Tag Archives: eu

SRIJ Portugal sees 40% increase in gambling self exclusions

SBC News SRIJ Portugal sees 40% increase in gambling self exclusions

 Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos (SRIJ), The Gambling Authority of Portugal has reported that online self-exclusion registrants reached 215,000 in the fourth quarter of 2023. The agency noted that while online gaming gross revenue improved year-over-year by over 16 per cent, land-based gaming revenue dropped by almost four per cent. Publishing data for Q4, the SRIJ declared a 16.4 per …

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Maarten Haijer, EGBA: Europe requires greater cooperation on forthcoming gambling resolutions

Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of EGBA

Ahead of ICE London’s opening day, Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), outlines the trade body’s proactive approach to 2024’s regulatory agenda, which will likely be disrupted by general elections across multiple markets. The EGBA remains committed to fostering cooperation among operators and key stakeholders to improve standards and harmonisation practices of dynamic and evolving …

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Bulgaria NRA sees 24,000 citizens reactivate for self-exclusion  

SBC News Bulgaria NRA sees 24,000 citizens reactivate for self-exclusion  

Bulgaria’s National Revenue Agency (NRA) has confirmed that the country’s self-exclusion scheme has seen more than 24,000 newly registered people since December 2022.  After being brought to a halt with a series of regulatory changes back in 2020, the scheme was reactivated again on 12 December 2022 by the NRA to encourage consumers who believe they could or have been …

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Georgia PM signs off on higher gambling taxes 

SBC News Georgia PM signs off on higher gambling taxes 

Irakli Gharibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia, has instructed ministerial agencies to proceed with increasing taxes on gambling businesses.    The PM declared the command as a primary directive of the Budget Speech, citing concerns that gambling had reached “catastrophic levels”, as Georgians are reported to have wagered GEL 52bn (€17bn) in 2022. As a direct response to growing concerns, Gharibashvili has …

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OPAP to challenge €24.5m fine on abuse of Greek competition laws

SBC News OPAP to challenge €24.5m fine on abuse of Greek competition laws

OPAP has vowed to challenge a €24.5m fine imposed on its business for violating the competition terms of Greece and the European Union (EU). The fine was imposed by the Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC) siding with a challenge made against OPAP, which deemed that the Athens-listed gambling group had violated rules applied by Greece and the EU on fair competition …

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Bulgaria NRA blocks 150 illegal gambling websites

SBC News Bulgaria NRA blocks 150 illegal gambling websites

The National Revenue Agency (NRA) of Bulgaria has blocked access to over 150 unlicensed gambling websites as part of an enforcement campaign initiated this September.  The department that oversees gambling within its supervisory remit informed that the majority of illegal websites were licensed outside of EU member states jurisdictions. The NRA did not publish any details on which websites it …

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MGA bites back against criticism of Bill 55 legislative amendments

SBC News MGA bites back against criticism of Bill 55 legislative amendments

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has sought to convey ‘clarity, accuracy and transparency’ regarding recent criticism of amendments to the Maltese Gaming Act, known as Bill 55. A statement from the regulator addressed ‘recent remarks shared by sections of the media’ about Bill 55, which would add a new article to the Gaming Act. In particular, the MGA stressed that …

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Lithuania adopts new gambling licensing fees 

SBC News Lithuania adopts new gambling licensing fees 

The Government of Lithuania has settled a resolution related to specific state fees, payments and refunds applied to business and economic activities.  The resolution sees Lithuania’s government impose new state licensing fees for gambling businesses and services. A notable change is increased operating licence fees for the national lottery and smaller lotteries, rising from €1,395 to €1,620, which may affect …

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EGBA: European Gambling has responded to demands on safety & sustainability

SBC News EGBA: European Gambling has responded to demands on safety & sustainability

The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has stated that 2022-to-2023  activities have underlined European gambling incumbents heightened commitment to responsible gaming and increased customer engagement.  The observation forms part of the trade body’s “Annual Sustainability Report for 2023” – which provides an overview of industry initiatives promoting safer gambling and data regarding the association’s environmental footprint and further social …

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Spain calls for public order on loot boxes

SBC News Spain calls for public order on loot boxes

Alberto Garzón, Spain’s Minister of Consumer Affairs, has ordered his department to draft the first federal controls on loot box interactions. This mandate follows a year-long investigation by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs into loot box purchases/interactions in video games, specifically assessing their potential risk to underage consumers.  The investigation revealed that in Spain, “35% of video games and 55% …

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