Asia
Macau’s Draft Gaming Bill Outlines Tighter Control of Casinos, Junkets
Macau’s Legislative Assembly has published the draft of a highly anticipated gaming bill on Tuesday that gave details on the Chinese territory’s goal of tightening its grip on casino firms and reining in so-called junket operators.
The proposed changes, which need legislators’ approval to become law, mark the biggest reform in two decades for the world’s biggest gambling hub in terms of money wagered and lay the ground for multibillion-dollar casino operators ahead of the expiration of their licenses this year.
The 44-page draft document – published in Chinese and Portuguese – comes after the government announced on Friday that the number of new licenses would be capped at six and the license term halved to 10 years.
The licences of the six operators, Wynn Macau, Sands China, MGM China, SJM Holdings, Galaxy Entertainment and Melco Resorts, are all due to expire in June. The government said all existing or potential operators need to apply through a new tender process.
The draft bill aimed to provide clarity on the role of the junket operators, middlemen tasked with bringing in high-rollers from mainland China. If approved, casino operators would no longer have dedicated junket rooms, and revenue-sharing arrangements between the two parties would be prohibited.
Macau will continue to issue junket licenses to approved VIP promoters but will restrict them to only operating in one concessionaire. Previously, Macau junkets were allowed to operate in all operators with multiple rooms. This is likely to further dilute their influence.
While a proposal for a government official to directly supervise the casinos was dropped after feedback from the operators, casinos will be subject to a review every three years when the city’s gaming regulator will examine their “contractual compliance in general”.
Each license holder will have a 30% cap on the number of shares that can be publicly listed while any major financial transactions must be communicated to authorities. The government said it has the right to terminate a casino’s contract for reasons including public interest or breaching its obligations.
Casino operators will have to draw up a plan to promote responsible gambling, while there will be a maximum number of gaming tables and machines each license holder will be allowed to operate, according to the bill.
The draft detailed what would be expected of new licensees, including support for local small- and medium-sized companies, activities of “public interest” and support for fields including science and the environment.
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Asia
Delasport Signs a Sports Deal with Philippines’ Leading Regulated Operator OKBET
Award-winning iGaming supplier in regulated markets Delasport has just signed a sports deal with Philippines’s number 1 operator OKBET.
The leading software developer will provide sports-services to their new partner, enhancing the experience of sports bettors in the Philippines even further.
“We’re proud to supply our services to such a strong partner as OKBET, and to an exciting and steadily growing market as the Philippines”, Delasport’s CEO Oren Cohen Shwartz comments on the agreement.
Regulated Philippines is marking a stable 5% year-to-year growth with the number of users expected to reach almost 6 million by 2029.
This is yet another deal for Delasport, with the global supplier’s expansion in regulated markets happening at full force.
Same goes for OKBET who have been holding the number one operator spot in iGaming in the Philippines for a long time now.
“I’m excited that OKBET and Delasports are joining forces to redefine the landscape of online sports gaming in the Philippines”, OKBET’s COO Wayne Thong also comments on the deal. “This partnership combines OKBET’s local market expertise with Delasports’ global industry leadership, creating new opportunities for innovation and customer satisfaction. OKBET and Delasports share a common vision for the future: a vibrant and dynamic platform that caters to the diverse interests of sports enthusiasts. By combining cutting-edge technology with a deep understanding of user preferences, this collaboration aims to set new standards for the industry.”
The post Delasport Signs a Sports Deal with Philippines’ Leading Regulated Operator OKBET appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
Uzbekistan Legalises Online Betting and Lotteries
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a decree on April 19 titled “On Measures to Improve the Regulation of the Organization and Conduct of Lotteries and Risk-Based Games in the Republic of Uzbekistan”. The document abolishes the ban starting from January 1, 2025, and introduces a legal framework for the organisation of risk-based games online and betting activities.
The issue of legalising betting activities has been a long-standing topic in Uzbekistan. In December 2019, the president signed a decree to legalise bookmakers, but this decision was revised in April 2022. In April 2023, the head of state instructed the development of a regulatory framework for betting activities.
The National Agency for Advanced Projects (NAAP), the authorised state body for regulating and licensing activities in this sector, provided insights on the necessity of introducing state regulation in the gambling sector in Uzbekistan. The agency emphasised the need to prevent illegal gambling businesses, protect players’ rights and generate additional income for the state budget.
The president’s decree aims to introduce advanced foreign experience and modern technologies in regulating the organisation of risk-based games and lotteries to increase investment attractiveness, tourist potential and attract additional funds to the country.
The measures outlined in the decree include the creation of legal foundations for the legalisation of activities related to risk-based games online, betting activities, and lotteries, implementation of mechanisms to protect citizens’ rights and interests, prevention of gambling addiction and the generation of additional state budget revenue.
Starting from January 1, 2025, a taxation system will be introduced for license holders, where organisers of online games, betting activities and lotteries will pay a turnover tax. This system aims to prevent the concealment of taxable revenue and is expected to generate additional tax revenues for the state budget.
Overall, the implementation of the decree is intended to establish a reliable foundation for the legal regulation of activities related to organising risk-based games online, betting activities and lotteries in Uzbekistan, protect citizens’ interests, combat gambling addiction and provide additional sources of income for the state budget.
The post Uzbekistan Legalises Online Betting and Lotteries appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
Indonesia Establishes Task Force to Combat Online Gambling
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.
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