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Brace Yourselves: Curaçao’s New Gambling Law Is at the Door!

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Curaçao is approaching the finishing line of their online gambling reform, with the new law being sent to the parliament. Markus Björk at Slotsoo has been in touch with both the Ministry of Finance and several Curaçao operators to find out how they feel about this big change. Do European license providers have a reason to feel threatened by Curaçao casinos 2.0?

LOK Now Just Waiting for Parliament Approval

On December 19th, Curaçao’s Ministry of Finance informed that the new law has been officially submitted to the parliament. The National Ordinance for Games of Chance, commonly referred to as LOK (Landsverordening op de kansspelen), is expected to come into effect in the first half of 2024.

Finance Minister Javier Silvania, the front figure of the reform, shares his excitement about this historical moment:

“We are very happy to reach this final stage. The submission of the LOK to Parliament is not just a procedural step, but a leap towards transformative progress.”

No More Master Licenses or Middle Men

The current setup of the Curaçao casino license is very unique, with four master license holders being in charge of giving licenses to individual casino operators and ensuring their compliance to the regulations.

This has resulted in big quality differences, and if you were to ask ten EU players how they feel about Curaçao casinos you would get very varied replies. Another critique with the current system is that most of the financial gain goes to the four master license holders, while the island of Curaçao is left with light pockets.

LOK will put an end to master licenses and middle men and require all licenses to be applied directly from Curaçao’s Gaming Control Board. This means more uniformed quality and better control. The new law will also require gambling companies to have physical presence on the island, creating new job opportunities for the locals.

The Curaçao casinos we interviewed all welcome the new setup. Spinwise (Tsars Casino) sees some hurdles, but says it will be worth it in the long run:

“The prohibition of sublicensing by master licensees introduces a new financial dynamic for individual companies, albeit with associated fees. While adaptation to the new framework may pose short-term challenges, the long-term benefits are expected to outweigh these initial obstacles.”

The Curaçao License Will Remain Tax Free

Curaçao has been a popular license choice for casino entrepreneurs ever since its conception. Alpha Affiliates’ Chief Legal Officer Alexandra Shepelevich lists the three main benefits of the Curaçao license:
  1. No tax on winnings
  2. No restrictions on player nationality
  3. Strong regulatory framework
Curaçao will not try to change this recipe with the new law. The Gross profit tax will stay at 0% for all license holders no matter how big or small the revenue is. This is a stark contrast to most licenses in Europe.
A common concern among Curaçao operators is that the new system will cause a high barrier for entry, which some see as a positive thing. The new fees for a Curaçao casino will be approximately 50000€ a year (annual license fee 24600€ + monthly fee 12 x 2050€ + yearly domain fee 250€/each, numbers based on current ANG-EUR exchange rates).
Another strategy to keep unserious casinos away is the introduction of a digital seal, which will be made available on 1st of January 2024. The digital seal is issued by Curaçao’s Gaming Control Board and will help players confirm that the website has an active license.

Keeping the Balance Is Crucial for Success

Finance Minister Javier Silvania shares that they had a very inclusive approach when drafting the new law. They consulted all the stakeholders to make sure LOK will consider different perspectives and not just serve one group. The country of Curaçao, its citizens, the gambling industry, and the players should all benefit from the reform.

Many license jurisdictions that go through a re-regulation fall into the trap of legislating too much, without the government listening to the industry or the players enough. This leads to fewer license holders and lower channelization rates, as both the operators and the players search for more attractive solutions from other countries.

All the casinos that we spoked to agree that a good balance between regulations and operational freedom needs to remain. Mark Wellington, Rollino Casino’s Chief Compliance Officer, elaborates this point in his interview with Slotsoo:
“One current challenge is maintaining a balance between fostering innovation and ensuring strict compliance with regulatory standards. Striking this balance is crucial to support a dynamic and competitive industry while safeguarding player interests.”

We wish Curaçao good luck with their new start in 2024!

ADM

Swintt games go live in Italy after receiving ADM certification

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Rapidly-expanding software provider enters its 13th regulated market following Italian regulator’s approval of Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt titles

Having previously outlined its intentions to enter more regulated markets throughout 2025, sought-after software provider Swintt has announced that it has now officially been greenlit by Italy’s Agencia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM) to offer its slots in the country.

The new certification has initially been granted for Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt titles, and though further approval is planned for both SwinttPremium and SwinttSelect releases in the not-too-distant future, the provider has already put pen to paper with two of Italy’s leading operators.

Launched in 2024 following Swintt’s acquisition of Elysium Studios, Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt is a cutting-edge collection of releases that incorporates elements of social, mobile and casino gaming to deliver a more engaging experience that’s custom-made for the modern player.

Featuring inventive themes, innovative features and intuitive, mobile-first game mechanics, some of the biggest hits to come from the collaboration to date include the quirky, folk lore-inspired I Hate Fairytales and the swashbuckling skull and bones epic, Pirate Pledge Hold & Win.

Given both titles boast a cast of characters that includes everything from punk rock princesses to salty sea dogs and a huge selection of rewarding bonus rounds, the two games and many more from the Elysium Studios line-up are certain to prove a popular addition among Italian audiences.

With Swintt’s successful acquisition of ADM certification now paving the way for the provider to enter its 13th regulated market, the decision will significantly expand the company’s European footprint and enable it to form further partnerships with Italian operators in the months to come.

David Mann, Chief Executive Officer at Swintt, said: “At Swintt, our focus has always been on ensuring that our content gets put in front of players in as many regulated markets as possible – and acquiring ADM approval to offer our games in Italy is another significant step on this journey.

“As an established iGaming market with a huge emerging player base, we feel our Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt line-up can make a big impact in the region and we look forward to being able to roll out our other core line-ups very soon.”

The post Swintt games go live in Italy after receiving ADM certification appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Spelinspektionen Launches Supervision of AB Svenska Spel’s Gaming Venues

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The Swedish Gambling Authority has launched supervision of AB Svenska Spel’s gaming venues. The supervision covers turnover and the placement of slot machines.

This is the latest step in Spelinspektionen’s push to keep Sweden’s gambling sector in check and make sure companies meet the standards laid out in the Swedish Gambling Act.

When the review is complete, Spelinspektionen will publish the results.

The post Spelinspektionen Launches Supervision of AB Svenska Spel’s Gaming Venues appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Compliance Updates

Turkish Football Federation Suspends 149 Referees and Assistants After Betting Probe

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The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has suspended 149 referees and assistant referees after an investigation found hundreds of professional match officials in the country had betting accounts.

Bans ranging from eight to 12 months, based on the severity of the act, have been imposed for involvement in betting activity, with investigations into three other officials still ongoing.

The full list of the penalised officials was published on the TFF website.

Last week, it was revealed a five-year probe had found 371 of 571 match officials have betting accounts, with 152 of those actively gambling.

While some had only bet once, 42 had bet on more than 1000 football matches – with one official found to have placed 18,227 bets.

Like players and coaches, match officials are forbidden from participating in betting activities by TFF disciplinary regulations, as well as those of world governing body Fifa and European governing body Uefa.

“There is a moral crisis in Turkish football. There is no such thing as structure. The fundamental problem at the core of Turkish football is an ethical one,” TFF president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu said.

“Ask any referee, if there is even one who has not received his pay, I will resign as federation president. In fact, we improved their salaries last year, and again this year.”

No further details of the cases or ongoing investigations were provided.

After the investigation’s findings were announced, a number of Turkey’s top clubs responded.

Besiktas said it “could mark a new beginning for clean football” while Trabzonspor called the development “an historic opportunity to rebuild justice in Turkish football”.

Fenerbahce president Sadettin Saran said: “This is both shocking and deeply saddening for Turkish football.

“But the fact that it is coming to light is a hopeful development.”

The post Turkish Football Federation Suspends 149 Referees and Assistants After Betting Probe appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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