regulation – Page 4

March 25, 2024

India government cracks down on celebrities advertising offshore gambling

India’s ministry of information and broadcasting has warned celebrities and influencers against advertising offshore online operators on social media, stating they could face penal action for doing so.

The ministry’s advisory explained that those with influence in India are prohibited from advertising illegal gambling operators in a surrogate manner. Those who do risk facing “rigorous scrutiny”.

Under the current system, the Indian government can issue notifications to intermediaries such as social media platforms to remove access to posts advertising illegal operators.

Beyond that, celebrities and influencers could also face proceedings under the 2019 Consumer Protection Act. This could lead to social media accounts being disabled, while further penal action can also be administered under applicable statutes.

The advisory highlighted the “significant financial and socio-economic implications of online betting” as reasons not to promote offshore operators.

CCPA warns celebrities o..

March 21, 2024

Peru receives 145 licence applications for online gambling in 30 days

Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) received 145 requests for operator licences over the first 30 days after Law no 31557 came into effect.

Law no 31557, which regulates online gaming and sports betting, went into effect on 9 February.

Operators had until 10 March to apply for a licence. Mincetur had warned those already active in the Peruvian market that they could face a fine of up to Sol990,000 (€245,394/£212,401/$257,838) or criminal prosecution if they did not apply.

That initial application process has now closed for companies already active in Peru. The country’s minister of foreign trade and tourism, Juan Carlos Mathews, confirmed 145 requests had been received from both national and international companies. Those not previously in the Peru market can continue to apply.

peru’s sports betting and igaming regulations were approved in october

During the initial 30-day period period, 144 linked service providers were registered with seven international cert..

March 15, 2024

ATG calls on banks to help combat “worrying” Sweden channelisation rates

Aktiebolaget Trav och Galopp’s (ATG) channelisation report for Q4 has shown a continuation of worsening channelisation rates in Sweden.

ATG’s report estimated channelisation rates for gaming to be between 69%-82% in Sweden during Q4. This falls well behind the Swedish’s government’s target of 90% channelisation to legal operators.

The channelisation rate has fallen since the third quarter of 2023. ATG believes there is little sign of the trend being halted.

ATG found visitor traffic to unlicensed operators has increased tenfold since 2019. The research also highlights that out of 20 unlicensed sites with the highest Q4 visitor traffic, 19 shared the same platform providers as licensed operators.

Additionally, of the 20 black-market sites included in the report, none were on the Swedish regulator Spelinspektionen’s banned list.

“It is a very worrying development and our investigation shows that more still needs to be done to keep the unlicensed companies away,” ATG chief executive ..

March 11, 2024

Entain, Betfred and Flutter join GC Industry Forum led by Nick Rust OBE

Directors of Flutter, Betfred, Entain and The Rank Group have been named among the nine appointed members of the Gambling Commission’s (GC) new Industry Forum, which will be chaired by Nick Rust, OBE.

Rust, who previously spent six years as British Horseracing Authority chief executive, was appointed as Industry Forum chair in November 2023.

Over a two-year term, Rust will oversee a forum that includes Ashley Padgett, director of compliance and anti-money laundering at Flutter’s UK and Ireland (UK&I) division, as well as Entain’s customer operations director for UK&I Leo Walker.

As well as Entain and Flutter, other UK gambling industry leaders will be represented. Betfred’s head of media Mark Pearson has been appointed to the forum, as well as David Williams, director of public affairs at Rank Group.

Merkur UK’s director of public and political relations, Tony Boulton, and Betsmart Consulting founder and director, Kirsty Caldwell, will also be joined on the forum by Charles Cohen,..

March 8, 2024

Alabama advances scaled-back gambling bills with sports betting excluded

The Alabama senate has passed a pair of bills that would see lottery and state-regulated gambling legalised, although statewide sports betting has been excluded.

Alabama lawmakers passed HB151 and HB152 in February. In its original form, HB151 would have legalised retail and online sports betting, as well as a state lottery and casinos in areas of the state that have bingo-type games. HB152, meanwhile, was to create a state lottery and gaming commission to regulate gambling in the state.

However, HB151 stalled in the senate, with sports betting and casinos now removed from the bill. The amended HB151 passed by a vote of 22 to 11 on Thursday, reaching the 21 votes required to advance. Meanwhile, HB152 also passed.

The bills still include lottery. Additionally, the bills would authorise the governor to negotiate a compact with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians (PBCI) to regulate gaming activities on tribal lands. The PBCI operates the three existing casinos in Alabama.

Senator Greg Al..

March 7, 2024

IBIA report highlights role restrictions play in supporting unregulated market

A new report from the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) has highlighted the effect overly-restrictive regulation has on driving players offshore.

The IBIA study, The Availability of Sports Betting Products: An Economic and Integrity Analysis, was prepared by H2 Gambling Capital and developed in partnership with betting assoications in Brazil, Canada, Australia and the Netherlands. It used data from 12 markets where sports betting is regulated.

The research analysed the effects that restrictive and liberal regulated regimes have on player habits. These centred around consumer protection, regulatory oversight, sports integrity and taxation.

The report found a strong correlation between the availability of sports betting products and the proportion of consumers wagering with onshore regulated operators. In markets where players faced few restrictions, the channelisation towards the legal market stood at 90% or more.

Rather than preventing consumers from betting, Kh..

March 7, 2024

Montenegro’s electronic payments ban raises industry concerns

Amendments to Montenegro’s gambling laws that would ban the use of electronic payment methods are leading to concerns among the country’s gambling sector, with Montenegro Bet representative Jovana Klisić saying the industry is “at a crossroads”.

The amendment to Article 68f of Montenegro’s gambling law will see a variety of electronic payment methods, such as ebanking and mobile payments, disabled when it comes to depositing into betting accounts.

The changes now mean bettors in Montenegro have two options should they wish to bet online. Players can enter a betting shop and place a monetary cash wager which then transfers online funds into their accounts. Alternatively, players can pay via card, but only on a terminal in a betting shop.

The provisions have caused agitation in the Montenegrin industry, with gambling companies concerned over the amendment’s impact on business. A petition calling to halt the change received 25,000 signatures, around 8% of the country’s electorate, in j..

March 7, 2024

Austrac launches investigation into Bet365 over potential AML failings

The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (Austrac) has commenced an investigation into Bet365 over potential breaches of anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) laws.

Austrac ordered an audit of Bet365 in 2022, when it assessed its compliance with the AML/CTF Act 2006. The consideration of that audit has led Austrac to deem further investigation into Bet365’s affairs as necessary.

Austrac reserves the right to take action where non-compliance is found. The government-run financial intelligence agency has fines and other regulatory powers at its disposal.

“Corporate bookmakers must have robust systems in place to ensure they can manage and mitigate risks associated with money laundering and terrorism financing,” said Brendan Thomas, Austrac chief executive.

“Businesses without adequate processes in place to manage those risks leave themselves vulnerable to exploitation by criminals.”

Bet365 in potential hot water with Austrac

austrac reached..

March 5, 2024

EGBA lauds EU’s proposed introduction of digital identification

The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has welcomed the European parliament’s approval of introducing a standardised electronic identification method called a “European Digital Identity” (e-ID).

The EGBA-endorsed move would oblige states in the European Union (EU) to issue an e-ID to citizens. This would allow them to authenticate their identity for online services. These e-IDs will be optional for citizens and businesses.

EGBA labelled the European parliament’s approval on Monday a “significant milestone” in providing a safer and more inclusive online environment for citizens in the EU. There were 335 votes in favour, 190 opposing the new regulations and 31 abstentions.

The proposed e-IDs will mean citizens would no longer have to resort to commercial providers to verify their online identification, something that has caused privacy and security concerns in the past.

The hope is that e-IDs will reduce the risk of fraud and identity theft, enhancing security for the EU’..

March 5, 2024

GC’s Gambling Survey for Great Britain: Lottery reigns supreme

The first data from the Gambling Commission’s (GC) Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) has highlighted the prevalence of lottery among gamblers in Great Britain.

48% of respondents had gambled in the past four weeks, although that figure dropped to 27% when excluding lottery-only players. Over a fifth of all respondents had only taken part in lottery draws.

The 48% figure of respondents having gambled in the past four weeks is a slight reduction on the 49.5% number stated in the final experimental stage of the survey, released back in November.

Participation drop-off without lottery the same for land-based and online

The pattern was the same for online and land-based gambling. 38% of all participants had used the internet to gamble in the previous four weeks, the same as in the November data, although the removal of those who only play lottery saw that number fall to 16%. In-person gambling participation also fell from 29% to 18% when lottery-only players were excluded.

The ..

February 28, 2024

Georgia moves closer to sports betting after bill passes senate

Georgia looks set to have a referendum on whether to legalise sports betting after a bill successfully passed through the state’s senate.

Senate Resolution 579, which seeks to approve sports betting in Georgia, passed by 41 to 12. This was easily enough to meet the two-thirds majority needed to amend the state’s constitution through a referendum.

SR579 is led by Senator Bill Cowsert, who submitted the ultimately unsuccessful Senate Bill 172 in 2023. In a largely unchanged form, though, SR579 looks more likely to end up passing.

Earlier in February, Senator Clint Dixon’s Senate Bill 386 was adopted after passing with a vote of 35-15. Enabling legislation SB386 looked to establish a framework of regulation in the state and was amended so that the support of 38 senators was needed to pass.

Cowsert’s proposals would see 80% of tax revenue attributed to the lottery’s education fund. Some 15% would go to public education on problem gambling, while 5% would be given to the Sports Promotio..

February 27, 2024

Netherlands regulator KSA presents 2024 supervisory agenda

The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the gambling regulator in the Netherlands, has presented its supervisory agenda for 2024, citing four areas of focus.

Looking to achieve its mission of “safe gaming”, the KSA says it will increase its protection of vulnerable players in the Netherlands by looking to prevent addiction. The country took measures to do this in 2023, including the introduction of a ban on most forms of advertising.

The KSA is also looking to combat illegal online offerings, aiming for at least 90% of players to gamble with legal providers in the Netherlands. In a December article for iGB, Yield Sec chief executive Ismail Vali noted how the KSA’s current approach appeared to lack clear success in actual enforcement terms.

The KSA is vowing to further support partners, including the police and tax authorities, on investigations in the physical domain. The regulator hopes this will lead to less “undermining” between different organisations.

The KSA’s final area of emphasis is..

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Tag: regulation