Public Affairs at Gambling.com Group
Gambling.com Group wishes to lend its experience and insight to lawmakers and gaming regulators as they craft the next generation of laws and regulations for our dynamic industry. While the online gambling industry has existed for over 20 years, many jurisdictions have yet to acknowledge its impact on traditional gambling activities or the increasing share of overall gambling which now happens online.
Last updated: January 22nd 2021
The thrust of Gambling.com Group’s public affairs work is targeted at the United States, specifically individual states as they seek to open up their economies to another, technology driven revolution in consumer service.
Beginning in 2011 when the US Department of Justice issued a formal opinion stating that it did not believe the 1961 Wire Act applied to any form of online gambling other than sports betting, individual states have had the freedom to regulate online poker, online casino and online bingo activities. Since the Supreme Court ruling in Murphy v. NCAA in May of 2018, individual states are now also able to authorize and regulate sports betting. Projections indicate that the U.S. will be the largest single sports betting market in the world by 2023, and dozens of states are already preparing for an inevitable rollout of sports betting and other forms of online gambling. With this immense opportunity comes immense responsibility to achieve the policy objectives of a competitive, fair and safe sports betting marketplace. As states begin to adopt online gambling policies, we believe it is important for policy makers to understand the principles that will lead to responsible growth in this emerging market.
Through commentary, outreach and direct engagement with elected officials and gaming regulators, our goal is to share the knowledge and expertise we have gained from over a decade of successful operation in multiple well-regulated markets like the United Kingdom. In this section you will be able to find news updates and commentary on current events in the US gambling regulation space as well as copies of our direct correspondence with policy makers and elected officials.
Readers will notice several principles of responsible gaming policy will stand out:
- Online gambling consumers are smart - even though lawmakers may only be crafting online gambling regulations now, their citizens have been gambling online for 20 years. Offshore gambling operators have compelling products and strong brands. Consumers will not automatically switch from their trusted offshore brands until similarly compelling products are available in their own jurisdiction. All online gambling products are not created equal and consumers will balk at playing with gambling operators that offer sub-standard products.
- Online gambling markets must be open and competitive - jurisdictions that put up barriers to competition or allow entrenched casino or lottery partners to dominate the market are guaranteeing themselves to have a poorer quality offering due to lack of investment and competition. Regulations should foster a dynamic environment enabling both startups and large-scale operators to participate. It is this competition which will drive up the quality of the products and compel consumers to switch to an onshore gambling operator.
- Gambling is fundamentally an information technology, ideal for delivery online - we live in a digital society, and customers demand convenience. Policies that force gambling consumers to enter a physical establishment to participate will backfire, leaving more customers to the offshore market. The offshore market only connects with consumers through digital channels. These “digitally native” operators do not have the burden of trying to switch from a land-based mentality to an online one. Lawmakers who fail to offer products through digital channels will leave the fastest growing segment of the market entirely to offshore operators.
- Robust problem gambling initiatives are essential - self-exclusion schemes, help lines and educational programs are critical. With robust business intelligence systems, online gambling operators can use sophisticated algorithms, including artificial intelligence, to identify problem gamblers early to stop them and get them the help they require.
Please see below a list of position papers, op-eds and other insight from our public affairs team:
Article Name | Publisher | Published |
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Ohio Is Losing Big Without Legal Sports Betting
| Columbus Dispatch | November 4th, 2020 |
Casino Legalization Makes Sense for Nebraska
| Omaha World-Herald | October 4th, 2020 |
Why Is Nevada So Content To Be Left Behind On Online Gambling?
| Gambling.com Group Public Affairs | August 12th, 2020 |
Massachusetts Must Take Gaming Digital or Lag Behind
| Boston Herald | July 24th, 2020 |
Iowa Must Allow Casinos to Adapt to Face New Challenges
| Des Moines Register | May 15th, 2020 |
What can the US betting industry learn from the UK?
| SBC News | April 29th, 2020 |
Maryland sports betting could be coming, but will the state take the right approach?
| Baltimore Sun | February 20th, 2020 |
CEO Letter to the Illinois Gaming Board
| Gambling.com Group Public Affairs | September 27th, 2019 |
Washington State needs to pick winner with online gambling (mobile access recommended)
| Everett Herald | September 15th, 2019 |
Sports Betting in America 2019: A Q2 to Remember
| Gambling.com Group Public Affairs | August 22nd, 2019 |
Tennessee gets mobile sports betting right
| Tennessean | August 19th, 2019 |
Governor’s Comments on Mobile Sports Betting Miss the Mark
| Gambling.com Group Public Affairs | April 10th, 2019 |
CEO Letter to Arkansas Racing Commission
| Gambling.com Group Public Affairs | February 18th, 2019 |
Smart, Independent Regulation Key as States Explore Gaming
| Gambling.com Group Public Affairs | February 6th, 2019 |
North Carolina should embrace sports gambling, or get left behind
| The Charlotte Observer | January 1st, 2019 |
How affiliates protect consumers and support N.J.'s legal sports betting market
| Star Ledger | December 31st, 2018 |
Amendment 3 is a Bad Bet for Florida
| Gambling.com Group Public Affairs | November 2nd, 2018 |
The DC Lottery Should Regulate, Not Compete for Sports Betting
| Gambling.com Group Public Affairs | October 10th, 2018 |
Affiliates can help the US gaming market get off the ground
| eGaming Review | September 14th, 2018 |
Mississippi Sports Betting Must Be Mobile
| Clarion Ledger | July 19th, 2018 |
Top 5 Tips for State Gaming Regulators
| Gambling.com Group Public Affairs | July 13th, 2018 |