Gambling in the USA

Online Gaming Reform Has Gone Missing In The Costa Rica Presidential Election

Published

6 years ago

March 23, 2018

George Miller

Online Gaming Reform Has Gone Missing In The Costa Rica Presidential Election

Fabricio Alvarado and Carlos Alvarado. Photo credits: Jeffrey Arguedas /EFE

Reading Time: 5 minutes

With the second round of the Presidential elections looming, several issues have dominated the campaign thus far — scandal has been to the fore, notably the Cementazo furore, while the same-sex marriage debate has been the issue that has most engaged voters, and their opposing views on this question have therefore come to form the central platforms of both Fabricio Alvarado and Carlos Alvarado.

However, in the eyes of some commentators, the focus on scandal and the legalization of gay marriage has come at the expense of serious debate about the economy. In particular, discussion of the state of the public finances has been largely missing from the campaign. The rate of public spending as a proportion of GDP, continued rising debt, and an impending interest rate rise are all issues that have the potential to disrupt the fairly tranquil economic progress that Costa Rica has been making in recent years.

What has been particularly disappointing about the way the debate has been framed is that there have been no especially clear views articulated by either candidate about new future directions for the Costa Rican economy, or potential areas for growth and expansion.

In particular, neither of the contenders seem to be looking at ways in which Costa Rica could enhance its standing and position globally by expanding its current role in the online gaming industry. For some time, international online gaming companies have been able to operate out of Costa Rica, but the government has still not put a licensing or regulatory regime in place, despite all the discussion on the formulation of a gaming control board over the last five years or so.

This delay has had a significant impact on the country’s potential to turn online gaming regulation into a significant part of the economy. As more and more major countries around the world, such as the UK, begin to regulate their online gaming industries, they will only allow companies that operate from jurisdictions with strong and robust regulatory regimes to advertise and offer gaming services in those countries.

However, because a gaming company that operates from Costa Rica is not received as being sufficiently audited or controlled and is therefore excluded from access to these newly-regulated countries’ online gaming markets, there is no incentive for gaming operators to be based here. In fact, the opposite situation has occurred, in that there used to be a very large number of online gaming brands operating out of Costa Rica, but the best and most reputable of these have moved on because their potential for growth and international reach have become severely restricted.

An innovative and forward-thinking approach by an incoming President would therefore be to set up a strong Costa Rica gaming authority, along the lines of those in Malta and Belize, which would license and audit the operations and activities of online gaming companies based in the country.

With a proper regime of licensing and oversight in place, including requiring operators to have effective problem and responsible gambling policies, there is the potential that UK bingo sites and casino operators might be persuaded to once more see Costa Rica as a positive and profitable jurisdiction from which to operate. Companies based here would then have access to regulated markets, while players would understand that they have proper redress when things go wrong, thus boosting consumer confidence in the Costa Rica ‘brand’.

Unfortunately, the existing approach to online gaming regulation in Costa Rica is simply not robust enough given the ways in which the industry has evolved in recent years. At present, online casino, bingo and poker companies who are perceived as operating out of Costa Rica are largely seen as unreliable and untrustworthy, or rogue operators as the industry likes to call them. Whether this is or isn’t the case is immaterial — it is how both the wider industry and players see them because there are no real conditions enforced by a licensing authority as to how they operate.

However, this reputational damage to the Costa Rica online gaming brand could be repaired if a new government were to move to set up a professional gaming regulatory authority with real powers and clout. Both Malta and Belize provide us with models as to how this might look.

Malta, for instance, despite its size has become one of the world’s most trusted and powerful online gaming regulatory jurisdictions in the world. This is both in terms of ‘grey’ markets, such as those in Canada and New Zealand (from where it is illegal for online gaming companies to operate, but who have no restrictions on residents playing at offshore sites), as well as fully regulated markets like the UK, which has placed the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) on its ‘white’ list. This allows gaming operators with a MGA license to offer and market their services to players in the UK, one of the biggest online gaming markets in the world.

There are now more than 500 international online gaming operators licensed by the MGA, and it is constantly evolving in line with new industry and technological developments, such as the growing use of cryptocurrencies in online gambling.

Belize too is an example of a successful small country that nevertheless manages to punch above its weight in the online gaming industry. It introduced the Computer Wagering Licensing Act (1995) in May 1996, and companies who are licensed by the Belize Computer Wagering Licensing Board (BCWLB) are able to offer sports betting, casino games and other online gaming services to players internationally. The BCWLB has a positive reputation globally for providing a fair and secure gaming environment through its regulatory regime, and as such Belize continues to be a destination of choice for online gaming operators.

Allied to all of this, a forward-thinking regulatory regime that seeks to bring some control and security to the hitherto fairy unruly cryptocurrency gambling market, which is already well established in Costa Rica, could see the country become an industry leader in this sector. Casinos that enable players to use Bitcoin both to fund their accounts and as in-play currency are currently already being operated from Costa Rica, but as they are unregulated they are attracting a reputation for being unreliable and untrustworthy.

However, by establishing a robust authority along the lines of the MGA, the BCWLB or the UK Gambling Commission, Cost Rica could steal a march on its rivals and become a respected and trusted authority when it comes to the licensing of Bitcoin gambling sites.

In saying this, however, it is important to note that Costa Rica operating a regulatory regime does not necessarily mean that online gambling has to become legal here for Costa Rican citizens— in fact, neither Belize nor Malta, nor countries like Israel where some of the world’s biggest online companies are based, allow their citizens to gamble online.

Rather, this is about growing the economy and attracting foreign capital; the current laws regarding Costa Ricans gambling online do not have to change for the country to establish a powerful international regulatory authority. In short, moral concerns over gambling in this country need not be a part of the conversation.

Regulation of online gambling and the introduction of a gaming control board has been talked about in Costa Rica for far too long, and far too little action has been taken. Perhaps this should be one of the first items on the agenda of the new President, whoever that might be.

Source: qcostarica.com

Gambling in the USA

Nebraska’s First Permanent Casino to Open in May in Columbus

Published

7 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Nebraska’s first full-fledged, newly built and state-sanctioned gambling casino is slated to open in Columbus next month, marking a milestone in the state’s rollout of casino gambling.

The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission last Friday approved a target opening date of May 13 for Harrah’s Columbus.

“This is a big deal,” commission Chairman Dennis Lee said.

The state’s three other casinos are open, but in temporary facilities. According to construction schedules, all should be open by early next year.

“We’re definitely excited to open the first permanent casino in the state,” said Don Ostert, Harrah’s Columbus general manager.

The 17,000-square-foot casino floor will feature 400 slot machines and 11 live table games, including roulette and craps, Ostert said. It will feature a Brew Brothers restaurant and will offer Caesar’s sportsbook and racebook, Ostert said.

For racing fans, the complex will feature the state’s only 1-mile horse track, though racing isn’t scheduled to begin until August 16. By June, officials hope to have some horses out on the track to test the new surface.

Ostert said officials hope to draw customers from Norfolk and Grand Island, but also from Omaha and Lincoln.

Columbus Mayor James Bulkley said that, from the city’s standpoint, “we are very excited to see it get started and become part of the community.”

The developers incorporated some Columbus history into the casino, he said.

“The location where it is used to be called Wishbones, and it was a venue for years for entertainment, and so people recognize that name, and they have kept that name for the sports bar,” he said.

He expects the casino will draw from Omaha. Although driving to Columbus from downtown Omaha might take close to an hour and a half, the drive from west Omaha is more like an hour, he said.

“I can hit Elkhorn in a short hour today, which is now western Omaha,” he said.

In a few months, Omahans won’t have to leave town to visit a brand-new casino.

At Horsemen’s Park in Omaha, Warhorse Gaming officials are aiming to open their new casino in early August. It will open with 900 gaming positions, including table games and a Sweetwater Cafe.

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – April 15-21

Published

3 days ago

April 22, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.

Latest News

Caesars Entertainment announced that the Caesars Sportsbook Mississippi app is accepting mobile sports bets at Harrah’s Gulf Coast in Biloxi, Mississippi. Sports fans 21 and older who are interested in wagering on sports via mobile devices can download the Caesars Sportsbook Mississippi app to register and deposit statewide but must be physically present on-property at Harrah’s Gulf Coast to wager.

The Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) has announced that FanDuel’s sports betting app and website has officially launched. This development will introduce FanDuel’s sports wagering platform to District residents and visitors, completely replacing the current GambetDC sports betting app and website.

eCOGRA has been officially authorised by the Secretaria De Prêmios e Apostas (SPA) to operate as a certifying entity for betting systems, live gaming studios and online games in Brazil. This announcement marks a significant milestone as eCOGRA continues to extend its international offering of iGaming testing, inspection and certification (TIC) services in regulated markets across the globe.

Jennifer Shatley, a recognised expert in the field and a highly sought speaker and advisor, has joined the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) as Executive Director. Shatley has had 25+ years worth of experience, working closely with the treatment community, academics, researchers, government bodies, state councils and gaming industry representatives to promote responsible gaming.

Odditt, a leading provider of innovative sports betting data, tools and analytics, has appointed Elaine Milardo as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). With over 25 years of experience in the data industry and key roles at DraftKings and Vistaprint, Elaine brings a wealth of expertise to Odditt’s growing team.

Partnerships

Trustly, the global leader in Open Banking Payments, and Light & Wonder, the leading cross-platform global games company, are bringing cashless, in-person deposits to casino floors with Light & Wonder’s cashless solution, RAPIDPLAY. Building on Trustly’s success with guaranteed payments in online sports betting and iGaming, Trustly will deliver the same seamless, quick and secure online payment experience to the physical casino floor.

Fintech company Sightline has entered into an exclusive partnership with compliance and anti-fraud technology solutions leader GeoComply to bolster the security and efficiency of digital transactions within the regulated gaming industry. Sightline will integrate GeoComply’s cutting-edge IDComply identity verification solution as well as GeoComply’s compliance-grade geolocation tools across its comprehensive suite of digital payment solutions for land-based casinos and online gaming operators.

BetMGM has announced a partnership with GameCode, a distinguished iGaming company focused on the North American market. The partnership includes the launch of Boom Boom Boom, HammerCash, Gold Gold Gold and Super3 series which are now live at BetMGM in Michigan and New Jersey through direct integration. BetMGM plans to offer GameCode’s full portfolio of games in all jurisdictions where the operator’s iGaming platform is live pending regulatory approvals.

SCCG Management has announced a joint venture investment with Numb3rs, an innovative all-in-one payment solution provider built for gaming operators. The partnership aims to transform the gaming sector by integrating Numb3rs’ proprietary tech stack, ECRYPT, into the marketplace, thereby offering a comprehensive suite of payment processing solutions.

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – April 8-14

Published

1 week ago

April 15, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Latest News

FanDuel Group, the premier online gaming company in North America and an Official Partner of Churchill Downs Inc., announced five time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan and Grammy award-winning R&B singer Ne-Yo as the headlining performers at FanDuel’s inaugural Kentucky Derby Party. The exclusive, invite-only event will take place on Friday, May 3 at Paristown Arts and Entertainment District in Louisville, Kentucky from 7:00 PM to 12:00 AM.

TPI, a leading provider of innovative player communication solutions for the casino industry, has appointed Joe Tingson as its new Vice President of Customer Success. With his unparalleled dedication to his customers, Joe will play a pivotal role as a leader for our digital Customer Success and Product teams.

PrizePicks, the largest daily fantasy sports operator in North America, has announced plans for its new 33,000 square foot Atlanta Headquarters, which will be located in the Star Metals Building in Midtown Atlanta. The company plans to grow its workforce by 1000 new jobs over the next seven years, the economic impact of which will be $25M to the state of Georgia.

Century Casinos Inc. has announced that it opened its hotel in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, The Riverview. The Riverview is a 69 room, six-story building with 68,000 square feet that is adjacent to and connected with Century Casino Cape Girardeau. The project cost $30.5 million and was financed with cash on hand.

Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) has announced the opening of Terre Haute Casino Resort in Terre Haute, Indiana. The $290 million investment includes a casino floor with 1000 slot machines, 36 table games, and a state-of-the-art sportsbook. The 400,000-square-foot entertainment venue also features regionally inspired bars and restaurants including: Four Cornered Steakhouse, Rockwood Bar & Grill, The Soda Shoppe, Crossroads Center Bar and High Limit Bar.

Bragg Gaming Group Inc., a global B2B gaming technology and content provider, announced that Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Ronen Kannor, has notified Bragg’s board of directors (Board) that he will resign from his position to pursue other career opportunities, effective June 3, 2024. The Company confirms that the search for a replacement CFO has commenced.

Partnerships

EQL Games has partnered with global aggregation leader and NeoGames company, Pariplay, to provide the Virginia Lottery, through an agreement with NeoPollard Interactive, with a series of eInstant iLottery games for their industry-leading digital platform.

JACK Entertainment LLC announced the selection of Konami Gaming Inc.’s SYNKROS to power industry-leading systems technology across its 1.5 million square feet of casino entertainment space. The Ohio-based gaming operator’s portfolio includes a combined 2600+ gaming machines and 85 table games at JACK Cleveland Casino in downtown Cleveland, and at JACK Thistledown Racino, located approximately 10 miles to the southeast.

PrizePicks, the largest daily fantasy sports operator in North America, announced that the company has reunited with the Atlanta Braves as the club’s Official Daily Fantasy Sports Partner for the 2024 season. The partnership extends a longstanding relationship that dates back to 2020, with the two Atlanta-based companies continuing to work together on unique opportunities for their dedicated fans.