Irish Casino Reforms Tabled for Now

A plan to develop a new regulatory framework for up to 40 casinos in Ireland apparently will not be addressed until next year. The General Scheme of the Gambling...

Published March 23, 2015

‘Racing Right’ to Corral Online Operators

Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne has become a champion of horse racing in the U.K. with his announcement of a “racing right,” which would compel offshore firms to...

Published March 23, 2015

‘Friendly’ Playing Field in Italy

Italy’s online sports betting market almost doubled its turnover in February in a year-over-year basis. It’s a heartening sign in a market that endured a tough 2014.

Published March 23, 2015

With Teeven Out, Dutch Online in Doubt

The resignation of Dutch State Secretary for Justice Fred Teeven (l.) could jeopardize the future of the Dutch Remote Gambling Act , which he established. Teeven and Netherlands Justice...

Published March 23, 2015

Greece Could License Foreign Gaming Operators

As Greece’s new leftist government negotiates its next bailout installment, lawmakers are scouring the landscape for new sources of revenue. Finance Minister and economist Yanis Varoufakis (l.) is looking...

Published March 16, 2015

Holland Casino Turns a Profit

After seven years of declining revenues, state-run Holland Casino in the Netherlands has posted a profit of US$13.3 million for 2014. The change follows a reorganization and cost-cutting that...

Published March 16, 2015

Murphy: Put £2 Limit on FOBT Bets

Scottish Labor Leader Jim Murphy (l.) has a solution for gamblers who spend too much at fixed-odds betting terminals: a limit on stakes of £2 (US$3). Currently, FOBTs let...

Published March 9, 2015

Ladbrokes to Close Betting Shops

Ladbrokes Plc., a London-based betting company, may close up to 60 retail betting shops, foe a total of 150 closures in the past 12 months. Bookmakers in the U.K....

Published March 3, 2015

OPAP Forecasts Big Bucks from VLTs

OPAP, Greece’s largest betting company, projects annual net revenues from €800 million to €1 billion (US$895 billion to $1.1 trillion) from video lottery terminals when they open around the...

Published March 3, 2015

Spain Wants to Curtail Gaming Ads

Lawmakers in Spain are asking the Spanish Gambling Authority to rein in online gambling advertising targeting certain consumer groups, including young people and the “vulnerable.”

Published March 3, 2015

Bookies: Greece Will Retain Euro

Big European bookmakers are laying odds that Greece will keep using the euro, at least for the rest of 2015. Ladbrokes of London bet 8 to 11 that Greece...

Published February 23, 2015

Sweden’s Svenska Spel Will Keep Monopoly

Swedish gaming operator Svenska Spel, a state-owned entity, will maintain its lock on legal gaming in the country for now. The company, which saw a marked drop in revenue...

Published February 23, 2015

Finland’s RAY: 2014 Was Flat

Raha-automaattiyhdistys, Finland’s slot machine association, reported a 1.9 percent decline in gaming revenues for 2014. RAY says an overall sluggish economy and poor market conditions were behind the drop.

Published February 23, 2015

Genting Plans London Casino

A community in Central London is irate about plans by Genting UK to build a 30,000-square-foot casino in the largely residential area. The Vegas-style casino, planned for a Holiday...

Published February 16, 2015

Irish Punters Bet Big on FOBTs

In 2014, punters in Northern Ireland bet more than a half-billion pounds on high-stakes fixed-odds betting terminals, known as FOBTs. Now a social activist group wants the government to...

Published February 16, 2015

Czech Ministry to Tweak Tax Rates

The Czech Ministry of Finance is considering a change in the tax rates for gaming enterprises. Many taxes may rise. Some may actually fall. And the rate on lottery...

Published February 16, 2015

Swedish Lottery Confirms Expansion Rumors

Svenska Spel, the Swedish national lottery, will offer expanded online casino games beyond its current bingo, poker, lotteries and sports betting. The lottery hopes to attract new players, which...

Published February 16, 2015

Austrian State of Tirol to Ban In-Play Sports Betting

The Austrian state of Tirol plans to amend it gaming laws to ban live in-play betting online and at stores and at matches. The move is a response to...

Published February 16, 2015

No Anarchy in the UK

The UK Gambling Commission is taking measures to help players apply for self-exclusion from gambling. By 2017, online bookmakers must have a plan in place to help players, while...

Published February 16, 2015

U.K.: Big 4 Bookies Want Broader Ad Restrictions

Britain’s four biggest bookmakers say smaller bookies should conform with stricter controls they themselves have adopted. They want the little guys to restrict their advertising and address issues of...

Published February 9, 2015