iGamingExpert

In a landmark episode of iGaming Daily, Antony Gevisser, Senior Vice President Legal and Regulatory Affairs at Super Group and a member of the IMGL, underlined that the growth of the black market has been enabled by regulatory failure.

Quizzed by podcast host Ted Menmuir, Gevisser went on to emphasise the importance of governments, politicians, regulators and enforcement agencies stepping up and taking more notice of the threat of the illicit market.

Responsible regulation in particular is needed to combat the growth of the black market, Gevisser said. He then took aim at regulators “creating issues within their own regimes, which would lead to less competitiveness, less market entry by the right players and therefore a bigger availability of space for these black marketers.”

The current state of play around the black market is worrisome for the industry. However, Gevisser warned that the industry has reached this point “organically over time”.

“As certain countries started to reg..

The UK government has delayed plans to relax the rules surrounding high street slot machine shops.

Under the previous Conservative government, plans had been considered to allow the installation of higher-stakes machines at adult gaming centres (AGCs), however, these have been shelved by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) amid concerns over how these establishments treat vulnerable customers.

As it stands, under the “80/20 rule”, no more than 20% of machines at AGCs can be category class B slots that allow stakes of up to £2 and jackpots of up to £500. The remaining 80% must be class C or D, offering stakes of up to £1 and prizes of up to £100.

In May 2024, the Conservative-led DCMS had stated it was considering adjusting the ratio to 50/50 of abandoning the rule altogether.

DCMS concerns

As reported by The Guardian, DCMS officials confirmed that the government would “not be introducing changes to the 80/20 rule this year” as the department acknowledged “concerns..

The New York legal hammer could be set to hit Blazesoft after Autumn Boatner has taken action against the firm.

Boatner is pursuing a class action suit against the operator in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Boatner claims she lost money with the firm as a result of their allegedly illegal sweepstakes operation during 2024. The claimant is also taking aim at the strategy of Blazesoft when it comes to player acquisition, alleging that there was false marketing from the firm over its status as a F2P sweepstake.

Significantly, the complaint also alleges that the operator is in breach of laws in the Big Apple, allowing players under the age of 21 to play.

The complaint stated: “Defendants’ misconduct inflicts particularly severe harm on vulnerable populations, including individuals predisposed to gambling addiction and younger consumers targeted through ‘free play’ marketing.

“Defendants aggressively market and promote their online casinos on social me..

Russian authorities are intensifying action over the gambling sector in a bid to eradicate illegal operators from the country.

In even more stringent measures, the government has confirmed it has commenced with the exploration of plans to shut down online gambling operators and block websites.

Furthermore, the government is also looking to take aim at crypto in a bid to strangle transactions to the online gambling sector.

Vladimir Putin has retained a strong anti-gambling stance during his premiership – establishing the Russian Civic Chamber, a civil society institution during the early stage of his tenure.

The latest efforts have been spearheaded by Evgeny Masharov, a key member of the Russian Civic Chamber.

Following the public discussions, Masharov stated: “The problem of illegal gambling can be solved in two ways: the first is blocking websites and applications, the second is blocking payments in cryptocurrency.”

Speaking to Russian news outlet TASS, Masharov emphasised ..

Eyes of the iGaming world will be intrigued by the decision of the Rotterdam District Court, which has ordered Betsson Group to pay €385,377 to a Dutch customer.

The customer in question stated that they have lost substantial sums of money gaming with unlicensed websites, and pursued a legal case against BML Group Limited and Corona Limited, two of Betsson Group’s subsidiaries.

The plaintiff has stated that the bets placed with Betsson and Kroon were staked before the group’s takeover of Holland Gaming Technology, a local licence holder/ This meant that the companies were unlicensed operators at the time.

As a result, the company has been ordered to pay the player €385,377 to cover losses and has also been told that it will have to pay an additional fee of €92 every day that the court order is not followed. This will start from 14 days after the court’s 9 April judgment.

Could Bill 55 play a role?

Bill 55 may well play a role in the case as it unfolds. The bill serves to strengt..

The decision to grant Ladbrokes virtual betting rights in Belgium did not constitute state aid, the European Commission has ruled, in a decision that brought to an end more than five years of legal wrangling.

The original complaint in the case was lodged in 2019 by gaming operators Rocoluc NV and European Amusement Company, triggering an in-depth investigation by the European Commission, which has now concluded and found in favour of Ladbrokes’ parent company Entain.

The case centred around the operation of virtual betting in retail outlets in Belgium, as these types of games did not fall under any regulatory framework until Ladbrokes pursued them being regulated by the market.

This enabled Ladbrokes to operate virtual betting platforms in the country. However, it was alleged in the complaint that the regulator in Belgium denied multiple operators the same right when it came to operating virtuals.

Investigations by the European Commission saw a close examination of whether the ..

Ahead of the SBC Summit in Malta, we spoke to the Director – Legal & Compliance at Rhino Entertainment’s Alistair Facciol, who revealed the key steps to new market entry and the key innovations he believes will stand out in the iGaming market.

What steps do you believe can be taken to ensure the regulated market isn’t strangled and the black market can’t thrive?

The key is balance. Overregulation can actually push players toward unlicensed operators, which defeats the purpose of consumer protection. Regulators and operators need to work together to build frameworks that are robust but also commercially viable. That includes fair taxation, clear and consistent rules, and processes that allow innovation. Education is important too—players need to know the value of playing with licensed operators.

Can you tell us about the latest innovations and player trends that you believe will stand out in the iGaming market in the year ahead?

Personalisation is going to be huge; players expect t..

Novomatic AG has secured a Gaming Related Vendor Licence, authorised by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The licence marks a major development for Novomatic in its bid to become one of the first gaming machine manufacturers and distributors to operate under the UAE’s forthcoming regulatory framework for gambling and lotteries.

In 2023, the federation of UAE states sanctioned the establishment of the GCGRA as the federal regulatory authority tasked with developing and launching a framework to govern the commercial activities of gambling.

Led by US executive Kevin Mullally (CEO/President), the GCGRA announced last year that Wynn Resorts had been awarded the concession to develop a casino resort in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah.

Scheduled to open in 2027, Wynn Resorts is set to build a 1,000-room resort and entertainment centre. However, the GCGRA has yet to confirm the gaming capacity and operational framework that will gov..