Regulation round-up 21 September 2017
The biggest regulatory news from the egaming industry in the last seven days (14 September to 21 September 2017)
Dutch court denies Betsson injunction against regulator
Operator had sought local injunction against KSA’s new enforcement policies
A Dutch court has ruled against Betsson and its claims the new enforcement policy of the country’s gambling authority (KSA) is illegal.
The Swedish firm sought a legal injunction against the KSA after it announced a stringent new policy in June restricting operators from targeting local players and using Dutch-sounding brand names.
Speaking to EGR, Betsson’s VP of corporate communications Pia Rosin, said the operator had not yet decided if it will appeal against the case.
Rosin also said the ruling “does not change the way Betsson subsidiaries operate”.
Colombia awards second online gaming licence
Colombia’s gaming regulator Coljuegos has issued its second online gaming licence to Corredor Empresarial, operator of Kambi-powered Betplay.com.co.
Corredor Empresarial was awarded its licence earlier this week and comes nearly three months after the regulated market officially opened with the launch of Apuesta Global Group’s WPlay.co.
“With this initiative we seek greater resources for the health of Colombians, expanding the portfolio of games through innovative tools and tuning with the trend towards greater use of new technologies in the world,” Coljuegos president, Juan Pérez Hidalgo, said.
Hidalgo also said he expected to announce the issuance of more online gaming licences over the next few days.
Paddy Power’s ‘always bet on black’ ad condemned by ASA
Paddy Power has been warned to avoid racially sensitive material in future by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after the watchdog condemned it’s ‘always bet on black’ Floyd Mayweather advert.
The press ad, which appeared in the Evening Standard and the Metro in the lead up to Mayweather’s Las Vegas bout with Conor McGregor, received nine complaints
Paddy Power contested the ad was not intended to cause offence on the grounds of race as it was a roulette related pun and a reference to a Wesley Snipes quote in the 1992 film, Passenger 57.
The sportsbook operator also argued the campaign was approved by Mayweather, who found the line funny rather than offensive or derogatory.
Tatts and Tabcorp merger hit with federal court roadblock
The proposed merger between Tatts and Tabcorp was thrown into doubt today, after the Australian Federal Court ruled against a competition tribunal’s approval of the deal.
The reasons behind the Federal Court ruling will not be made public for five days but it means the Australian Competition Tribunal (ACT) will have to re-hear the case.
It had originally approved the deal, dismissing monopoly concerns about the power of the combined company.
The ruling is an unexpected roadblock for the two companies, which have already sent scheme booklets to investors ahead of a planned vote on the merger on 18 October.
Ladbrokes, 888, Sky Vegas and Casumo sanctioned for affiliate ad
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has held four operators accountable for a socially irresponsible advert posted by an affiliate.
The ad, which promoted Ladbrokes, 888, Sky Vegas and Casumo on four separate affiliate sites between March and June 2017, suggested that an individual’s depression and debt could be remedied by casino games.
The ad claimed a fictional individual, William, was £130,000 in debt after having to sell his house and pay for his wife’s cancer-related medical treatment, but could solve his financial problems through casino gambling.
The ASA ruled the ad must not appear again in its current form and warned operators to take care that future affiliate adverts were prepared in a socially responsible way.