Law and Regulations

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has imposed a fine of £322,000 (€357,588) on online gaming operator Petfre, owner of the Betfred brand, for money laundering failures. UKGC investigation was launched following information passed to the Commission regarding a customer that had been convicted of a £2m fraud, who it was …

Paschal Donohoe, the Finance Minister of Ireland, has confirmed that in 2020 bookmakers across the country are set to receive a €50,000 a year relief from the 2 per cent tax levied on betting in the Republic which is hoped will support the country’s independent bookmaking sector. Ireland’s gambling sector …

The gambling regulatory body in New Zealand is considering a ban on gambling online with credit cards. The aim of the ban would be to try to reduce losses and debt for individuals and to improve the fight against gambling addiction. The move comes ahead of major online casino Skycity …

The French government has introduced new gambling regulations ahead of the planned privatisation next month of state-owned gaming and lottery operator FDJ. Changes include the creation of a new national gambling authority, ‘L’autorité nationale des jeux’ (ANJ). ANJ will replace the current regulator, ‘L’autorité nationale de régulation des jeux en …

At least eight areas have revealed their interest in getting a chunk of the newly legalized gambling sector in Japan. The candidates will compete for permission to host one of the three integrated casino resorts in the country. Japan Tourism Agency’s survey has shown that Hokkaido, the city of Chiba, …

Intending to educate German gamblers about the importance of responsible gambling, the country’s Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA) hosted a day dedicated to raising awareness of problem gambling. The Aktionstag Glucksspielsucht 2019 took place on Wednesday (25 September), and is expected to reoccur annually, on the final Wednesday every …

Athens-listed gambling group OPAP SA is facing disruption in its home market of Greece following the decision taken by the State Council to revoke the operator’s online sports betting licence. The decision comes after Austrian operator Goalbet successfully appealed the decision from the Hellenic Gaming Commission’s (EEEP). It argued that …

Philippine Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has directed the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to shut down Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) that fail or refuse to pay the tax liabilities of their foreign workers. Dominguez issued the order after discovering that POGOs had largely failed to pay workers’ income …

The Swedish Gaming Authority (Spelinspektionen) has written to payment service providers (PSPs) warning them not to do business with unlicensed gambling operators targeting the country’s regulated igaming market. In the letter, the regulator warned that facilitating payments to and from unlicensed operators puts Swedish consumers at risk by allowing them …

New York Senator Chuck Schumer and Utah Senator Mitt Romney are collaborating on a federal sports betting legislation. They are supported by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the collegiate sports body. According to media reports, the legislation would be similar to the Sports Wagering Market Integrity Act, which was …

bet-at-home, Betclic Everest Group-owned sports betting operator, has revealed that it expects to receive an €11.9m ($13.1m) bill from the Austrian tax authorities, relating to the activities of its Linz-based subsidiary. Austria is conducting a tax assessment on bet-at-home.com Entertainment through the Ministry of Finance. According to bet-at-home, auditors have …

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has suspended with immediate effect the online casino and betting operator license of EveryMatrix as part of a review of the company’s customer interaction framework. Throughout the commission’s review, EveryMatrix would not be able to provide B2C services, including offering real event betting or betting …

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has announced that he will not ban online gambling in the country despite strong pressure from China. Duterte announced it at a news conference upon his return from a five-day official visit to China, during which he met the country’s President Xi Jinping. “We decide to …

Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia, has ordered a complete shutdown of all online gambling activities in the country. The decision has sparked a massive exodus of Chinese workers. The 67-year-old Prime Minister used an official government statement to declare that his nation must not rely on such iGaming licensing …

The Swiss gambling regulator, Eidgeosssische Spielbankenkommission (ESBK) and Inter-Cantonal Lotteries and Betting Commission (Comlot) has released a first blacklist of foreign gambling sites. Comlot’s blacklist has launched with 65 domains, including multiple sites operated by a single company, with 39 on the ESBK list. However, there is a lot of …

Malta-based online casino operator Videoslots.com has been awarded a license by the Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden). The license adds Videoslots online casino offer to existing markets in Malta, Sweden and the UK. Danish players will now have access to Videoslots’ portfolio of over 3,500 games, including popular titles Battle of …

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has directed his government to legalize gambling in an effort to combat the shadow economy and stimulate investment activity in the country. After winning a big victory in Ukraine’s presidential elections, Mr Zelensky, a former comedian, was inaugurated as the country’s top official in May. About …

New Jersey’s State Senate passed a law that would enable Atlantic City’s Golden Nugget Casino to take bets on all NBA contests, aside from those that involve the Houston Rockets team which was acquired by the casino’s owner, Tilman Fertitta, in 2017. Under current rules, introduced last year, casinos that …

Sports betting is now available in Indiana after three of the state’s casinos debuted their sportsbooks on September 1. Governor Eric Holcomb placed an inaugural bet at the Indiana Grand Racing & Casino in Shelbyville. Holcomb went with three $10 wagers – for the Colts to win the Super Bowl, …

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has established a new Sports Integrity Unit to gather and share intelligence on suspicious betting activity. The Integrity Unit will be serving as the MGA’ liaison to foreign regulatory authorities, law enforcement agencies, wagering monitoring systems and sports governing bodies combatting the manipulation of sports. …