Jamaican gambling regulator to review advertising standards
The executive director of the Betting Gaming & Lotteries Commission expressed concern about the proliferation of ads.
Jamaica.- The Betting Gaming & Lotteries Commission (BGLC) of Jamaica has ordered a review due to concerns about a proliferation of gambling ads. Executive director Citus Evans told the Financial Gleaner that the BGLC would conduct a public consultation to take feedback from stakeholders and “concerned citizens”.
It aims to “determine parameters for safe gambling” for proposed regulations. It comes after Jamaican gambling revenue hit a record JMD $60bn ($400m) from April to June, an increase of 50 per cent year-on-year.
The increase in revenue was largely attributed to a strong post-pandemic recovery among lottery promoters and gaming lounges, which together generated sales of JMD $53bn (88 per cent of all gambling revenue).
Evans said the public had concerns about “the frequency of gambling advertising and whether it is negatively impacting on children”. Operators were also criticised for adverts with “stereotype caricatures and catchy slogans”.
Evans said: “We are not concerned about the slogans, but in particular, the volume of advertising and also outside providers advertising in the market.”
He added: “At times, gambling advertisements are on the airways every five minutes on radio and TV.”
Major player Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL) is reported to have welcomed the consultation. It says it promotes responsible gambling on its lottery, sports betting and gaming lounge offerings. It reportedly spent JMD $790m ($5.5m) on advertising in 2021. That comes as it faces competition from newcomers in the market.
Puerto Rico names online sportsbook licensees
The US overseas territory of Puerto Rico has announced the names of the businesses that have received licences to operate online sportsbook services. The Puerto Rico Gaming Commission (PRGC) has given licences to seven businesses.
The companies licensed are: Ballers Puerto Rico LLC, Liberman Media, CCHPR Hospitality, Continent 8, Caesars Digital, Swish Analytics and US integrity Inc.
