Austrian operator Betkick Sportwettenservice and Malta-licensed Betago are the latest operators to secure federal sports betting licences in Germany.

Stoiximan-owned Betkick is now able to offer legal betting in Germany via its Betano.de domain, while Betago has secured both retail and online licenses for the country. 

It means that, since the first licenses were issued in October 2020, a total of 23 sports betting brands are now approved to operate in Germany. 

Illustrating the level of interest in German licenses, the organisation responsible for issuing licenses, the Regional Council of Darmstadt, is known to have received 30 applications by February 2020, and at least 20 other operators had expressed their interest in obtaining a license. 

The UK’s Gambling Commission (UKGC) has published figures showing the number of online bets and active accounts rose moderately during the COVID-19 crisis. 

According to the report, which covers the period from March to December 2020, there was a 6% month-on-month growth in active accounts, reaching almost three million, coupled with a 12% increase in bets – rising to near six billion. 

At the same time, gross gambling yield (GGY) rose 30%, powered by strong margins, and slots GGY went up 13% to nearly £200M GBP. The Gambling Commission also noted that 8% of slots sessions lasted over an hour.

Like gambling regulators in other countries, the UKGC has repeatedly warned operators of the need for extra caution and social responsibility during the pandemic, as more people will be stuck and home and bored, and many will be suffering financial hardship and may be more vulnerable.

AYO.NEWS says:

The increase in online gambling really isn’t surprising given that retail betting shops, gambling arcades and casinos were closed for much of 2020 in the UK (and still are). 

In fact, considering the amount of extra time and boredom millions of people have found themselves dealing with, the growth in gambling is probably lower than many expected. Either way, it certainly pours cold water on the claims from the anti-gambling lobby that online gambling went out of control during the crisis. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

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LONDON LAW FIRM WARNS GAMBLING OPERATORS OF UNRESOLVED BREXIT ISSUES

Mischon de Reya, a London-based law firm that represents a number of online gambling companies, has issued a warning regarding unresolved Brexit issues. Specific areas of concern include data protection rights, staff employment, and services contracts. Despite the UK and EU have agreed the terms of a Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) at the very last minute, the legislation is still very light on details, leaving many important questions unanswered. The law firm’s warning echoes that given by the European Gaming & Betting Association (EGBA) at the end of last month.

SPANISH GAMBLING REGULATOR LAUNCHES LOOT BOX CONSULTATION

The Spanish gambling regulator, Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ), has launched a consultation on loot boxes. As in other countries, there is a fierce debate raging in Spain as to how loot boxes, which are increasingly common in both paid and free-to-play video games, should be regulated. The DGOJ has already made it clear that, under existing Spanish law, loot boxes are considered gambling. The consultation runs through to 31 March 2021 with the regulator accepting submissions via email.

Flutter Entertainment, operator of brands including Paddy Power, Betfair, and Sky Bet, has introduced a range of new measures to make gambling safer in Ireland. 

Specific measures include withdrawing credit cards as a payment option for both online and retail betting, the introduction of a pre-watershed (9pm) whistle-to-whistle advertising ban during live sport, and committing 1% of net gaming revenue (NGR) to fund research, education, and treatment for problem gambling. 

Explaining the new measures Flutter UK & Ireland CEO, Conor Grant, said:

“We recognise that gambling has undergone a technological transformation over the past two decades. The influence of the smartphone, social media, and on-demand streaming has been profound.

“We have not always got it right as an industry and we must ensure collectively that we are doing all we can to prevent problem gambling. The reality is that protection and promotion measures will continue to evolve over time and new measures will need to be considered to promote moderation, safety and enjoyment in this era of digital gambling.”

AYO.NEWS says:

As previously reported, there are growing calls in Ireland for a crackdown on the gambling industry, with several organisations and political parties urging advertising bans, increased taxation, spending limits and other measures to protect vulnerable gamblers. Just last week the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and Gaelic Players Association (GPA) called for betting adverts to be banned during live games. 

Will proactive measures by operators like Flutter be enough to head off more draconian legislation? We doubt it, but at least it shows the industry is now paying attention to social issues. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2019-2021.

Following the passing of an amendment to the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001, Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) must register for a new electronic reporting system by 16 March 2021. 

The new reporting system will be managed by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and will cover POGOs, and other entities like real estate developers and brokers. 

Failure to register for the new system by the deadline will result in a fine of up to PHP5M (approx. $100K) for those with assets worth PHP50B or more, or up to PHP500K for those with assets worth PHO10M or less. 

The new rules were introduced to avoid being blacklisted by the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF). 

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The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (KKV) has published its final report regarding the state-owned gambling monopoly, Veikkaus. 

According to the KKV, control of Veikkaus should be transferred from the Prime Minister’s Office to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (STM), and its revenue should be paid to the state treasury, rather than individual ministries. 

As things stand, over 50% of Veikkaus’ revenues are paid directly to the Ministry of Education and Culture, to fund sports, science, and arts. 43% is paid to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and 4% is paid to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, to help fund horse racing. 

However, the KKV has concluded that increased spending on reducing gambling harm could lead to a shortfall in funding for other areas, so all revenue should be paid to the treasure in the interests of planning and stability. 

It also said that, since the STM is already responsible for monitoring, researching, evaluating and developing prevention and treatment for gambling disorders, it is best placed to steer Veikkaus in a direction that reduces harms to Finnish individuals and society. 

Discussing the report research professor Mika Maliranta said:

“If active efforts are made to reduce gambling disadvantages, Veikkaus beneficiaries will not be able to anticipate their funding, as reducing gambling disadvantages is likely to have an impact on the amount of Veikkaus revenues distributed to beneficiaries.

“On the other hand, if the gambling monopoly does not actively seek to reduce harm, the monopoly system does not meet the purpose or justification of the law. This contradiction has hampered the social debate about Veikkaus’ responsibility.”

Staying with gambling in Finland, at the end of 2020 the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) urged the Finnish government to “fix” its gambling policy and end Veikkaus’ monopoly.

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