Glitnor Group acquires OneCasino
Glitnor Group has signed an agreement to acquire OneCasino for an unknown amount. OneCasino is currently licensed to operate in the Netherlands, Spain, and Denmark, and has plans to enter the regulated German market.
“The acquisition is expected to create attractive commercial, operational & technological synergies enabling accelerated growth and profitability. On a proforma basis revenue for the consolidated entities would surpass 150 million Euros in 2024,” the company said in a statement.
Glitnor Group was founded by online casino veterans Dan Andersson and Jorgen Nordlund, who previously started (and subsequently sold) Maria Casino and Vera&John.
Netherlands Gambling Authority fines NetX €675,000
The Netherlands Gambling Authority has fined Malta-based horse racing bookmaker €675,000 for offering online gambling without a license in the country.
The Dutch regulator first investigated NetX, which operates the pferdewetten.de and betbird.com websites, in 2022.
Despite receiving a conditional penalty payment, the operator failed to take the necessary measures to block Netherlands-based players from its website, which caused the Dutch regulator to issue an additional fine.
Trimbos Institute launches knowledge center dedicated to gambling-related harm
Trimbos, the Dutch knowledge institute for addiction issues and mental health, has launched a dedicated Gambling Expertise Center (“Expertisecentrum Gokken”).
The Gambling Expertise Center has as its mission to investigate gambling from a public health perspective, as well as the impact of gambling on both individuals and society.
Mental health body GGZ Nederland calls for full gambling ad ban
GGZ Nederland has called on the government to impose an outright ban on all forms of online gambling advertising
According to the mental health body, young people are “too easily” exposed to gambling-related risks. “The younger people are when gambling becomes normalized, the greater the chance of problematic gambling later in life,” GGZ Chair Ruth Peetoom said.
Despite wanting to ban all gambling advertising, GGZ Nederland is not in favor of reversing the legalization of online gambling, Peetoom clarified.
France postpones plans to regulate its online casino market
The government of France has (temporarily?) withdrawn the proposed amendments to the 2025 Budget to legislate and launch an online casino market.
The decision was announced on Sunday by Budget Minister Laurent Saint-Martin, who stated that further consultations were needed to avoid the negative impacts and job losses predicted by regional stakeholders, i.e., land-based casinos and the municipalities that they indirectly support.
As a result, France will – for now – maintain its 2010 gambling laws, upholding a fragmented marketplace that regulates sports betting, horseracing, and poker, but prohibits online casino activities.
However, a public consultation meeting between the French Government and gambling operators will reportedly be taking place next week.
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.
Government to share findings on differentiated gambling tax rates before summer of 2025
The Dutch government will share its initial findings on the possibility to introduce differentiated tax rates for high-risk and low-risk gambling products before the 2025 summer recess, State Secretary of Finance, Folkert Idsinga announced.
Such a revision would allow a lower tax rate for lotteries, while casino and betting products could face a much higher tax burden.
The government would also explore the possibility of replacing the current GGR-based gambling tax with a stake-based tax.