Compliance Updates

Euroconsumers calls Nintendo to solve its “Joy-Con Drift” probl

Published

4 years ago

October 7, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The new version of the Nintendo “Switch” console, the Switch OLED, expected on October 8th 2021, shows an unsolved technical problem with its controllers – an issue commonly called “Joy-Con Drift” – that prevents players from playing the game properly. Nintendo is quite aware of this flaw. Yet it still plans to roll out the new Switch with the old problem. Euroconsumers calls Nintendo to account.

“Joy-Con Drift”

The flaw in the controllers manifests itself after a couple of months, falsely reading input from the controller stick, as if the user has their thumb pressed down on the controller, causing the game character to move without the player even touching the device. This prevents the player from playing the game as intended. This issue is not new: it was already denounced extensively by users of the current Nintendo Switch, IFixit and multiple consumer organisations.

Nintendo’s inaction

This flaw has previously been raised with Nintendo. Firstly in January 2020, Test Achats/Test Aankoop, Euroconsumers’ Belgian national organization, sent a letter of formal notice to Nintendo Europe GmbH calling on the company to repair all the defective products free of charge and to publicly communicate about the defect.

In January 2021, BEUC, the European umbrella group for 46 independent consumer organisations, launched an external alert to the CPC network about a widespread infringement with Union dimension of EU consumer law, related to the premature obsolescence of the Nintendo Switch.

On top of this EU action, two class actions have been launched in the US, and a Canadian firm has filed an application to begin a class action.

Nevertheless, Nintendo has taken no actions to remedy the flaw or alert consumers. It even issues a new Switch OLED with the exact same Joy-Con design, with the exact same inescapable defect. Meanwhile Nintendo keeps on putting a great deal of emphasis on the quality and versatility of the Joy-Con in its advertisements t.

This early obsolescence is not only unfair and harmful to consumers, but also affects the environment, creating a pile of unnecessary and extremely polluting electronic waste.

Euroconsumers’ call on Nintendo

In a letter Euroconsumers has confronted Nintendo with the above, asking them to:

Adequately inform consumers of the existence of the “Joy-Con Drift” and its impact on the expected lifespan of the Nintendo controllers on the packaging of the product.
Fully respect provisions on the legal product guarantee, without imposing any burden of proof on consumers or charging them with any costs to repair or replace their Switch controllers.
Provide clear contact details at Nintendo for consumers to report and resolve Joy-Con problems, and for Euroconsumers and its national organisations to address problems to that regard.
Resolve the technical “Joy-Con Drift” flaw and ensure a more sustainable version of the controllers. Euroconsumers, and its national organizations stand ready to deploy decades of technical and testing experience to support finding solutions.

Euroconsumers is available and willing to launch a dialogue with Nintendo in order to establish the best way to satisfy the above requests.

“Nintendo has a duty to its customers to provide functioning devices,” said Marco Scialdone, Head of Litigation and Academic Outreach at Euroconsumers. “To knowingly continue selling these game consoles when they are defective is a breach of EU consumer law. We expect Nintendo to do the right thing and work with us to find a solution for consumers.”

“While on one hand Nintendo pretends to commit to the green transition and serve consumers, its continued distribution of faulty electronic devices shows it’s true lack of genuine commitment,” said Els Bruggeman, Head of Policy and Enforcement at Euroconsumers. “Early obsolescence results in more electronic waste, which is particularly difficult to dispose of. This shows a regrettable lack of respect for both the environment and consumers.”

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey

Florida: Attorney General James Uthmeier Announces Seizure of Over 500 Gambling Machines in Large-Scale, Multi-County Illegal Gaming Crackdown

Published

4 hours ago

March 4, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

florida:-attorney-general-james-uthmeier-announces-seizure-of-over-500-gambling-machines-in-large-scale,-multi-county-illegal-gaming-crackdown

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the results of a two-day sting operation targeting illegal gaming operations. The operation spanned Volusia, Brevard, Duval, and Flagler counties, resulting in the seizure of 525 illegal machines and $190,000 in illicit proceeds across 39 locations, according to preliminary operation results.

“Unlawful gambling operations often play a role as the financial backing behind criminal networks. These illegal casinos fuel organized crime, prostitution, and other illicit activities. Florida will see a major statewide crackdown on illegal gaming in 2026. If you’re running an illegal operation, don’t roll the dice; shut it down now,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier.

“The partnerships we have with the Attorney General, Florida Gaming Control Commission and surrounding law enforcement agencies are what give us great results. They help us keep our crime down in our communities and keep our citizens safe, because we don’t turn a blind eye to any crime,” said Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey.

“These unregulated machines rarely pay out because they are set for the house to win. Illegal gambling is not a victimless crime. Often, it fuels other crime and preys on residents who are often elderly and on a limited income in the hopes of a big win,” said Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly.

“This successful operation sends a clear message that organized criminal activity has no place in Florida. I’m grateful for the strong partnership between our agency, the Attorney General’s Office, and our regional law enforcement partners because by working together, we’ve made Duval County and the State of Florida a safer place,” said Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters.

“The operators and slumlord property owners who prop up these unregulated, illegal casinos are ripping off our residents and costing them their savings. These casinos are connected to money laundering, drug smuggling and human trafficking. We will keep taking them down with our partners like the Attorney General and the Gaming Control Commission, but we really need further action from the Legislature to address this problem statewide,” said Volusia County Sheriff Michael Chitwood.

“The Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) is thankful to Governor Ron DeSantis, Attorney General James Uthmeier, the Florida Legislature, and our law enforcement partners for these outstanding results. Thank you for this wonderful teamwork. These actions are protecting Floridians from predators who mislead unsuspecting citizens. True collaboration is key to a significant outcome such as today,” said Florida Gaming Control Commission Chair Julie Brown.

This was a joint operation by the Gaming Control Commission, the Office of Statewide Prosecution, Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

Machines were seized from restaurants, bars, gas stations, sham arcades, and standalone illegal casinos—some unmarked and some masquerading as other businesses such as nail salons and beauty supply stores. Law enforcement seizures included stand-up slot machines, PC slot machines, tabletop machines, coin-push machines, and fish table machines.

This operation advances Attorney General Uthmeier’s 2026 priority of executing a statewide crackdown on illegal gaming operations. The Attorney General has urged the Florida Legislature to enact reforms to increase the penalty for keeping a gambling house to a felony.

The post Florida: Attorney General James Uthmeier Announces Seizure of Over 500 Gambling Machines in Large-Scale, Multi-County Illegal Gaming Crackdown appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Compliance Updates

Romanian Mayors Push to Ban Gambling Halls

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

romanian-mayors-push-to-ban-gambling-halls

A wave of Romanian mayors has followed the example set by Slatina’s mayor, who recently announced plans to eliminate gambling halls from his city under newly amended legislation. While the political signal is growing louder, the decisive vote belongs to local councils – and gambling operators are unlikely to retreat without resistance.

On February 26, the mayor of Vaslui, Lucian Braniște (PSD), said he would submit a draft decision to the Local Council seeking a ban on gambling halls within the city. He argued that gambling has become a serious social issue across many Romanian communities.

“In recent years, gambling has become a real problem in many communities in Romania. Beyond advertisements and colorful lights, behind these halls, there are too often stories of affected families, debts, addiction, and suffering,” the mayor said.

In Ploiești, mayor Mihai Polițeanu also voiced support for eliminating gambling venues and announced that he would table a similar proposal before the City Council, Economedia.ro reported. He described parts of the city centre as having turned into a “strange, underworld-like” area, suggesting that the proliferation of betting shops has contributed to urban degradation.

The mayors of Brăila and Rădăuți have likewise declared their intention to pursue restrictions on gambling activities.

The initiatives follow a recent amendment to gambling legislation adopted by the government, which now requires operators to obtain not only a national licence but also a local authorisation from the mayor’s office in the municipality, town, or commune where they operate. The new provision also empowers local councils to decide whether such activities may take place within their administrative boundaries.

While the political momentum appears to be building, the outcome will ultimately depend on council votes in each locality. Given the economic stakes and the industry’s established presence, legal and political battles are expected before any city can formally declare itself gambling-free.

The post Romanian Mayors Push to Ban Gambling Halls appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Compliance Updates

Crypto.com Receives Limited Financial Institutions Licence in Europe

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

crypto.com-receives-limited-financial-institutions-licence-in-europe

Crypto.com has announced another regulatory milestone: its EU MiCA regulated entity has received a Limited Financial Institutions licence from the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA). The approval allows the company to continue delivering its full suite of stablecoin services – qualifying as payment services – across the European Union, without disruption.

This additional licence is for the provision of services exclusively in relation to electronic money tokens (EMTs). The licence was acquired to navigate a complex regulatory landscape resulting in overlapping crypto asset services (MiCA) and payment services (PSD2). By securing the Limited Financial Institution Licence, Crypto.com has addressed both regulatory regimes ensuring full compliance across every aspect of its stablecoin operations.

Crypto.com’s Malta entity received MiCA approval in January 2025, allowing the company to passport services across the European Economic Area (EEA). Notably, Crypto.com already holds a full Electronic Money Institution (EMI) licence in Europe, making it one of the most comprehensively authorised platforms operating in the region.

“We are one of the most regulated crypto platforms in the world and receiving this licence proves, yet again, that we are committed to working with authorities to ensure the strongest compliance standards. Our stablecoin business and services remain a pivotal part of our European product offering so it was vital we secured this limited licence to continue providing seamless access to our institutional and retail customers,” said Eric Anziani, President and Chief Operating Officer at Crypto.com.

The limited Financial Institutions licence adds to Crypto.com’s expanding list of licences and registrations globally including, but not limited to, a UK Electronic Money Institution licence (FCA), a Major Payment Institution licence in Singapore (MAS), a Virtual Assets Service Provider licence in Dubai (VARA), U.S. Money Transmitter Licences, U.S. Designated Contracts Market (DCM) & Derivatives Clearing Organization (DCO) licences and recently conditional approval from the U.S. OCC for a National Trust Bank Charter.

The post Crypto.com Receives Limited Financial Institutions Licence in Europe appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.