Regulation round-up 10/04/12
The biggest regulatory news from the egaming industry in the last seven days (4 April to 10 April 2012).
New Jersey bill passes out of Committee, heads for full vote
11 Senators back amended bill, Senator Sarlo abstains.
Senator Lesniak’s egaming bill S1565 has passed out of committee by an overwhelming majority and will now move to a full floor vote in the Senate as soon as the end of this month.
Eleven of the 12 Senators present at the Budget and Appropriations Committee hearing backed the amended bill after agreeing the state is in dire need of additional taxes in order to prop up ailing land-based casino revenues that, in turn, pay for underfunded projects for elderly and disabled citizens.
Only committee chairman Paul Sarlo abstained from voting in favour of the bill, due largely to his allegiance to the horse racing industry that has seen a clause in the bill removed that would have subsidised purses.
Bill Pascrell, who represented lobby group Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association (iMEGA) at the hearing, said: “This bill will not only create jobs, but it will retain jobs and it will grow revenue for the state.
Full Tilt subsidiary applies for Alderney licence
Full Tilt Poker (FTP) subsidiary Orinic Ltd has applied for a category 2 eGambling licence with the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC), the regulator has confirmed.
The Swiss-facing company was the only one of the four FTP companies not to see its licence revoked by the AGCC in September, as it was yet to become operational.
However its current suspended licence is of the Category 1 variety, which authorises the organisation and preparation of gambling operations, namely the registration and verification of players, the contractual relationship with them, and the management of player funds.”
In comparison, the AGCC explains on its site that a Category 2 licence “Authorises the effecting of the gambling transaction including operational management of a gambling platform located within an approved hosting centre.” Orinic has only applied for a Category 2 licence and it is unclear at this point whether the company is also pushing for a reinstatement of its Category 1 licence.
Seven days in regulation:
Hernandez Riera confirmed as Spanish regulator
Carlos Hernandez Riera has been appointed deputy general director for the Spanish gambling authority, replacing Juan Carlos Alfonso Rubio who resigned from the role last month, the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Finance has confirmed.
As exclusively revealed by eGaming Review on 20 March Hernandez Riera was on a shortlist of two state attorneys being considered for the positionalongside Carlos Montes, who was thought to have met with Alfonso Rubio to discuss the role. However, Hernandez Riera had been widely tipped as the preferred choice and took up the position yesterday.
He is the third high-profile appointment to the Spanish regulatory body this year, after Enrique Alejo joined as general director in January, and Jaime Lorenzo was announced as deputy general director of gaming management, responsible for technical compliance, replacing Miguel Ordozgoiti who left alongside Alfonso Rubio.
Pennsylvania could privatise state lottery
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett is considering outsourcing the Keystone State’s lottery services to a private software supplier.
The Republican politician, who has been in office for little over a year, confirmed that the prospect of online ticket sales is included among measures the state is considering introducing later this year.
GBI Racing to launch in Denmark and Canada
GBI Racing has signed deals with Canadian racetrack operator Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) and former Danish monopoly Danske Spil, which will see British and Irish horse racing broadcast in Canada and Denmark for the first time.
Under the terms of the deal, races shown via the GBI Racing channel will now be screened on Canada’s Horse Player Interactive TV, and customers will be able to place bets on horse racing meets at WEG’s racetracks.