Regulation round-up 23 February 2016
The biggest regulatory news from the egaming industry in the last seven days (17 February to 23 February 2016)
Sports and slots drive 26% Spanish revenue growth
Spain’s online gaming market posts 2015 GGR of ?319.6m as turnover tops ?8bn
Revenues from Spain’s online gaming market were up a healthy 26% for the full-year 2015, driven by continued growth in sports betting and the launch of slots games back in the summer.
The Direcci?n General de Ordenaci?n del Juego reported gross gaming revenue grew to ?319.6m for the 12 months ended 31 December 2015, up from the ?254.5m recorded in the same period last year.
Turnover for the year amounted to ?8.6bn, a 28% increase on the ?6.7bn recorded in 2014 and online gaming consultant Eduardo Morales Hermo said current trends pointed to the market turning over more than ?10bn during 2016.
Sports betting was the largest vertical across the year, attracting revenues of ?179m, a 40% increase on 2014.
BetVictor joins British Racing’s Authorised Betting Partner scheme
BetVictor has followed bet365, 32Red and Betfair to become the fourth online-only operator to join British Racing’s Authorised Betting Partner (ABP) scheme.
As part of the three-year deal, the operator will pay 7.5% of its digital UK horseracing profits in exchange for access to exclusive marketing and commercial opportunities across the sport.
The operator’s chief executive, Andreas Meinrad, said the partnership came at an “exciting time” for both BetVictor and the British horseracing industry.
Seven days in regulation:
Topbetta fined in New South Wales for illegal advertising
Topbetta has become the latest Australian online bookmaker to be reprimanded by the New South Wales (NSW) authorities after pleading guilty to illegal gambling advertising.
NSW prohibits bookmakers from offering inducements to gamble but Topbetta promoted a “no lose Saturday” between October 2014 and May 2015.
The operator pleaded guilty to three breaches of the state’s gambling regulations and agreed to pay approximately A$15,000 in fines.
Last month Unibet and bet365 were also fined for similar instances of illegal advertising.
Sky Bet named first online-only Senet Group member
Sky Betting & Gaming has become the first online-only gambling operator to join the UK industry’s self-regulatory body, the Senet Group.
The Leeds-based firm is now the sixth operator to join the Senet Group and its addition comes just four months after eGaming Review reported the body was in advanced discussions with an online operator.
“The gambling industry has definitely upped its game on social responsibility issues over the last 12 months and the Senet Group has been a key part of those efforts,” Richard Flint, chief executive of Sky Betting & Gaming, said.
California racetracks offered $60m sweetener in online poker battle
Racetracks could be offered a $60m (?41m) sweetener in return for stepping down as eligible online poker licensees, potentially removing one of the last major barriers to a regulated online poker market.
The role of the racetracks has held back regulatory progress of late, but under the latest version of bill AB 431 they would be offered up to $60m per year in funding if they exclude themselves from the online poker industry.
But there is no guarantee the racing sector would receive the full $60m each year; the bill states they would receive 95% of the first $60m in taxes collected from licensed online poker operators.
Indiana moves closer to legalising DFS
Indiana joins a growing number of states on the cusp of passing daily fantasy sports legislation after a bill hearing in the House Public Policy Committee last week
The bill, SB 339, would explicitly legalise DFS in the state and passed out of the Senate earlier this month with a majority vote of 38-11.
Discussions at the hearing centred around whether the minimum player age should be 18 or 21, and whether DFS should be categorised as a game of skill or a game of chance.