Regulation round-up 2 June 2015
The biggest regulatory news from the egaming industry in the last seven days (27 May to 2 June 2015)
Unibet and bwin.party extend French licences until 2020
Betclic also has operating licence renewed for a further five years as regulator nears completion of relicensing process
Unibet, bwin.party and Betclic Everest Group are among the first batch of operators to have their operating licences renewed until 2020 by French online gambling regulator l’Autorité de regulation des jeux en ligne (ARJEL).
Last month ARJEL began issuing licences for firms to operate online horseracing betting, sports betting and poker following the expiration of the original five-licences issued in May 2010, when the market was first opened to competition from foreign operators.
Unibet, PMU and Betclic all confirmed to eGR that their licences had been renewed for an additional five years, while bwin has also received approval to continue operating sports betting and poker.
However, the operator’s partypoker brand is still awaiting regulatory approval, while rival Winamax was also a recent licence recipient.
Spin Genie ad banned for appealing to under 18s
Gaming Realms brand Spin Genie said it had “zero interest” in appealing to under 18s after the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned one of its TV adverts over fears it could appeal to underage players.
The advert included a voiceover poem and showed a gold coin smashing into the ground in a desert oasis, exploding into small casino icons, and then moving into a cave where jewels and treasure items were shown.
One complainant challenged whether the advert appealed to under 18s and raised similar concerns over the Spin Genie homepage, which featured a cartoon dog and games like Fluffy Favourites and Jack and the Beanstalk.
Seven days in regulation:
South African government criticises new online bill
South Africa’s ruling African National Progress party has rejected a fresh bill which aims to regulate online gaming, describing legislation of the act as “inappropriate” during a time of high unemployment and poverty.
Earlier last week opposition Democratic Alliance spokesperson on trade and industry Geordin Hill-Lewis tabled a new private members bill in which he called for an end to costly prohibition, which would in turn would generate much needed revenues for treasury coffers.
“Prohibition requires massive new resources to be devoted to enforcement with no cost recovery,” Hill-Lewis said when presenting the bill.
William Hill CEO joins Responsible Gambling Trust
William Hill chief exec James Henderson has joined the board of trustees at the Responsible Gambling Trust (RGT) replacing former Ladbrokes boss Richard Glynn.
The RGT said the appointment helps it maintain a balance of gambling industry expertise and independent Trustees and Henderson vowed to help the charity to promote its work in the coming years.
“Industry representatives make an important contribution to the work of the Responsible Gambling Trust and Richard was an excellent and collaborative Trustee committed to helping the Trust to fulfil its charitable objectives,” Neil Goulden, RGT chairman, said.
Senet Group strengthens advertising restrictions
Senet Group has added new restrictions to members’ advertising which includes limitations on trackside hoardings at racecourses, as it launches a new burst of its own TV and online responsible gambling campaign.
The self-regulator, which was set up with founding members William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral and Paddy Power, has issued new guidance which covers hoardings which are shown on TV.
Members must not show free bet or free money signup offers on hoardings if they are aware they are going to be broadcast before the 9pm watershed, a move which essentially bans the adverts on hoardings given the usual broadcast time of racing.