Worldwide Regulatory Updates in the Gambling Industry For March 2020

March has been a very turbulent and troubled month, in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic. It affected gambling industry greatly, with a lot of venue closing down. However, regulatory mechanisms were working full steam and yielded various results across the globe.

US iGaming Updates

Alabama: A bill Hb-336 was submitted by Rep. John Rogers. It would make land-based and mobile sports wagering in the state legal and would allow 4 licenses to be awarded by Alabama Sports Wagering Commission. It also includes tax rate of 10% of gross win.

Also, Greg Albritton, the senator of Alabama, introduced a legislation that gives Poarch Band of Creek Indians the right to operate casino gaming, sports betting and gaming machines, as well as a development of two new casinos.

Connecticut: Governor Ned Lamont gave his to legalization of sports betting while the current legislative session lasts. This would allow retail and online sports betting at tribal casinos, off-track betting venues and lottery retailers.

Illinois: The Rivers Casino in Des Plaines became the first casino in the state to launch its retail sportsbook on 9 March 2020.

Massachusetts: A bill was submitted that might legalize sports betting on professional and Division 1 college sports. The Massachussetts Gaming Commission would write the regulations, while sports betting would be legal at three land-based casinos in the state. The proposed tax rate is 10% of gross won for retail and 12% for online.

Michigan: Retail sports betting was launched in three Detroit casinos on 11th March.

Kansas: Bill for legalization of sports betting was ed by Kansas state Senate, after two years of debate. Sports betting is allowed online and in any of state’s 4 casinos. The tax rate on gross win is 7.5% from casinos and 10% from online wagers.

South Dakota: House and Senate gave their approval to sportsbetting bill SJR 501 which will allow voters in the state decide whether to permit sportsbetting in the November 2020 referendum.

Utah: Legislation to categorize types of gaming devices and define unregulated slot machines as illegal was ed by the House and Senate. It was sent to Governor for final approval.

Virginia: HB 896 was ed by the Senate and sent to Governor. It would permit retail and mobile sportsbetting at the state’s 5 proposed casinos and would set a 15% gross win tax on the activity, Also HB 4 would authorize land-based casinos in the state. The bill proposed an incremental tax rate of 18% of gross win under $200m, 23% under $400m and 30% for all gross win above $400m.

Washington: The Senate ed HB 2638 to permit sportsbetting at the state’s tribal casinos. The bill was sent to the House for re-consideration. The House must the bill before the end of the legislative session on 12 March 2020 if it is to be enacted this year.

Wyoming: The House of Representatives has voted against HB-225 that would have legalised sportsbetting in the state. The House voted 32-27 against the bill, and it has now been withdrawn from the legislative process.

European iGaming Updates

Austria: Gernot Blumel, Austria’s finance minister, wants an independent regulator to be established to take responsibility for market regulation away from the Treasury. He thinks that licensing and supervision of the market should be outsourced to a gaming authority that is independent.

: Online casino regulation was ed by all 16 provinces. This would regulate online casino, poker, sports betting, interactive gaming machines, interactive table games and interactive sports betting. All of these verticals would come with certain restrictions in stakes, skins etc.

Players will be required to set a mandatory deposit limit of no more than €1,000 which will apply across all operators and advertising will only be permitted between 21:00 and 06:00. The regulations also included the establishment of a central gambling regulator to be based in the state of Saxony-Anhalt.

Italy: As part of emergency measures to stop the spread of Covid-19, the Government announced on 9 March that all betting shops, arcades and bingo halls across the country must be closed until 3 April at least.

Norway: A legislation was proposed to forbid overseas gambling operators from advertising on TV. Norwegian Media Authority would gain more power with preventing access to illegal marketing. Land-based bingo operators were permitted to offer their games online due to closure of bingo halls as a response to the outbreak of Covid-19.

Serbia: A new bill that will replace 2011 Gambling Act was introduced by Minister of Finance. Online gambling would come with 15% tax. Land-based market legislation was also updated, as government would be allowed to grant 10 casino licenses that would be valid for 10 years, with a license fee of EUR 500,000. Non-licensed gambling sites will also be under electronic surveillance to be shut down.

Turkey: The Turkish Government introduced legislation to expand the remit of current ISP blocks to include unlicensed betting sites targeting players in the country.

Ukraine: A crackdown on illegal online operators was announced by the Cyber Police of Ukraine which will target a number of illegal online casinos that are masked as IT development business.The Ukrainian telecom regulator has asked ISPs to block 32 online gambling websites, ahead of regulation of the market.

The Netherlands: Detailed regulations on interactive gambling market in this country were published by the government. Licenses would be awarded for five years. Operators will be subject to cooling off period of two years. Advertising will be prohibited between the hours of 6AM and 9PM and gambling on credit will not be permitted.

Asian iGaming Updates

China: The Ministry of Public Security proposed the introduction of an online gambling blacklist of operators found to be illegally targeting the Chinese market.

The Philippines: PAGCOR is considering closing down the operations of POGOs if the industry does not resolve a number of issues including illegal practices. Local media reported the Philippine government would the complete abolishment of the industry if the situation did not improve.

Rest of the World’s iGaming Updates

Alberta, Canada: The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission has revealed that plans for a locally licensed online gaming platform are still going ahead. The launch will be delayed, though, as operator will be chosen by mid-2020.

Argentina: La Rioja province has signed an agreement with its counterpart in Misiones to develop regulations for online gambling, which would make it the second province in Argentina to launch online gambling.

Australia: Lawmakers in Australia have set an age restriction on loot boxes, which they deem gambling targeted at minors. Anyone who buys a video game with loot boxes will have to show their ID to prove they’re 18 or older.

Puerto Rico: The Puerto Rico Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority has issued a request for proposals (RFP) to provide advisory services for the new Puerto Rico Gaming Commission. The RFP is for firms to work with the Commission to draft the territory’s gambling regulations.

Source:

“H2 Gambling Capital”