Rank Group Revenues Hit £707 Million

British casino and bingo giant Rank Group posted a strong second half to achieve revenues topping £700 million in the latest financial year. Things are expected to get better,...

Published August 25, 2014

Ho Bidding for Barcelona Casino

Macau casino tycoon Lawrence Ho (l.) is looking to expand into Europe with a bid for a resort casino at Barcelona’s proposed BCN World tourism and residential complex. A...

Published August 18, 2014

Cyprus Casino Comes Into View

The government of Cyprus has developed a regulatory outline for casino legalization on the Mediterranean island nation. The license could be awarded within a year, with requirements include a...

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England’s FA Institutes Total Betting Ban

World football’s match-fixing scandals have left England relatively unscathed, and the country’s top regulatory body, the Football Association, aims to keep it that way. Starting with the new season,...

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A UK First: Rewards Right at the Machine

British casino operator Aspers has introduced a new loyalty program that rewards players with credits delivered directly to the gaming device. It’s called Freeplay Xtra, and it’s never been...

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Ritz Club, Player Settle £5 Million Dispute

After accusing a high roller of bouncing a £5 million check and suing him in the UK’s High Court, London’s exclusive Ritz Club now says it was all a...

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Svenska Spel of Sweden Adopts Responsible Gaming Practice

The Swedish online gaming company, Svenska Spel, has ditched its player promotions and bonus enticements for responsible gaming.

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Caesars, Hard Rock Join Barcelona Bidding

Caesars Entertainment, Hard Rock International and Macau’s Lawrence Ho have submitted bids to develop resort casinos for Barcelona’s planned BCN World (l.). News reports said “several” bids were received...

Published August 4, 2014

Labour Proposes UK Betting Levy

With online gambling in Britain facing a regulatory overhaul and tax increase, the opposition Labour Party shadow Culture Secretary Harriet Harman (l.) is calling for a levy on all...

Published August 4, 2014

Putin Signs Crimea Casino Bill

The prospect of casinos in the Crimea and Sochi is moving closer to reality now that Russian President Vladimir Putin (l.) has signed the legalization bill. Both economies are...

Published July 28, 2014

Holland Casino Soon To Be History

The government of the Netherlands is breaking up its casino monopoly and opening the market to competition. Lotteries and online gambling also will be put out for bid.

Published July 21, 2014

EC Sets Out Social Responsibility Code

The European Commission has issued a number of recommendations to guide Member States in developing policies to protect online gambling consumers. The proposals, which are non-binding, stress social responsibility...

Published July 21, 2014

Casinos OK’d for Crimea, Sochi

Russian lawmakers have approved a bill to bring casinos to economically struggling Crimea and Sochi, site of the recent Winter Olympics (l.). The Crimea zone, expected to be centered...

Published July 14, 2014

Cigarette-Style Warnings on the Way?

The European Commission plans to urge EU Member States to require online gambling ads to carry warning labels about problem gambling. The EU executive also wants some forms of...

Published July 14, 2014

Illegal Greece: €5 Billion a Year

Black market gambling in Greece is huge and economically damaging, says at least one government agency. Volumes in the licensed market, meanwhile, have declined by more than a third...

Published July 14, 2014

Monte Carlo Workers Protest 24/7

The Riviera’s illustrious Café de Paris has shut down its slot machines in the wake of a staff strike against management’s decision to go 24 hours. Talks are under...

Published July 14, 2014

Ladbrokes Launches Responsible Gaming Panel

Ladbrokes has established a social responsibility committee to oversee a new responsible gaming mission that will measure performance against responsibility targets.

Published July 14, 2014

London’s The Ritz Sued Over $3.4M Gambling Debt

London’s The Ritz casino is being sued by the wife of an Omani minister who claims the casino fed her gambling addiction causing her to lose $3.4 million at...

Published July 14, 2014

Austria Opens to Competition

Austria’s gaming monopoly is history, brought to a close by a German-Swiss consortium, which has won a license to open a resort in Vienna in the historic Palais Schwarzenberg...

Published July 7, 2014

Bill Fights Illegal Gambling In Cyprus

Lawmakers in Cyprus will vote on a bill that would help authorities shut down illegal gambling venues. The bill would close a venue even if a case is pending...

Published July 7, 2014