Compliance Updates
NCPG Applauds Blumenthal and Salinas for Introducing Groundbreaking GRIT Act to Address Gambling Addiction
A significant milestone in the fight against gambling addiction, as U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas of Oregon introduced the Gambling addiction Recovery, Investment, and Treatment (GRIT) Act. This groundbreaking legislation addresses a critical gap in our nation’s approach to addiction by establishing the first-ever federal funding stream dedicated to preventing, treating, and researching gambling addiction in the US.
Gambling addiction is a significant public health concern, affecting approximately 7 million American adults, and resulting in severe social and economic consequences. The annual social cost of problem gambling is estimated at $7 billion, reflecting gambling-related criminal justice and healthcare spending as well as job loss and bankruptcy. NCPG research indicates that the risk for gambling addiction rose by 30 percent between 2018 and 2021 alone, yet there are currently no federal funds dedicated to gambling addiction treatment or research. This gap underscores the pressing need for comprehensive measures to address and mitigate the impact of gambling addiction.
Susan Sheridan Tucker, President of the NCPG Board of Directors, said: “The GRIT Act reflects a pivotal step towards long-overdue support for those grappling with gambling addiction. We commend Senator Blumenthal and Representative Salinas for their dedication to addressing the burgeoning public health crisis of gambling addiction. The National Council on Problem Gambling stands in full support of this legislation, recognizing its potential to make a lasting difference in the lives of individuals and families across the nation.”
Key provisions of the GRIT Act include:
• Allocating 50% of the current federal sports excise tax revenue for gambling addiction treatment and research administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Health and Human Services distribution of 75% to states for prevention and treatment through the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant program and direct the remaining 25% to the National Institute of Drug Abuse for research grants into gambling addiction.
• Authorizing spending for 10 years and mandating a report to Congress on the program’s effectiveness within three years of passage.
The impact of the GRIT Act provides direct and vital support to state health agencies and nonprofits addressing gambling problems. It also creates investment in best practices and comprehensive research at the national level.
Importantly, the GRIT Act does not raise taxes or create additional bureaucracy. It leverages existing federal excise tax revenue and operates within the existing Health and Human Services framework.
Keith Whyte, Executive Director of the NCPG, said: “The introduction of the GRIT Act is a testament to our shared commitment to mitigating gambling-related harm and addressing the challenges of gambling addiction. This landmark legislation sets the stage to significantly bolster gambling addiction prevention, research, and treatment resources and make a positive lasting impact on individuals and communities nationwide.”
Compliance Updates
574 Slot Machines, Bingo Halls and Online Betting Modules were Destroyed by Coljuegos
The Illegal Operations Control Department destroyed 574 gambling items that had been seized because they were operating without authorization in departments such as Cundinamarca, Atlántico, Valle del Cauca, among others, and which stopped transferring around $63.545 million to the health system.
“The destroyed items were valued at around $169 million and belonged to criminal structures that were dedicated to operating games of chance and luck without authorization and without paying the respective monopoly rents,” said Marco Emilio Hincapié, president of Coljuegos.
Among the destroyed items were electronic slot machines, bingo chairs, roulette wheels, poker tables, Keno and online betting modules, each of them composed of computers, CPUs, televisions, ticket machines, among others.
“In total, we have completed 7,934 destroyed items, valued at more than $1.5 billion. Due to these illegal activities, the health system has lost more than $200 billion in recent years, resources that would have allowed us to serve more Colombians under the subsidized regime,” said the president of the entity.
Hincapié also said that in the coming days, Coljuegos will continue destroying another 117 electronic slot machines, 350 bingo elements (chairs, tables and boards), 8 poker tables and 252 sports betting modules.
“Never before has an administration attacked illegality in the industry so strongly. We are doing this at the behest of our president Gustavo Petro, who has always asked us to fight corruption and to decisively strike the mafias that operate unauthorized games in various regions of the country,” said Hincapié.
It is worth mentioning that illegal gambling organizations in Colombia are failing to pay the State around $1.5 billion annually for exploitation rights, resources that could be allocated to the health of low-income citizens.
Compliance Updates
GAMING POLICY ADVISORY COMMITTEE – NOTIFICATION OF SEATS WITH TERMS EXPIRING DECEMBER 31, 2024
The Gaming Policy Advisory Committee (GPAC) is a ten-member committee established pursuant to Business and Professions Code section 19817 to provide advisory recommendations to the California Gambling Control Commission (Commission). Its membership, as appointed by the Commission, includes equal part appointments from the public as well as the cardroom industry.
The GPAC has the following five highlighted seats that have a term limit ending on December 31, 2024.
PUBLIC REPRESENTATIVES:
Category A: An employee from the Bureau of Gambling Control (BGC), Department of Justice (1 seat)
Category B: A representative from an agency or nonprofit concerned with problem gambling and/or gambling addiction (1 seat)
Category F: A representative affiliated with local law enforcement from a local government where an approved ordinance allows legalized gaming (1 seat)
Category G: A professional with an accounting or business background and not currently affiliated with a California legalized gambling entity (1 seat)
Category H: A general member-at-large not currently affiliated with any California legalized gambling entity (1 seat)
INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES:
Category C: A licensee, agent, or employee from a Third-Party Provider of Proposition Player Services (1 seat)
Category D: A licensee, agent, or employee from an actively licensed cardroom with 25 tables or more in operation (2 seats; 1 seat vacant ¹)
Category E: A licensee, agent, or employee from an actively licensed cardroom with less than 25 tables in operation (2 seats; 1 seat vacant)
The Commission is currently accepting applications through November 1, 2024, from all eligible applicants for the GPAC seats in the following categories: C, D1, E1, G¹ and H.
The GPAC Application and Selection Process can be found on the Commission’s website at www.cgcc.ca.gov. Applications should be submitted electronically to [email protected]. Interviews will be scheduled shortly after the application deadline (mid-November).
GPAC’s mission is:
The Commission is currently accepting applications through November 1, 2024, from all eligible applicants for the GPAC seats in the following categories: C, D1, E1, G¹ and H.
The GPAC Application and Selection Process can be found on the Commission’s website at www.cgcc.ca.gov. Applications should be submitted electronically to [email protected]. Interviews will be scheduled shortly after the application deadline (mid-November).
GPAC’s mission is:
“Provide advisory recommendations to the California Gambling Control Commission concerning matters of controlled gaming regulatory policy and other relevant gambling related issues, with special attention to guaranteeing the integrity of gambling operations and to deal effectively with problem gambling.”
The GPAC currently meets every eight weeks. GPAC meetings will be held via Zoom through the end of 2025 whereupon meetings will have to be a combination of in person and via Zoom. Audio recordings of previous meetings can be found on the Commission’s website.
The GPAC is an asset when addressing matters of importance for the cardroom industry. GET INVOLVED, whether through attending the GPAC’s public meetings, submitting an application for consideration of appointment to the GPAC, or by simply sending in comments for the GPAC’s consideration and discussion via the email address below.
“Provide advisory recommendations to the California Gambling Control Commission concerning matters of controlled gaming regulatory policy and other relevant gambling related issues, with special attention to guaranteeing the integrity of gambling operations and to deal effectively with problem gambling.”
The GPAC currently meets every eight weeks. GPAC meetings will be held via Zoom through the end of 2025 whereupon meetings will have to be a combination of in person and via Zoom. Audio recordings of previous meetings can be found on the Commission’s website.
The GPAC is an asset when addressing matters of importance for the cardroom industry.
Compliance Updates
GiG grows regulated market footprint with new B2B supplier authorisation for Peru
Gaming Innovation Group (GiG) has been awarded an authorisation and registration (homologation) for Peru, officially allowing it to partner with operators based in the newly regulated Latin American market, as GiG continues to grow its regulated market presence with over 29 complex regulated markets now available globally, on its revolutionary iGaming technology.
The accreditation process, which opened its doors earlier this year, marks an early entry for GiG that will allow it to serve a market expected to grow post regulation by up to 104%, up from €194m to €397m, in gross gaming revenue (GGR) over the next three years, according to H2 Gambling Data.
This new authorisation from the Peruvian authority, granted to GiG by Ministerio de Comercio Exterior y Turismo de Perú (MINCETUR) , and covers its award winning PAM, as GiG continues a long-standing commitment to regulated market expansion, reaffirming’s its position as a global leader for growth in highly regulated markets.
GiG’s Peruvian presence gained prominence with the announcement of the launch of Betsson Group’s Inkabet brand, in July, expanding on the successful partnership between the two, in regulated markets around the world.
GiG is continuing to expand its presence in global regulated markets, and across Latin America, with its innovative iGaming platform, as its powerful, secure, and scalable platform offers operators significant opportunities for exponential revenue growth, with a suite of dynamic localisation features. Peruvian operators will benefit from GiG’s integration with leading content and payment providers, with advanced AI tools, DataX and LogicX, enhancing decision-making and rule-building processes. This balance of cutting-edge tools and best-in-class features have proven highly effective in increasing player acquisition and retention, highlighting GiG’s competitive edge in complex regulatory environments like Peru.
Claudio Caruana, General Counsel for GiG says; “The addition of the Peruvian authorisation to our ever expanding list of supported regulated markets continues to demonstrate the focus we at GiG have placed on legislation, providing the framework essential for sustainable and prosperous growth within the online igaming industry. We are delighted to be fully prepared to power new and potential partners with our award winning technology in the area.”
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