Google to allow targeted social casino adverts

First this week, Google will lift a ban on targeted and personalised adverts for online social casino games. Social casinos will be removed from Google’s restricted ‘gambling’ sensitive interest category with effect from 4 December.

Effectively, Action Network reports, this will mean adverts for social casinos are allowed to appear on web pages that consumers regularly visit. This covers all forms of social casino including slot, poker and roulette.

Google has not said specifically why is it removing social casino from its exclusion list of advertisers.

It is expected that Google will remove similar restrictions on all other advertisers from March 2025, allowing any company to run targeted adverts. However, should advertisers violate the Personalised Ads policy, Google may issue warnings and suspend the accounts of repeat offenders.

More NHL players face harassment over sports betting

Elsewhere, a survey has revealed more National Hockey League (NHL) players are being harassed by fans since sports betting was more widely legalised in the US.

Of 161 players who responded to the survey by The Athletic, 33.1% said they now face more harassment. This ranges from fans venting their frustrations over a losing bet to demanding players pay back their unsuccessful wager.

Some players even admitted to receiving death threats related to sports betting. One player said: “You get some scary messages out there.”

Another player said: “They’re demands, not requests. [They say] ‘you owe me $200 because you were on the ice when …’ and it’s insane”.

College player faces betting manipulation probe

Also in the US, federal authorities are investing former Temple University player Hysier Miller over betting manipulation. Miller is facing allegations of wagering on his own games and manipulating the outcome of games he played in, ESPN reports.

Miller is no longer with Temple having transferred to Virginia Tech in the offseason. However, he has since been dismissed after the probe launched, while the NCAA has also opened an inquiry into Temple games.

The investigation comes after a regular-season Temple game was flagged for unusual betting activity back in March. It is not clear how this relates to the current allegations Miller faces.

The NCAA is yet to comment on the case while the FBI has neither confirmed nor denied the investigation.

Indian police arrest 80 in illegal gambling bust

Police in India have arrested at least 80 people during a raid on a large gambling den in the Janka area of Nuapada. The raid on an isolated building took place on the evening of 23 November.

Odishatv.in reports that police confiscated and Rs 29 lakh (£27,320/€32,706/$34,420), some 74 mobile phones and various gambling paraphernalia as part of the raid.

According to the police, the den had been operating for a long time. It drew a large amount of players, with many arriving at the venue with cash to gamble.

Police are carrying out further inquiries to determine if the gambling network covers a wider area.

Finally this week, online lottery courier service Jackpot.com has entered into an exclusive collaboration with 7-Eleven. This will see Jackpot.com serve as the official lottery courier service of the convenience store chain.

The partnership will initially cover Ohio and Massachusetts, with players in both states able to sign up and play lottery games and scratchers on the Jackpot.com app or website. This will be available in more than 600 7-Eleven stores across the two states.

The new collaboration will launch with a special promotion, offering 7-Eleven customers a free lottery ticket on their first deposit by using promo code, ‘7Eleven’.

“We’re thrilled to work with 7-Eleven, the leading retailer of lottery tickets in the country,” Jackpot.com CEO and co-founder Akshay Khanna said. “Leveraging our technology and innovation, we can provide additional convenience for their customers, while adding an additional source of revenue. A true win-win relationship for all.”