Regulation round-up 12 July 2016
The biggest regulatory news from the egaming industry in the last seven days (6 July to 12 July 2016)
Netherlands passes online gaming bill
Remote gambling bill passes Dutch lower house and expected to sail through Senate in autumn
The Dutch market could be open for business as soon as 2017, after the lower house of the Dutch parliament passed a bill to regulate online gaming in the country.
The bill is expected to be rubber stamped by the Dutch Senate after the summer hiatus and the Dutch regulator KSA said it could be possible to apply for a licence by H2 2017.
Operators looking to enter the market will face a uniform tax rate of 29% for land-based and remote gaming.
Several recent amendments to the bill are considered favourable to online operators, including a clause which prohibits lotteries and land-based operators from using their existing player databases to promote their online offerings.
Australian regulator mulls reversing in-play ban
Australia’s Northern Territory Racing Commission is considering a reversal of its decision to implement a ban on ‘click-to-call’ systems following lobbying attempts by online operators.
Earlier this month the regulator sent a letter, seen by eGaming Review, to bookmakers licensed in the state stating it had received correspondence from a number of licensees and would meet soon to “discuss the new steps forward.”
“I would encourage bookmakers to make a considered submission to the NT Racing Commission within the timeframe allowed regarding the concerns you have in relation to the proposed licence variation,” the letter said.
Seven days in regulation:
BHA issues warning over Ladbrokes-Coral merger
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has warned the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) the proposed Ladbrokes-Coral merger could have a “detrimental impact” on British racing and a national loss of competition on the high street.
In a letter to the CMA, the BHA’s chief executive, Nick Rust, who left Ladbrokes in late 2014 and previously worked for Gala Coral, claimed the merger between the two bookmaking giants could lead to a “deterioration” of prices, a fall in the value of media rights and the closure of smaller racecourses across the UK.
He also said objections made when a merger between Ladbrokes and Coral was proposed in 1998 were still valid and that an even greater concentration of market share would be to the detriment of both the racing industry and customers.
Paddy Power rapped for Cheltenham TV ad
Paddy Power has been reprimanded by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over a “misleading” advert the operator ran for the Cheltenham Festival.
The firm found itself in trouble for implying a promotion was available to anyone, when restrictions on who could enter were already in place.
The TV ad featured an actor who answered a phone labelled “Paddy Power COMPLAINTS”. The caller asked: “What’s this I hear about your incredible Cheltenham offer being available to everyone even riff-raff?” The actor replied: “That’s right, it’s one incredible offer.”
UK/New Jersey liquidity-sharing talks heat up
Liquidity-sharing talks between New Jersey and the UK have taken a step forward after New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) wrote to operators asking about the feasibility of such a plan.
The DGE last week wrote to companies including GVC/bwin.party, PokerStars and 888 and has also been in talks with Great Britain’s Gambling Commission.
The British regulator confirmed to EGR: “We’ve been having preliminary discussions with the New Jersey DGE about sharing poker liquidity and are currently exploring how that would work. It’s early on in the process and too early to be considering specific details of how it would work.”
Portuguese regulator issues second sports betting licence
Portugal has issued its second online sports betting licence since reregulation to Malta-based operator Bet Entertainment Technologies.
The firm’s bet.pt site, which is powered by SBTech, went live to Portuguese customers last week, hours before the country’s Euro 2016 semi-final against Wales.
Bet Entertainment Technologies said in a blog post: “The bet.pt platform stands out for having a simple and intuitive interface, with unique features such as cash out.
Bookmakers back new eSports integrity unit
Betway, Pinnacle and Unikrn are among a number of bookmakers backing a new industry body designed to tackle match fixing in eSports.
The new eSports Integrity Coalition (ESIC), which was officially launched in London last week, was set up as a response to the “rapidly increasing threat of betting fraud arising from a burgeoning eSports betting market,” according to a statement from the body.
ESIC’s new integrity commissioner Ian Smith said the eSports betting industry could be worth hundreds of billions of dollars by 2020 if it continues to grow at its current rate, with much of it in grey and black markets.