Regulation round-up 26 August 2014
The biggest regulatory news from the egaming industry in the last seven days (20 August to 26 August 2014)
India to decide on poker’s legality
India’s Supreme Court set for landmark ruling next month that could open to the doors to legalised online poker
India’s highest court is set to end a long-running debate next month when it will decide whether playing online poker for cash in the country is a legal activity, a ruling which could potentially open the market up to foreign operators.
The Supreme Court will judge whether poker and other card games such as rummy are games of ‘mere skill’ and therefore legally allowed, or a game of ‘chance’ and in breach of the country’s gambling laws.
Recently Amaya CEO David Baazov said India was now on the company’s radar following its $4.9bn acquisition of PokerStars’ parent company Rational Group earlier this month.
And Pinsent Masons gaming lawyer Bryan Tan told eGaming Review that legalising cash poker games could lead to a drive in innovation in India which foreign operators would be “more adept at”.
GBGA pushes for early judicial review
The Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association (GBGA) says it is pushing for an early hearing in its attempt to overturn Great Britain’s new licensing regime as the government confirmed to eGR it is still planning on an October implementation date.
eGR revealed last week the GBGA had filed for a judicial review of what it dubbed an “unlawful” and “illegitimate” regulatory framework, in order to prevent the measures from coming into force as scheduled on 1 October.
It was initially thought the GBGA’s case would be heard around November – after the licensing regime was due to be enacted “ however, the industry body is now hopeful of securing a hearing ahead of the framework coming into force.
Seven days in regulation:
Russian search engine penalised for online poker ads
Russia’s Federal Antitrust Service (FAS) has reprimanded the country’s leading search engine Yandex after the company was judged to have fallen foul of the country’s advertising laws by publishing links to poker websites including Full Tilt and PokerStars.
The company has been accused of running advertisements for well-known online poker brands, despite authorities having placed restrictions on the promotion of real-money poker in Russia.
FAS has warned Yandex that it must halt the advertising of poker sites offering real-money games while the company is also expected to be hit with a financial penalty in the coming weeks.
Betdigital latest to secure UK licence
Betdigital has become the latest egaming supplier to receive a Remote Gambling Software Operating Licence by the UK Gambling Commission.
The UK’s new Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act, which comes into force in October, will require all suppliers with UK-facing activities to be licensed by the Gambling Commission by January 2015, and the firm’s CEO Heath Samples said the early award was part of the firm’s plans to “stay ahead of the curve”.
Betdigital’s award comes two weeks after the regulator released an initial tranche of software licences to suppliers such as Openbet, GTECH and Realistic Games, and in the same week the firm teamed-up with gaming content provider Odobo.
Draft Swiss gambling bill needs “substantial corrections”
Switzerland’s draft gambling bill requires “substantial corrections” if it is to meet its objectives, the Swiss Casino Association (SCA) claimed last week as the bill’s consultation period comes to an end.
In a statement issued earlier on behalf of the 21 licensed casinos in Switzerland, the SCA said the current draft gaming law, which for the first time includes provision for online gambling, would not solve the issues currently affecting Switzerland’s gambling market and risked making them worse.
The statement read that casino revenues had fallen by 27% since 2007 and that the bill’s failure to properly address unregulated websites risked reducing domestic operators’ competitiveness even further.