BELGIUM

The European Commission's DG Enterprise received notification of Belgian draft amendments to the 1999 Act on games of chance, gaming establishments and player protection, concerning automatic gaming machines. The amendments seek to authorise the organisation of interactive games of poker in class I gaming establishments and the definition of their operating rules. Source: Euromat

BELGIUM

Lawyers specialising in gambling law met at the International Casino Exhibition (ICE) in London last month to announce the launch of their EU Gaming Law Group, in a response to the cases before the European Court of Justice against national monopolies across the EU. In a means to continue the work started by the European Commission, the group aims to facilitate legal and regulatory changes that benefit gaming operators wishing to conduct fair, competitive business in other Member States. Source: Euromat

BELGIUM

With the recent turmoil in the Belgian political spectrum, it is hard to predict when the anticipated overhaul of gaming legislation will take place. A new draft bill has been introduced by a group of senators hoping to implement a reform of gaming legislation. Events such as a crackdown on illegal betting shops and a ban of Unibet's cycle racing team have put gaming issues in the spotlight over the last few years. Recently, Belgian legislators have followed the example of France by proposing amendments to their regulatory regime which would allow for Texas Hold'Em poker to be played in casinos and slot halls. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

BOLIVIA

Emboldened by a landmark victory in a public referendum on a new national constitution, Bolivia's socialist president Evo Morales is set to use his stronger mandate to subject gambling businesses to stricter regulatory and licensing requirements via a new presidential decree, according to the head of the country's national lottery. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

CAMBODIA

A Korean development firm has secured official approval for plans to build a $470m integrated resort in Siem Reap, Cambodia, just 20km from the UN World Heritage-protected Angkor Wat temple complex that attracts over a million foreign tourists annually. The news comes as the Cambodian government continues to develop a formal regulatory structure for its highly-coveted casino sector. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

FINLAND

Raha-automaattiyhdistys (RAY), Finland's state-owned slot machine association, has reported a 1% drop in net profits to €402.5 million for the 2008 financial year, despite a 1% increase in revenues to €659.5 million, in line with the company's target of moderate growth for the year.

Slot machines located on the premises of RAY's estimated 9,000 business partners accounted for 78.1% of turnover, with a further 3.3% from casino games in pubs and clubs. RAY arcades contributed 13.0% while RAY's Grand Casino Helsinki, the only casino licensed to operate in Finland, accounted for the remaining 5.4%.

A total of €407.5 million of RAY's revenues will be used to promote health and social welfare in Finland during 2009. Of this, €400.3 million is derived from RAY's 2008 profits together with €7.2 million of undistributed profit from previous years. Source: gamingintelligencegroup.com

FRANCE

The French Presidency of the Council has finalised its Progress Report on gambling policy. The report was circulated among members of the Council Working Party on 14 November 2008 and is now set to be at the centre of Ministerial debate at the Competitive Council scheduled to take place on 2 December 2008 in Brussels. The progress report identifies issues of common concern for all Member States as well as recognising differences in the different gambling markets across the EU. Source: Euromat

GREECE

Greek casino operators are currently awaiting a response to a formal letter sent to Greece's Ministry of Health in December that called for casinos to be exempted from upcoming anti-smoking regulations due to come into effect in July 2009. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

GREECE: Last month, the two Reporting Judges of the Greek Council of State recommended that the Greek betting monopoly, OPAP S.A. be referred to the European Court of Justice. In cases presented by two British sports betting operators, Stanleybet International and William Hill, the Reporting Judges questioned the legitimacy of the OPAP monopoly. For the first time in Greece, the Reporting Judges of its Highest Administrative Court, the Greek Council of State ("CoS"), have declared the monopoly in Greek sports-betting granted to a private entity, OPAP, as non-compliant with EU law.

ITALY

Italian gambling authorities are expecting negative attention in the form of economic sanctions from the European Commission, due to their decision not to implement the proposed new tender for betting shop licences, as intended in December 2008. Failure to comply with the 2007 European Court of Justice ruling could result in fines of approximately €800,000 per day. Source: Euromat

ITALY

The issue of the multibillion fines hanging over Italy's slots operators shows no sign of going away as details of the sanctions now being sought by the country's National Audit Office were revealed at the beginning of February. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

LATVIA

Latvian gaming revenues fell over 10 percent during 2008, newly released statistics confirm, but officials fear there could be worse to come for the once-booming sector as the country's economic plight worsens and more stringent machine gaming regulations are introduced. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

LITHUANIA

Lithuania's gambling sector has grown with the country's economy over recent years. However, with the central bank forecasting a two year long recession, along with consequences of a smoking ban, changed customer registration obligations and a recent hike in gaming taxes, short term growth is unlikely. These developments are occurring while major regulatory changes remain in draft form. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

PANAMA

An association of Panamanian gaming operators has called for the country's casino regulator to act with greater transparency after it was told that the association lacked standing to demand a probe into a casino licence awarded last year. The association claims the licence was awarded in contravention of Panama's 1998 casino law. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

SLOVAKIA

As the euro celebrates its tenth anniversary, Slovakia has become the sixteenth country to adopt the EU's single currency after joining the euro zone on 1 January 2009. Despite being introduced into Europeans' pockets in January 2002, the euro was officially launched on 1 January 1999. The number of EU citizens sharing the euro now stands at 323 million. Source: Euromat

PARAGUAY

Continuing allegations of a lack of transparency in the process to award a second casino licence in Paraguay's capital city Asunción have led the country's newly elected president to intervene to replace the head of the Paraguay's national gaming commission, Conajza. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

SPAIN

Spain has notified the European Commission of its draft decree on the regulation of gaming and amusement machines, gaming and amusement halls in the Autonomous Community of Extremadura. The decree also regulates the administrative register for gaming machines, gaming companies and machine testing laboratories, in a response to the need to simplify administrative rules in the sector, for social and innovative reasons. Source: Euromat

UNITED KINGDOM

The UK Gambling Commission has detailed its plans for the forthcoming problem gambling Prevalence Study. The next survey is not due to be published until the end of next year. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

UNITED KINGDOM

Formal approval of amendments to the 2005 Gambling Act in the House of Lords last month leaves UK bingo operators poised to install their increased allotment of category ‘B3' gaming machines in bingo halls within the next three weeks. Source: GamblingCompliance.com

UNITED STATES

The US Department of Justice has defied claims of discrimination by the European Commission and European online gambling operators by charging Anurag Dikshit, co-founder of PartyGaming, the UK-based company, for the violation of online betting laws. Mr. Dikshit made a guilty plea and faces sanctions of $300 million (€214 million), as well as two years in prison and one year of supervised release. Source: Euromat

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