Compliance Updates
US Supreme Court Refuses to Take Up Challenge to Florida Online Sports Betting Compact
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to take up a challenge to an agreement that gave the Seminole Tribe exclusive rights to handle online sports betting in Florida, dealing a blow to the deal’s opponents.
The nation’s highest court denied a petition from opponents of the compact, which promises to rake in hundreds of millions of dollars for the tribe and the state.
The decision was the latest setback for West Flagler Associates and the Bonita-Fort Myers Corp., which operate racetracks and poker rooms in Florida. In March, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that the companies had filed the wrong type of petition to challenge the 2021 compact between the Seminole Tribe of Florida and Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration.
“What’s important with today’s announcement is that the most significant barrier to online sports betting in Florida has been removed,” said Daniel Wallach, a South Florida attorney and sports betting law expert who had filed a brief asking the Supreme Court to either take up the case or reverse it outright.
The companies say the compact gives the tribe a sports betting monopoly in the nation’s third-most populous state and that the U.S. Department of Interior wrongly approved the compact even though it violates the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, which requires that gambling occur on tribal lands.
The plaintiffs questioned whether online sports bets that can be placed from anywhere in Florida could be considered to be on tribal land when only the computer servers that host the betting services are located there.
They said DeSantis and the Legislature, which approved the compact, improperly exceeded their powers by authorizing sports betting off tribal lands.
In their state court challenge, they argued that the deal creates a backdoor way out of a requirement, passed by voters in 2018 as an amendment to the Florida Constitution, that a citizens initiative is needed to expand casino gambling outside of tribal land. The tribe has argued that the Legislature has the authority to decide where online gambling is initiated and that the amendment doesn’t change that.
Attorneys for DeSantis and the legislative leaders have said that sports betting is different from casino gambling and therefore isn’t prohibited by the amendment.
The tribe launched its online sports betting operation late last year, and Florida’s share of revenues is already $357 million from last December through May. State economic forecasters predict that the revenue sharing from tribal gambling could total $4.4 billion through the end of this decade.
The decision by the Supreme Court “means members of the Seminole Tribe and all Floridians can count on a bright future made possible by the Compact,” the tribe said in a statement.
Monday’s decision could encourage other tribes to follow the same path to operate online gambling, Wallach said.
“Tribes in other states stand to benefit from this decision because now they have a clear roadmap that has cleared judicial review. I would expect to see efforts ramped up in other states,” Wallach said.
Standards body the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has represented the regulated betting and gaming sector at a shadow DCMS roundtable held on Tuesday.
The roundtable, titled: Future of the Gambling Industry in the United Kingdom, drew industry leaders together to explore key issues including responsible gambling, regulatory developments and the future of the sector.
CEO Grainne Hurst represented the BGC at the summit, hosted by Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Stuart Andrew MP and Shadow Minister for Gambling Louie French MP inside the House of Common’s Shadow Cabinet Room.
BGC CEO Grainne Hurst said: “It was fantastic to sit down alongside our members and other stakeholders from across our diverse sector to thrash out the challenges and opportunities facing the sector today with the shadow DCMS team.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have Stuart Andrew and Louie French, two dedicated MPs who understand this industry, and are keen to ensure the Opposition are completely across the key pressures facing our members, their millions of customers, and thousands of employees.
“Collaboration is key for the BGC, and we welcome this positive engagement with the shadow DCMS team.”
The roundtable also focussed on balancing economic growth with consumer protections and social responsibility.
Following welcome remarks, the summit heard industry’s perspectives on current challenges and future opportunities plus ways in which the Opposition can support future policy.
Grainne attended alongside representatives from BGC members, Flutter, Entain, Evoke, bet365, Bally’s, The Rank Group, Star Sports and the Hippodrome Casino, plus the UK Tote Group, National Lottery, BACTA and the Gambling Business Group.
BGC members support 109,000 jobs, generate £6.8bn for the economy while raising £4bn in taxes.
They also help fund horseracing to the tune of £350m a year through sponsorship, media rights and the levy, provide £40m for the English Football League and its clubs and millions more for rugby league, darts and snooker.
Each month in Britain around 22.5m adults have a bet and the most recent NHS Health Survey for England estimated that 0.4% of the adult population are problem gamblers.
The post BGC Represents Betting and Gaming Sector at Shadow DCMS Roundtable appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Allwyn UK, operator of The National Lottery, has announced that it has secured the European Lotteries (EL) Responsible Gaming Certification, as well as Level 4 of the World Lottery Association’s (WLA) Responsible Gaming Framework – the highest possible level.
The responsible gaming accreditations from these leading industry bodies help ensure that members of these organisations – like Allwyn and other lottery operators worldwide – operate their licensed lotteries with the highest standards of player protection and safety. They also reflect how successfully a lottery has implemented responsible play into its day-to-day operations.
These industry-standard certifications demonstrate Allwyn’s firm commitment to participant protection – with a continuous programme of work to prevent underage and excessive play from the outset.
Allwyn’s CEO, Andria Vidler, said: “Just over a year on from taking over as The National Lottery operator, we’re delighted to announce that we’ve achieved these important EL and WLA Responsible Gaming Certifications.
“National Lottery games are specially designed to be safe and secure, ensuring they don’t appeal to underage or vulnerable players. However, with over 30 million people routinely playing National Lottery games – raising over £30 million a week for Good Causes in the process – it’s crucial that we continue to do everything we can to prevent underage and excessive play.
“So, it’s great to have this external recognition of what we’ve achieved so far, but we also know that our work in this area is never finished. We plan to continue working hard on our responsible play credentials and driving up our own high standards, keeping National Lottery players at the heart of everything we do.”
The post Allwyn Secures WLA and EL Responsible Gaming Certifications appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Breaking New Ground in Brazil: Blitzcrown’s Crash Games Now GLI Certified
Blitzcrown, MVG’s pioneering games studio, has secured Brazilian Certification as well as GLI-19 Certification from GLI(Gaming Laboratories International) for its industry-changing three Crash titles. This landmark achievement marks a significant milestone in the company’s expansion into Brazil’s thriving online gaming market, positioning Blitzcrown at the forefront of the region’s rapidly evolving iGaming landscape.
The license comes at an important time for Brazil’s gaming sector, following the launch of the new licensing regime that started on January 1, 2025. The regulatory framework, signed into law in December 2023, has transformed the industry’s prospects.
The certification encompasses 3 innovative crash games: Crash, Fast Crash, and Twin Crash. This strategic milestone establishes Blitzcrown as the premier provider of certified Crash games in the Brazilian market, demonstrating the company’s unwavering commitment to regulatory excellence and gaming integrity. With the GLI-19 and Brazil certification process successfully concluded in March, Blitzcrown has solidified its position as an industry pioneer in this dynamic and emerging market.
Crash games are a recent addition to the global iGaming market, featuring the dynamic evolution of real-time multipliers and immediate reward structures. Blitzcrown has stood out by establishing groundbreaking game mechanisms that offer different and exciting gameplay experiences. Standard Crash provides players with a standard multiplier-based gaming experience, and Fast Crash is optimized for users seeking quick, intense multiplier experiences. The Twin Crash is an original format allowing players to place simultaneous bets on two separate multipliers.
Building on this momentum, Blitzcrown has announced plans to expand its certified portfolio with two additional versions of its innovative Plinko games, demonstrating the company’s strategic commitment to market expansion. This forward-looking initiative underscores Blitzcrown’s dedication to continuous innovation and sustainable growth in the regulated gaming markets.
Blitzcrown is MVG’s edge-game studio focused on pushing game ideas beyond their norms through innovative and non-traditional gaming experiences. The studio has been particularly recognized for its groundbreaking approaches in various game categories, including its successful Crash and Plinko series.
George Cho from MVG said: “This GLI certification testifies to Blitzcrown’s unwavering commitment to offering top-quality, fair gaming systems. We are well placed to take advantage of Brazil’s exciting new regulatory environment and the vast growth potential of the online gaming industry.”
The post Blitzcrown Secures GLI Certification for Three Crash Games in Brazil appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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