Netherlands Gambling Authority imposes penalties on offshore operators
The Netherlands Gambling Authority has imposed conditional penalty payments on online operators Winbet and Blockdance for offering online gambling in the country without a license.
Both operators will be fined up to €840,000 if they fail to fully block their offers in the Netherlands.
In related news, Netherlands-based streamer Leftlanepapi (Djade Sadloe) has received a warning from the Dutch regulator to cease streaming his activities on illegal gambling sites.
According to Sadloe, he could face a fine of up to €400,000 if he fails to heed the regulator's warning.
Dutch regulator currently considering one remote license application
The Netherlands Gambling Authority is currently considering one new remote license application, a spokesperson told CasinoNieuws. The single application still under consideration was only submitted recently, and did not originate from an operator that was previously affected by the cooling-off period in the fall of 2021.
Additionally, the Dutch regulator is currently considering three applications from already licensed operators that would allow them to expand their product offering.
French government proposes amendment to regulate online casinos
Although online betting and poker have long been legal in France, online casino has so far remained unregulated. This weekend, however, the French government introduced an amendment to regulate online casino and has set in motion the process that could see France become a regulated iCasino market by 2025.
If passed, the amendment would see France become the last major western European market to host a legal and licensed online casino sector.
The amendment has already been strongly criticized by Casinos de France, the trade body representing the country’s 200 land-based casinos.
1xBet accused of offering bets on fake games
A joint investigation by Josimar and Bellingcat has found that 1xBet, official betting sponsor of FC Barcelona, PSG, Serie A and CAF, is organizing and giving odds on hundreds of thousands of games per year involving fake teams and children as young as 14.
Often, the games are variants on football (or other sports) on smaller pitches with only a limited number of players. Many of the competing teams are named after famous football sides (‘Real Madrid," “Man City”), but have no relation to these teams.
Obviously, the integrity of these games is (at best) highly questionable – as illustrated by the visibly lackluster efforts of the participating players.
Save the date: The Las Vegas Book launch party
Years in the making, The Las Vegas Book, a 450-page luxury coffee table book illustrating the fascinating history of Las Vegas with more than 300 impressive photographs, will soon start rolling off the press.
The book's author, Joris Dekkers cordially invites Gaming in Holland members to the Las
Vegas Book launch party on Monday, December 9 at LeCarage in Amsterdam.
Please RSVP here.
Don't miss the 2024 Gaming in Germany Conference
Ronald Benter, Co-Chair of the German regulator GGL will headline the 2024 Gaming in Germany Conference. The event, which is set to take place Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at the five-star Hotel Adlon Kempinski in the heart of historic Berlin, will once again be THE place to meet key decision makers and to get the latest information on Germany's online gambling market.
Confirmed speakers include Dr. Jörg Hoffman, Senior Partner, Melchers Law Firm; Mathias Dahms, President, Deutscher Sportwettenverband; Dr. Dirk Quermann, President, Deutscher Online Casinoverband; Dr. Andreas Ditsche, CEO, iGaming.com; and many more!
Register now: https://bit.ly/GiG2024!
ICE 2025 registration now open
ICE 2025 will take place for the first time at its new home, Barcelona's Fira Grand Via, on January 20-22.
Over 50,000 visitors are expected to attend the world's largest global gaming event.
Registration for ICE 2025 is now open.
PS: If you are exhibiting at ICE (or otherwise participating) and need help organizing your tailor-made evening event, please consider contacting Sapyns: https://www.sapyns.com/ice2025.
“Current administrative structure for overseeing problem gambling prevention needs updating”
A recent report by the Directorate-General for the Senior Civil Service (Algemene Bestuursdient) has found that policy development and administrative oversight around problem gambling prevention is insufficiently clear, robust, and sustainable.
At present, relevant responsibilities are distributed between the Ministries of Justice and Security (J&V) and Health, Welfare, and Sport (VWS), as well as the Netherlands Gambling Authority.
The report recommends that the Ministry of Justice and Security remains in charge of this topic, but with clearer and more structured input from the Health Ministry and the regulator.
Furthermore, the report recommends, among other things, that the Ministry of Justice and Security develop an overarching vision on addiction prevention, create a strategic multiannual agenda, and organize a regular, structured dialogue on addiction prevention.
The full report is available here.
Other news
Game developer RubyPlay has announced a new partnership agreement, which will see its full portfolio of slot games go live via the online branch of Hommerson Casino.
QMRA – the affiliate marketing quality and compliance mark – has now expanded into Italy.
The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) has released its third-quarter report for 2024, revealing 42 suspicious betting alerts across global sports markets.
Curaçao master licensee Cyberluck has been declared bankrupt by a local court, after having been found liable for money owed by its sublicensees.
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