Monthly Archives: December 2018

Italy’s gambling tax hikes to do damage to Playtech’s earnings

Italy’s Senate approved new gambling tax hikes on Sunday, putting the new rates on track to become law later this week.

On Sunday, Italy’s Senate approved an amended version of the coalition government’s new budget by a vote of 167-78 (with three abstentions). The amended budget was delivered to the Chamber of Deputies on Monday and will be reviewed by the Budget Committee on Thursday (27) before the full Chamber puts it to a vote on Friday.

The government threw the local gambling industry for a loop last week when it abruptly introduced plans to hike tax rates on online casino revenue (was 20%, now 25%), sports betting (was 22%, now 24%) and virtual betting (was 20%, now 22%) as of January 1, 2019. Land-based sports betting wasn’t spared (was 18%, now 20%).

Land-based gaming machines also saw steeper tax hikes than the government originally promised, and higher even than the rates announced last Wednesday. The tax rate on amusement with prizes (AWP) machine revenue will rise by 1.35 points on Jan. 1 while minimum payout rates will fall two points to 68%. Taxes on video lottery terminals are going up 1.25 points while payouts will fall one point to 84%.

Slovakia’s president vetoes new gambling legislation

Slovakia’s president has vetoed his country’s new gambling regime, which would have opened up the online market to international operators for the first time.

On Friday, President of Slovakia Andrej Kiska issued a statement saying he refused to approve the online gambling regulations issued by the Ministry of Finance this spring and approved by the legislature earlier this month. Kiska (pictured) claimed to have “reservations that prove the error of the whole concept of the approved law.”

Kiska claimed that the new gambling rules contained insufficient consumer protection measures. For instance, Kiska wants all individuals who have declared personal bankruptcy to be included in the country’s national gambling exclusion registry.

Kiska also found fault with the legislation’s requirement for online gamblers to submit digital copies of their Citizen’s Card for identification verification. Kiska wondered if there was “a better way of demonstrating the eligibility to play gambling that would not pose a risk for the protection of sensitive and misleading personal data.”

Exclusive iGaming Forum as Sweden reregulates

The 11th i-Gaming Forum, Scandinavia’s established Decision Maker-conference for online gaming, has announced its first 20 speakers for the 2019 conference on April 11. For the first time taking place at the Stockholm International Fairs.

The big difference compared to previous years, is that the i-Gaming Forum will now be part of the new comprehensive ”Gamers United”-concept, which will also include an AI/Tech Forum, Affiliates Forum, Blockchain/Crypto Forum and eSports Forum.

The opening keynote for the i-Gaming Forum 2019 will be Camilla Rosenberg, the Swedish Regulator (Director General of The Swedish Gambling Authority).

“With well over 100 applications in for a Swedish license for the January 1 reregulation, and many licenses already granted, everyone wants to hear what’s going on from “the horse’s mouth’,” says Content Director Robert Okpu.

Global Gaming enters into agreement with payment provider Zimpler

Global Gaming’s subsidiary SafeEnt Ltd entered into an agreement with payment provider Zimpler, an up-and-coming payment provider in the Swedish market

December (Malmo, Sweden) – Global Gaming is planning to go live with Zimpler during the first quarter 2019 with its existing brands in Sweden.

Zimpler has recently launched Zimpler GO, an innovative payment solution where the customer is identified (Know Your Customer) when making the deposit in a similar way to what Global Gaming have in place for Ninja Casino and SpelLandet today. Global Gaming expects the agreement to bring about reduced expenses for transaction during 2019 and, in turn, increase Gross margin.

Joacim Möller, Global Gaming CEO, said: “Previously, our casinos were dependent on one payment provider, and we will shortly be adding Zimpler’s new solution, thus which enhancing the customers experience. Our operation will not be dependent on one payment provider, which will improve our margins.”

Finnplay Group secures Swedish iGaming license

HELSINKI, December 2018 – Finnplay, the Nordic-based open gaming platform provider and gaming group announced that they were awarded an iGaming licence ahead of the opening of the re-regulated Swedish gambling market on January 1st 2019.

Martin Prantner, the chief executive officer of The Finnplay Group, commented: “We’re delighted to have passed the stringent criteria required to supply operators in the fast-growing re-regulated Swedish market. As a Nordic-based business, we are looking forward to offering our hand-crafted technology to existing operators or those brands looking to enter the Swedish iGaming market given our years of local market expertise and sector knowledge.

“The Finnplay business strategy continues to be one of that ensures regulatory technical platform compliance in order to maximise future market growth opportunities in which we can offer our international client operators a complete serviced gaming platform for the key regulated EU markets, which includes the United Kingdom, Malta, Denmark, Romania and now Sweden, with a full platform stack of licensed product verticals across the entire clients’ business requirements.”

About Finnplay

Mountain Dews & Cheetos to the RunGood Poker Series: A chat with Tana Karn

Lee Davy sits down with the President of the RunGood Poker series to talk about the transition from RunGoodGear to the RunGood Poker Series and their latest relationship with Poker Central.

On December 11, Poker Central announced a new partnership with the RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) giving RGPS players the opportunity to appear in a special episode of Poker After Dark broadcast on PokerGO.

Preliminary event winners and Main Event final tablists earn a ticket into a freeroll satellite held at the Hard Rock in Tulsa with two $5,000 Sit n Go seats up for grabs.

Speaking at the time of the deal, RGPS president, Tana Karn, said that as a kid he would always dream of competing in front of thousands of people.