EMEA
Partouche Cleared in Casino 3.14 Case
GERMANY – Eleven sports betting providers have applied for concessions in Hessen in central Germany with at least seven more to follow. From the beginning of 2020, providers of sports betting in Germany are obliged to immediately legalise their previously unavailable offers.
The Hessian Minister of the Interior, Peter Beuth, last called on the industry to act quickly in the Hessian state parliament in December - at the time, no application had been received. Now the providers have reacted and have already submitted eleven applications for a sports betting license and seven binding announcements to submit application documents at short notice to the Darmstadt Regional Council.
Mr. Beuth said: "The sports betting concession process is now picking up speed and according to the current status of applications and announcements, we have already channelled the sports betting market from the formally illegal market to providers willing to legalise at 75 per cent. This is a good sign for player protection in Germany."
GREECE – Greece's Unified Social Security Institution (EFKA), which was established as a single entity in January 2017 with responsibility for the country's National Pension, Health Care and Social Security Benefits, is demanding that casinos pay outstanding employee social security contributions. Letters have been sent to casino managers across Greece estimated in the millions of euros, according to the head of the federation of Greek casino employees. The claimed amount owed by the casinos in social security contributions is close to €100m with Club Hotel Loutraki owing €18m. It is only two years since Loutraki was forced to close its door after the government claimed it owed tax. That case is ongoing after an appeal.
The three casinos owned by Konstantinos Piladakis in Thrace, Corfu and Rio are believed to owe social security contributions whilst Hyatt Regency's casinos in Parnitha and Thessaloniki are believed to be fully paid up. Many casinos in Greece are already in a precarious financial state, with calculations suggesting that the payment of the dues could lead to the closure of multiple locations in the country. It is believed that the only casinos without debt are those of Parnitha and Thessaloniki, which pay staff salaries and social security contributions without fail. Florina casino in northern Macedonia, which opened in November, is also debt-free. The EFKA is invoking its powers with threats of suspensions of operating licences to any casino that fails to pay off its dues to the social security fund within 60 days. If that happens, Loutraki, Rio, Alexandroupoli, Corfu, Rhodes, Syros and Porto Carrras are all expected to struggle in the New Year.
P26 NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / MARKET DATA
Partouche Group has confirmed that the tax audit carried out on Casino 3.14 in Cannes was concluded without any adjustment relating to Omaha Poker .
Te Partouche Group has confirmed that the tax audit carried out on Casino 3.14 in Cannes was concluded without any adjustment relating to Omaha Poker revenues. Te investigation was launched by the Central Service of Races and Games, after the Directorate General of Public Finances called for a check.
Partouche stated: "As Groupe Partouche announced on March 13, 2018, Casino 3.14 and its staff were in full compliance with gaming regulations and tax obligations. Te publication ordered by the Investigating Judge, on June 26, 2019, had already noted the absence of embezzlement and that the organisation of poker games within Casino 3.14 had "objectively generated considerable gross gaming revenue For the benefit of the State." It is once again confirmed that this "case" was not based on any serious foundation, but that it unfortunately
Latvia
Latvia’s regulated online gambling market reported a 14 per cent increase in GGR to €237m over the first nine months of 2019. Te latest figures show that state- licensed gambling operators generated a combined revenue of €237m in the nine months preceding September 30, a 12.2 per cent rise over the same period last year. Over €171m was generated by gambling machines, a nine per cent rise on 2018, and gaming tables were up by just less than three per cent to €13m. Latvia’s 15 licensed operators and the state-owned lottery Latvijas Loto saw GGR from operations increase 15 per cent to €225m, with other gaming activity in bars and billiards halls contributing a further €12m. Latvia’s nine licensed online operators contributed €39m of revenue, a 35.5 per improvement on the prior year. Casino games rose by 38 per cent to €28m, sports betting by 28 per cent to €11m and card games by 78 per cent to €300k.
allowed certain State services to communicate inappropriately against the interests of the civil parties, Groupe Partouche SA and the Casino 3.14.
"To this end, disproportionate means have been used to seek to characterise crimes the mere mention of which - the keeping of illicit gambling houses in a casino - would make us smile if the consequences of the investigation had not been so negative for Groupe Partouche SA and the Casino 3.14. Outrageous communication, the means employed and the doubts created wrongly impacted the confidence of investors and the market.
“Tis loss of confidence immediately translated into a loss of market value, which the group has since won back every day, through the quality and seriousness of the work of its teams."
More restrictions on gambling in Spanish market
Spain
Te Governing Council of the Spanish autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha has approved the suspension of any new licenses for new bookmakers until the approval of new locally approved gaming laws.
New rules are expected to be more restrictive when it comes to gambling in the region. Te president of the Autonomous Regional Government of Castile-La Mancha Emiliano García-Page said that the government had suspended the granting of any more licences for four years.
Change comes after a gaming boom under the previous Government of María Dolores de Cospedal in 2013. From 2014 to 2016, there was a significant increase in gaming establishments throughout the
region. But the government now wants Castilla-La Mancha to be the most restrictive administration when it comes to gambling. "I am willing to delay some public investment rather than increase revenue through this route," García- Page said.
Lawmakers have already put in place restrictions on the number of establishments. Between 2013 (when the new regulations were approved) and 2016 the gaming establishments grew more than 200 per cent from 51 to 156, while between 2017 and 2019 the increase was just over two per cent with only five new establishments opening reaching 213.
Tere is a growing anti-sports betting sentiment in Spain. Other regions are taking a much more restrictive stance on gambling including Madrid. Last month the Governing Council of Madrid agreed on the urgent passing of the decree that will temporarily suspend the opening of any more gambling venues.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170
