Light & Wonder, a leading provider of gambling products and services, has announced a new distribution agreement with ReelPlay, a producer of digital gaming content. As per the arrangement, the latter company will, for the first time, supply the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) with games.

Light & Wonder revealed that ReelPlay’s international hit Hypernova Megaways will be the first game to make it into the Lottery Corporation’s content portfolio. Under the terms of the agreement, more games will be added in the future.

HYPERNOVA MEGAWAYS continues to engage iGaming enthusiasts, years after its release. The title was debuted in 2018 and followed by other famous games such as Big Buck Bandit Megaways and Atlantis Megaways.

In addition, ReelPlay’s Infinity Reels series is now available with multiple operators around the world. Some of the company’s latest releases include Festival 10K WAYS and Big Bucks Buffalo GigaBlox.

The integration of ReelPlay’s titles into the BCLC shows Light & Wonder’s commitment to supporting independent studios.

Light & Wonder Trusts ReelPlay and Its Games

Representatives from the two companies commented on the newly-minted agreement. ReelPlay’s chief executive officer, David Johnson, noted that Hypernova Megaways is one of his company’s best slots and a top performer in North America. Johnson said that he is happy to expand his company’s reach and provide its games to yet another partner.

Proudly first to market with innovative and inspirational concepts, ReelPlay is very excited to see the game arrive in another regulated market via our partners at Light & Wonder and expect the tri-party relationship to really flourish after this debut release.

David Johnson, CEO, ReelPlay

Meanwhile, Steve Mayes, Light & Wonder’s digital partnerships director, noted that his team has been working with ReelPlay for many years. As a result, Light & Wonder trusts in the quality of the studio’s titles and “fully expects” the extended distribution into the BCLC to be a success for all parties.

Light & Wonder’s OpenGaming platform currently delivers more than 3,500 games from a global network of proprietary and partnering studios. The solution offers easy and seamless integrations that are reliable and efficient. Furthermore, all games available through OpenGaming are armed with an extensive range of safer gambling tools.

In other news, a few weeks ago, Light & Wonder teased the possibility of following up on its NASDAQ listing with a secondary listing in Australia.

Many people believe in succeeding with the help of good luck. Some engage in good luck rituals, others make a wish when a clock shows the same number three or four times. But then there are some that believe that good luck can be lost and they need to hold on to it.

This is precisely the case of a young woman that was recently recorded playing a slot machine and refusing to leave even for a bathroom break. Yes, that’s right, a woman actually refused to leave her seat at a slot machine to even go to the bathroom. And she peed on the floor of the casino instead.

The new viral video shows a young woman playing a slot machine and peeing in her seat. There’s a puddle on the floor and sadly, she doesn’t mind and continues to gamble as if nothing happened. But why would anyone do this someone might wonder? Well, there’s a myth surrounding slots and particularly winning streaks and luck.

Many gamblers believe that once they start playing a slot, they must continue until they win. Although that sounds like at-risk gambling or even gambling addiction, apparently such activity isn’t anything new. Gamblers would sit and play slots sometimes for hours and not even go on a bathroom break. It’s no surprise that this would continue until the person has no money left, or, in some cases wins.

If anyone leaves their slot machine, then another person would swoop in and hit the big win, dedicated gamblers say. This is a prime reason why people would spend hours and refuse to leave their slot machines even for a bathroom or a snack break.

Slots Veterans Would Rather Use Diapers

The video that hit Instagram last week doesn’t confirm the name of the venue or the identity of the player. However, that apparently isn’t important, as peeing on the casino floor isn’t that uncommon. Seasoned gamblers come prepared for such situations by using diapers.

Comments on social media under the newly released video confirm that using diapers to keep your spot on a slot machine is a thing. What’s more worrying, some online users explained that many people would even die on the casino floor and not leave the slot machine they are sitting at. One online user noted that people fail to take their medication or do not engage in other medical treatments to keep their slot. “They find people dead at slot machines all the time,” wrote that online user.

In Nevada, a person caught urinating or defecating in public can be subject to a fine or prison. Such activities are typically labeled as a misdemeanor and can be subject to a fine of up to $2,000 or even imprisonment.

Daily Mail and Daily Express reported that the UK Government is planning to introduce a new levy on gambling companies to fund treatment programs for those addicted to gambling, with the proceeds being directed toward the National Health Service (NHS). 

Proposed New Levy to Prevent Firms from Exploiting Loopholes in Gambling Contributions

The proposed new levy is designed to create a standardized payment to prevent firms from exploiting loopholes to avoid making sufficient contributions. The Gambling Commission will be responsible for launching a consultation to decide how the levy should be tailored to different firms’ profits and revenues. This move comes following a record GBP19.2 million ($23.6 million) fine that was recently imposed on William Hill by the industry watchdog for failing to prevent customers from accruing unpayable debts. 

The NHS will not accept voluntary donations from gambling firms because it considers them a conflict of interest. The UK Government is expected to publish a gambling white paper soon, the most comprehensive review of betting laws in over 15 years, with the aim of ensuring that current regulations are fit for the digital age. 

The government wants to allow people the freedom to gamble responsibly while preventing harmful and addictive gambling, and it believes that a new levy will be a vital tool in achieving this aim. The levy will create long-term, reliable funding for treatment services, as many researchers do not accept voluntary funding from the gambling industry due to concerns over the independence of the research. 

Betting and Gaming Council Defends Gambling Industry Amidst Proposed Levy

The proposed levy could face opposition from some quarters, however. Reports suggest that Rishi Sunak, the current UK Prime Minister and former Chancellor, was previously against the idea of a levy. The suggestion is that he saw it as a new “nanny state” tax on business, and was concerned that it would harm the racing industry, given the existence of the Catterick racecourse in his constituency. There are also questions about whether the National Lottery will have to make similar contributions. 

The Betting and Gaming Council, which represents gambling firms, has said that the majority of people who gamble do so safely and responsibly and that the rate of problem gambling is very low, at just 0.2% of adults. The industry has committed to investing GBP100 million ($123 million) to tackle gambling-related harm, as well as making donations of GBP110 million ($135.4 million).