Gaming Intelligence – The publication Wednesday of a set of measures designed to tackle the issue of problem gambling, focused on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs), has been met with criticism from both the industry and the machines’ biggest critics, the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, which said that the government has missed its “single biggest opportunity” to make a real impact on tackling the issue. Following a policy review, the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) yesterday set out a series of measures to curb irresponsible gambling. These include requiring players that want to stake over £50 to either pay…

Online and social games development company Quickspin enters the UK retail market after agreeing a deal with betting operator Gala Coral. The agreement will see Quickspin distribute games through 1,800 Coral retail outlets across the UK. Players will be able to access games via HD Infinity gaming machines in Coral retail outlets, as well as via the bookmaker’s online and mobile channels. The first game is already in the process of being adapted for the UK retail market and is expected to go live during the fourth quarter of 2014. “With our mobile games going live in the next few…

The British government has announced that local councils are to be given more powers to decide whether more UK betting shops should open in their individual constituencies. UK public-service broadcaster the BBC said the new measures would enable councils to refuse planning application if they are concerned about the number of shops in their local area. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport explained that local authorities are becoming increasingly concerned about the “clustering” of betting shops in some areas and the new measures would help to counter the situation. However, bookmakers have previously said that the number of shops…

Mail Online – The bingo industry is hoping for a multi-million pound windfall this week as George Osborne looks likely to cut its tax rate to bring it into line with other gambling. Bingo, traditionally seen as a ‘soft’ type of gambling compared with casinos or gaming machines, is taxed at 20 per cent, unlike the 15 per cent rate levied on other gambling, including sports betting. But with the arrival at the end of the year of a tax for offshore-based online gambling, which is likely also to be at 15 per cent, Osborne is expected to correct the…

iGaming Business – Financial services providers Mastercard, Visa and PayPal have reached a voluntary agreement with the Gambling Commission to block payment transactions with unlicensed gambling websites when new laws come into force in the UK. Speaking in the House of Lords, Baroness Jolly confirmed the three providers had made the agreement with the regulatory body despite members of the House rejecting an amendment to the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Bill. As reported by iGaming Business, the House of Lords voted 171 for and 185 against an amendment that would have allowed the Gambling Commission to block financial transactions between…

iGaming Business – UK Culture Secretary Maria Miller has called for gamblers to be given more protection despite the introduction of a new spending limit code of conduct, according to UK public-service broadcaster the BBC. As reported by iGaming Business, the new voluntary code was developed by the Association of British Bookmakers and introduced on February 28. The code allows punters to set limits on the amount of time and money they spend on fixed odds betting terminals. Miller has proposed that the new code becomes compulsory and the rules should be toughened up to include forced spending and time…