The Bruno Leoni Institute in Italy as concluded from a recent study what operators have been complaining about for years – over taxation is counter-productive and results in weaker player protection as punters are driven into the arms on unlicensed operators who can make better offers. Reporting on the Leoni study titled “Gambling: More Taxes, …
The Australian land and online betting group Tabcorp posted its fiscal Q3-2014 results Wednesday showing group revenue up 2.5 percent, mainly thanks to strong performances in fixed odds and online betting. Group revenue between January and March totalled A$492.3 million, whilst the year-to-date figure is now up by 1.5 percent to $1.54 billion. Revenue from …
New Jersey resident and one of the major defendants in the “art dealer” online sports betting and poker busts that took place in New York last year (see previous reports) Anatoly Golubchik was sentenced Tuesday by federal Judge Jesse M. Furman, receiving a heftier prison sentence than he literally had bargained for. 57-year-old Golubchik was …
The Nevada Gaming Control Board released its March numbers for the gambling industry Tuesday, reporting that baccarat action helped the industry to overcome a two consecutive months-long decline to rebound to a 7.6 percent increase in revenues. Gaming revenue state-wide increased 7.6 percent to $982.2 million during the month, with gaming revenue up 10.9 percent …
The House Democratic Policy Committee in the Pennsylvania Legislature is to hold a hearing on May 1st on the impact of intrastate online gambling following requests submitted by State Reps. Rosita Youngblood (chairwoman of the House Gaming Oversight Committee) and Tina Davis, a pro-online gambling legalisation supporter who will serve as co-chairwoman. The House Democratic …
At least one of the reasons for the disappointingly slow growth of legal online gambling in Atlantic City was illustrated by processor CAMS LLC this week, when it told the Associated Press news agency that only 44 to 46 percent of credit card transactions attempted by New Jersey punters were accepted by the big card …
The British online and land gambling group Ladbrokes plc has posted its Q1-2014 results showing declining group revenues but encouraging developments in mobile sports betting. CEO Richard Glynn added his voice to other executives in the industry in warning that government over-regulation and taxation in the UK presented a danger of betting shop closures and …
The massive ‘Allied Veterans of the World’ internet cafe gambling bust in Florida last year claimed another victim this week when Robert Freitas pleaded guilty in connection with his part in the $300 million gambling ring. Freitas, who is also a vice president of the Jacksonville Fraternal Order of Police, has agreed to testify against …
Investors could be forgiven for having reservations about buying shares in British bookmaking companies after the past few weeks of media and activist bashing on betting shop proliferation and fixed odds betting terminals, but in fact industry rumours and looking on the brighter side are pushing share prices back up. Reuters reported Tuesday that suggestions …
Online gambling software developer Playtech plc has released its Q1-2014 numbers, showing continued strong momentum with the exception of online bingo and poker, both of which languished. Highlights from the report for the period ended 31 March show: * Online casino revenues up 25.6 percent at Euro 55 million (Q1-2013: Euro 44.1 million) * Services …
The Mongolian Government’s Culture Minister Oyungerel Tsedevdamba intends submitting two draft proposals to Parliament that will legalise betting and allow for a professional horse racing league within the next three months. “Our priority is to make the legal environment for a jockey club operation so that we can have a market share of the Asian …
Coral Interactive will no longer operate in the Belgian market according to Anthony Hodgetts, head of affiliates at Gala Coral. Hodgetts explained in an affiliate communication that Coral Interactive will no longer accept new player registrations or transactions from the Belgian market due to new legislation. Existing customers located in Belgium will no longer be …
Unibet Group plc’s first quarter 2014 interim report delivered several all-time-highs in terms of profit, EBITDA and gross winnings revenue’s. Key performance highlights for the January – March 2014 period include: – Gross winnings revenue amounted to GBP 67.6 million (Q1/2013: GBP 59.3 million), up 14 percent – EBITDA was GBP 21.3 million (Q1/2013: GBP …
The Bitcoin-denominated online sports betting site Coinbet.cc has gone into liquidation after operational activity that lasted less than a year in which it carried out heavy marketing activity to pull in players. The website was unavailable and carried a “closed for business” notice over the Easter weekend, advising players to contact a support email address …
Management at the Net Entertainment-powered online casino Casino Room report that a Finnish woman player identified only as “Suvi” has hit a Euro 691,276.82 jackpot on the Arabian Nights slot. “Suvi” is apparently a recent sign-up at the casino, who hit the big win on the day she was accepted as a member, making her …
The views of Deutsche Bank analyst Andrew Zarnett on the future of legalised online gambling in the United States garnered widening publicity this week despite his more cautious assessment of the possibilities. Zarnett believes that the fragmented nature of state-by-state legalisation and the complexity induced by US political and legal interference indicate that progress will …
The Graham-Chaffetz federal bills seeking to resurrect the Wire Act and ban most forms of online gambling (see previous reports) attracted more flak this week as ten free-market libertarian organisations voiced their objections. Writing to Congressional leaders in the House and Senate, the group claimed that the Restoration of the Wire Act proposal constitutes “…a …
Spanish regulatory authority Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ) will hold a briefing tomorrow (Tuesday 29 April 2014) with regulatory authorities, certification bodies and online operators to reveal full details on the imminent legalisation and introduction of online slots in the Spanish Market. Topics on the agenda are expected to include licence procedures, technical …
UK Consultancy firm Procorre says the United Kingdom faces a future shortage of IT professionals in the online gaming industry as developing markets recruit for rapid expansion. According to the research, over 50 percent of online gaming job adverts targeting the UK market are recruiting for positions based in the USA and/or Canada. In contrast …
Games developer Quickspin has entered into a game content supply deal with Gala Coral Group for its retail sector. The deal further expands Quickspin’s presence in the UK market following an online deal with the Rank Group earlier this month (see previous report). Quickspin will provide a portfolio of games adapted to retail through 1800 …
An article in the Sydney Morning Herald’s Business Day (SMHBD) indicates an imminent senior management shuffle within William Hill Australia as chief executive Michael Sullivan and chief operating officer Anthony Waller are reportedly poised to leave the operator. Business Day cited unnamed industry sources as saying the senior executives are likely to leave the company …
Australian games development studio NextGen Gaming has partnered with Betdigital for the launch of its Foxin’ Wins and 300 Shields titles in to Gala Coral bingo clubs and licenced betting offices. The games will be carried exclusively by B2 and B3 gaming machines in around 1 800 betting shops and 137 Gala Bingo Clubs, while …
The latest Ladbrokes television advertisement – the first produced by current agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty – has had a mixed reception judging by social media comments; some like it but a there’s a lot of not-very-polite criticism as well. Centred on the theme “Betting Men” the ad shows the different approaches to betting of a …
The trade body representing the UK bookmaking industry, the Association of British Bookmakers, is fighting back on a surprise proposed tax hike by the government which could see a 25 percent tax rate on the controversial betting machines. Notification on the tax increase has already wreaked havoc on share prices, wiping GBP 460 million off …