The clean up
Brazil makes move on non-applicant operators
Brazilian government moves to combat “pandemic” of gambling addiction.
In +More: SAFE Bet resistance, VIXIO regtech launch.
MLB players’ union sues over image rights.
Michigan man up on felony charges for Caesars Sportsbook fraud.
Keep kickin' ass in the morning and takin' names in the evenin'.
Brazil crackdown
Haddad enough: Brazil’s government is to take steps to halt the operations of entities that have not applied for a license to operate legally as of January, as it hopes to start addressing what finance minister Fernando Haddad claimed was a “pandemic” of gambling addiction.
He said the government sees an “urgent need’ to bring order to the market ahead of the new regulated regime due to launch in January.
Haddad added that the health ministry was “receiving many reports” of the consequences of addictive gambling behavior.
No credit: Also part of the package of measures announced by Haddad was a ban on the use of credit cards to fund online gambling accounts. The head of the banking federation in Brazil, Febraban, has called for the measure to be implemented immediately.
Febraban president Isaac Sidney said the federation was concerned about the growth of gaming leading to increases in credit card defaults.
If your name’s not on the list: The move to bring a halt to the operations of non-applicant entities is set to start in October.
Recall, a total of 113 operators applied for licenses before the deadline closed in late August, including the market leaders Betano, Superbet, bet365 and Entain’s Sportingbet.
The next stage of the process will see approved operators having to pay a license fee of BR30m or $5.5m to the government.
Something doesn’t add up: The question of which operators outside of the 113 that have applied are causing the epidemic of gambling is left unanswered by Haddad’s comments.
Still, the Brazilian Institute for Responsible Gambling responded positively to the news.
Posting on LinkedIn it said the measure would be “crucial for an initial cleansing of the market.”
It added that the move would ensure the “continuation of brands that show genuine interest in operating in a regulated and healthy national market.”
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+More
Resistance movement: The federal sports-betting proposal put forward by New York Rep. Paul Tonko and Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal has unsurprisingly met with opposition from Nevada’s two senators and the congressperson who represents the Las Vegas Strip.
The Las Vegas Review Journal quotes Rep. Dina Titus as suggesting the SAFE Bet Act “reinforces the outdated and unwarranted prejudice against gaming.”
A spokesperson for Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, said Nevada “already has strict sports-betting regulations to protect consumers.”
Just because you’re paranoid: Pennsylvania has become the latest state to issue a cease-and-desist warning to Bovada, the 14th US jurisdiction to do so.
Top up: The pro-sports betting Winning for Education Missouri lobby group has disclosed that it has received a further $5m of funding from DraftKings. Recall, earlier this week it emerged that Caesars Entertainment has pumped $4m into the opposing campaign.
The Danish Gambling Authority says it is currently preparing for new rules expected to be adopted later in the autumn regarding an updated application process, guidance efforts and a webinar on the new rules for charity lottery.
Sky Bet has been chided by the UK data protection watchdog for illegal cookie use. The Information Commissioner’s Office warned the operator for sharing personal information with advertising technology companies before individuals had the chance to accept or reject advertising cookies.
As Ireland’s government finalizes details of its new gambling bill, researchers at the journal BMC Public Health have put pressure on ministers with a new study warning that children in the Emerald Isle are increasingly exposed to betting harms.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has asked the country’s ISPs to block an offshore iCasino site called Casino Bello.
Commercial
VIXIO GamblingCompliance has launched a brand new technical compliance tool that will help subscribers gather information on technical requirements for online casino providers and operators in a consistent and easy-to-use format.
“At Vixio, we’ve always prioritized listening to our customers, and the launch of our Technical Compliance Tool is a direct response to their needs,” said Mike Woolfrey, CEO.
“We understand the complexity and urgency of staying compliant in a rapidly evolving industry, and this Technical Compliance Tool will help our customers accomplish that simpler and quicker than ever before.”
Responsible Gaming Manager – Malta
Compliance Manager – São Paulo
Image wrongs
My pictures of you: DraftKings, FanDuel bet365 and Underdog Fantasy are being sued by the MLB players’ union for the alleged unauthorized use of names and images. Suits have been filed in Pennsylvania and New York by players seeking damages for misappropriation of hundreds of pictures in marketing campaigns.
“Defendants’ use of player images within their sportsbook platforms is not merely informational – it is promotional,” the union’s lawyers said in the complaint.
“Users could bet that the Phillies will beat the Marlins, or that Bryce Harper will hit more than two home runs in a given game, without seeing Harper’s valuable image.
“Indeed, both DraftKings and bet365 offer the same types of bets in other sports without using player images.”
Stop making this hurt: The union’s for-profit unit wants compensatory and punitive damages and requested a judge order the betting sites to stop using the players’ images.
It has also demanded “disgorgement of all profits associated with the use of MLB player images and likenesses in their sportsbook platforms, and the use of MLB names, images and likenesses in advertising and promotions for their” platforms.
Three weeks ago, the NFL players' union sued DraftKings for refusing to pay for using NFL player likenesses on so-called non-fungible tokens.
The defendants don’t use NFL player likenesses on their platforms, the MLB players’ complaint said.
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Caesars case
Shock to your system: A Michigan gambler is facing eight felony charges for allegedly defrauding the Caesars Sportsbook betting app. The incident occurred in April 2023, according to the Michigan Gaming Control Board.
Jeffrey Saco, 38, allegedly exploited a “system vulnerability” to place more than $2m in fake deposits into his Caesars Sportsbook account.
Saco placed 10,000 bets over two weeks, and then allegedly transferred more than $521,000 into his personal account before quitting the platform.
Netherlands tax rise
Meet me halfway: Dutch gambling trade bodies have demanded talks with the government after it was confirmed the country’s gambling tax rate will rise.
Ministers plan to increase the tax rate in two stages from 30.5% to 37.8% in the belief the move will generate up to €200m in extra tax revenue annually.
Kicking back: However, trade bodies NOGA, Van Kansspelen and VNLOK have balked at the proposals and have requested a sit down with officials, claiming the increase will trigger “further erosion” of the regulated market and an eventual drop in tax revenues, alongside a risk in illegal gambling.
“All available facts and figures indicate that the tax increase will lead to a further erosion of regulated offerings,” read a joint statement.
“As a result, tax revenues will decrease. At the same time, an increase in illegal and therefore riskier gambling can be expected.”
Numbers up: Citing the changes to the tax regime, Flutter Entertainment’s bingo and iCasino brand Tombola said it intended to exit the Dutch market. “Resources can be better deployed in larger or new markets,” said a statement.
Tombola has been live in the Netherlands for three years.
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Event calendar
Event highlight: GGL co-chair Ronald Benter is to headline the 2024 Gaming in Germany Conference taking place on November 5 in Berlin. Other confirmed speakers include Dr. Jörg Hoffman, senior partner at Melchers Law Firm, and Mathias Dahms, president of the German Sports Betting Association.
Sep 24-26: SBC Player Protection Summit, Lisbon
Oct 7-10: G2E, Las Vegas
Nov 5: Gaming in Germany, Berlin
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