CasinoBeats is breaking down the numbers behind some of the industry’s biggest stories. Our latest headline reflection includes self-exclusion statistics from the UK and Australia, as well as updates on gambling harm prevention in New Zealand and Ohio’s potential igaming regulation.
500,000
GAMSTOP announced that over 500,000 people have registered for its self-exclusion service since its inception in 2018.
According to GAMSTOP, over 440,000 people are currently excluded, with approximately one in two opting for the longest time frame possible.
April 2024 had the highest volume of monthly registrations since the service’s launch with 8,686 new registered users.
The average age of those registering for self-exclusion is reportedly decreasing, with one in two who registered for the service being aged 16-35.
There was also a 12% year-on-year increase in the number of registered 16-24-year-olds.
Fiona Palmer, CEO of GAMSTOP, commented: “We have come a very long way since our launch in April 2018 and GAMSTOP is now widely recognised as an important tool to help vulnerable consumers take a break from their gambling.
“We are proud to have been able to help hundreds of thousands of people to take back control of their lives through self-exclusion and we hope to help many more in the years to come.”
8
Ohio state Senator Niraj Antani is hoping to cement the Buckeye State as the eighth US state to legalise online casino gaming.
Issued on 4 September, Antani introduced a 146-page bill with the sole purpose of legalising igaming in the state. The bill would create a regulatory framework for online casinos to be maintained by the Ohio Casino Control Commission.
Under the terms of the bill, the 11 casinos and racinos currently active in Ohio would each gain permission to offer one online casino offering.
The bill underlined the remit of the Commission with the OCCC to be made responsible for monitoring and overseeing the introduction of each online casino offering, while approving games set to be offered on every platform.
6.8%
Veikkaus Oy reported a year-over-year dip in gross gaming revenue and operating profit during the first half of 2024, with Veikkaus Group’s actual sales revenue dropping by 6.8% YoY to €483.8m.
Operating profit also dipped, falling by 20.4% to €246.9m while profit slid by 19.1% to €252.3m.
The profit decline occurred due to major investments in the group’s future and the increase in lottery tax on gross gaming revenue, which rose by seven percentage points to 12%, resulting in the company paying €57.6m in lottery tax to the state, €31.7m more than H1 2023.
Veikkaus Oy noted that GGR fell by 7% in H1 in comparison to the same period the previous year to €482.8m.
However, the state-owned operator did note that the number of customers has increased by around 15,000 during H1 to 2.54 million registered customers, while the share of the digital channels out of the GGR rose by 6.6 percentage points to 60.5%.
28,000
The Australian Communications and Media Authority announced that more than 28,000 people have registered for its national online self-exclusion service BetStop since it launched in August 2023.
According to the authority, of that figure, almost half were aged 30 and under, while around 80% were aged 40 and under.
In addition, approximately 40% have decided to self-exclude for life, less than 20% chose the minimum period of three months and over 14% have already extended or reactivated their self-exclusion period.
The ACMA stated that as of 21 August 2024, BetStop had around 23,000 current users.
“Online gambling can cause a great deal of harm to individuals, their families and friends, so it’s encouraging that so many people have decided to take the step and register to self-exclude,” commented ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin.
3
New Zealand’s government has opened a consultation to ask for the country’s opinion on the next three-year strategy to prevent and minimise gambling harm.
Matt Doocey, the Minister for Mental Health, published the comments on gambling harm prevention and minimisation in a statement on the government’s website, encouraging the public to voice their views so that the right initiatives and interventions can be put in place.
“While many New Zealanders enjoy gambling as a pastime without issue, the statistics are clear that harm from gambling can have a significant impact, therefore it is important that we put in place initiatives and interventions that prevent and minimise harm from gambling,” stated Doocey.
“I would encourage you to have your say on this consultation document by 6 October 2024 to help inform its development. In talking to people about mental health and addiction, I’ve become firmly of the view that the ideas we need to solve the issues we face are already in the community, so please make your voice heard.”
