EMEA
New French Regulatory Body Revealed
SWEDEN – Sweden’s Administrative Court has moved to reduce Casino Cosmopol’s penalty fee for breaching licence conditions related to money laundering and terrorist financing to SEK3m (€276,959), though the national gambling regulator could appeal against the ruling.
Spelinspektionen handed an SEK8m penalty to Casino Cosmopol in November of last year after identifying serious and systematic deficiencies during an investigation of the land-based casino chain, which operates four venues across Sweden. Casino Cosmopol lodged an appeal against the decision in December, which was heard in the Administrative court last month.
At the hearing, the court said it essentially accepted the deficiencies that were identified by the regulator during its initial investigation and agreed Casino Cosmopol should pay a penalty fee. However, the Court also ruled that based on an assessment of the nature, character and extent of the violations set out by the regulator, the penalty fee should be reduced from SEK8m to SEK3m.
Responding to the ruling, the regulator said it could launch an appeal of its own against the Administrative Court decision.
LICHTENSTEIN – Liechtenstein’s two casinos have generated revenues of CHF53.5m (€49m) in 2018, their first full year of operation, according to the Department of Economic Affairs.
Novomatic’s Casino Admiral opened in August 2017 in Ruggell close to the Swiss border. It generated revenues of CHF 34.8m, an increase of 200 per cent from 2017.
Casinos Austria’s Casino Schaanwald Liechtenstein opened in October 2017 in the Pirandello business centre in Schaanwald, close to the Austrian border. It produced CHF 18.7m in revenue up from 900 per cent from the CHF 2.7m it generated in 2017. The two casinos paid combined tax and licensing fees of CHF 19.9m.
The Department of Economic Affairs said: “The reasons for the rapid growth are manifold. Both casinos have attracted players from Bad Ragaz, St. Gallen and Bregenz; the lack of smoking and the entrepreneur-friendly legislation that allows the most technically advanced GSA to be offered also contributed to its success. Market surveys conducted by the casinos also revealed that the catchment area for the casinos in Liechtenstein is significantly larger than expected.”
A third casino, the Grand Casino Liechtenstein, is being built in South in Bendern. Dieter Bettschar, General Manager of Apex Casinos from Austria, is listed as a member of the board of directors.
P20 NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / MARKET DATA
Refresh comes prior to the privatisation of La Française des Jeux (FDJ), which is currently state-owned and holds a lottery monopoly
Amid a flurry of new gaming legislation, French authorities have said a new national gambling authority will be created called L’autorité nationale des jeux (ANJ) to replace the current regulator, l’autorité nationale de régulation des jeux en ligne (ARJEL).
Under the new regulations, ANJ will act as a single body to oversee gambling in the country, including online gambling, currently regulated by ARJEL, casinos, horse racing in Paris and lottery games, currently regulated by the Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of the Economy and Finance. Isabelle Falque- Pierrotin, who was the head of the National Commission for Computing and Liberties (CNIL) until last January, will take the lead for the new regulator which will launch in January 2020.
Te Council of Ministers said: “Te National Gambling Authority (ANJ) will become the main player in the regulation of gambling in France. Tis new independent administrative authority will be endowed with reinforced powers, over a broad scope of competences. In the competitive online sports betting sector, the ANJ will take over the mission of issuing the licenses to online gambling or betting operators, now exercised by ARJEL. It will see its powers of supervision strengthened: the authority will indeed be able
Italy Greentube broadens Italian footprint
E-Play24 has boosted its games offering with Greentube, which will see its Home of Games portfolio live across the operator’s platforms. Te deal grants the Italian operator the opportunity to offer Greentube’s hit games, such as Book of Ra deluxe, Lucky Lady’s Charm deluxe and Sizzling Hot deluxe on its platforms.
Daniel Lechner, Greentube Head of Sales, commented: “We are delighted to expand our game offering to E-play24 and their brands, further strengthening our presence in the Italian market. For Greentube, Italy has become a key market over the last 12 months and we aim to be the leading supplier for the region, backing up the strong street market and land- based presence of our parent company NOVOMATIC.”
Antonio Tressanti, CEO of E-Play24, stated: “Tanks to the great partnership with Greentube, the Vegas section in our E-Play24 Casino platforms will grow not only in volume, but also in quality. Tere are few suppliers that can boast such a wide range of quality content and this makes me particularly happy.”
Alessandro Grasso, E-Play24 Group Casino Manager, added: “Being able to offer our customers the world’s most played slot, Book of Ra deluxe, means E-Play24 can be more in-line with consumer demand. After months of development we have reached this important milestone. We are working on many projects that will be placed on the market in the coming months, to expand our range of online games.”
to prescribe to an operator the withdrawal of any commercial communication inciting to play excessively. Te Council of Ministers approved the order presented by Gerald Darmanin, Minister of Action and Public Accounts on October 2. It also provides for the partial privatisation of the Française des Jeux, which should take place by the end of November.
A spokesperson added: “Te government wants to clarify the organisation of the regulation of gambling, in order to make it more efficient and the ordinance codifies in the first place the four objectives of the State policy on gambling; casinos, online gaming, horseracing and lottery.
“It is about "preventing excessive gambling and ensuring the protection of minors; ensure the integrity of gaming operations; prevent fraudulent or criminal activities; to ensure the balance between the various gambling channels. Tis ordinance also sets out in the law the precise definitions of the different segments of games operated, so that each operator can develop its activities in a clean and secure perimeter. Te offer of games under exclusive rights of La Française des Jeux (FDJ) as that of casinos are notably the subject of a precise legal definition, which did not previously exist in law.”
Czech Republic
Synot Games has signed a deal with Sazka, the Czech Republic state lottery operator. Te pilot launch will initially see Respin Joker and Book of Secrets join the roster. More games from the Synot portfolio are to follow as Synot will deliver its full portfolio of games utilising the iSoftBet GAP aggregator. Jan Horyna, iGaming Director at Sazka, said: “Cooperation with Synot Games is an important part of our local games portfolio development. Our long-term goal is to offer the best content to the Czech online gaming market.” Te partnership represents further expansion into the Czech market for Synot, having launched 10 games with Fortuna’s online casino earlier this year.
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