The Netherlands’ Minister for Legal Protection, Franc Weerwind, has been urged to back a universal loss limit to the country’s Remote Gambling Act (KOA). Backed by the ChristianUnie (CU) Party, the measure seeks to make up for the deficiencies of the current safer gambling rules.

The proposal would introduce a universal loss limit across the 27 online gambling licensees in the Netherlands. This measure, according to the CU, is needed because the current rules have failed to prevent excessive online gambling.

The universal loss limit will apply across all operators in the country, preventing players from going to play with another operator once they hit the limit.

Mirjam Bikker, leader of the CU, emphasized that the measure has already secured majority support from many parties in the country, including the Christian Democratic Appeal, Conservative Reform Party, Dutch Socialist Party and Green Alliance.

The proposal was submitted to Weerwind who is currently responsible for the ongoing reform of the KOA.

Weerwind Says Such a Measure Would Be Difficult to Implement

Weerwind recently addressed the matter, confirming that he has received the CU’s request. However, the Minister for Legal Protection said that he doesn’t plan to advance the proposal to ministers.

According to Weerwind, a universal limit will be both time-consuming and too complicated to properly implement. Weerwind added that he believes lawmakers should instead concentrate on already existing proposals as the vote looms.

For reference, the minister previously proposed compulsory financial risk checks on player accounts that spend more than €350 a month. Approved by the Ministry of Justice, his proposals also include a €150 non-universal loss limit for customers under the age of 24.

However, the CU pointed out that, since there are 27 legal operators in the Netherlands, young people can still go to another operator once they hit the monthly €150 limit. As a result, they can still spend all their money on gambling.

Representatives of the CU and CDA critiqued Weerwind’s reluctance to tackle gambling addiction head-on and introduce the necessary measures to protect Dutch consumers. The latter party previously argued that the KOA has failed to protect local players from harm and must therefore be abolished.

In the meantime, the Netherlands continues its efforts to protect the safety of local gamblers. To that end, the country recently banned untargeted gambling advertisements, hoping to mitigate some of the damage.

The post Dutch Politicians Urge Weerwind to Introduce Universal Loss Limit appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Playtech will deploy its range of live casino, iCasino and table games with Boyd Interactive Gaming, the digital arm of Boyd Gaming Corporation in the United States, and specifically through the Stardust-branded online casinos that the company operates in the country.

Boyd to Leverage Playtech’s Diverse Portfolio  

The partnership is hailed as an important milestone in both companies’ ambitions for the US market, as Playtech has been doubling down on its local presence while Boyd Gaming is preparing to secure a larger share of the market in anticipation of online casino expansion across various states.

Presently, Boyd’s Stardust online casinos are available in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, which are the states with the highest participation of interactive casino players, on the lookout for the best online slots, live and table games.

Boyd is planning to expand beyond those bastions, however, and a content injection from Playtech would give its library a distinct and player-focused quality.

Playtech USA CCO Marcus Yoder welcomed the new opportunity and said that it was an immense and exciting chance to see the company’s games incorporated into Stardust online casinos.

“The team at Playtech is thrilled to collaborate with the Boyd team and we are confident that the joining of our forces will bring mutual success to both companies,” Yoder added.

The news was naturally welcomed by Boyd Interactive CEO Jim Ryan who was similarly positive of the development and said that the new titles introduced by Playtech would significantly strengthen the Stardust casino brand.

Expanding in North America and Looking to Deliver Exciting Games

Among the titles that players are now looking forward to exploring are such blockbuster hits as Gold Rush: Cash Collect and Adventures Beyond Wonderland.

Playtech has been growing its footprint globally, with the company even attempting a rumored acquisition of William Hill, volunteering to pay £700 million (approximately $887 million) during the summer, The Sunday Times reported.

The supplier has also been growing its North American footprint at a good pace with the company striking a similar content partnership with FanDuel in Canada.

The post Playtech Teams up with Boyd to Introduce Games to Stardust Casino in US appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Californian voters continue to show little interest in sports betting. Data shows that consumers in the state continue to be reluctant to introduce the vertical to the state, although some people seem to be warming up to the idea.

Such were the results of a study led by FM3 Research, a local polling company. According to its findings, only 13% of Californians are strongly supportive of the idea, while 17% only somewhat support betting. According to the results, 17% somewhat oppose sports betting and 46% strongly oppose it. The remaining 7% are neutral.

While these results are not thrilling, they still show that people are a bit more likely to support betting now than they were a year ago. For reference, last year, FM3 Research learned that 13% strongly support betting while 15% somewhat support it.

Tribes Oppose the New Measures

While the results show a modest warming up to the idea of sports betting, they still show that more than half of the voters in the state are opposed to the idea. These results are favorable to the local tribes, which are wary of competition from commercial operators.

The tribes were also unhappy that the most recent measures were not communicated to them before the filings. This further amplified their animosity, providing extra challenges to the legalization of sports betting.

Most of the local tribes are firmly opposed to the introduction of sports betting, with some remaining neutral on the matter.

California Is Not Ready

Last year, two other bills tried to usher in sports betting but failed to gain traction. This year’s measures, the Sports Wagering Regulation and Tribal Gaming Protection Act and the Tribal Gaming Protection Act seek to give sports betting another chance.

Unfortunately, the time for collecting comments concluded yesterday. The due date for both measures is December 1.

The outlook for sports betting in California seems to remain bleak. As voters and tribes alike oppose the two amendments, any significant change is unlikely. California will likely need a few more years before sports betting becomes a relevant matter, according to the local tribes.

The post California Is Unlikely to Introduce Sports Betting in 2023 appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Kenya is on the path to significant gambling reforms. Under a new bill, the African country is set to establish a new regulatory body and overhaul its gambling rules.

The measure, dubbed Gambling Control Bill 2023, would replace the Betting, Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) with a new regulator. In addition, the bill is set to introduce regulations on betting, casino gaming and other forms of gambling and legalize prize competitions, public lotteries and media promotions.

Sponsored by National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah, the bill would change Kenyan gambling for good.

The bill is now before the Parliament with its future yet to be decided.

New Regulations Would Be Introduced

Under the proposed laws, gambling would expand but so would regulation. The bill envisions creating a regulator that has the powers necessary to deal with unruly gambling companies. To prevent regulatory breaches, the measure will introduce fines for violations of the country’s gambling law, preventing operators from simply ignoring the rules.

To make sure that operators do not violate the regulations, the bill would require them to post a bank guarantee or insurance security bond that would cover potential violations. Promoting an unlicensed lottery, for example, would carry a KES 1 million fine (approximately $6,500) or a year in prison.

The new bill will also prohibit bets under KES 20. Firms that violate this rule risk a fine of KES 50 million ($328,000).

In addition, the new regulator would be responsible for ensuring that minors do not engage in gambling. To that end, the measure would ban companies from advertising their products between 6 am and 10 pm.

Under the Gambling Control Bill, a 15% tax on gross revenue would be introduced, as well as a monthly levy. Lotteries, on the other hand, would be required to donate 30% of their proceeds to charity organizations.

The post Kenyan Bill Seeks to Introduce a New Regulator and Overhaul Gambling appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Finland is considering a possible modernization of its online gambling laws. The European country is currently considering a licensing model like the ones used by most modern gambling markets.

Finland’s intentions were announced by the country’s Ministry of the Interior. The ministry introduced a legislative project that, if advanced, could replace the current monopoly with a licensing system. The move was loudly praised by the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), an industry body representing Europe’s top iGaming companies.

Finland’s legislative project would draft proposals needed to make the transition to a licensing system. As a result, it will cover a number of important aspects, such as what activities will be legalized, what the taxes and fees for operators will be and how Finland will prevent gambling harm.

According to the EGBA, the Ministry of the Interior’s project will run through December 31, 2025, and will lead to the introduction of a legislative proposal in spring 2025.

The Move Would Align Finland to Other EU Member States

For reference, Finland is the only member of the European Union that still sports a monopoly regime for online gambling activities. The system’s deficiencies have become apparent in recent years with customers demanding more varied content and migrating to offshore websites.

This tendency has caused the country to lose control of the iGaming market and miss out on potential tax money.

According to the EGBA, the transition to a licensing model would benefit the Finnish market. The association expressed its support for the newly introduced legislative project, saying that it has the potential to increase player protection while boosting tax revenues. At the same time, the move would create a level playing field for operators.

The EGBA’s secretary general, Maarten Haijer, commented on the matter, saying that it is a “welcome step toward meaningful and overdue gambling reform” in the country. He highlighted the multiple boons a licensing model would bring, noting that it would also align Finland with other EU member states.

We look forward to continuing dialogue with the Finnish Government and local stakeholders as the regulatory discussions develop.

Maarten Haijer, secretary general, EGBA

As Finland considers the introduction of a licensing model, Norway continues its efforts to protect its monopoly systems, proceeding with its DNS blocking plans.

The post EGBA Praises Legislative Project to Introduce a Licensing Model in Finland appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Norway plans to introduce DNS blocking, barring offshore gambling sites from offering their products to local customers. This measure has been talked about for more than a decade and may finally become a reality.

The proposal is backed by the current minister of culture, Anette Trettebergstuen, who hopes to ban offshore sites from 2024. Unlike her predecessors who rejected the idea of DNS blocking, Trettebergstuen believes that the measure would make it very hard for companies to reach local audiences.

The DNS blocking, many believe, will protect Norsk Tipping, Norway’s gambling monopoly, from foreign competition. The new law will be proposed this fall and if approved, may come into power on January 1, 2024.

Under the new rules, the Norwegian Gambling Authority will be responsible for the implementation of the ban. The regulator will have the power to ask internet service providers (ISPs) to block certain websites and gambling companies from accessing Norway.

The Battle Isn’t Going to Be Easy

The measure goes against earlier projections that Norway would eventually introduce a licensing model like Sweden and Denmark. In fact, only The Progress Party (FRP) seems to be supporting this idea currently.

FRP member Silje Hjemdal addressed the matter, sharing her skepticism about the DNS blocking. According to her and other critics, the measure might not have the expected effect. In addition, opponents believe that blocking such sites is censorship that infringes on customers’ privacy.

While the Conservative Party is against the introduction of a licensing regime, it will likely oppose the current proposal. While the measure seems similar to the one proposed by the conservatives in 2021, the party currently claims that blocking would be inefficient because of how simple it is to circumvent it.

The DNS blocking proposal has been in limbo for a while, without significant progress being made. When the measure was out for consultation in the fall of 2021, it attracted strong opinions from both gamblers and operators.

The Norwegian government emphasized that not all offshore websites will be blocked but rather a number of brands deemed to be dangerous. However, it is likely that the DNS blocking might also lead to legal battles between the Norwegian government and gambling operators.

Betsson, for example, has previously slammed the efforts to introduce DNS blocking as a measure that breaches the EEA agreement. Trettebergstuen said that she is aware that any measure that limits the gambling juggernauts’ reach will be met with resistance. However, she vowed to not give up.

The post Norway May Introduce DNS Blocking for Offshore Operators appeared first on Keno Wizard.

The Encourage Korea IR developed by Mohegan Gaming & Leisure ought to be capable to open forward of its unique schedule, and a non-gaming providing ought to already be accessible earlier than the tip of 2023, the corporate confirmed throughout its newest earnings name, summing up the outcomes for the fourth quarter.

Tourism Massive Focus of Upcoming Undertaking

Despite the fact that development needed to be put briefly on maintain for a couple of months, it restarted in the beginning of February, with executives assured within the imminent success of the mission and its well timed completion.

Whereas non-gaming operations are because of begin earlier than the tip of the 12 months, the corporate continues to be not clear on when gaming operations will comply with swimsuit. Mohegan CEO Ray Pineault assured that his firm is urgent on with the mission in order to supply well timed gaming and non-gaming supply as quickly as attainable.

When it comes to how briskly that is occurring, Pineault estimates that the mission is already about 4.5% forward of its unique schedule. The chief stated that 43.5% of the mission has been accomplished as of January, including:

Following a complete evaluation of Mohegan Encourage, we anticipate making further fairness investments to fund a wide range of gadgets associated to the mission.

Mohegan CEO Ray Pineault

Mohegan may also transfer on with the enlargement of lodge rooms, conference, and assembly rooms, together with different recognized priorities, Pineault defined. An enormous a part of that is targeted on the non-gaming phase, which Pineault motivates with a shifting development in South Korean customers who’re on the lookout for “staycation” choices.

Huge Funding for an Bold Undertaking

This is the reason the facilities that transcend the gaming ground are equally vital – if not much more so – to the group. As an entire, Mohegan Encourage is a powerful mission that’s going to value $5 billion. The Encourage mission may also embrace a foreign-only on line casino and give attention to catering to vacationers regionally and internationally.

The mission is deliberate with three lodge towers, a 15,000-seat enviornment, and quite a lot of eating and leisure choices that make the keep worthwhile to friends and customers. Upon completion, Mohegan Encourage would be the second built-in resort accessible in Incheon, after Paradise Metropolis. The mission can be pushing in opposition to native competitors from Macau and shortly – Japan, the place new built-in tasks are additionally underway.

The post Mohegan Plans to Introduce Non-Gaming Inspire Korea IR Offer in 2023 appeared first on Keno Wizard.