Compliance Updates
How New Gaming Legislation Affects Gaming at Online Casinos
When most people place a bet at online blackjack, they expect a winning hand. Slot fans want to hit the jackpot while roulette players hope the wheel stops at their predicted number. Unfortunately, new online gamine legislation doesn’t always deliver a winning hand to the casino industry.
This article explores how the series of new gaming laws around the world have been affecting how people gamble online.
Credit Card Ban in the UK
Last year, the UK government enforced a law to ban online gamblers from using credit cards at iGaming websites. The ban applies to all forms of online gambling, from playing slots to buying lottery tickets.
The UK banned credit cards because they “can lead to significant financial harm.” That’s according to Neil McArthur, the CEO of the UKGC. According to McArthur, 22% of problem gamblers in the UK use credit cards for payments.
In that case, banning credit cards could lower the number of problem gamblers in Britain. However, it also means British gamblers will need to rely on money in their banks to play slots and card games.
New Lottery Laws in Finland
Finland is the latest country in Europe to strengthen its online gambling laws. Like the UK, Finland is introducing new gambling laws with an intention to protect its citizens from problem gambling.
The new Finnish gambling law, also known as arpajaislaki in Finnish, is comprehensive and has far-reaching consequences. It affects how Finns deposit money to foreign casinos, how operators advertise and verify their customers. To be clear, players in Finland can still gamble through offshore casinos. But they have to follow the new rules introduced under the lottery law.
Legal Sports Betting in Canada
After years of debates in parliament, Canada finally legalized single-sports betting June this year. In the past, Canadians had to place parlays if they wanted to predict sports outcomes. Now, they can wager on a single team like the rest of the world.
Canadian provinces will make the blueprint on how to run online sports betting websites. Ontario has already launched a fully-fledged online sportsbook while more provinces are in the same process.
In case you’re wondering, Canada is yet to legalize online casinos at a federal level. Presently, the country’s laws allow provinces to regulate online casinos. But the national government is yet to create laws that could bring legal iGaming to everyone in the country.
Online Gambling Legalization in the US
For a long time, most Americans felt like legal online gaming would never come to fruition. Then the Department of Justice allowed states to run online casinos in 2011. Four states created online casino laws but most states remained opposed to legalized online gambling.
In 2018, the US Supreme Court created leeway for states to legalize sports betting by striking off the PASPA Act of 1992. Within three years, more than 20 states permit sports gambling of some form: Online or in-person.
Increased legalization of iGaming in the US is a blow to offshore casinos that target American gamblers. But it’s a boon to everyone who’s always wanted to gamble legally. In New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia, you can gamble at both online casinos and sportsbooks.
The Swedish Gambling Act of 2019
Two years ago, Sweden joined the growing list of countries with legal iGaming legislation. Its newest law aims at encouraging offshore casinos to acquire licenses from the Swedish gambling Authority.
By doing so, Sweden can control the iGaming industry and increase its revenues. The law has few implications to gamblers. They can play at their favorite online casinos, like they’ve always done.
However, offshore casinos can no longer advertise on Swedish media unless they’re licensed. Additionally, they need to adhere to standard procedures of fairness and data protection to maintain their business permits.
Monopoly Law in Norway
Before 2017, Norway was like many countries in Europe. It lacked definitive iGaming laws. In 2017, the Nordic nation introduced a controversial law that appointed Norsk Tipping to be the only online gambling company in the country.
Additionally, Norway ordered banks to stop processing payments to offshore casinos. This second effort didn’t succeed in its goal of stopping Norwegians from gambling through overseas websites.
For starters, many online casinos don’t use gambling related terms in their bank account names. As such, banks in Norway can’t tell whether a deposit is headed to a casino site or a shopping website.
On the flip side, there’s no particular law that says a Norwegian citizen can’t bet at a foreign gaming site. This ensures players in Norway can access better quality casino services offshore without facing legal consequences back home.
The Gaming Act of 2018 in Malta
Although Malta has been regulating online casinos for a long time, it introduced a new act to government modern casino sites in 2018. The new act is a consolidation of all gambling-related laws in the country.
Under the new act, Malta has 12 subsidiaries. Basically, the laws are related to what investors need to submit to acquire and maintain a license in Malta. To be clear, Malta has some of the best online gambling laws in Europe.
In fact, it’s the go-to jurisdictions for many investors in the iGaming sector, from software providers to betting companies.
New Laws in Curacao
Before 2015, Curacao was the leading regulator of online gambling. But after years of criticism by governments and players for not holding casinos accountable, Curacao lost its appeal. Instead, new gambling companies began to acquire licenses in Europe.
Curacao is presently changing its laws to make the tougher for applicants. It’s also restructuring its tax policy to attract more casinos. Considering Curacao is a constituent nation of the kingdom of Netherlands, it’s also need to follow the new gaming laws introduced in Holland.
For example, casinos licensed in Curacao will no longer accept players who live in countries where gambling is illegal. This includes customers from the Netherlands. The new laws are new, so only time can tell how they will impact the iGaming industry in Curacao.
The National Indian Gaming Commission announced the President’s appointment of Associate Commissioner Sharon M. Avery as Acting Chair of the Agency, effective May 15, 2024. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland recently appointed Avery to a three-year term as Associate Commissioner, effective May 6, 2024. Avery will serve both as Associate Commissioner and Acting Chair until a presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed Chair is in place.
As Acting Chair, Avery has the same statutory authority to lead the Agency and take official actions as a Senate-confirmed appointee.
“I am humbled the administration has entrusted me with the distinguished opportunity to serve as the NIGC Acting Chair. In this capacity, and to the best of my abilities, I will diligently execute my duties and responsibilities designated by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to continue the Agency’s regulatory oversight of tribal gaming facilities without disruption, until a permanent Chair has been confirmed,” said Avery.
Avery is an enrolled member of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan. She has been with the NIGC for over four years where she has served as an Associate General Counsel in the NIGC Office of General Counsel. Before joining the NIGC, Avery served for more than 10 years in the legal department for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan. Most recently, she served as the Tribe’s General Counsel for Tribal Operations.
Compliance Updates
Spillemyndigheden: Anti-Money Laundering- A report to the police must be followed up by a notification
Notifications to the Money Laundering Secretariat is one the most important sources of information on money laundering and financing of terrorism. A notification is information about a potentially criminal act, and it cannot be replaced by a report to the police.
Gambling operators are obligated to notify in accordance with section 26 of the AML Act. The obligation to notify means that gambling operators must immediately notify the Money Laundering Secretariat if they know of, suspect, or have reason to believe that a transaction, funds or an activity is or has been linked to money laundering or financing of terrorism.
Notifications are essential for the role of the Money Laundering Secretariat, as notifications can in themselves constitute a case. In addition, a notification about a suspicion can be part of a larger case of other suspicious matters.
Police reports cannot replace notifications
There are no exceptions to the obligation to notify even if you have reported the matter to the police. In case a gambling operator has reported a customer to the police, the gambling operator must also notify the Money Laundering Secretariat which is an authority independent from the police.
The post Spillemyndigheden: Anti-Money Laundering- A report to the police must be followed up by a notification appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
CT Interactive has successfully certified 60 of its most popular games, along with the Hot Luck Jackpot, in Peru. This certification aligns with recent legislative updates in the Peruvian market, aimed at enhancing the gaming environment.
In response to these regulatory updates, CT Interactive has proactively certified a diverse range of games to provide Peruvian operators with a wide array of engaging gaming options. The newly certified games cover a broad spectrum of themes and features, ensuring that there is something for every type of player.
The newly certified games are: Hit the Hot, Lord of Luck the Wheel, Wizard Blizzard, 20 Star Party, Celestial Dragon, 40 Mega Slot, Monkey Sevens, 40 Shining Jewels, Shining Treasures, 40 Treasures, Giraffe Wild, 50 Treasures, Rodeo Power, Alaska Wild, Lord of Luck, Amazons Spear, Ramesses the Great, Banana Party, Fortune Pig, Brilliants Hot, The Power of Ramesses, Brilliants on Fire, Treasure Chase, Chilli Fruits, The Oldest Oak, Coffee Magic, Banana Merge, Dancing Dragons, Fortune Pyramid, Duck of Luck, HOT 7’s X 2, Fire Dozen, Magic Crown, Fortune Fish, Pick the Pig, Great Queen Bee, Win Storm, Lucky 3 Penguins, 20 Clovers Hot, Lucky Clover, Full of Luck, Penguin Party, The Great Sevens, Pot’o Luck, Fire Egg, Purple Fruits, The Golden Duck, Purple Hot 2, 40 Fruitata Wins, Pyramid of Gold, Power Storm, Wild Clover, The Big Chilli, Wild Hills, Jester Jack, Big Joker, Lucky Kiwi, Dark woods, 20 Mega Slot and Fluffy Tails.
Each of these games has been meticulously tested and certified to meet the stringent new standards set forth by Peruvian regulators.
The post CT Interactive Certifies 60 Games and Hot Luck Jackpot for Peru appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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