INTERPOL hosted the third annual meeting of the Magistrates/Prosecutors Responsible for Sports Network (MARS Network) at its General Secretariat in Lyon, France, this meeting, organized under the authority of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) of the Council of Europe, aimed to strengthen international cooperation and the exchange of information in the field of sports justice.

Money laundering, gambling, ownership of multiple clubs and sports agents were some of the topics as these are channels through which money launderers operate to make their crimes more difficult to detect and prosecute., representing some of the most relevant threats to sporting integrity today.

MARS Network members shared best practices and discussed various topics, including how to strengthen cooperation opportunities inside and outside the network. Three specific sessions allowed members to discuss manipulation of sports competitions, doping and “safety, protection and service” at sporting events.

The Database on Suspected Cases of Corruption in Sport (DACCS), managed by EPAS in collaboration with the University of Lausanne (Switzerland), and the HELP course on human rights in sport were also presented.

In Estonia, purchasing lottery tickets, placing sports bets, or playing casino games is permitted from the age of 21. Nevertheless, according to a study commissioned by the Gambling Addiction Counseling Center and conducted by Kantar Emor, 59 percent of respondents aged 15-20 have had contact with gambling. Furthermore, 47 percent of 15-19-year-olds who had gambled in the past two years were also in the at-risk group, indicating that gambling had caused them some problems or that they were pathological gamblers.

According to Silver Sternfeldt, the CEO of the Gambling Addiction Counseling Center (HNK), over one hundred thousand people are in the “at-risk” group, Estonia ranks first among European countries with gambling problems. Sternfeldt attributes this to societal attitudes toward gambling.

As a society, we have not yet reached a point where we know how to gamble responsibly or demand responsible gambling operations.

Silver SternfeldtCEO of the Gambling Addiction Counseling Center (HNK)

The Ineffectiveness of Bans

Gambling providers are thriving, interest in gambling is high, and new online casinos are constantly entering the market. For example, last year, the difference between the stakes-placed and the winnings paid out in online gambling alone was €350 million. The state collected €48 million in gambling taxes over the year.

No operator is interested in having a gambling addict. This option exists and is used very actively; all operators impose internal restrictions within their organizations to prevent compulsive gamblers from playing.

The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) has announced a landmark title sponsorship deal with William Hill, one of the UK's leading betting companies.

Under the record five-year deal, which begins at the start of the 2024/25 season, William Hill will become the title sponsor of all four SPFL divisions, as well as the Official Betting Partner of the SPFL.

This will see the SPFL's four divisions become the William Hill Premiership, William Hill Championship, William Hill League 1 and William Hill League 2.

Alongside their partnership and title sponsorship, William Hill and the SPFL have partnered with EPIC Global Solutions, a global consultancy focused on gambling harm prevention, to launch a pioneering gambling harm awareness program across football Scottish for SPFL players, staff and supporters.

Over the coming months, EPIC will be holding interactive and impactful workshops across all 42 SPFL clubs to educate players and support staff about the dangers of play damage in the elite sporting environment. This will ensure that all participants have a greater understanding of the impact of gambling-related harm and where to access support.

The search for a new title sponsor for the SPFL was led by Brendan Napier of Scottish Football Marketing, a joint venture between the SPFL, the Scottish Football Association and the Scottish Women's Premier League, established to act as a central resource for inventory Scottish football marketing.

The General Directorate of Gaming Regulation has issued resolutions by which the unique licenses for the development and exploitation of certain types of games are extinguished.

In the case of the entity Prima Networks Spain, PLC, the singular license for the game "Punto y Banca", granted on June 1, 2012, has been extinguished. Similarly, the singular license for the game "Roulette", granted on June 2, 2015 to the entity Eurobox, SA, has also been extinguished.

Prima Networks Spain, PLC has general licenses for "Other games" and individual licenses for "Roulette", "Black Jack" and "Machines of chance - slots", although it did not have a website that offered the game. For its part, Eurobox, SA, has general licenses for "Other games" and "Betting", as well as individual licenses for "Roulette", "Black Jack", "Slot machines" and "Counterparty sports betting".

Victoria makes changes to online gambling account rules

The inquiry represents the latest step in Victoria’s ongoing efforts to improve regulations for gambling.

In April, the VGCCC confirmed changes to rules for online gambling accounts in the state. This includes how players view their spending and losses. These changes focus on how certain information is displayed to players within their online gambling accounts. This includes information on spending, with net loss now excluding free and bonus bets.

Meanwhile, net wins are now more accurate, with players’ monthly statements subtracting all stakes from their total payout amount. Licensees are also required to use plain English, avoid unnecessary jargon and limit the use of colours to black and red to clearly show losses. In addition, gambling harm messaging should feature on each monthly statement.

The Catalan Hockey Federation and Lotteries de Catalunya have renewed their collaboration agreement, an alliance that will continue until December 31, 2024.

This renewal has been signed by the director general of Lotteries de Catalunya, SAU (LCAT), Jaume Torradabella, and the president of the Catalan Hockey Federation, Xavier Adell.

Since its creation in 1987 and until 2021, all net income achieved by the management of the lottery game has been transferred to the Department of Social Rights to be allocated to programs for the care of children, old age and people with disabilities.

From 2022, these net revenues are transferred to the Fund for Prosperity and Social Cohesion to optimize the transparency and traceability of these resources. 100% of the profits from Lotteries de Catalunya go to the Fund for Prosperity and Social Cohesion of the Generalitat de Catalunya. This renewal will continue to be very positive for both entities, contributing to the growth of Catalan hockey and the well-being of the community.