AUSTRIA

Over a thousand small-to-medium sized gaming companies will go out of business should the Austrian Parliament approve proposed amendments to national gambling laws to issue one single concession to operate all gaming machines in the country, according to the president of the Austrian Gaming Association. The draft changes would also tax wagers placed with foreign-based internet gambling websites. (Source: GamblingCompliance.com)

BELARUS

The Government of Belarus has outlined a new gaming law that, observers believe, marks a strategic bid to attract some of the operators now preparing to quit the Russian Federation. (Source: GamblingCompliance.com)

BELGIUM

The European Commission is being encouraged to intensify its actions against Member States (MS) gaming monopolies. Although most MS justify their monopolies as necessary to deal with problem gambling and criminal activities, a report issued this week by the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) argues that the standards applied by its members (mostly online betting companies) are as effective as the national monopolies. (Source: Euromat)

BULGARIA

Bulgaria, one of the newest EU member states, has changed its gambling laws to achieve further harmony with the principles of the open market. The prospect of regulations being introduced to regulate online gambling has been the topic of recent debate, with Bulgaria involved at European Commission level discussions. At the same time Bulgaria has initiated debate with regional regulators for a possible uniform response to the regulation of internet gambling. (Source: GamblingCompliance.com)

CROATIA

A boom in tourism, fuelled by the arrival in the country of low-cost airlines Ryanair and Easyjet, has steadily increased casino attendance in Croatia since 2006. This growth has led a number of international investors to take interest in the casinos situated in Croatia's seaside resort destinations, which have come to be dubbed the "new Riviera". In the country's capital, renovation work at the Casino Zagreb was completed on November 25th 2008. (Source: GamblingCompliance.com)

CZECH REPUBLIC

With the French EU presidency's report on domestic gambling policies now circulating, France's bureaucrats will today move to shape the next stage of discussion of their findings in Brussels. But with the Czech Republic set to assume the EU presidency in five weeks the pressure is on to see whether the Czechs, who have expressed indifference, can be persuaded to tangle with the issue of gambling. (Source: GamblingCompliance.com)

FRANCE

The French Presidency of the Council has distributed an orientation paper entitled "Legal framework and Policies for gambling and betting in the Member States (MS) of the European Union" which will form the basis of a Presidency Progress Report to be presented to the EU27 MS on 1-2 December 2008. The report is expected to identify two sets of issues: one on which further co-operation and exchange of information among the MS is necessary; and another on which a common approach at EU level is recommended. (Source: Euromat)

FRANCE

Shares in French casino operator Partouche tumbled after the company admitted that revenue declines accelerated in the fourth quarter as Partouche's 54 casinos in France continued to suffer from the dual impact of a public smoking ban and the economic downturn. (Source: GamblingCompliance.com)

GERMANY

Children younger than 14 are to be forbidden from participating in television and radio competitions under new rules agreed by broadcasting authorities in Germany last week. TV advertising of gambling products was banned by German legislation that took effect earlier this year. (Source: GamblingCompliance.com)

IRELAND

Irish bookmakers have won two major concessions from finance minister Brian Lenihan in the wake of his October budget, which doubled the rate of betting duty. (Source: GamblingCompliance.com)

ISLE OF MAN

The Isle of Man is a highly regulated gaming jurisdiction with a world class online gaming sector, a casino, betting offices, controlled machines, and lotteries. The government has recently released a consultation document which proposes to make the regulator a Statutory Board along with a number of other changes, including giving the regulator the authority to issue regulations giving protection to players' funds. (Source: GamblingCompliance.com)

ITALY

Even in the context of their daily parliamentary u-turns Italy's politicians have excelled themselves with a new strategy regarding the proposed tender for 3,000 additional betting licences. (Source: GamblingCompliance.com)

ITALY

A series of new blows have knocked the Italian gambling industry back on its heels, with slot machine operators battered by increased taxes and the revived prospect of vast fines, and the betting operators thrown into confusion over the schedule for the next round of licence bidding. (Source: GamblingCompliance.com)

NORWAY

While MPs have now finally backed plans to forcibly prohibit Norwegian banks from processing financial transactions connected to offshore gaming websites, observers believe the ban will not come into full effect until mid-2009, as financial institutions continue to lobby for further regulatory guidance from the government. (Source: GamblingCompliance.com)

RUSSIA

Proposals to delay the implementation of Russia's draconian federal gaming law look unlikely to receive a sympathetic hearing following comments made last week by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in a remarkable public question and answer session. (Source: GamblingCompliance.com)

SPAIN

The president of Spain's charity lottery ONCE has revealed that the institution met with the Spanish Government to push for the opportunity to offer a bumper Christmas jackpot  alongside state-owned operator LAE. ONCE is hoping to gain approval for the festive draw in order to offset declining revenues from its other lottery games. (Source: GamblingCompliance.com)

SPAIN

The news that Madrid passed new regulatory laws in December 2006 is of considerable interest to parties looking to expand their operations in Spain, especially to those in the online sector. Madrid has already issued 4 licences authorizing the opening of betting shops within the Community, where players will be allowed to place bets on any kind of event, including sports. According to the latest Ministry of Interior gaming report, in 2007 Madrid had the highest gaming turnover in all Spain. Madrid is on the verge of enacting a new slot machine regulation. (Source: GamblingCompliance.com)

TURKEY

Greek monopoly gaming operator Opap has indicated that it has high hopes that a successful bid for the Turkish lottery will kick-start the company's expansion plans beyond Greece's borders. (Source: GamblingCompliance.com)

UNITED KINGDOM

The president of a leading amusement industry association has implored the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to double maximum stake and prize limits for gaming machines at seaside arcades, while accusing regulatory changes brought about by the 2005 Gambling Act of ‘distorting' the UK's gaming market. (Source: GamblingCompliance.com)

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