Asia
Indian High Court Denies Blanket Ban on Gambling
The Delhi High Court received a request to start banning online sites that promote games of skill such as rummy. The complaint came from Deepti Bhagat and Avinash Mehrotra, who claimed that such sites were enticing gambling and draining money to offshore accounts.
Online gambling, as such, is already illegal in India, and the Reserve Bank of India claims to have made every effort to prevent offshore transactions to such companies from being processed. That said, it is well known that many international casinos continue to accept Indian players and that Indian online roulette and slots sites do exist.
The entire complaint was brought before the government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi for examination. The result of that examination was the conclusion that the government is unable to regulate the operation of foreign companies or those hosted in other Indian states. In either case, the report also called for a more precise definition of games of skill vs games of chance, which have a blurry line dividing them.
The International Issue of Offshore Casinos
Offshore casinos, as they are called, are a problem for many countries that are trying to restrict gambling online in any way. While states are able to impose laws that will prohibit locals from starting online casinos and gambling sites within the country, not even the USA can regulate the operation of international websites, often situated in remote island states such as Panama.
Offshore casinos are granted licenses by local governments and are allowed to accept any players they choose, as such actions are not against the law of the country they are operating in. On the other hand, countries find it difficult to restrict play at such casinos as many are emerging with different domains, and the use of simple VPN software makes it next to impossible to prevent gaming.
The best most countries, including India, can do is prevent monetary transactions to the best of their ability. Yet, with so many different payment processors out there, even this becomes a nearly impossible task. Without restricting online trade altogether, restricting gambling transactions becomes very difficult.
Future of Online Gambling in India
Following the recent decision in Delhi, it remains likely that each of the Indian states will continue to regulate online gambling and online games of skill for itself. Online casinos are banned across the country in terms of hosting one, and this will likely remain such for years to come. We don’t expect any Indian state to allow legal hosting of online casinos within India.
That said, numerous online casinos that are hosted offshore continue to accept players from India and other countries with gambling regulation, and nothing short of an international intervention would prevent this. Since these are private companies hosted in sovereign nations, such a development seems very extreme and unlikely.
As such, the best conclusion at this time is that the status quo will continue for a long time. International casinos will keep accepting Indian deposits, while locals will also be able to legally play games of skills such as rummy at dedicated sites, some of which are affiliated with proper online casinos.
Moves by specific individuals and groups to ban these sites altogether are also likely to continue, as it does seem reasonable that a developing country like India should limit the number of funds that are leaving the country for offshore accounts, but there appears to be little that can be done about it at this time.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (Kominfo) has revealed plans to establish a task force to combat online gambling.
In a statement, Kominfo said the task force would comprise representatives of multiple government agencies including the Financial Services Authority (OJK), Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) and the police.
It will also work with Interpol to combat cross-border cases given the government’s lack of past success in blocking foreign operators.
“Kominfo will oversee the digital space, OJK will manage accounts and PPATK will handle fund flows, and the police will carry out arrest and investigation duties,” said Usman Kansong, the Ministry’s Information and Public Communications Director.
Minister Budi Arie said: “The Ministry has also issued a warning to all social media platforms, cellular operators and internet service providers not to facilitate any form of online gambling promotion. We have done everything within the authority of Kominfo.
“We from the Ministry of Communication and Information are fully determined. At the beginning of the week I gathered all our teams at Kominfo to work together to eradicate online gambling.”
The post Indonesia Establishes Task Force to Combat Online Gambling appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Onlyplay has entered into a strategic partnership with online casino and betting company Ritchie Rabbit within the Asia region.
Ritchie Rabbit is said to have “extensive expertise and deep understanding of the Asian market,” which helps Onlyplay as it seeks to expand its presence in the region.
Through this deal, Onlyplay will introduce a range of games and features designed specifically for the Asian gaming community.
Onlyplay offers a wide range of games such as instant win, slots and crash games, and will now provide games for players in Asia.
Christina Muratkina, CEO of Onlyplay, said: “It is a great pleasure for us to develop the Asian region alongside Ritchie Rabbit. We recognize the immense potential of the Asian market and are committed to delivering top-notch gaming content and experiences to players in the region. This partnership represents a significant step forward in our efforts to offer innovative and engaging games that resonate with our Asian audience.”
The post Onlyplay Enters into Strategic Partnership with Ritchie Rabbit appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Hub88 has partnered with live casino supplier LiveGames, further strengthening its product offering by adding a unique range of content to its platform.
LiveGames provides fully customisable online live dealer games and branded tables including the first vertical roulette table in the sector, along with crash games and the widely played Tombola.
The supplier delivers experiences with a player-focused design, easy to use mobile interface, and high-resolution broadcasts.
The partnership will support LiveGames’ goal to further expand in international markets, including Africa, Asia, and Latin America where Hub88 has a strong presence.
The deal showcases Hub88’s commitment to grow its ecosystem of partners, offering a diverse portfolio of products and content.
Ollie Castleman, Head of Hub88, said: “We’re thrilled to unveil this strategic partnership with LiveGames which sees us add a great provider to our platform, one that utilises modern technology to offer bespoke and personalised gaming experiences to players.
“We are looking forward to collaborating and strengthening our content library with their diverse games.”
The LiveGames Team said: “Our journey started in a small studio and as a team, we are excited about now expanding to every corner of the world together with Hub88 and their extensive operator network.
“We are committed to promoting innovation in the industry and this partnership will support us on that mission.”
The post Hub88 partners with LiveGames to enhance content offering appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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