Each week, CasinoBeats breaks down the numbers behind some of the industry’s most interesting stories. In our latest edition, we feature a New York sports betting commencement, Playtech takeover talk, unlimited paid leave, and Swedish deposit limit concerns.
4,000
BOS, the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling, called on the country’s government to rethink its gaming consumer protection safeguards, after advising against a new deposit limit for online casinos.
This comes following an announcement that a proposal for a newly introduced deposit limit is imminent, with a motion out for consultation ahead of a protracted run time from February 7 to June 30, 2022.
Gustaf Hoffstedt, secretary general of BOS, says that such a move contravenes “a cornerstone of Swedish consumer protection in the gaming law,” adding that such a fragmented market would make it difficult for gaming companies to capture risky behaviours.
It is stated that the latest design looks to be approximately the same as the deposit limit that prevailed periodically during 2021/22, with the change being that the limit is lowered from the aforementioned figure to SEK 4,000. When gambling at state-owned ATMs in places other than a casino, it is proposed that a corresponding loss limit apply.
11
René Jansen, chair of the Dutch Gaming Authority, Kansspelautoriteit, reiterated the importance of “responsible and socially aware behaviour” when it comes to the subject of gambling advertisements within the country.
In the face of mounting pressure being placed on the country’s government to ban such activity, Jansen admits that it has become “clear that political patience when it comes to the subject is very limited”.
Despite this, caution wass nonetheless urged as “some degree of advertising is needed to entice players to switch from illegal to legal providers, but don’t overdo it, I would say. Otherwise the shore turns the ship.”
The Ksa chair stated that such aforementioned socially aware behaviour must be undertaken individually but also as a sector through self-regulation, for example.
Acknowledging that the country’s new cabinet will soon have to adopt a position when it comes to such behaviour, Jansen adds that industry efforts “should perhaps go further than the current advertising code online gaming”.
This came in Jansen’s maiden Ksa blog entry of the new year, as it was once again reiterated that the current 11 incumbents of online gaming licenses within the region “is definitely not the final score”.
21
Casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments across the Canadian province of Ontario were shuttered once more, after Premier Doug Ford confirmed the reimposition of limited measures.
This saw the region move to a modified step two of its roadmap to reopen, which was implemented from January 5, 2022 at 12:01am for at least 21 days, subject to trends in public health and our health system.
The move was taken after what wass described as a “response to recent trends that show a rapid increase in COVID-19 hospitalisations,” with Ontario looking to blunt transmission and prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed as it continues to accelerate its booster dose rollout.
2.7
JKO Play was handed an extended deadline to announce a firm intention to make an offer for Playtech or withdraw its acquisitive interests, after the latter adjourned a shareholder meeting to approve Aristocrat’s £2.7bn transaction.
After it was confirmed this week that the shareholder meetings to approve the offer will be adjourned to February 2, 2022, JKO Play received an extension to the date that was previously set at 5pm on January 5, 2022.
As a result of the adjournment, the UK’s Takeover Panel has ruled that the company now has until 5pm on January 26, 2022, the seventh day prior to the date of the adjourned shareholder meetings, to unveil a firm intention to make an offer or announce that it does not.
This deadline will cease to apply if, before that time, a third party other than JKO rolls-out a firm intention to make an offer for Playtech.
4
The New York State Gaming Commission approved four mobile sports wagering operators, namely Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Rush Street Interactive, to commence sports wagering operations from no earlier than 9am on Saturday 8 January.
The regulator added that each licensee named had satisfied all statutory and regulatory requirements necessary to accept and process mobile sports betting activity, and had subsequently been approved to commence operations.
After the aforementioned date, each licensee would determine when to accept wagers, which the NYSGC said would be based upon its business capabilities and readiness.
It was added that the remaining five licensees, which encompass BetMGM, Bally’s, Wynn, Resorts World, and PointsBet, would continue to work towards satisfying statutory and regulatory requirements necessary to launch and be approved on a rolling basis when they are met.
Upon issuance of the ten-year licenses, which have a $25m fee attached, in November 2020, regulators deemed that permits would not be granted to Penn National, bet365, theScore Bet, Fox Bet, and Fanatics.
12
Clarion Gaming confirmed that London’s ExCeL Exhibition Centre will host ICE London across April 12/13/14, after the company last month issued a postponement from its traditional slot in early February.
Stuart Hunter, managing director of Clarion Gaming, said that the announcement followed consultations undertaken with the group’s customers amid market concern at the uncertainty caused by the Omicron variant.
iGB Affiliate London will take place on Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14, with ICE Vox, which incorporates the World Regulatory Briefing and the International Casino Conference to be held April 11-12.
100
KaFe Rocks is striving to further empower its employees as well as heighten satisfaction throughout its roster, after announcing the launch of an unlimited paid leave policy.
This is intended to offer added freedom and trust to employees via permitting them to decide when and for how long to take a break. This applies in addition to the local legislation and offers unlimited leave days on top of the national holidays and minimum entitlement.
The igaming affiliate says that this marks another step towards strengthening its people-centred culture, and comes in addition to 100 per cent remote working freedom and flexible schedule.
