Regulation round-up 3 February 2015
The biggest regulatory news from the egaming industry in the last seven days (27 January to 3 February 2015)
British regulator amends funds protection deadline
Operators given until 28 February to provide pop-up message displaying fund protection ratings to existing customers
Great Britain’s Gambling Commission has extended the deadline until 28 February for operators to provide all customers with an on-screen pop-up message detailing their funds protection rating.
The requirement was due to be enforced on Monday (2 Feb), however, the regulator revealed a number of operators were unclear about whether they needed to provide the pop-up for both new and exsisting customers.
Operators were required to provide details of their customer funds protection and segregation policy in their T&Cs by 31 December, but some operators understood this to mean they would only need to prompt newly registered players from today.
As such, the regulator has agreed to extend the pop-up provision for existing players on the condition that operators have contacted players to notify them of the change in T&Cs, while pop-ups for new customers would still need to be in place from today.
Portuguese betting tax “unlikely” to change
Portugal’s controversial sports betting turnover tax is unlikely to be changed despite mounting criticism, a leading lawyer in the country has said.
Speaking to eGaming Review Nuno Azevedo Neves, partner at Lisbon-based law firm ABBC & Associados, said a switch to the preferred GGR-based tax model would require the legislative authorisation – which determines the boundaries in which the acting government can regulate the matter – to be amended.
This means any changes to the taxation regime are beyond the government’s current authority, he said.
Seven days in regulation:
Portuguese betting tax will cost State 20m, says PwC
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has urged the Portuguese government to rethink its proposed online sports betting tax regime or risk losing out on 20m in tax receipts.
In a study, developed for the Remote Gambling Association (RGA) and presented to Portugal’s Commission for Economy and Public Works, PwC warned the introduction of the planned turnover-based levy would result in the creation of an “inefficient and unprotected” market.
Instead, the big four accountancy firm estimated that a switch to an alternative gross gaming revenues-based tax model could generate an additional 20m in tax receipts by 2018.
Singapore online gambling ban enforced last week
A bill to prohibit most forms of online gambling in Singapore took effect last week, the country’s Ministry of Home Affairs announced.
The Remote Gambling Act was approved by the Singapore parliament on 7 October and officially came into force on Monday 2 February.
The new bill will see all casino and poker games banned and will only allow limited forms of online sports betting offered by not-for-profit operators which are based in the sovereign city-state and contribute to social causes.
ComeOn hit by 180k Dutch fine
ComeOn Europe has been hit with a fine of 180,000 as part of the Dutch Gaming Authority’s continued clamp down on egaming firms offering gambling products without a licence.
In a ruling made in late December, the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) judged ComeOn to have directly targeted Dutch customers by including a Dutch language version on its website accompanied with a picture of the Netherlands national flag.
The KSA said it had repeatedly requested changes to the website which ComeOn claimed would be made, however later inspections showed that no amendments had been made and the regulator decided to press ahead with the fine.
ComeOn says it feels “victimised” by KSA verdict
ComeOn Europe director Jovin Genovese told eGaming Review the operator feels “victimised” over an 180,000 fine from the Dutch Gaming Authority and said the firm still hoped to be licensed in the regulated Dutch market.
Last week eGR reported the Kansspelautoriteit had sanctioned GameOn after it judged the operator had continued to target Dutch customers despite being asked to remove the Dutch language option from its website.
However, speaking to eGR, Genovese said the company would appeal the verdict and insisted that it has acted compliantly to its interpretation of the KSA’s instructions.
GeoLotto advert “misleading”, says ASA
Zeal Network subsidiary GeoLotto has been reprimanded by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over a “misleading” television advert it ran following the launch of its location-based draw game in the UK.
The advert showed a number of people seeing a bright light and then a shower of cash tumbling down onto them.
A voiceover stated: “This Saturday night, millions of pounds will be landing all over Britain, in the all-new GeoLotto.com game. Go to GeoLotto.com now, claim your lucky place for just £1, and be in with a chance of winning up to one million pounds!”