Regulation Round-up 20 March 2011
The biggest regulatory news from the egaming industry in the last seven days (14 March to 20 March 2012).
Playtech prepares Nevada licence application
Software “powerhouse” just “weeks away” from applying for a service provider licence in Nevada – could announce larger strategic deal next quarter, its chief executive has told eGaming Review.
Playtech is just “weeks away” from applying for a service provider licence in Nevada and could announce a larger strategic deal in the next quarter, its chief executive has told eGaming Review.
Following last Thursday’s annual results announcement that saw its gross income rise 41% to 243.6m in the last 12 months, Mor Weizer (pictured) told eGR that the software “powerhouse” was preparing to submit a licence application in order to supply potential operators in the west coast US state.
This would make Playtech the 22nd potential licensee to apply for a licence in Nevada. Once the application is in the company, its senior management team and major shareholders will then undergo a series of stringent probity tests and investigations that will take a minimum of nine months and cost several million dollars. If it passes Playtech would then be free to provide software to licensed operators and casinos.
Weizer also revealed that the company had gone through “certain probity checks” in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Maine, three states that have granted Sportech, in which Playtech owns a 10% stake, an operator licence. Sportech acquired Scientific Games Racing in 2010 for an initial US$65m, renaming it Sportech Racing. SGR operates pari-mutuel pools betting in some of the country’s largest race tracks as well as off-track betting in New York state. Scientific Games owns a 19.9% stake.
Lottomatica confirms Nevada licence applications
The Lottomatica Group has confirmed it has applied for Interactive Gaming Service Provider licenses from the Nevada Gaming Control Board (GCB), calling the move an “important step in its iGaming strategy for the US”.
The group has applied for five service provider licenses in total: three under subsidiaries SPIELO International USA, SPIELO International Canada, and SPIELO International Austria, while GTECH G2 subsidiaries Boss Media and St. Minver have also applied.
SPIELO International and GTECH G2 were merged last October to make up the new gaming division of the Lottomatica Group, and provide web-based, player-focused games, products and services.
Seven days in regulation:
Spanish regulator resigns
Juan Carlos Alfonso Rubio, the deputy general director for the Spanish regulatory authority has left his role with immediate effect, eGaming Review can reveal.
Alfonso, who had served as deputy general director since March last year, had been responsible for assessing licence applications submitted by 62 operators and meeting deadlines in the run-up to the opening the market that has been delayed until thre end of this month or the beginning of April.
However, according to a local source close to the matter, Alfonso’s departure could now see the process delayed even further as members of Spain’s new right-wing government seek a replacement. “This now creates a situation of uncertainty that we could do without in the run-up to regulating the market,” he said.
Iowa poker bill dead, House Chair claims
The bill introduced by Senator Jeff Danielson which would see internet poker legalised in Iowa has reportedly died after once again failing to pass through the state’s ‘funnel deadline’, the chairman of the House State Government Committee has revealed.
Chairman Peter Cownie, Republican representative for West Des Moines, told Iowa newspaper The Gazette that the bill was only introduced to the committee on Thursday morning, not giving the committee enough time to properly debate the proposals before today’s deadline.
“There are deadlines and this really was a victim of the funnel,” Cownie explained.
Iowa bill passed in State Senate
Senator Jeff Danielson’s bill to allow Iowa’s gambling establishments to offer online poker to the state’s residents has passed a Senate committee hearing by 29 votes to 20 and will now pass to the House State Government Committee.
SF 2275 was passed by a bipartisan vote, with eight Republican senators and 21 Democrats voting in favour of the bill, with five Democrats and 15 Republicans opposing the legislation. Under the terms of the bill, casinos, race tracks and riverboat casinos would be able to apply for licences to offer customers online poker, paying a gross profit tax.
Before being passed, an amendment proposed by Republican Senator Joni Ernst, which would have seen gross profit tax be used for the State’s road improvement budget “ which has a US$251m shortfall “ was removed, causing the senator to vote against the bill.
Bulgarian government to block unlicensed operators
The Bulgarian government has passed a motion to mandate internet service providers to block access unlicensed gambling sites, as it continues to debate egaming legislation.
The ban can now be implemented by the State Gambling Commission with the approval of a Sofia Regional Court, according to the Sofia News Agency, after the Bulgarian parliament passed the motion following a second reading with only one MP speaking out against it.
Rumen Ovcharov, MP for the Bulgarian Socialist Party, called for the state to draw up a blacklist of unlicensed operators to be blocked and have other unlicensed sites prosecuted under the Gambling Act. However, this was rejected by Deyan Chervenkondev of the ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party who said a blacklist can be put together once regulation is passed.
Matchbook close to Alderney licence
Antigua-licensed betting exchange Matchbook is set to move to an Alderney licence before the end of the month, chief executive Andrew Pantling has confirmed to eGaming Review.
The move comes as the operator prepares to launch its first iPhone app, following on from the development of multi-language and multi-currency features to its core exchange product.
This afternoon it will increase the number of different currencies to six and four languages will be rolled out from next month with more to follow, while the company hopes to follow the likes of bwin and Betfair in having real-money apps approved by Apple’s iPhone App Store.
Bovada bans players from Maryland
Morris Mohawk’s US-facing Bovada.lv poker site has banned players from Maryland from signing up or playing on the site, according to an email seen by eGaming Review.
Citing “continuing difficulties finding and maintaining acceptable payment options”, the move follows Maryland authorities indicting Bodog founder Calvin Ayre and three other individuals on counts of operating an illegal gambling business and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Maryland was also the state where a government-informant payment processor brought about the seizure of multiple domain names on Blue Monday and the subsequent closure of BetED and the indictment of two connected individuals.
Relax Gaming has become Alderney’s 100th licensee. The company, with offices in Estonia and Finland, is poised to roll out a ‘Fast Poker’ product with a number of European operators.