UK gambling operators have been told to include responsible gambling messages throughout the duration of their television commercials, part of the gambling’s industry efforts to fend off even tighter marketing restrictions.

On Friday, the Industry Group for Responsible Gambling (IGRG) announced a “further enhancement” to the Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising. By the end of June 2018, a responsible gambling message or a reference to the website of the GambleAware charity must appear throughout all TV adverts.

This new Code ‘enhancement’ will take effect at the end of June 2018, smack dab in the middle of the FIFA World Cup in Russia. The increased spotlight on betting activity will undoubtedly have watchdogs scanning diligently for operators who fail to live up to their new obligations.

The IGRG’s membership is comprised of trade groups representing the UK’s land-based bookmakers, online gambling operators, bingo, casino and arcade operators.

Net revenue of Hong Kong-listed casino operator Summit Ascent Holdings Ltd. soared 46 percent on the back of the strong rolling chip operation at Tigre de Cristal in Russia’s Far East.

In a regulatory filing, Summit Ascent announced that it posted a net revenue of HKD470.6 million (US$60 million) in 2017 compared to HK$323.2 million (US$41.19 million) in 2016. Summit Ascent’s 2017 profit was HK$13.8 million ($1.76 million).

Summit Ascent chairman Kuo Jen Hao attributed the revenue surge to vibrant gambling activity at Tigre de Cristal.

Tigre de Cristal posted adjusted property earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of HK$173.7 million, up 32 percent year-on-year, while its rolling chip turnover grew to HK$18.8 billion ($2.4 billion) from HK$14.1 billion (US$1.8 billion) in 2016.

Belgium’s Constitutional Court has struck down a bill that placed a heavy value-added tax (VAT) load on the shoulders of gambling operators in the country.

Stockholm-listed online gambling operator Kindred Group Plc announced that the Belgian court has stopped the parliament from abolishing the VAT exemption for online games and betting. Kindred was one of the gambling firms that challenged the VAT law for undermining policy objectives and “lowering channelization with lower consumer protection as a result.”

“Kindred Group yesterday received a positive ruling in the Belgian Constitutional Court cancelling the imposed VAT on online gambling. Kindred remains committed to a sustainable regulation and sees the ruling as positive for consumer protection,” the company said in a statement.

In July 2016, the Belgian Chamber of Representatives adopted a law that will force online and betting casino sites to remit 21 percent VAT. The controversial law took effect on August 1, 2016.

Despite the restriction imposed by the state regulator on gambling venues, operators are still confident that the Philippine eGames industry will remain robust in the coming years.

PhilWeb Corp. CEO Dennis Valdes told delegates at the ASEAN Gaming Summit 2018 that the growth of domestic eGames sector lies not in the number of gambling venues but rather the size of the gambling facilities.

At present, Valdes estimated that there are currently about 300 eBingo sites and some 200 eGames cafes across the country.

Valdes pointed out that one of the conditions set by the state regulator for eGame café operators is that the gambling facilities should be located in the districts where gambling is allowed and definitely not near the churches and schools.

Las Vegas Sands (LVS) is one of the most productive casino operations in the world. Nonetheless, it would seem that even the behemoth sometimes has difficulty in settling its debts.

On Monday, the company submitted an amendment to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), notifying it that it had extended the maturity of the term loans of Marina Bay Sands casino in Singapore.

The Marina Bay term loans have been extended for around three and a half years after the initial date. They had originally been scheduled for pay off on August 28, 2020, but that has now been pushed back to March 29, 2024. The casino giant’s revolving loans will expire on September 29, 2023, having been extended from the original date of February 28, 2020. Both loan segments have provided a total of $3.9 billion to the company. They were originally issued in 2012.

Under terms of the new agreement, the term loans were amended with a new amortization schedule that starts in April of this year and provides 0.5% due at the end of each quarter until the end of the first quarter of 2022. At the end of that period, LVS will pay 5% at the end of each quarter for a year, followed by 18% each quarter until the loan matures in March of 2024.

Governments around the globe have taken a serious interest in trying to curtail the amount of money laundering that is supposedly plaguing the gaming industry. Canada and British Columbia have been busily enacting legislation to prevent repeats of the negative publicity surrounding questionable activity at the River Rock Casino, and the U.S., the UK and Australia have also been exploring changes in policies to help clean up the system. Japan is now joining the fight, and recently ordered changes in reporting guidelines at casinos in the country.

Operators of future casinos in Japan will be obligated to report customers who exchange chips worth $9,500 (¥1 million) or more. Regulators are responding to concerns that the casinos will be havens for the exchange of “dirty money” that is used for money laundering or financing terrorism. The new casinos are slated to be opened in integrated resorts in an effort to bring in more international tourism to the island nation.

Anyone who buys or cashes chips worth $9,500 or more will have to provide their name, address and birth date to casino operators. This information will then be turned over to a casino management committee, which will be created at a later date by the government. That entity will catalog the data and investigate any instances that raise flags, such as repeated high-dollar exchanges.

Japan isn’t the first country to introduce these money-laundering countermeasures. In the U.S., Nevada regulators require that casinos follow the same guidelines, and in Singapore the amount is less, at roughly $7,600. Macau has also placed restrictions on exchanges, with Large-Amount Transaction Reports being required for exchanges by junkets of more than around $62,000. Suspicious Transaction Reports are more vague, and are required for any transaction that is thought to be associated with money laundering.

The Super High Roller Bowl at the Aria in Las Vegas is coming up, with only 48 seats available. The first 30 were handed out through a lottery, and two of poker’s most famous players were lucky enough to see their names drawn. A total of 61 players had paid the $30,000 deposit for a chance to be chosen. Anyone who paid but wasn’t selected will have their deposit refunded.

Phil “Poker Brat” Hellmuth and “Poker Kid” Daniel Negreanu are definites for the $300,000 buy-in tourney which will run from May 27-30. The lottery was live-streamed on PokerGo with commentary provided by TV personality Ali Nejad as well as the two high-stakes pros. The tournament itself will be broadcast live on PokerGo from the start of the action until the winner is found, and NBC will be airing taped episodes of the competition on its NBC Sports Network throughout 2018.

There were some disappointed faces during the lottery, as well. High-profile players such as Fedor Holz, Tony G, Joe McKeehan and Antonio Esfandiari didn’t have the same luck as their counterparts, but still have a few options available to them to grab a seat at the felt. The Aria has reserved 16 seats and will fill them at its discretion. Additionally, two seats are available through a $10,000 satellite tournament to be held on May 26.

Apart from Negreanu and Hellmuth, several other well-known faces will be present provided they all pay the $270,000 balance of the buy-in prior to the start of the festivities. Making repeat appearances at the event are Isaac Haxton, Justin Bonomo, Kathy Lehne and Cary Katz, among others. Brian Rast, who won the tournament in 2015 for $7.5 million and Christoph Vogelsang, the 2017 champ who took home $6 million, will be looking at making repeat performances.

Not one to pass up on a “unique opportunity,” Macau-based casino operator Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) has agreed to purchase nearly 5% stake in Las Vegas casino resorts company Wynn Resorts.

On Thursday, GEG announced that it has agreed to buy 5.3 million primary shares of Wynn Resorts at $175 per share for a total of $927.5 million.

Galaxy Entertainment Vice Chairman Francis Lui described the event as a “unique opportunity to acquire an investment in a globally recognized entertainment corporation with exceptionally high quality assets and a significant development pipeline.” Las Vegas-based Wynn Resorts is the parent company of Galaxy’s rival operator in Macau, Wynn Macau Ltd.

Aside from GEG, Wynn Resorts said two other “long-term institutional investors” who already holds shares in the casino resorts company have agreed to purchase former Wynn Chairman and CEO Steve Wynn’s remaining 8 million shares at $175 per share.