Regulation Round-Up: 15 November 2011
The biggest regulatory news from the egaming industry in the last seven days (9 to 15 November 2011).
Ladbrokes selects Microgaming for Spain and Denmark
Software provider will supply London-listed bookmaker with casino and poker platforms in soon-to-be-regulated markets.
Isle of Man-based software provider Microgaming has been selected by Ladbrokes to provide poker and casino software for its Spanish and Danish operations once it launches in the soon-to-be-regulated markets.
The two parties renewed their supplier deal in June, increasing the range of products supplied to Ladbrokes by Microgaming, and it is no surprise that the company has been retained by the Gibraltar-licensed operator following its announcement that it is pursuing licences in Spain and Denmark.
Ladbrokes intends to offer the full range of products in both countries, including fixed-odds as well as poker and casino. The Spanish launch will come under the LBApuestas brand.
Microgaming head of business development Andy Clucas said in a statement: “We have had a long and successful relationship with Ladbrokes and are delighted to be entering these two exciting markets with them.”
Seven days in regulation:
Exclusive: Ladbrokes applies for Spanish and Danish licences
Ladbrokes has applied for online betting and gaming licences in Spain and Denmark, the operator has exclusively revealed to eGaming Review.
In Spain, Ladbrokes said it intends to submit a licence application for LBApuestas under the national licensing process. The Spanish regulator is due to announce final draft regulation this week with a view to fast-tracking through the first licences in December this year in time for the 20th of the month, the last working day before Christmas.
According to H2 Gambling Capital the value of egaming gross win in Spain is £408m, and is growing at around 8% per year with sports betting the largest product.
Ladbrokes has an existing retail joint venture in Spain branded Sportium, operating corners and shops in the Madrid and Aragon regions. In a statement released to eGaming Review the operator said the JV plans to expand into the Navarra and Valencia regions in the coming months with Ladbrokes’ latest self-service betting terminals being introduced.
Double-tax fear could drive more UK operators offshore, warns Bet365 co-chief
Bet365 co-CEO John Coates last week warned a Parliamentary hearing on egaming regulation that the double-taxation of UK-licensed operators by the UK government is “unsustainable”.
Coates, appearing as a witness before the Culture, Media and Sport hearing in his guise as chairman of lobby group the Remote Gambling Association (RGA), cited the high taxes operators are now paying in regulated markets on top of the 15% gross profits tax required by current UK regulations.
He said: “The big issue for [Bet365] is one of taxation. We are already accruing gross profits tax on our Spanish business, plus we are paying 15% in the UK and we will be paying 20% in Denmark from January, which is unsustainable.”
Black market concerns addressed in gambling hearing
Representatives of several leading egaming operators called on the government to introduce “commercially viable” legislation to discourage the rise of unlicensed operators in the UK.
Peter Reynolds, bwin.party director of communications, told last week’s Culture, Media and Sport hearing on gambling that the size of the illegal gambling market – both online and offline – is “Damaging to the industry.”
He explained: “I think the more sites you can bring under the umbrella of regulation the better – if you get things wrong there’s more encouragement for illegal operators to stay illegal.”
Sports betting, casino and poker lead Italian market recovery
A 75% growth in revenue last month saw the Italian market return to positive growth for 2011, according to the latest monthly dataset from Italian regulator AAMS.
Egaming gross gaming revenue (GGR) in October 2011 reached 80.38m, 75.2% up on the 45.88m generated in October 2010. The Italian remote gaming market is now 2.8% larger at the start of November 2011 than at the corresponding time last year.
Nevada could assess poker licence applications from February
Poker operators chasing licences in Nevada may have their applications investigated as soon as February, according to comments made by State Gaming Control Board (GCB) chairman Mark Lipparelli.
Speaking at last week’s US Online Gaming Law conference in Las Vegas, Lipparelli confirmed that those already holding some form of licence in the state would likely progress through the procedure relatively quickly, according to Nevada news website Vegas Inc.
NJ voters back sports betting by 2-1 margin
New Jersey voters last night approved sports betting at the state’s race tracks and casinos by a 2-1 margin in a statewide referendum.
Legislative champion Senator Raymond Lesniak (pictured) declared himself “delighted” with the result, and said he would introduce an enabling bill in the upper house of New Jersey’s legislature on Thursday.
New Jersey Representative to introduce sports betting bill
New Jersey Representative Frank Pallone Jr has announced plans to introduce a bill with the aim of excluding the Garden State from federal restrictions on sports betting.
The announcement comes after voters in a statewide referendum backed plans for intrastate sports betting by a 2:1 margin, and it is believed that New Jersey would be the only state included in the proposal.
Caesars could offer online poker “Within 12-14 months of US regulation”
Caesars Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman has said the casino corporation could launch an online poker site within 12-14 months of federal regulation passing in the US.