Compliance Updates
Spillemyndigheden Launches New Campaign to Remind Under-18s of the Consequences of Gambling
Spillemyndigheden, the Danish Gambling Authority, has launched a nationwide initiative targeting young people under the age of 18 that focuses on the consequences associated with gambling. One of the reasons for this is the need for early intervention, despite the fact that most types of gambling are only allowed for adults over the age of 18.
The vast majority of gambling products are only allowed for adults over the age of 18. However, a study by the Danish Gambling Authority shows that 15% of young people between the ages of 15-17 have gambled online in the past year. In addition, a clear trend in inquiries to the Danish Gambling Authority’s helpline StopSpillet shows that the vast majority of people with gambling problems make their gambling debut before the age of 25.
“Young people under the age of 18 in Denmark find ways to gamble, for example through friends or family or through online gambling sites without a Danish licence. We know that the younger you are when you make your gambling debut, the more likely you are to develop a gaming problem later on. That’s why, for the first time, we’re targeting under-18s directly, and we’re doing it in a new, creative way that turns the whole thing on its head. This is necessary if we are to remind young people of the risks of gambling and, not least, that the house always wins in the long run; gambling is not a way to quick and easy money,” Anders Dorph, director of the Danish Gambling Authority, said.
The focal point of the new effort is a fictional character, “The One-Armed Bandit”, who serves as an analogy for gambling addiction. As part of the effort, follow the character through short videos and posts on YouTube and Instagram and see how he scams and cheats his way into luring young people into gambling. Although the subject matter is serious, the content is characterised by humour and irony, which according to Anders Dorph is a strategic choice to get through to young people.
“The seriousness of gambling addiction must not be downplayed. But that doesn’t mean we should be pointing fingers at the under-18s. We have chosen a new approach in this effort, where we try to open young people’s eyes through humor and irony on their terms, so we arouse their curiosity, get them engaged and relate to gambling without stigmatizing and creating fear,” Anders Dorph said.
In connection with the development of the initiative, Anders Dorph said it has become clear how gambling has become a social activity among young people. This contributes to many young people forgetting the potential consequences that gambling can have.
“Danish young people are reflective and enlightened, and many are aware of how gambling can get out of hand and develop into gambling addiction, leading to loneliness, debt or other personal challenges. But we also know that gambling today is much more of a social activity among young people, who gamble in class, during breaks or at home with friends. In the social space, it can quickly seem harmless to gamble, and that’s exactly why with ‘The One-Armed Bandit’ we want to remind young people of the potential negative consequences,” Anders Dorph said.
“The One-Armed Bandit” is played by David Minerba, who has a large following on social media and is well known in the target audience. Comedian Martin Høgsted has been involved in the production of the content as director. “The One-Armed Bandit” has its own profile on YouTube and Instagram, where it is possible to follow the character, watch the content and interact with it. As part of the larger effort, the Danish Gambling Authority will also activate influencer collaborations to spread the messages.
Recently, the Danish Gambling Authority launched a new website, StyrPåSpillet, which gathers information about gambling and compulsive gambling in one place, where parents can find information and advice on how to engage in a dialogue with their children about gambling.
Compliance Updates
Gaming CEOs Optimistic on Industry Outlook, Report Evolving Industry Challenges
Amidst an evolving economic landscape, gaming executives report a positive outlook on future industry business conditions while remaining satisfied with the current business environment, according to the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Gaming Industry Outlook.
Nearly all gaming executives surveyed characterized the current business environment as good (44%) or satisfactory (50%), mirroring similar sentiment from Q3 2023. Meanwhile, executives are more optimistic about future conditions, with 32 percent of CEOs expecting business conditions to improve over the next six months, up from 20 percent in Q3 2023.
“Gaming’s record-setting growth over the last three years has set a new standard for industry success,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “However, as we enter a period of market normalization, continued investment and innovation in offering world-class, responsible entertainment experiences will be required to maintain industry momentum.”
Gaming Executive Panel
Gaming executives have become more positive in their views that overall balance sheet health will improve over the next 6 months (42% net positive), but they expect the pace of revenue growth (13% net negative) and new hiring (22% net negative) to slow. These expectations for decelerating growth have influenced expectations for increases in capital investment and gaming units in operation, with smaller net positive sentiments than before.
- In contrast to past Outlooks, gaming equipment suppliers are slightly pessimistic about the sale of gaming units for replacement use and new or expansion use (both 13% net negative). However, they remain optimistic about the pace of capital investment (38% net positive).
- Half of operator CEOs expect capital investments in hotels over the next year to be higher than normal, and compared to last fall, more also expect higher than normal levels of capital investment in meetings and conventions and table games (28%). Meanwhile, 44 percent of CEOs expect increases in food and beverage investment, down from 67 percent in Q3 2023.
These expectations are also informed by evolving macroeconomic challenges. Executives report that inflationary or interest rate concerns continue to be a major factor limiting operations (28%), but these have been overtaken by geo-political risk (34%) and uncertainty of the economic environment (34%) as the biggest limiting factors in the most recent Gaming Executive Panel.
Current Conditions Index
The Current Conditions Index of 102.8 for Q1 indicates solid annualized real economic growth in the industry of 2.8%. This includes gaming revenue, employment and employee wages and salaries. Notably, the Current Conditions Index shows gaming expanding faster than the overall U.S. economy which last week reported 1.6 percent GDP growth in Q1 2024.
Future Conditions Index
The Future Conditions Index stands at 102.2, indicating annualized industry economic activity, after controlling for underlying inflation, is expected to moderately increase over the next six months. This outlook reflects Oxford Economics’ forecast that the U.S. economy will slow during 2024 but avoid recession. Despite a projected economic slowdown, consumer survey results continue to indicate that more than one-third of adults expect to visit a casino during the next 12 months, consistent with prior quarter results.
About the Outlook
The AGA Gaming Industry Outlook is prepared biannually by Oxford Economics. It provides a timely measure of recent industry growth and future expectations. The Q1 2024 survey was conducted between March 28 – April 10, 2024. A total of 32 executives responded, including executives at the major international and domestic gaming companies, tribal gaming operators, single-unit casino operators, major gaming equipment suppliers, and major iGaming and/or sports betting operators.
Compliance Updates
Arizona Department of Gaming Releases February Sports Betting Figures
PHOENIX – Bettors in Arizona wagered approximately $637.5 million on sports in February of 2024, according to a new report by the Arizona Department of Gaming. This represents an approximate 4.6% increase when compared to February of 2023.
The state collected approximately $2.8 million in privilege fees in the month. You can view the full February report on the ADG website: LINK.
Arkansas
North Carolina Lawmaker to Introduce Bill to End College Player Prop Bets
North Carolina legislator intends to introduce legislation to ban college player prop bets, according to a staff member.
North Carolina State Representative Marcia Morey, D-Durham, a former Olympic swimmer, will submit a bill by the bill filing deadline on Thursday to ban these bets, Hannah Smith, Administrative Assistant, told Gambling.com on Monday.
The North Carolina Legislature began meeting in Raleigh on April 24 with the session set to end on July 31.
Recently, NCAA President Charlie Baker, a former Massachusetts governor, called upon states to ban college player prop bets, which is short for proposition bets. Baker said these bets, based on an athlete’s individual performance such as the over/under on the number of rebounds the player might record, could undermine the integrity of games and lead to harassment of players.
Former North Carolina Tar Heel star Armando Bacot is among athletes who have expressed concern about harassment. Bacot said he heard from fans angry that he didn’t get enough rebounds in an NCAA tournament game against Michigan State – a game the Tar Heels won.
College Prop Bets Allowed in Some States
Some states already ban these bets, while others including Louisiana, intend to impose a ban this summer before the college and pro football seasons begin.
In other states, the proposed ban has met with resistance.
During a recent interview on The Edge, Arkansas casino executive Carlton Saffa told Gambling.com a ban would drive bettors to unregulated offshore sportsbooks or illegal bookies. He said a better solution is to keep those bets legal in regulated markets where irregularities can be spotted.
“Sunshine is the best disinfectant,” Saffa, the Chief Marketing Officer for the Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, said.
College player prop bets remain legal in Arkansas.
In North Carolina, where statewide mobile sports betting became legal in March, State Representative Jason Saine, R-Lincoln, said in a story on the WNCN-TV website that a college player prop ban is ‘a solution in search of a problem’. If athletes are being harassed, he said, campus police should crack down on those making the threats and make an example of them. A ban won’t stop the problem, Saine said.
“If we ended (player prop bets) tomorrow, this kind of behavior would still continue with fanatical people,” Saine said. “Follow rules of society, you don’t threaten anybody, or you shouldn’t be. And, that’s kind of my take on it. I don’t think we need a whole new set of rules to pursue something like that.”
Morey, the lawmaker proposing the ban, said people are ‘forgetting about the individuals who are actually playing the game and having the pressure on them’.
“Let’s give them a break,” she said.
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