Delivering a keynote address on day two of SBC Digital North America, Lycka began by giving a regulatory breakdown of the US and Canadian market, noting that several more states have already joined the “betting club” in 2021 alone.

However, his focus soon turned towards the importance of responsible gambling measures as he highlighted the overwhelming need to introduce “robust consumer protection measures with resolute focus on responsible gambling”.  

He said: “Low and behold, what a seismic shift this has been in just three years. At the same time, as an industry, we have been sketching out a sustainable way forward that will serve us well in the long run. 

“It is becoming ever more evident that the most efficient way of achieving long-term sustainability of the North American sports betting and igaming market is by introducing robust consumer protection measures with resolute focus on responsible gambling.”  

Explaining that there are lessons to be learned from the UK and the wider European market, the SVP warned that states simply cannot “sit on the fence and wait for any storms to blow over” when it comes to problem gambling. 

Instead, he implored the industry to now take the opportunity to “get on the front foot” and take action. He continued: “If there is anything to learn from the UK and the wider European experience, it is that sitting on the fence and waiting for any storms to blow over does not pay off. 

“I strongly believe that the North American industry is best advised to actively engage with responsible gambling matters and tackle them head-on with both enthusiasm and determination. 

“In other words, we might want to get on the front foot right here, right now, in order to prevent the simmering problem gambling concerns from boiling over. 

“Let’s not forget the old sports saying that defences win championships. Shoring up our consumer protection defences will give us an even stronger momentum for further economic development in the North American markets.”

Looking to the future, Lycka explained that the onus to provide help to at-risk customers clearly lies on the betting and gaming industry – highlighting that we must also steer bettors away from the black market.

He challenged the industry to focus on the ways in which the issue of problem gambling can be addressed, noting that we must continuously identify instances which could place gamblers at risk.

Lycka said: “What is the challenger that we’re all up against? It is estimated that overall, approximately five per cent of our customers are at risk of developing a gambling problem. This doesn’t mean that all of them will, especially if we can help it. 

“Clearly, the onus on the industry – being supported by regulators and third party suppliers – is to provide help to at-risk customers. At the same time, we need to cater to the demand of all customers that can, and do, play with us responsibly. We need to do that with the view of steering them away from the black market. 

“Here is our challenge: can we have an attractive product offering while protecting our customers from the scourge of gambling addiction? The answer, I believe, is a resounding yes. Yes we can, and yes we must.

“Exactly because the answer is a resounding yes, now is a high time that we focus not only on continuous identification of the problem that we’re facing, which itself is very important, but crucially and critically also on how it can be solved.”

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In a revealing interview to mark Genetski’s imminent induction to the Sports Betting Hall of Fame during next month’s SBC Summit North America, he details not just the many positives of the FanDuel story, but also some of the greatest adversities it has faced.

“After the DraftKings merger was blocked by the FTC in August of 2017, FanDuel was pretty much out of money,” recalls Genetski. “So we had to immediately do an internal capital raise to keep the lights on and take in just enough money to say, ‘we’ve gotta sell the company, merge the company, or find a path to a much bigger capital infusion in the next nine months’.”

He also talks about his hugely important public affairs work, which is recognised across the industry as being instrumental in the spread of legal sports betting in the US, and FanDuel’s groundbreaking strategy to create partnerships with professional sports leagues and teams. 

Rounding out the feature is a look at the FanDuel Principles and why that set of brand values are such an integral part of the company’s way of doing business.

“Sometimes you hang them on the wall and nobody ever talks about them again, but for whatever reason, these have really stuck and they’ve been really helpful to us during a period of immense growth,” says Genetski. 

“We embrace these principles in the interview process. They’re part of the annual review process. We talk about them, people use them in emails, we use them in town halls, we do illustrative examples of people living the principles.”

Elsewhere in the special North America issue of SBC Leaders, BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt shares some of the thinking behind the brand’s huge Super Bowl activation campaign in Las Vegas, while Nevada Congresswoman Dina Titus explains why she is leading the fight to repeal the federal betting tax.

There’s also a focus on player protection in interviews with Martin Lycka, SVP for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling at Entain, and The Digital Wellness Center’s Dr Mary Donohue. 

We then shine a spotlight on two other important issues. Global Gaming Women’s President Lauren Bates enthuses about the potential benefits of the group’s new mentorship programme, while David Vialpando (Executive Director of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Gaming Commission), George Jenkot, VP of Security and Surveillance at Firekeepers Casino Hotel) and Sean Topchi (Director of Business Development at Kinectify) discuss the chilling problem of human trafficking in casinos.

Additionally, readers can find a host of content about igaming, payments and compliance, including interviews with PlayStar CEO Peter Ekmark, GAMOMAT’s Managing Director Dietmar Hermjohannes, Tipico Sportsbook’s VP of Finance Nicole Cemelli, mkodo’s Managing Director Stuart Godfree, and Erik Nyman, President of EveryMatrix US.Read Issue 30 of SBC Leaders magazine here, or pick up a copy at SBC Summit North America, which takes place at Meadowlands Exposition Center in New Jersey from 7th to 9th May 2024.

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With a packed house in attendance, an esteemed panel took to the stage to dissect the role of leadership, community impact of harms, performance of Ontario through its first year, why tribes and first nations need to be offered more respect, a Californian failure and much more.

The 40 minute SBC Leaders discussion, titled walking the tightrope of player protection and growth, kicked off with moderator Martin Lycka, SVP for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling at Entain, quizzing the four person panel on the role of leadership.

First to step up to the plate was Bill Pascrell III, Partner of Princeton Public Affairs Group, who stressed the critical role that leadership must play in creating a clear presence and understanding of why RG is so important.

“It’s important because it’s the only way we’re going to create a sustainable industry,” he said. “And by the way, pardon me for not mentioning, hats off to Ontario for becoming the first jurisdiction in Canada to regulate sports betting. 

“It’s fantastic. It’s going strong, and it’s going to get even better because they’ve also embraced the leadership of responsible gaming.”

“…our business succeeds only if we do one thing and we do one thing collectively: we treat our customers right”

Jacob Coin, Executive Advisor to the Chair of San Manuel Band of Mission Indians

Picking up the mantle, Jacob Coin, Executive Advisor to the Chair of San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, stressed the “not so difficult to understand” commercial side of operations, citing both profit and wealth generation.

However, he continued: “For tribal gaming, without those government gaming revenues generated by Indian tribes, roads don’t get built, hospitals don’t get built, schools don’t get built, scholarships are not awarded, health services aren’t improved, our tribal elders are not served and homes don’t get improved or repaired. 

“So that’s what it means for tribes to engage in this business seriously. Now the one element that I think San Manuel is grasping onto is that our business succeeds only if we do one thing and we do one thing collectively: we treat our customers right. RG is a big part of that endeavour to treat your customers right.”

After sharing a personal story regarding broken promises and commitments, Coin passionately expressed an individual desire in getting involved with responsible gaming “to make sure that we do the right thing”.

He added: “Responsible gaming is good for the industry, let’s not make any mistakes about that.”

The critical nature of education and learning was touched upon by Chrissy Thurmond, Director of Responsible Gaming at DraftKings. With the industry “always learning”, it was expressed that the aforementioned education and informed process should not just concern players, but internal stakeholders too.

“…what I think is sort of a north star for us is thinking beyond the customer”

Jay Robinson, Director of Safer Gambling and Stakeholder Engagement at Focal Research

“I truly believe the best educated workforce will translate to the most informed player base,” she explained. 

“I think it’s imperative that we provide a forum for not only our players to understand what they’re doing, and to engage with our products safely and mindfully.

“But we also need to provide players with the knowledge of the tools that are available for them to set a play experience that makes the most sense for them.

“People in the industry also need to understand where we’re coming from, and how we got to where we are, and realise there is still a tremendous amount that still needs to be done.”

Expressing a further viewpoint on the matter, Jay Robinson, Director of Safer Gambling and Stakeholder Engagement at Focal Research, noted: “The thing for me, though, about can we do more … what I think is sort of a north star for us is thinking beyond the customer.

“And, you touched on this and First Nations and tribal casinos, that people who gamble, come in families and come communities, and the gambling harms impact families and impact communities, they don’t only impact the person.”

As Lycka praised Ontario for doing “a great job in terms of regulating the market,” talk turned to collaboration, with Thurmond keen to potentially dispel certain positions held.

“There’s a tremendous amount of collaboration going on within the RG space. And I think contrary to what people think, a lot of people, myself and my peers, we talk to each other regularly, we are engaged with that and dialogue, we meet regularly.”

“There’s a tremendous amount of collaboration going on within the RG space”

Chrissy Thurmond, Director of Responsible Gaming at DraftKings

She added: “I think one of the things that allows us to drive these programmes that are fairly nascent within the online space, is the camaraderie and the level of kind of commitment we all have toward protecting the players’ engagement.”

Looking at the issue of cross collaboration, Coin took a slightly different angle to instead highlight what he believes is a major issue affecting tribes.

“The lack of data is something that Indian gaming and tribes have struggled with tremendously and still struggle with that today. I’m suggesting to our first nations friends here today, that if there’s a survey going on about the impacts that you make, you’ve got to be willing to participate in those studies. 

“Too many of our tribes are withholding that information that can tell a wonderful, wonderful story.”

As the session drew to a close, talk turned to that of California, where, despite the outlay of hundreds of millions of dollars, a crushing defeat to legalisation efforts was handed down by voters. 

“The biggest mistake this industry made recently in North America was the sophomore pedestrian campaign to legalise sports betting in California,” Pascrell III passionately expressed.

“…it’s time to press the reset and give tribal gaming the respect it is owed and deserved”

Bill Pascrell III, Partner of Princeton Public Affairs Group

“It was a debacle. It was an embarrassment. And it’s time to press the reset and give tribal gaming the respect it is owed and deserved. Tribal gaming out played the industry. Why? Because they have concerns. 

“We should sit across the table from each other and discuss those concerns. What does that have to do with RG Bill? Well, the best answer and solution for responsible gaming is to regulate.”

Stating that this solution represents the “best thing”, the issues of illegal gambling or travelling across borders to wager was raised, which he pointed out, delivers zero tax revenue, jobs or benefits to government.

Adding his own perspective, Coin concluded: “The reason that the tribes were successful in that campaign was because they understood what was at stake – their exclusive right to offer gambling in California. 

“Their sovereignty was at stake. And here was a group of out state companies, commercial companies wanting to come in and take over the gaming environment in California. 

“40 million people live in California. That’s what makes the market so attractive. Right. But 20 years of building the environment between the tribes in the state of California, I think demonstrated to the citizenry that tribes have something positive to offer. That’s what was at stake in the ballot.”

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Having spent more than a decade working in the European sports betting and igaming industry before relocating to the US in 2021, Lycka is one of the best-known figures in the world of responsible gambling. He is also uniquely well placed to offer an informed assessment of the North American approach – and it’s fair to say that he’s impressed by what he has seen so far. 

“I’m delighted to report that there are an ever increasing number of states, led as always by New Jersey, that have introduced, or are in the throes of introducing, robust responsible gambling standards,” he said. 

“This theme will definitely be reiterated and replicated going forward, and we’ve already seen Ohio, Colorado, Massachusetts and New York look at beefing up their responsible gambling practices. So I believe that, ultimately, it will spread across all the states that have regulated sports betting or igaming.”

Lycka is also full of praise for the regulators he has encountered in North America, who have “an open door policy and are always prepared to have a chat and listen”. 

“I’m of the view that allowing betting on college sports in a controlled environment and subject to robust sports integrity controls is preferable to banning it”

There is, of course, still plenty of work for legislators, regulators and operators to do. As the individual state markets start to mature and the focus switches from the dash for player acquisition to the long-term impact of legal online gambling, new issues have begun to spring up.

Some of the challenges will be familiar to European audiences, such as a negative narrative in the established media putting pressure on regulators and operators, but others are unique to the US. Chief among them is how to manage the relationship between sports betting and high-profile college sports. 

While many states have adopted a largely positive attitude to wagering on college sports, as long as the right measures are in place to protect the athletes and their fellow students, others such as New Jersey and Massachusetts have chosen to impose restrictions. Lycka strongly favours the more liberal approach. 

“Firstly, I’m of the view that allowing betting on college sports in a controlled environment and subject to robust sports integrity controls is preferable to banning it,” he said. “By permitting betting, there are even more pairs of eyes – in this instance, the operators that keep a very close eye on those matches – to help protect the key asset of the game itself. 

“Secondly, together with EPIC Risk Management, the Entain Foundation US has launched a programme that gives lived experience responsible gambling classes to colleges up and down the country, as well as to the NCAA itself. The programme has provided this education in more than 60 colleges already, including household names such as Clemson and Auburn, and we intend to grow it.” 

“…we’ve set off on a course to educate both professional and amateur student athletes”

The work with EPIC is just one of many projects that the Entain Foundation US has backed since the London-listed gambling giant launched the non-profit in September 2019, with Lycka as its chair and former New York Giants star Amani Toomer and international gambling regulatory expert Bill Pascrell III among the trustees.

“Entain is investing in a research project with the Division on Addiction at Harvard Medical School,” explained Lycka. “In the field of research, we’ve also been working very closely with UNLV and, sticking to the theme of the university space, we’ve been one of the driving forces behind the Seton Hall gambling compliance bootcamp here on the East Coast.

“Besides that, we’ve set off on a course to educate both professional and amateur student athletes. In addition to our work with the NCAA, we have partnered with the NFL Players Association and MLS Players Association, and we’re talking to the other leagues about joining the programme.” 

In addition to that wide-ranging education project, the Foundation has teamed up with Kindbridge, My Wager School, the National Council on Problem Gambling and Nicasa Behavioral Health Services to launch the Gamble Responsibly America app. 

Available for free via the App Store and Google Play Store, it contains a host of useful information about responsible gambling and advice on how bettors can help themselves if they encounter any signs of problem gambling behaviour. 

One of the channels used to promote the app has been the Foundation’s sponsorship of ex-New York Knicks star Charles Oakley’s ‘Oak Out Hunger’ community project, a step that has helped to take the safer gambling message to deprived communities.

“I’m delighted to report that there are an ever increasing number of states, led as always by New Jersey, that have introduced, or are in the throes of introducing, robust responsible gambling standards”

At a slightly more frivolous level, the work with the NBA All-Star has given Lycka an unexpected alter ego. He explained: “We’ve launched a set of responsible gambling superheroes, including Oakley as ‘Charles, the Limits Enforcer’ and me as ‘Martin, the RG Preacher’. Players will be seeing the full set across the app soon.” 

Lycka is understandably proud of the impact of the work undertaken by Entain and its Foundation in the responsible gambling space, but he is also quick to pay tribute to the efforts of the competition. 

Entain is one of a group of leading US-facing operators – alongside BetMGM, MGM Resorts International, DraftKings, FanDuel and Bally’s – to have agreed to and published a set of responsible gambling principles that they will abide by. The group is now working on recruiting other major operators and strengthening those principles, which extend to prevention, research and treatment support.

“That work has been picked up and the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States is now working on a resolution of its own. I’ve been working quite closely with them on it and they’ve drawn a lot of inspiration from the operators’ principles,” said Lycka. “But it’s two-way traffic and we may want to draw inspiration from their document when it’s published this summer.”

With operators and regulators largely on the same page, Lycka believes that the approach to responsible gambling in the US is “really all coming together” and that all the hard work will benefit the industry. 

“I strongly believe, and it goes beyond advertising, that bans in this space are counterproductive”

“Just like in Europe and all around the world, Entain strongly believes that the only way of achieving long-term sustainability of the US markets is by means of deploying and ultimately enforcing very strong consumer protection controls,” he concluded. 

One possible stormcloud on the industry horizon is New York Congressman Paul D. Tonko’s  ‘Betting on our Future Act’, a federal bill that seeks to ban radio, television and online advertising by sportsbooks. While Lycka recognises that the gambling advertising landscape is far from problem-free, he does not view Tonko’s proposal as providing the solution. 

“I strongly believe, and it goes beyond advertising, that bans in this space are counterproductive because they only drive consumers into the welcoming arms of the black market,” he explained.

“Having said that, the industry does need to think about introducing a further element of reason to its adverts. What I mean by that is that we should think about frequency and think about what we promote. There’s already been a step away from constantly offering free bets, which I believe is for the best, but the industry needs to make sure that it is sensible about advertising moving forward.”

Legislators in states including New York and Massachusetts have, at relatively early stages of their regulated markets being live, begun to tighten rules around advertising. Lycka’s hope is that any further changes will not inadvertently curb operators’ ability to use marketing as an education tool. 

“Advertising can go a long way towards addressing the concerns the likes of Congressman Tonko and others may have as, used in the right way, it’s a great channel to convey responsible gambling messages,” he said.

“Not only does it provide the opportunity to educate consumers about why they should choose a legitimate licensed operator to bet with and how they can gamble in a safe and sustainable way, it is also a chance to utilise big personalities who have chosen to become champions of responsible gambling. Sports fans will really listen to a message delivered by Amani Toomer or the Manning brothers or Charles Oakley.” 

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The ‘Safe Bet Show’ will feature in the Player Protection Symposium, which takes place on May 9th at the Altman Building in Chelsea, New York City. This symposium is a pre-day conference that’s part of the SBC Summit North America, the premier igaming and sports betting event in North America. The main conference and exhibition will be held on May 10-11 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey.

Launched in collaboration with SBC in April 2021, the ‘Safe Bet Show’ is a podcast where Martin Lycka examines how the industry is addressing player protection and social responsibility. Through interviews with leading figures, Lycka delves into various topics that are central to combating problem gambling.

Lycka and Toomer both serve as trustees of the Entain Foundation US, which is a unique non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting responsible gambling, sports integrity, and corporate compliance in the United States.  

The foundation has partnered with numerous organisations, including NCAA, NFLPA and NCPG, underscoring Entain’s commitment to comprehensively address and reduce problematic gambling behaviour.

Entain, in collaboration with some of the most prominent online gaming operators in the United States, has also taken a proactive role in driving the implementation of industry-endorsed responsible gaming standards, known as the 12-point pledge.

The company was previously recognized for its initiatives in this area at the 2022 SBC Awards North America, where the company was awarded Socially Responsible Operator of the Year. This year, the company is once again a nominee in the same category.

As a committed advocate for responsible gambling, Toomer is an excellent guest for the live Safe Bet Show. His background as a successful athlete gives him a unique perspective on the risks associated with problem gambling. During the show, Toomer will share insights about his sports career, his current role as a sports pundit, and his work with the Entain Foundation US. 

Lycka said: “I am thrilled to have Amani as a guest on the live Safe Bet Show at the Player Protection Symposium. His commitment to promoting responsible gambling is inspiring and shows that it’s not only industry insiders who can make a difference in this cause. 

“Amani’s appeal as a star athlete enables him to raise awareness among people about the risks of problem gambling.

“On a lighter note, I am eager to ask Amani whether he would have liked to play alongside Tom Brady (whose team suffered a defeat to the New York Giants in the 2007 Super Bowl XLII).”

Toomer said: “It’s wonderful to participate in an event that emphasises the significance of player protection. I first heard about the risks of problem gambling back when I was a college player in Michigan – it was a real eye-opener. 

“Now that I’ve retired, I’m trying to be a part of positive change and spread awareness about the dangers of gambling, particularly among athletes and children. Let’s work together to make a difference.”

The pre-day conference program also comprises ‘Compliance’ and ‘Leadership’ tracks’ which offer valuable insights to the industry on navigating regulatory complexities, leveraging technology for compliance-related issues, and integrating diversity and inclusion initiatives within their organisations. 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Tickets to the conference and exhibition can be purchased on the official event website. A special discount is available for groups of three or more people, saving you $100 per ticket on your 2-day full event pass.

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Expressing to Lycka that problem gamblers “can’t control themselves”, Hatch used his lived experience with addiction, which is detailed in his podcast with over 332 episodes, to explain how preventative measures such as blanket affordability checks can make a difference. 

In contrast to the comedy endured in the Monty Python film, Lycka questioned Hatch on his own “Life of Brian” – a battle with gambling addiction that started in 2000, when fresh-faced college student Hatch won his first game of blackjack. 

As is the case with most problem gamblers, Hatch was “hooked straight away”. His addiction led him to neglect his education as he would drive over two and a half hours to his nearest casino instead of attending his classes. 

Around three months into his gambling activity, Hatch recognised his addiction but was almost too afraid to speak up, even calling a helpline under the guise of writing a paper on problem gambling to identify himself as an addict.  

Despite this call for help, Hatch continued to gamble and was eventually kicked out of college for his poor attendance which was fuelled by his addiction. Hatch revealed to Lycka that “winning definitely brought me back”.

Seven years into his addiction, Hatch attended his first Gamblers Anonymous meeting before attending a second in 2009. Although Hatch praised the organisation by stressing that his visits were “worth it”, the initial meeting had left him feeling unwelcome, anxious and uncomfortable. 

Hatch continued: “The first meeting I went to, there were three other people. All of them were about 20 to 25 years older than me. I was uncomfortable as a 24 year old kid. It was in a cold church basement.

“It wasn’t welcoming and I had a lot of anxiety. So I went to the first meeting, but I did not go back to the second meeting. The third, the fourth took me another year and a half to go to my second meeting. And when I went to that meeting, that’s the one that made a difference for me.”

This notion of anxiety when speaking out has certainly encouraged Hatch in recent years, as his podcast was born out of an idea to let problem gamblers see other sufferers speak out about their feelings in the hope of encouraging them to do the same. 

All In: The Addicted Gambler’s Podcast has been running since January 2015, allowing Hatch to discuss topics of gambling addiction with clinicians, academics, public health workers, RG managers and the lived experience community. 

Through his own personal experience and podcast journey, Hatch has recognised certain parameters that he believes could make a difference to sufferers of gambling addiction, noting that affordability checks are a “good idea.”

He questioned that, even if operators or land-based casinos put affordability checks at $5,000, how many people can gamble that large amount in a single evening. 

He continued: “That would be there just to make sure that there’s no harm after that amount of money. You know, if you cut them off at a certain point, they’re not going to lose that extra money that they could lose. 

“I think affordability checks are a good idea because I don’t think people can control themselves when it comes to this.”

“I think having some sort of affordability check at the door or when you go to get more money at the casino is a good idea. I can’t believe it would be that complicated, considering most casinos do a credit check anyways.”

Circling back towards the end of the show, Lycka raised that Hatch was a very “vociferous and articulate advocate” of not allowing credit cards for gambling purposes, a similar route that Massachusetts has gone down. 

Credit cards were a topic of discussion towards the end of the latest Safe Bet Show as Lycka asserted that Hatch was a very “vociferous and articulate advocate” for credit card bans seen in states like Massachusetts. 

Underlining his belief that this is the correct avenue, Hatch stated: “I gambled with credit cards and when you do that, there’s an automatic fee. When you take money off your credit card and it is there presumably for emergencies, because the credit card is money you don’t have. It’s not your money. 

“This is debt that you’re accumulating by using your credit card to gamble. Not being able to use your credit card, at least if you gamble away all your cash, you would still have a credit card to be able to buy food and gas and pay your bills.”

Martin Lycka’s Safe Bet Show with Brian Hatch also discussed the contrast between regulated and black market services from an addict’s perspective while outlining the role that the health system in the US plays in tackling gambling addiction.

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The Symposium, at the Midtown Loft and Terrace in Manhattan, is a half-day conference bringing together international experts to discuss how to improve responsible gambling provision and consumer protection measures in the North American sports betting and igaming industries.

One of the highlights of the agenda will be the live episode of the player protection podcast, which will see Entain’s SVP for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling Lycka in conversation with one of the most experienced regulators in the U.S.

Rebuck was appointed Director of NJDGE in 2012 and the State’s many achievements since then include the successful implementation of regulatory regimes for sports betting and internet gaming, which have helped to create thriving markets for both in New Jersey.

The live Safe Bet Show will be an opportunity for the audience to learn about the player protection issues Rebuck has encountered during a period of strong growth for the New Jersey gambling industry and to benefit from his insights on how to establish a safe environment for bettors.

Lycka said: “I’m excited to welcome David to the Safe Bet Show live at the Player Protection Symposium. Few people in the industry have a more in-depth knowledge of the intricacies of regulatory and player safety issues than David, so the audience can expect to hear some invaluable insights and ideas during our conversation.”

The Player Protection Symposium is part of three days of high-level sports betting and igaming industry discussions in New York and New Jersey, the centerpiece of which is the SBC Summit North America conference and trade show at Meadowlands Exposition Center, Secaucus on July 12-14. 

The program for the week also includes the iGaming & Sports Betting 101 event teaching the fundamentals of the industry, which takes place at Midtown Loft and Terrace on July 12, and the second annual SBC Awards North America at Pier Sixty, Manhattan on July 14.

Discover more about the full program and find details of how to secure tickets for the events at the Summit website.  

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Speaking on the latest episode of the Martin Lycka Safe Bet Show, Pascrell outlined the existential threat to the industry if problem gambling is not directly addressed.

He remarked: “You know, I don’t think there’s a more important issue than the industry coming together because there is no real industry associations, but people have attempted to. For this reason, responsible gaming is the biggest threat, if ignored to this industry.

“We don’t call it responsible gaming anymore. We call it sustainable gaming because without addressing problem gambling in a real way, not a one 800 number on the screen, which is B.S. It’s got to be more than that. 

“Somebody’s got to be on the other line to pick up the phone and counsel people and then also move them towards therapy. You know, you can’t cure alcoholism or drug-ism or problem gambling.”

Pascrell also offered his assessment of the landscape of the ever-increasing US sports betting industry, given he played a leading role in the legalisation in many states. 

Currently, 30 states have legalised sports betting, however, Pascrell revealed his belief that that number could reach the 40s in the coming years. 

“Texas has no casinos. It’s got nothing other than a lottery and horse racing,” Pascrell added, highlighting that officials in the state are beginning to have talks about bringing forward a sports betting bill despite having tighter gambling laws. 

Finally, Lycka and Pascrell discussed the online casino industry in the US, which has not experienced the same ‘boom’ as sports betting has. With only six states having legalised and regulated online casino markets, Pascrell argued that they do not come with the same ‘buzz’ as sports betting. 

He concluded: “Sports betting excitement has taken a lot of air out of the room. So that’s the focus and I’ve always said the industry in America is changing now. But five years ago, brick-and-mortar casinos couldn’t walk and chew gum. They couldn’t handle the multiple-pronged approach. 

“We’re now seeing iterations, as you know, of different innovations – esports, the entrance of cryptos, NFT’s and fixed-odds horse racing – which has been going on in other parts of the world like Europe for a long time. But we don’t have it here yet.”

The post Bill Pascrell: responsible gaming biggest threat to industry if ignored  appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Ahead of the event, he talked to SBC Noticias about Entain’s operations in Latin America and the importance to international operators of local partnerships when entering newly-regulated territories.

Entain, the $17bn sports betting, gaming and interactive entertainment group, is live with its bwin brand in Colombia. 

Lycka is optimistic that Colombia is just the first of many Latin American markets for Entain, although the group is committed to only taking business from fully regulated jurisdictions by the end of 2023. That means he’s keeping a close eye on the current moves to regulate the online gambling markets in Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Bolivia.

The company’s wider growth plans for Latin America remain under wraps until the regulatory picture is clearer, but Lycka said: “These are the four Latin American markets that are in the process of regulating and potentially becoming fully aligned with Entain’s strategy. And, without a shadow of a doubt, Brazil is the crown jewel. As soon as Brazil has regulated, or has opened its licencing process, Entain will be there with a licence application.”

He remains upbeat about the chances of the Brazilian government delivering a new regulatory framework for gambling on schedule and that “the regulated market might launch at some point towards mid-2022 or the second half of 2022”. However, he conceded that the industry has to be mindful that the Presidential election could disrupt the path towards legal online betting and casino gaming. 

The kind of expertise that will be needed to eventually launch in Brazil will form part of the discussion during the SBC Leaders panel that Lycka will participate in at SBC Summit Latinoamérica. ‘The Importance of Local Partnerships’ will examine the advantages and drawbacks for international brands of working with local operators and experts when entering new markets. 

“It’s always very, very important to have a source of local knowledge in any market that we enter,” he said. “I’m not saying that we would have to enter all our new markets together with a partner or, if I may put it differently, we may not be statutorily obliged to enter markets in Latin America with a partner.

“But we would most certainly consider whether, from both a legal and a commercial perspective, we would potentially be better off entering new markets on our own or with a local partner. It’s something we will approach on a jurisdiction by jurisdiction basis as territories regulate.” 

Local knowledge comes in many forms though, and agreements with operators are far from the only type of partnership that Entain will explore once conditions are right for the company to expand its presence in Latin America.

“We work with a broad variety of local partners, ranging from potential sponsorship opportunities to legal experts,” explained Lycka. “We always seek to instruct a top drawer law firm and top drawer regulatory affairs advisors to guide us through any regulatory process and, of course, subsequently through all applicable compliance processes during the lifecycle of any licences.”

One other area that he would like to see collaboration on is the creation and management of effective responsible gambling provision in the markets that are in the process of establishing regulatory frameworks. 

“I remain of the view that safer or responsible gambling is critically important to the success of any regulated market. And actually, I would suggest that the Latin American markets that are in the throes of regulating have a huge opportunity to learn all the lessons, both good and bad, from other jurisdictions, including most recently, of course, the US markets and also the upcoming Canadian regulations led by Ontario. 

“I would strongly suggest that safer gambling needs to permeate any regulation. Both the industry and the regulators do need to place a lot of emphasis on it with a view to protecting our customers. And that’s most definitely something that can and should be approached in a collaborative fashion.”

He added that while there is no one size fits all solution for safer gambling provision and that new regulators would have to find a workable localized approach, he believes the information they need to get it right is now available.

“There’s a whole set of best practices and principles countries such as Brazil can take advantage of and draw inspiration from,” said Lycka. “BNDES, the Brazilian Development Bank, has been looking into instructing a third-party advisor on the future licencing or tender process. I’m sure that whoever is selected will be giving the Brazilian authorities a lot of advice not only on the regulatory framework, but also on safer gambling being supported to the extent required and welcomed by the industry.”

Find out more about SBC Summit Latinoamérica, which takes place at the JW Marriott Marquis Miami on October 27-28, 2021, at the event’s official website. 

The post Martin Lycka: Brazil is the crown jewel for the Latin American industry appeared first on CasinoBeats.

As part of the Responsible Gaming Education Week 2021, the sports betting and gaming operator’s Gamble Responsibly America app will include the campaign, which is said to educate sports fans on responsible sports betting, while HaveAGamePlan.org will highlight the app. 

“Our Responsible Gambling programmes and AGA’s initiatives, including Have a Game Plan, are completely aligned,” said Martin Lycka, Entain senior vice president for American regulatory affairs and responsible gambling and trustee of the Entain Foundation US. 

“The more we can repeat the message of responsible gambling across multiple channels—like the Gamble Responsibly America app and Have A Game Plan—the better our customers’ experience will be.”

BetMGM, which is jointly owned by Entain and MGM Resorts International, has also backed the AGA Have A Game Plan campaign.

The AGA launched “Have A Game Plan” in late 2019 and includes partners DraftKings, FanDuel, Monumental Sports and Entertainment, NASCAR, New York Jets, NHL, PGA TOUR, SeventySix Capital, Sightline Payments, Sinclair Broadcast Group, UFC, Vegas Golden Knights, and Washington Football Team.

Entain, Epic Risk Management and RG24/7, which partner with the Entain Foundation US on responsible gambling education and projects, launched the Gamble Responsibly app in the US in June. 

The free app, available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, features a series of educational resources and tools to anonymously help and support anyone facing potential issues with problem gambling.

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