Compliance Updates

Google modifies policy to accommodate Italy’s ban of gambling ads

Published

6 years ago

July 20, 2018

Niji Narayan

AAMS Casino the safe online casinos for Italian Players

Photo Credits: lonelyplanet.com

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Internet giant Google has adjusted its policies on search results to accommodate the new legislation in Italy that bans gambling advertisements. Google modified its policy page on Monday to make it congruent to Italy’s so-called Dignity Decree and its prohibition on nearly all forms of gambling advertising and sponsorships. Google’s notice reminded operators that, as of July 16, “only state lotteries with deferred drawing will be allowed to run gambling advertisements in Italy.”

While the Decree’s full effects won’t take effect until 1 January 2019, Italian gaming news agency Agimeg reported that Google’s notice has already resulted in Italian-licensed operators dropping down local search results, while international operators that serve the market without a local license have risen to the top.

Some operators, such as Stanleybet CEO Giovanni Garrisi, believe the Decree will be “changed at the parliamentary level.” And indeed, this week saw the Senate and Chamber of Deputies Studies Service submit a report suggested that the Decree’s absolute prohibition “does not appear compatible” with existing legislation upholding the legality of most gambling advertising.

Maarten Haijer, head of the European Gaming & Betting Association (EGBA), suggested the European Commission would step in if Italy’s parliament failed to act. In a letter sent to Brussels, Haijer claims Italy goofed by failing to notify the EU regarding the Decree, which should have been subject to the standard three-month “standstill” period, an omission that Haijer claims renders the Decree moot under EU law.

DI MAIO UNREPENTANT

Luigi Di Maio – Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and champion of the Decree’s gambling smackdown – was challenged on a live TV debate this week by Vincenzo Boccia, president of the General Confederation of Italian Industry (Confindustria), regarding the effect the Decree would have on Italy’s gamblers.

Di Maio rejected Boccia’s suggestion that the Decree would achieve the opposite of its stated aims, saying that “I cannot be told that since I have eliminated the advertising of gambling, the illegal advertising is promoted. It is not.”

Boccia argued that “there is a game that is legal, which must be protected, and one that must be fought, with rules that must be respected … either gambling is everything and then everything must be closed or if there is a dimension of legality this must be protected, within certain rules.”

OPERATORS BITE BACK

Italian-licensed operators have expressed near-unanimity in their rejection of the new government’s approach. Kindred Group’s local head of gaming Cristiano Blanco called the ad ban “putting the dust under the carpet” while “delivering the [online game] to unauthorized operators.”

Alejandro Pascual, director of European operations for Spanish operator Codere, told InfoPlay that his company agreed with the Italian government’s objectives, but its methods “are not the most suitable” to achieving those objectives. Pascual claimed to have “repeatedly” invited government reps to engage in dialogue but “all of them have declined the invitation.”

Meanwhile, Massimilano Casella, CEO of Italian operator Microgame, issued a blistering statement via his Facebook page saying the government was treating gaming operators like “plague victims… with whom it is better not to deal with.” Casella said he was “astonished, embittered and worried about my employees, customers and users.”

Casella said that, as a responsible gaming operator, he recognised that “our industry, our companies grow if everyone plays one euro, not if a few sell the house to play.” Casella said he wanted to “work side by side” with the government to battle problem gambling, but this couldn’t happen “if our interlocutor is blind and deaf.”

Casella also mocked the government’s claims to care about gamblers, pointing out its plan to make up the expected tax shortfall from decreased online gambling by increasing taxes on land-based slots and video lottery terminals. “Is this the brilliant solution to stem this sad phenomenon?”

Casella closed his rant by suggesting that all Italian-licensed operators enact a “shutdown of all activities for 24/48 hours” to draw attention to the situation. Casella said the experience and skills of online operators “must and can be used for better regulation of the game.”

Source: calvinayre.com

Compliance Updates

GoldenRace is now certified in the Netherlands

Published

2 days ago

April 18, 2024

George Miller

GoldenRace is now certified in the Netherlands

Reading Time: < 1 minute

GoldenRace, global provider of award-winning Virtual Sports and betting solutions, has recently obtained a certification for its highly acclaimed Virtual Sports and Games in the Dutch market.

GoldenRace successfully navigated the stringent regulatory landscape of the Netherlands, and now will be providing its impressive betting products into the Online Dutch market, which will be an important advancement in our operational expansion.

The Netherlands betting scene is on the cusp of a substantial growth phase and with GoldenRace’s latest certification, we introduce to the Dutch market a range of highly popular games tailored to desktop and mobile, in both scheduled and on-demand modes.

Among the offer, players will enjoy our most-played Virtual Football line-up – including Football Single, Leagues, World Cup and Euro Champions-, adrenaline-pumping 3×3 Basketball and MMA and top-notch races as Horse Racing, Greyhound Racing and Grand Prix Indianapolis 60. Last but not least, our Number Games, such as Spin2Win. All ready to captivate Dutch players.

Asia

PAGCor Welcomes Lawyer Wilma Eisma as New President and Chief Operating Officer

Published

2 days ago

April 18, 2024

Alan Campbell

Reading Time: < 1 minute

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCor) today welcomed its new President and Chief Operating Officer, lawyer Wilma Eisma, who took her oath of office before Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin in Malacanang this morning.

“We are happy to welcome Atty. Wilma Eisma as PAGCor’s new President and Chief Operating Officer,” PAGCor Chairman Alejandro Tengco said. “We know she will be a great asset and her vast experience in both the government and private sectors will surely be put to good use here.”

Tengco said he witnessed Eisma’s oath-taking in Malacanang this morning. She then immediately joined her first PAGCor board meeting in the afternoon as the agency’s first ever woman President and Chief Operating Officer.

A lawyer by profession, Eisma earned her law degree from the Ateneo de Manila University and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Development Bank of the Philippines before joining the state gaming firm.

Prior to that, she also served as the first woman Administrator and Chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

Her private sector stints include leadership roles in PMFTC Incorporated, the Philippine affiliate of Philip Morris International.

She also held key positions at the Department of Trade and Industry where she worked at the Office of the Secretary and in the Office of the Majority Leader in the House of Representatives, among others.

Eisma succeeded Atty Juanito Sanosa Jr who resigned as PAGCor President and Chief Operating Officer last January.

Compliance Updates

MGA: Update to the Incident Reporting Requirements

Published

2 days ago

April 18, 2024

George Miller

MGA: Update to the Incident Reporting Requirements

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Malta Gaming Authority would like to inform its licensees of updates made to the Incident Report mechanism available through the Licensee Portal The information hereunder outlines relevant guidance and procedures for the submission of an Incident Report through the updated reporting instrument entitled the ‘Technical – Information Security Incident’.

As mandated by Articles 37(2)(c) and (d) of the Gaming Authorisations and Compliance Directive (Directive 3 of 2018), “Licensees shall notify the Authority forthwith, and in any case no later than three (3) working days after, the following:

(c) Any breach of the licensee’s information security that adversely affects the confidentiality of information relating to players;

(d) Any breach of the licensee’s information security that precludes players from accessing their accounts for a period exceeding twelve (12) hours.”

In this regard, Licensees are obliged to submit an Incident Report in order to notify the Authority of the circumstances relating to an information security breach that meet the above specified criteria. Additionally, Licensees are advised to remain mindful of any further obligations emanating from the General Data Protection Regulation (EU/2016/679) and any relevant legislation.

The Technical – Information Security Incident option will be accessible through the “New/Change” dropdown menu via the Portal. Upon selection, users will be directed to the applicable sections of the ‘Technical – Information Security Incident’ where all compulsory fields and any relevant documentation must be submitted to the Authority.

Upon submission, the Incident Report shall undergo review by the Authority. Any missing information that may be identified by the Authority, shall be requested accordingly from the Licensee. It is imperative that any pending clarifications are addressed in a timely manner.

If no further clarifications are deemed necessary by the Authority, the Incident Report will be closed off accordingly, and any relevant documentation will be securely filed for record-keeping purposes.

Any Incident Reports left in ‘Draft’ form (i.e. opened but not effectively submitted) for a period of ninety (90) days shall be automatically discarded.