Law and Regulations

Iowa and Montana are progressing in their goal to become the next two U.S. states with legalised gambling. The Iowa Senate has voted through a bill that would legalise sports betting and daily fantasy sports (DFS) contests in the state. In Montana, there are two bills which recently moved forward …

For some time New Zealand has been battling international gambling websites illegally using “.nz” in their website addresses. So far authorities found 13 sites like this. New Zealand has strict gambling regulations and Only Lotto and TAB so far were approved to officially offer services to local customers. However, It …

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has not upheld a complaint raised by a viewer against a recently broadcasted Betfred bingo advert. The TV advert in question featured a woman in the bath, a man preparing a meal and a woman exercising, all while playing online bingo on mobile devices. It …

The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) is lobbying for Portugal’s government to change their gambling taxes policies. According to EGBA, they are “discriminatory.” and lead local gamblers to choose non-licensed sites. Current gambling law was established in Portugal in 2015. Online sports wagers are taxed anywhere from 8%-16% and …

A new policy implemented by Svenska Spel, state-owned Swedish operator, excludes all forms of online casino advertising. The decision was announced on the company’s website. In the statement Patrick Hofbauer, CEO of Svenska Spel, explained that the decision to stop advertising is to support the Swedish Health Authority in their …

Bingo, live games and lotteries are the new targets for the taxes increase, the Czech Republic’s Ministry of Finance announced on Monday. Currently, all gambling taxes in the country are set at 23% of gross gaming revenue (GGR), aside from gaming machines, which are at 35%. This is expected to …

After sting operation run by UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) five gambling companies have been found to violate the country’s rules for targeting ads at children, The Guardian reports. The operation lasted two weeks and during that time authorities have found 20 Youtube channels as well as two dozen children’s …

1,000 closed betting shops and 5,000 jobs in risk, this according to Ladbrokes officials will be a result of slashing fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) maximum stakes to two pounds. After years of discussing what the maximum stake on FOBTs should be, UK politicians decided that it must be lowered …

Copenhagen City Court upheld the order from the Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden) which will block access to 25 unlicensed gaming websites. Local internet service providers are required now to prevent their customers from visiting accessing 10 igaming sites and 15 skin betting sites. “We use our authority to block websites …

Norway’s government plans to take another step against foreign gambling websites. This time it will be done by restricting media advertisement. Plan was presented by Minister of Culture Trine Skei Grande. Norway’s officials want state media authority „Medietilsysnet” to prevent or obstruct access to gambling advertisements. Media outlets, which would …

Bucharest could relocate its gambling halls to a “neighborhood of gambling” located outside the Romanian capital, if a proposal by a general council survives a vote in the city’s General Council, local news outlet the Romania Insider reports. According to data quoted by local media, the city is home to …

On Wednesday, March 27, the governor approved a law on interactive bets on lottery in West Virginia , which earlier this month signed. This bill will allow five land gaming licensees to offer online poker and casino products to locals. Now West Virginia has replenished the list of states that …

Australian online betting provider, Sportsbet, has been convicted and hit with a fine Aus$10,000 by authorities in New South Wales after posting an illegal gambling advertisement on its website. It comes an investigation by state regulator Liquor & Gaming NSW into an advertisement on the Sportsbet.com.au website on 5 July …

Japanese authorities has confirmed to approve the new regulations for casino resorts, with hopes to open the first resort in Osaka by 2024. Casinos were legalised in 2016 in Japan and another bill was passed in 2018 which would begin the legalisation of integrated resorts. Japan’s prime minister Shinzo Abe …

A parliament of Kosovo has confirmed a draft bill banning gambling activities across the country for a period of 10 years. The move to ban gambling in Kosovo comes after two murders linked to casinos. One of the victims worked at a gambling centre in Suhareka, while the other was …

Latvian capital of Riga are going a second attack on the gaming industry with a draft decree that would close around 200 slot halls and casinos. The first wave of closures saw 42 gambling venues in the historical center of the Latvian capital closed in 2017 although Riga’s fight against …

Swedish regulator Spelinspektionen has suggested new rules to restrict excessive gambling advertising, while also focusing on the formalisation of a cooperation deal with the country’s Konsumentverket consumer agency. The possibility that Sweden may follow these plans is real. It will divide responsibilities between the two bodies, as well as formalise …

Denmark expressed a desire to implement a code of conduct for the gambling industry. It can improve consumer protection and contribute to preventing gambling as entertainment developing into compulsive gambling. The new code is intended towards creating a better gambling environment in terms of consumer protection and also making the …

During last three years in the gaming sector in Kenya, we see unstoppable growth. Sports betting has swept the country like a storm, boosted by the now ubiquitous smartphone. It became a reason that Kenya’s government has announced that it is going to introduce a new tax regime, especially for …

South Korea parliament proposed a law that the minimum age for entering casinos to 21 years from the current 19 has been submitted. The bill, which its sponsors said was aimed at preventing gambling addiction among the country’s youth, would require changes to articles 22 and 28 of the Tourism …