ANTIGUA

Antigua's UK white-list status has been called into doubt by a British MP who pointed out that the island's gambling regulatory regime was run under the same umbrella as the financial services authorities which had failed to spot the Allen Stanford fraud. Source: gamblingcompliance.com

BERMUDA

The Bermudan Government was last month forced to defer a Bill to permit gambling on cruise ships in dock after vocal objections from Opposition MPs and its own Party members. Premier Ewart Brown allowed a vote of conscience on the Prohibition of Gaming Machines Amendment Act 2009, but left the Bill in the Committee stage after cross-Party objection. Dr. Brown said the Bill was needed because Bermuda was losing its competitive advantage in attracting cruise ships, particularly the smaller premium ships capable of docking in Hamilton and St. George's.

BELGIUM

Christel Schaldemose (PSE, Denmark) expressed her surprise at the strong interest of the EU Member States in the "Integrity of Online Gambling"report, "even though it is only an own-initiative bill at the end of the mandate of this current parliament". She hopes that, even after the European Parliament elections in June, interest will remain high, with the Swedish EU Presidency (July-December 2009) reinvigorating the discussion and activities begun by the French EU Presidency in 2008. Source: Euromat

BELGIUM

The 2nd Responsible Gaming Day, with the theme of "Integrity and Sports" was held in the European Parliament on Tuesday 17 February 2009. The conference allowed the online gambling companies to showcase their belief in the integrity of the online gambling industry in the aftermath of the recently adopted IMCO report by Christel Schaldemose. Source: Euromat

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

CYPRUS

Turkish-administered Cyprus has passed legislation to subject the territory's casinos to enhanced anti-money laundering rules. The move, unpopular with casino operators, follows criticism of Northern Cyprus's AML regime from international watchdogs and the US State Department. Source: gamblingcompliance.com

FINLAND

The European Commission has decided to make formal objections to the proposed changes to the Finnish Lotteries Act. These changes would introduce restrictions on indirect marketing of gambling services for foreign operators and fines and prison sentences of up to 2 years for both media and online gaming companies operating or marketing these activities. The European Commission notes that these changes would cause Finland to breach EU laws even further than the current gaming legislation (already under investigation since March 2007). Source: Euromat

FRANCE

With France's politicians now making good on their promises to allow a controlled opening of the country's betting and gaming market, it came as little surprise that the French appeals court has finally waived all charges against Patrick Partouche and his associates for launching their own "offshore" gaming sites in recent years. Source: gamblingcompliance.com

FRANCE

The French gaming market, which has long been dominated by the powerful duopoly of the PMU and FDJ, is likely to undergo serious transformations in 2009 and 2010. After a number of legal challenges to its regulatory structure, the French government has taken steps to reform its gambling laws and has recently introduced a draft gaming bill which esablishes a new online gambling regime. The new regime allows private operators of sports betting, pari-mutuel horserace betting and poker to offer their services online, provided they obtain a license from a new regulatory authority. Source: gamblingcompliance.com

GERMANY

The European Commission DG Enterprise and Industry TRIS database has been notified of the Draft Casino Act (Spielbankgesetz) for the Land Saxony-Anhalt in Germany, focusing on internet-related services and gambling machines. An implementation law for the State Treaty on Gambling in Germany, the stated main aim of the Act is to prevent and combat gambling addiction and to protect consumers from criminal exploitation. Source: Euromat

GREECE

The case at the Greek Council of State against OPAP is to be referred to the European Court of Justice, as the opinion of the Reporting Judges states that the protectionist approach of the gambling monopoly is disproportionate with EU law. Meanwhile, the court judged that the Greek government should not be allowed to continue its policy of restricting the market against foreign operators. Source: Euromat

GREECE

Ahead of 2008 results due today from the closely-watched betting and gaming monopoly OPAP, two of the Greece's largest casinos have announced that they are feeling the pinch as a result of the economic downturn and competition from over the border. Source: gamblingcompliance.com

ITALY

The European Commission has sent an official request (as a "Reasoned Opinion") to Italy, requiring it to comply with the European Court of Justice (ECJ) judgement on horse-racing licenses. By postponing the deadline for the implementation of new improved laws, the Italian government is risking major sanctions from the ECJ. Source: Euromat

ITALY

Gambling spend in Italy rose 9.5 percent in the first two months of the year to €8.63bn ($11.21bn), the state regulator AAMS said this week, but results were noticeably less impressive for lottery products. Source: gamblingcompliance.com

ITALY

Final applications for Italy's 3,000 new betting shop licences were due on March 16, but the hours before the closing saw characteristically chaotic scenes as lawyers tussled over the terms of the tender offer. Source: gamblingcompliance.com

PHILIPPINES

Faced with their own economic crisis, politicians in Manila are considering further easing foreign ownership restrictions on gaming businesses in a move that could allow non-Filipino companies a greater role in operating casinos at the new Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor) resort. Source: gamblingcompliance.com

PORTUGAL

Portugal's gaming industry is dominated by Santa Casa da Misericordia de Lisboa, the charitable organization granted a monopoly for the sale of lottery and sports betting products, and licensed private casino operators. Currently, Santa Casa's monopoly is being challenged in the ECJ, whose judgment is keenly anticipated, as the questions referred to the ECJ are pertinent in many European jurisdictions. Recently, the Advocate General of the case provided its lead opinion over the case stating that while the applicable Portuguese legislation may comply with EU law, it was not enforceable as it had never been notified to the European Commission. Source: gamblingcompliance.com

SPAIN

Spanish gaming operators are hoping that the enactment of a long-anticipated set of machine regulations in the Madrid region will revive AWP revenues that have begun to sink at a rapid pace since the onset of recession in the country. The draft Madrid legislation was submitted to the European Commission earlier this month. Source: gamblingcompliance.com

SPAIN

Frustrated with an evident lack of progress by the Spanish government and national lottery operator LAE in introducing nationally-binding remote gambling regulations, several Spanish regions are now considering introducing legislation at a regional level in order to guarantee local consumer protection and tax revenue. The national political impasse threatens Spain's very viability as an online gambling jurisdiction, experts said yesterday. Source: gamblingcompliance.com

UNITED KINGDOM

The UK's second biggest bookmaker William Hill said it will create a new banking facility, cancel its dividend, and seek £350m in a discounted rights issue, as it addressed a "dramatic deterioration" in the credit markets that have battered its share price. Source: gamblingcompliance.com

UNITED STATES

The European Commission hopes to negotiate a solution with the Obama administration on the apparent attempts by the US to target EU-based online gambling firms for prosecution under the UIGEA. If these negotiations are unsuccessful, the European Commission will refer its investigatory findings to the World Trade Organisation. Source: Euromat

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