Compliance Updates
FIFA and Gianni Infantino welcome Swiss Federal Criminal Court decision to recuse extraordinary Federal Prosecutor
The FCC emphatically declared that the bias of Mr Keller could not guarantee a fair process
FIFA and FIFA President Gianni Infantino welcome the decision of the Swiss Federal Criminal Court (FCC) to remove Stefan Keller from his position as extraordinary Federal Prosecutor.
The FCC emphatically declared that the bias of Mr Keller, as demonstrated by his various media releases, repeated procedural errors, and consistent denial of rights, could not guarantee a fair process.
In particular, the FCC stated that by attempting to look into matters that had nothing to do with his mandate and then publicly raising his own personal suspicions about them without any objective justification, Mr Keller had clearly violated the presumption of innocence and damaged the standing of the FIFA President, contrary to his personal rights protected under the law.
The FCC underlined that for a public prosecutor to communicate distorting, injurious, misleading and factually incorrect information, as well as mere polemics and propaganda, is plainly inadmissible.
The FCC further noted that every party has the right to have his or her case decided by an impartial, unbiased and unprejudiced judge, acting in accordance with the principles of fairness and good faith. Given his pattern of conduct, in particular with regard to his various media communications, Mr Keller did not satisfy even these most basic of legal standards.
Taken as a whole, the impression was created that Mr Keller was preoccupied with casting himself in a positive light and engaged in one-sided reporting to the detriment of the FIFA President. The FCC found that, contrary to Mr Keller’s claims, this had nothing to do with objective communication that might have been justified in the public interest.
It was against this background that Mr Keller was removed from his position and ordered to pay the sum of CHF 5,000 to the FIFA President, to cover the costs of the proceedings.
As previously and consistently communicated, both FIFA and the FIFA President are fully available to cooperate with the authorities, whether that concerns meetings that the FIFA President had with the former Attorney General of Switzerland, or anything else.
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Compliance Updates
Playnetic strengthens European presence with licence to operate in Sweden
Playnetic, the new immersive B2B iGaming provider has announced that it has been granted a Swedish licence, following regulatory approval from the Swedish Gambling Authority, Spelinspektionen.
The licence allows Playnetic to launch its catalogue of innovative iGaming titles in Sweden, enabling the company to finalise partnerships with prominent operators across the country.
This significant milestone marks a major step forward in supporting Playnetic’s ambitious growth plans, which include increasing its foothold in other European markets, as well as continued expansion in regulated markets across the globe.
Dan Phillips, Playnetic CEO said: “Since launching in early 2023, Playnetic has been exploring expansion opportunities in Europe to penetrate new markets and we are thrilled with achieving this milestone.
“Thanks to our experienced compliance team, we were able to obtain this licence promptly, which is a huge positive as the market entry lines up perfectly with our regulatory roadmap for 2024. We are looking forward to launching our innovative suite of games which feature captivating themes and mechanics to players and operators in Sweden.”
The post Playnetic strengthens European presence with licence to operate in Sweden appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Balkans
Bulgarian President Approves Gambling Law Amendments
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has decided not to veto the proposed amendments to the Gambling Law, which include a prohibition on gambling advertisements in the media.
Previously, President Radev had indicated that he was deliberating on the changes to the Gambling Law and was awaiting input from his advisors before making a final decision.
The prohibition on gambling advertisements in the media was approved by a significant majority of deputies during the final session of the 49th National Assembly. Despite objections raised by various media outlets, gambling operators, sports clubs, and other businesses between the readings, the amendments were endorsed. Some stakeholders argued against the ban, suggesting that public discussion should precede its adoption.
The initiative for the amendments originated from GERB and DPS, and it was introduced unexpectedly during the last days of the 49th National Assembly by Yordan Tsonev (DPS) and Temenuzka Petkova (GERB). The bill swiftly progressed through the legislative process, passing its first reading in the budget committee and subsequently receiving approval in the plenary session. An extraordinary meeting of the Committee on Budget and Finance was convened to facilitate the voting on the amendments before the deputies commenced their pre-election recess.
The post Bulgarian President Approves Gambling Law Amendments appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
Thailand Considers Limiting Gambling Areas to 5% of Total Project Space
The Thai government is exploring the possibility of restricting gambling areas within entertainment complexes to no more than 5% of the total project space. This proposal was revealed by Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat, who also chairs the House committee responsible for evaluating the potential establishment of casino resorts in the country.
Amornvivat noted that the allocation of space for gaming activities within these entertainment complexes would be determined based on input from various governmental entities involved in a project.
Last month, Thailand’s cabinet approved a report from the National Assembly committee that examined the feasibility of introducing casino resorts in the country. The Ministry of Finance was tasked with conducting a 30-day study to assess the viability of implementing such a policy.
Each proposed venue would require a minimum investment of THB100 billion ($2.75 billion), according to the committee report. Amornvivat recently requested a two-week extension for the study period to further evaluate the matter in collaboration with 16 other government agencies.
The special House committee’s study focused on three main areas. First, it examined the potential impacts of introducing entertainment complexes with casinos on various aspects of Thai society, including economics, politics, social dynamics and the environment.
Second, the committee analysed the business framework of integrated entertainment venues, exploring revenue generation mechanisms such as taxes, fees and licensing structures. It recommended the implementation of specific casino taxes and the establishment of a fund aimed at addressing the negative effects of gambling activities.
Last, the report highlighted the importance of conducting a comprehensive review of the legal framework governing entertainment venues and gambling laws in Thailand. This effort aims to update existing legislation or develop new laws that align with the evolving societal landscape.
The post Thailand Considers Limiting Gambling Areas to 5% of Total Project Space appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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