Law and Regulations

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 …

The government approved a series of amendments to gambling laws, one of them to prohibit online gambling adverts to prevent gambling addiction. The bill is aimed at enhancing regulatory restrictions of the gambling sector, which will enable making infatuation with gambling a lot more difficult. The current regulations allow gambling …

Portugal gaming market generated gross gaming revenue of €152.1m in 2018, benefiting from a strong performance during the final quarter of the year. The fourth quarter proved to be the most successful for licensed operators, with revenue at €43.0m, up from €36.5m in the final quarter of 2017. Online casino …

Greece online gambling market continues to grow into the last month, netting gross revenues nearly a third higher then those of whole year before. Gross gaming revenue hit a peak of €356m (£312.6m; $404.3m), a 30% increase year on year. Among them, the 15 registered online gambling companies also earned …

In September, the Oregon Lottery rolled out a mobile app with the goal of adding sports betting in the fall of 2019. Like Montana, Oregon is one of four states that was grandfathered under PASPA. The app is lacking a full range of features. It simply allows lottery customers to …

Vietnam’s residents got an opportunity to gamble in their own country at a brick-and-mortar casino — at least during a three-year test period — at the newly opened Corona Casino on Phu Quoc Island. But there will be restrictions on who can play. The property was built by Phu Quoc …

President of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has ordered that no new licences should be issued to sports betting companies nor renewing of permits for the existing ones. State Minister of Finance David Bahati, was quoted by the privately-run Daily Monitor portal as confirming that no new licenses will be issued …

The Hellenic Gaming Commission (EEEP) has publishing updated list of rules. The updated draft rules include a number of amendments to the earlier set of regulations that were circulated for consultation in September and October. The regulator is now inviting comment from the gaming industry and other interested parties, though …

Aspire Global, the Malta-based iGaming solutions provider, has said its AG Communications subsidiary is integrated compliant with online gambling laws in Sweden, after being criticised by national regulator Spelinspektionen for failing to comply with a key player protection measure in the country’s iGaming regulations. In December the regulator stated that …

Playtech has agreed to pay €28m (£25.2m) to settle a run-in with Israeli tax authorities. Israel audited the company’s accounts between 2008 and 2017, with the additional tax payment – related to transfer pricing adjustments linked to its operations in Israel – covering this period. The company will face no …

Turkey has launched a tender for the operation of a centralised sports betting system and risk management centre by businesses for fixed odds and mutual betting, the Official Gazette said on Friday. Tenders can be submitted until February 11. Turkey tender to open sports gambling industryAny company vying for the …

European supplier Kambi backs the PA sports betting operation at Parx. Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) has given Kambi and Parx Casino the green light to officially open the sportsbook – a decision which means Kambi now powers three of the state’s four live sportsbooks. The venue features 45 Kambi-powered …

Bethard has announced that it has been granted another national license, this time for Ireland. A remote bookmaker’s license has been granted to the Bethard Group by the Irish Revenue Department. Receipt of the latest license makes for a total of five national gaming licenses in Europe obtained by the …

An emergency ordinance was issued by the Romanian government, which called introduced a new 2% tax on gambling revenue, which will directly impact the profits of operators in the country. The measure was voted and pushed along ahead of the Christmas holidays, with the government having long been warning for …

Danish Gambling Authority Spillemyndigheden conducted three web searches in collaboration with the Danish Tax Authority and decline in the number of illegal gambling websites targeting Danish players indicates a limited illegal gambling market in the country. The regulator ultimately found that 22 sites were breaching regulations by offering gambling without …

From January 1, iGaming licensees are subject to a tax of 25% of gross gaming revenue on online casino and bingo, an increase of 5%, with online fixed-odds betting tax increased from 22% to 24% of GGR. Land-based sports betting operators, meanwhile, will now pay a 20% GGR tax, up …