Public Gaming International November/December 2022

51 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 ing to a new Allwyn identity. A total of 10 companies are changing their names to align with the global Allwyn brand. Germany: Joint Gaming Authority of the States Calls on Internet Service Providers to Bloc Illegal Gambling Offers from Lottoland The GGL, Germany’s new gambling regulator, continues its battle against the Lottoland Group, which is not legally licensed to operate in Germany. The GGL has already succeeded in blocking payments to the operator and is now looking to block it from accessing the country’s digital space, asking internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to Lottoland Group and its related pages. Lottoland Group and its subsidiaries have been illegally operating in Germany for many years. The GGL finds these offerings particularly dangerous because the consumer mistakenly believes they are legitimate lottery offerings. In reality, Lotteryland and its subsidiaries, which include lottoland. com, lottohelden.de and lottohelden.co, offer betting on the outcomes of lottery games. According to Germany’s laws on gambling, such products are prohibited. As a result, it is GGL’s job to protect local players from content that might harm them. Scientific Games and Groupe FDJ debut lottery games of the future Scientific Games and Groupe FDJ, the operator of France’s national lottery La Francaise des Jeux, unveiled iDecide, a revolutionary lottery game enhancement that gives instant scratch card players the option to continue their play experience with a digital game and potentially expand their winnings. The concept is a first for the global lottery industry. FDJ Gaming Solutions provides its Interactive Factory to Loterie Suisse Romande Loterie Romande selected FDJ Gaming Solutions to port all their interactive games and provide exclusive iLottery content through their Interactive Factory platform. FDG Interactive Factory is an open platform, which delivers content as a service, supports multiple lottery game logics, and is already used among others by LEIA, the Lotteries entertainment and innovation alliance created by Norsk Tipping, Svenska Spel, Danske Spil, Veikkaus and FDJ. La Française des Jeux (FDJ) has launched an online poker range This new online poker range is part of the Group’s strategy to bolster its presence in the French market for online games open to competition. Kindred Gives gives in to Norway’s Gaming Regulator, agreeing to remove all Norway-facing websites, language options, and advertising The decision comes as a surprise, as it was only a couple of weeks ago that Kindred reiterated its stance that it would never back down. Kindred contends that its Maltese license allows it to operate anywhere in the EU. So this is a win for “subsidiarity”, the notion that each individual EU member state has some authority over gambling regulation and taxation policy within its own borders. The implications for the entire European gaming industry are profound as the alternative is to potentially greenlight all operators who hold a license somewhere, anywhere, in the EU (like Malta or Gibraltar) to operate online gambling services anywhere and everywhere in the EU. Endeavor Pays $800M for Sports Betting Firm OpenBet Inc. from Light & Wonder Inc. Bermuda Getting First Casino After Nine-Year Wait Illegal lottery activities caused loss of revenue of a total of 1.8 trillion dollars globally in 2022 alone Australian Gambling company Star Entertainment Group has been fined A$100 million over falling to prevent money laundering at its casino in Sydney In addition to the fine, the group’s licence to operate the casino has also been suspended. Cambodia issues new guidelines for licensing and taxation of casino operations Zimbabwe: Government losing revenue through online gaming Australia: NSW -Facial Recognition Technology: Coming to gambling areas of all pubs and clubs across the state French gambling regulator l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) has published new guidelines on the promotion of gambling offers and incentives to consumers Germany: Federal Fiscal Court rules sales from slot machines are still subject to VAT Spain’s Gambling Ecosystem To Undergo a Shift Following Approval of New Legislation The legislation introduces fundamental changes to how gaming operators are required to approach responsible gambling. Stanleybet Malta hit with preventive seizure in Italy Stanleybet Malta’s activity in Italy have also been stopped, with the decree providing for a temporary ban on exercising and collecting sports bets throughout Italy. The Italian authorities are investigating Stanleybet for offering sports betting and other online gaming without the necessary licence from the country’s regulator, and thus illegal on the Italian authority. Australia Communications & Media Authority (ACMA) Blocks 96 Illegal Offshore Gambling Websites The focus is on affiliate services that promote and drive traffic to illegal online casinos. These sites often appear as independent reviewers of gambling services. They give direct links to illegal gambling services, regularly receiving a commission for click-throughs. Australian regulator orders audit of bookmakers Sportsbet, Bet365 New Australian privacy laws change marketing approach for lotteries Australia: NSW government delays bill and avoids cashless gambling card debate Nigeria: FIRS Introduces Real-time Direct Collection Of Taxes From Online Gaming Transactions European Commission raises igaming money laundering threat level The European Commission has placed online gambling at the highest threat level, while the risk from land-based casinos has fallen. Swedish Government to Introduce Licensing Requirement for Gambling Software Suppliers German State of Saxony Receives Online Slot License for its Monopoly There are now 14 operators that have permission to offer only online slots, with the state of Saxony and its monopoly the latest to receive a license.

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