News
Gambling Advertisements Come Under Fire in the United Kingdom
A lot has been developing with the UK gambling industry as of late, including the banning of credit cards for deposits and new guidelines that operators must adhere to from the Gambling Commission. Yet, something else has fallen under the scope of the government – sports betting advertisements. In fact, MPs are looking to bring a total ban of such into effect, with a proposal that is similar to the one proposed back in 2005.
However, some have questioned whether this will actually become a law, due to the fact that the gambling industry in the UK brings in around £11 billion every year. Much of that can be attributed to sports betting options as well, so even if a ban does come into effect, the likelihood is that it won’t be a complete one.
Yet, it is being requested as a potential course of action due to research that has been undertaken by MPs regarding the detrimental effects of gambling on people within the UK over the years. Advertisements can only enhance those effects according to these parliamentary members, so something needs to change. There are many recommended bookmakers in UK that already have a large following of bettors, so one would automatically question why advertisements are really necessary for them anyway. And the likelihood is that sports aren’t particularly going anywhere, so as long as they remain, sports betting likely will do, too.
Advertisements Cause More Harm Than Good
The issue isn’t specifically surrounding the advertisements themselves though, but the fact that they could have a serious negative effect on those people who are trying to distance themselves from the industry. So, those who have had problems with addiction before and, to some degree, minors who may be enticed by the possibility of sports and the potential to win money.
The MPs who are looking to bring in the ban on such advertisements belong to the Gambling Related Harm All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG). In total, there are 50 members of this party, and having looked into research on how harmful gambling advertisements are to UK gamblers, they have collectively brought forward their argument for banning them.
A similar ban was introduced in Spain recently, which also has a legal sports betting industry. Yet, it wasn’t a total ban there. The ads are only allowed to be aired between the hours of 1am and 5am, and to coincide with that, all teams playing within La Liga cannot display sportsbooks on their kits during games.
The proposal brought forward by the APPG though isn’t about to shy away from requesting a total ban on betting advertisements in the UK. This relates to ads aired on television and displayed on computers. Not only that, but the proposal asks for businesses creating such advertisements to stop using algorithms that allow them to locate their target audience of high roller players. This means that they can’t offer promotions to them through email communication in a bid to get them to gamble even more.
Finally, the APPG is looking for a maximum bet limit of £2 to be imposed on gaming machines, in a style similar to that undertaken on fixed odds betting machines. Whether or not these will be passed through into law remains to be seen.
Already Media, the tech-driven affiliate and media company, has opened its new headquarters in the Polish capital of Warsaw.
The office will initially house more than 20 members of Already Media’s 250-strong global team, with a focus on C-suite positions including CEO, COO, CLO, CFO, as well as senior SEO department heads.
Officially opening on July 1, the office provides a base for the company as it continues to pursue a primarily remote-work strategy, hiring on-the-ground talent worldwide, particularly in the emerging markets it focuses on.
Alina Famenok, CEO of Already Media, said: “It’s a proud moment to open our new headquarters in Warsaw. We’re excited to tap into the city’s thriving tech and start-up scene, as well as adding to our team from the huge amount of local talent here. Already Media has expanded rapidly over the last couple of years, and this HQ positions us well to continue what has been a remarkable journey so far.”
Members of the Already Media team – whether they work remotely or are based in Warsaw – enjoy a wide-range of benefits, with a focus on professional growth, health and work-life balance.
The approach has helped the company build a unique culture which contributes significantly to maintaining its edge when it comes to innovation.
It has been a busy few months for Already Media. In March, it acquired iconic affiliate asset PokerListings. In the months since, PokerListings has already significantly ramped up its video content output and launched into additional markets.
SiGMA East Europe will hold its third event for the Balkan-Slavic markets in Hungary this September. Powered by Soft2Bet and taking place at the Hungaro Expo in Budapest from the 2nd to 6th of September, the event is expected to attract a 9,000-strong crowd to the expo’s Pavilion E arena.
The event will also be held back-to-back with Affiliate World, which takes place on the 5th and 6th of September in Budapest – making SiGMA East Europe a must attend for operators.
This unique partnership promises an unrivalled networking environment, offering operators the chance to connect with top tier affiliates from a diversity of sectors. With an estimated 5,000 new affiliates expected to participate, this collaboration is set to elevate opportunities for operators and suppliers alike, while also bringing many of the world’s top affiliates closer to the iGaming community. Affiliate World also took place alongside the SiGMA Eurasia event, held in Dubai earlier this year.
Affiliate Announcements
Stase Blitz: ‘For PIN-UP Partners, iGB L!VE is a trove of opportunities and sets the tone for the rest of the year’
PIN-UP Partners will be attending iGB LIVE 2024 with a mission to be at the vanguard of the affiliate sector and a pledge to set new trends as the industry prepares to bid farewell to Amsterdam ahead of iGB L!VE’s relocation to London in July 2025.
PIN-UP Partners will be using its iGB L!VE presence to build new partnerships and find affiliates as CMO Stase Blitz confirmed: “For PIN-UP Partners, iGB L!VE is a trove of opportunities, as the event brings together the best and the brightest of the iGaming industry. Every year, iGB L!VE delivers for the business, and our team leaves the event with hundreds of new contacts that have the potential to really propel our business forward.”
Looking ahead to what she believes the industry will experience at the show she noted: “We can expect to be part of what will be the biggest edition of iGB L!VE there has ever been which would be the best possible way to say a big thanks to Amsterdam in advance of the move to London in 2025.
“Like everyone in our field we are always looking to identify new affiliates and iGB L!VE provides us with the perfect platform to do exactly that. For our part we will be using our presence on booth 11-D50 to launch amazing terms for our offers alongside some catwalk-worthy merch!”
She added: “One of our goals is to build a strong community: harnessing the power of people who are the greatest influence on any industry – but in particular ours! At iGB L!VE we are planning to host a grand event where we can gather our friends and partners for networking and so much more, so don’t forget to stop by our booth!
“The PIN-UP Partners team is delighted to be a part of the iGaming industry’s greatest event.”
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