Latest news with #O'Loughlin
Perth Now
15-05-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
No penalty for bookmaker that targeted problem gamblers
An online bookmaker that sent hundreds of marketing messages to people on the self-exclusion register has avoided a financial penalty, but has paid a $500,000 fine for sending spam to customers. PointsBet contravened laws relating to BetStop - the national self-exclusion register, by delaying closing accounts of customers who had registered and sending marketing messages to self-excluded people. It also sent more than 800 messages that breached Australia's e-marketing laws, an investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority found. ACMA said a financial penalty was "not available" for the NSER breaches due to the "complex and novel matters investigated" and PoinstBet would instead be subject to "comprehensive court-enforceable undertakings". "A failure to comply with an enforceable undertaking can lead to court-ordered financial penalties," ACMA said in a statement. The investigation found PointsBet sent 508 marketing messages to self-excluded individuals in August and September 2023. By law, people registered with the NSER must not be sent marketing materials from a licensed wagering service. There were "no excuses" for gambling companies that fail to understand their legal obligations given the risks to people experiencing gambling harms, ACMA Chair Nerida O'Loughlin said. "It is deeply concerning that these failures have impacted PointsBet's customers, some of whom had taken proactive steps to exclude themselves from online wagering," she said. People signing up to the NSER were taking positive steps and and their decision "must not be compromised by companies like PointsBet", Ms O'Loughlin said ACMA found that no excluded customers were able to place bets with PointsBet during the period investigated. The undertakings commit PointsBet to reviews of its compliance with spam and NSER laws, actioning any recommended improvements and providing regular training for all relevant staff. "This action should serve as a warning to all wagering providers that they must meet their legal obligations or face the consequences," Ms O'Loughlin said. PointsBet was fined $500,800 for 705 emails sent in 2023 that contained a direct link to its betting products without including an "unsubscribe" function. National Gambling Helpline 1800 858 858
West Australian
15-05-2025
- Business
- West Australian
No penalty for bookmaker that targeted problem gamblers
An online bookmaker that sent hundreds of marketing messages to people on the self-exclusion register has avoided a financial penalty, but has paid a $500,000 fine for sending spam to customers. PointsBet contravened laws relating to BetStop - the national self-exclusion register, by delaying closing accounts of customers who had registered and sending marketing messages to self-excluded people. It also sent more than 800 messages that breached Australia's e-marketing laws, an investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority found. ACMA said a financial penalty was "not available" for the NSER breaches due to the "complex and novel matters investigated" and PoinstBet would instead be subject to "comprehensive court-enforceable undertakings". "A failure to comply with an enforceable undertaking can lead to court-ordered financial penalties," ACMA said in a statement. The investigation found PointsBet sent 508 marketing messages to self-excluded individuals in August and September 2023. By law, people registered with the NSER must not be sent marketing materials from a licensed wagering service. There were "no excuses" for gambling companies that fail to understand their legal obligations given the risks to people experiencing gambling harms, ACMA Chair Nerida O'Loughlin said. "It is deeply concerning that these failures have impacted PointsBet's customers, some of whom had taken proactive steps to exclude themselves from online wagering," she said. People signing up to the NSER were taking positive steps and and their decision "must not be compromised by companies like PointsBet", Ms O'Loughlin said ACMA found that no excluded customers were able to place bets with PointsBet during the period investigated. The undertakings commit PointsBet to reviews of its compliance with spam and NSER laws, actioning any recommended improvements and providing regular training for all relevant staff. "This action should serve as a warning to all wagering providers that they must meet their legal obligations or face the consequences," Ms O'Loughlin said. PointsBet was fined $500,800 for 705 emails sent in 2023 that contained a direct link to its betting products without including an "unsubscribe" function. National Gambling Helpline 1800 858 858
Washington Post
14-05-2025
- General
- Washington Post
Pope Leo's views on LGBT Catholics are a mystery — but we have clues
Michael J. O'Loughlin is executive director of Outreach, an LGBTQ Catholic publication, and author of 'Hidden Mercy: AIDS, Catholics, and the Untold Stories of Compassion in the Face of Fear.' My husband and I stood in St. Peter's Square waiting for white smoke, our eyes darting from the giant screens near us to the tiny chimney in the distance. As minutes ticked by, the crowd grew in size, but expectations seemed to diminish. Yet shortly after 6 p.m., white smoke appeared. The cardinals had elected a pope.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
61-year-old in Wisconsin arrested on felony operating while intoxicated after crashing into construction sign
MIDDLETON, Wis. (WFRV) – A 61-year-old Wisconsin man was arrested on a fourth offense of operating while intoxicated after crashing into a road construction sign. The Middleton Police Department reported that around 6:52 a.m. on Wednesday, officers responded to a crash incident near Century Avenue and Highland Way. Two in Wisconsin charged in FBI operation against child sexual abuse, over 100 children rescued & 200 suspects arrested nationwide Officers on the scene found the vehicle had crashed into a road construction sign and spoke with the driver, identified as 61-year-old James O'Loughlin of Madison. O'Loughlin reportedly displayed signs of impairment, and officers detected intoxicants on his breath; he was subsequently arrested for his fourth OWI offense. He was taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries. No additional details are available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Will the next Pope embrace the LGBTQ+ community and a more modest lifestyle like Pope Francis did?
As Rome prepares for a new papal election following the death of Pope Francis , an air of both reverence and apprehension has settled over the Vatican. For LGBTQ+ Catholics and their allies, the conclave signals a pivotal moment, one that could either sustain the spirit of inclusion Pope Francis championed, curtail it, or send it backwards. Michael O'Loughlin, executive director of Outreach , a resource ministry for LGBTQ+ Catholics, is in Rome during this time of transition. 'There's still memorials to Pope Francis,' he told The Advocate, 'but everyone is talking about the conclave and who will be elected next. For Catholics who really admired Pope Francis, there's probably a little nervousness about who might follow him.' The anxiety is not only palatable but understandable. While Pope Francis appointed roughly 80 percent of the cardinals eligible to vote in this conclave, a move that should, at least on paper, tilt the scales toward continuity, O'Loughlin notes that geography doesn't always dictate ideology. 'Even though he made the College of Cardinals more diverse by appointing men from places that didn't traditionally have cardinals, they come from more conservative areas as well,' he explained. 'So it doesn't necessarily mean they're on board with Francis' outreach, especially to the LGBT community.' Still, there is cautious hope. Many observers believe there is an appetite among the cardinals to elect someone who can preserve Francis' pastoral tone without generating quite so many headlines. O'Loughlin describes the mood as open to a pope who will continue the Church's emphasis on mercy and inclusion, but in a steadier, quieter form. 'Someone who admired Pope Francis's courtesy, but who maybe is a little less charismatic. Someone calmer and more steady,' he pointed out. Among the names being floated, a few have emerged as contenders who might carry forward aspects of Francis' legacy, especially regarding LGBTQ+ inclusion. According to O'Loughlin , one of the more promising figures is Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Italy, a close ally of Francis and a voice for a more inclusive Church. 'Zuppi has written prefaces for books on LGBTQ+ Catholics and has been vocal about the need for welcome, even as he upholds traditional Church teachings on marriage,' explained O'Loughlin. Another possibility O'Loughlin mentioned is Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines, who was once considered a frontrunner. Tagle has similarly walked a tightrope, emphasizing pastoral care for LGBTQ+ Catholics while remaining doctrinally conservative. His momentum, however, appears to have waned in recent days, raising questions about how much sway Francis's closest allies still hold within the conclave. O'Loughlin said that perhaps the most widely mentioned candidate is Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's Secretary of State. 'Parolin embodies the continuity without drama profile many in the Church hierarchy seem to desire,' O'Louglin noted. 'Though close to Francis in governance, he is considered more traditional, especially on LGBTQ+ issues. His election would likely mark a return to a more cautious and reserved papal style, and one that extends the olive branch but doesn't push the boundaries.' On the more conservative end is Cardinal Péter Erdő of Hungary. O'Loughlin explained that he is a canon lawyer known for his careful, measured language. 'He's seen as a palatable choice for those favoring a more traditional Church, particularly on sexuality and gender, and would likely appeal to conservatives within the College of Cardinals,' O'Loughlin said. While not known for inflammatory remarks, Erdő's reluctance to endorse LGBTQ+ outreach suggests a cooling of the Francis-era momentum. For many Catholics, though, the conclave isn't just about theology or doctrine; it's also about tone, style, and symbolism. Pope Francis r edefined the papacy in profound ways. He declined the opulent Apostolic Palace in favor of a modest Vatican guesthouse. He rejected the gilded vestments often worn by popes, choosing instead to step onto the balcony in 2013 dressed simply . Famously, he traveled in a Ford Focus . These choices were not just personal preferences. They were statements of humility. Whether the next pope will follow suit remains to be seen. 'That's one of the big questions,' O'Loughlin said. 'Will the new pope step onto the balcony without the traditional garments? If he does wear them, it might suggest a return to papal grandeur. Every detail in those early moments will be scrutinized and compared to Francis.' And it's not just about appearances. Francis' legacy, his commitment to a more inclusive Church, his outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics, his symbolic rejection of extravagance, has left a powerful imprint. 'Whoever is elected will have to navigate that legacy,' O'Loughlin explained. 'Even if they don't embrace all his reforms, they'll need to respond to the expectations he set.' As cardinals prepare to cast their votes under Michelangelo's ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, the world watches and waits. For LGBTQ+ Catholics especially, the next pope will send a message not just with his first homily, but with his first step onto the balcony. Will it be a message that will either echo Pope Francis' call for mercy, or retreat from it?
