South Korea’s foreigner-only casinos do not sit well with many of the local residents. According to a recent report, roughly half of the residents of Jeju Island believe that these properties have led to a drastic increase in crime. According to these locals, stricter regulations are needed.

The survey was conducted by representatives of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and inquired about the opinions of 1,000 local adults. A whopping 49.9% said that they believe the properties have led to a spike in the region’s criminal activities. In the meantime, 14.2% disagreed with that statement. The rest were neutral and did not have strong opinions on the matter.

The survey also inquired about islanders’ feelings about the casinos’ effects on the environment. More than half of the respondents (52%) said that the island’s foreigner-only casinos have a negative impact, pollute the environment and increase traffic problems. In the meantime, 13.7% disagreed with that statement.

Furthermore, 55.1% agreed that the casinos have a harmful effect on the local youth and the educational sector as a whole. However, 13.7% do not believe in a link between the educational system and the casino properties.  

The Island’s Eight Casinos Provide a Boost to the Economy

Jeju Island houses eight foreigner-only casinos. These are managed and supervised by the provincial government and have been the subject of controversies for some time. For reference, South Korea prohibits gambling but allows foreign tourists to gamble in specific areas.

In addition to the aforementioned concerns, the casinos also bring some benefits. Roughly 40% of the survey respondents admitted that the island’s eight casinos do bring in more foreigners and lead to increased tourist spending. In addition, 33.7% agreed that the casinos have created many new jobs.

Speaking of jobs, 34.2% believe that operators should create more jobs for young people, while 32.8% would like casinos to provide more financial support to the local tourism sector.

Despite the casinos’ positive effects on the local economy, 51.4% believe that stricter regulations are needed. On the contrary, 27.3% of the respondents believe that the casinos could do with some more support from the government.

For reference, this survey was the first of its kind on the island. The Jeju Island government plans to conduct it every year in order to measure public opinion on the casinos and casino regulations.  

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Brazil’s journey towards a regulated sports betting landscape finally passed one of its final milestones as President Luiz Inácio ‘Lula’ da Silva signed off Bill PL3626/23, setting the groundwork for its federal sports wagering and iGaming market. Only a few final regulations stand before the industry’s official launch, which should hopefully happen sometime in 2024.

The New Legislation Had a Difficult Journey

Published in a special edition of the government’s ‘Diário Oficial da União,’ President Lula signed Bill PL3626/23 into law, heralding a new era with a regulatory regime for sports betting, popularly known as ‘Bets.’ The President’s stamp of approval on 30 December marked the culmination of a grueling legislative process marked by disagreement and controversy.

The Workers’ Party (PT) government meticulously revised the new bill, which underwent extensive evaluation in Brazil’s Senate Committees since September. The proposed legislation underwent over 100 amendments before gaining federal approval, highlighting the government’s commitment to delivering a comprehensive and efficient regulatory system that is up-to-date with current industry trends.

This critical bill encountered a stalemate over the authorization of online casino operations. However, a final session on 22 December saw the Chamber of Deputies vote overwhelmingly in favor of the legislation (261 in favor and 120 against), greenlighting the legislative framework for iGaming in the country.

A Few Final Hurdles Remain

Despite President Lula’s general endorsement of the new bill, he introduced vetoes on several aspects of the legislation, notably regarding tax exemptions for betting prizes up to BRL 2,112 ($432). The National Congress will examine these objections and decide whether to validate or overrule the vetoes.

Taxation was another contentious topic. The bill’s final draft envisions a 12% tax on licensed operators while taxing player prizes at 15%. Businesses eyeing a five-year federal license, allowing operation under three brands, must pay BRL 30 million ($6.13 million) and meet stringent eligibility criteria. The extra funds will bolster the government’s sports, education, and community-focused initiatives.

Brazil’s Ministry of Finance has reported an overwhelming response from 134 businesses expressing interest in joining Brazil’s burgeoning online gambling market, indicating substantial anticipation and momentum in the sector. While the new legislation is a significant milestone for the country, the local regulator must remain proactive to ensure a fair and sustainable business environment prioritizing customer safety.

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While DraftKings was the last operator to secure one of the coveted Maine sports betting market slots, its first weekend online was wildly successful, netting it over $3.4 million in profits. Such results are not uncommon for high-profile launches and should help the operator secure a substantial market share against competitors like Caesars.

The Operator’s Late Arrival Did Not Affect Profits

DraftKings announced its plans to enter Maine on 1 November, just days before the state officially launched sports betting. The operator partnered with the Passamaquoddy Tribe to launch a sports betting app in the Pine Tree state and quickly secured the required licensing and regulatory approvals. Both parties were excited regarding the collaboration, hoping to achieve long-term success.

Despite DraftKings’ last-minute entry into the online market, preliminary results show significant promise. Friday to Sunday saw the operator achieve roughly $3,406,000 in profits, marking an impressive start to its operations. DraftKings paid out $2.57 million in winnings to its customers and $82,000 in taxes, still leaving it with a substantial amount.

While these results mark an impressive start to the operator’s online presence in the state, DraftKings must focus on customer retention to preserve its momentum. Its industry-leading features like in-game betting, pre-match, same-game-parlay options created in-house, and signature options should bolster customer engagement and help it stand out amidst other high-profile operators.

Caesars Sportsbook Represents Significant Competition

Caesars Entertainment likely represents DraftKings’ primary rival in the region. The company was among the first to express interest in entering Maine’s online betting market and forged a partnership with three of the Wabanaki Nations: the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Mi’kmaq Nation, and the Penobscot Nation, launching its flagship sports wagering platform, Caesars Sportsbook.

This extensive collaboration furthered the operator’s longtime commitment to supporting Indian gaming and may be instrumental to its success in Maine. Caesars has not yet posted official data regarding its launch. However, securing a substantial market share in the state should bolster the company’s strong Q3 momentum and reaffirm its leadership position in North America.

As Maine’s online sports betting market gets off the ground, operators will spend the first few months jostling to establish a market niche. Regardless of who emerges as the industry leader, players can now support their favorite teams in new and engaging ways. Meanwhile, the substantial investments and increased tax revenue should significantly benefit local communities.

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The company is teaming up with Bwin.pt in Portugal where it is now pushing with more slot games through the prominent local domain and operational license. The companies’ partnership will bring benefits to both parties, as Bwin stands to enrich its library of games whereas MGA Games will have a new way to connect with local audiences.

MGA Games is deploying its greatest titles, which are known to elicit strong responses from players, lead to better engagement for operators, and generally help brands grow. Among the titles featured in the latest content deployment are Sandro Rey, Samantha Fox, Dream 3 Team, Popeye Caça-Tesouros, A Mina de Ouro, Deus dos Mares, and Paulo Future.

Bringing Quality Products to a Strong Local Market

These titles are not just some of the best games in MGA Games’ portfolio, they are also some of the titles that will appeal the most to local audiences. MGA Games are distinguished iGaming nuggets of delight with the titles all being 100% mobile-responsible, offering excellent visuals and quality, as well as gameplay.

MGA Games sales director Javier Lanfranchi hailed the opportunity to see his company move forward with a new operator in Portugal and strengthened its local footprint. He said:

We are sure that our localized slot games will impress Bwin.pt players making them feel the true emotion of the game. We share with Bwin.pt the passion for entertainment and reflect this by offering top-quality content of great value to operators.

MGA Games sales director Javier Lanfranchi

MGA Games has had a series of expansions over the past several months. The company similarly launched with Moosh, an operator, in Portugal in January. The supplier similarly grew in Peru through a deal with NG Gaming NV, the operator of Olimpo.bet, and not least, MGA Games expanded in the African market with Premier Bet.

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