August 2019 Infinity Gaming Magazine

Infinity Gaming www.gaming-awards.com | ISSUE108

GAMING + ARTICLES + BUSINESS+ GLOBAL + ONLINE + NEWS+ AWARDS + etc

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08 ECA STILL RELEVANT?

22 OUT OF AFRICA Teresa Tunstall

18 LEAD LIKE AN EAGLE Lynn Pearce de Freitas

Opinion Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in all external articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Infinity Gaming Magazine Any content provided by our feature writers or authors are of their opinion, and are not intended to malign any religion, ethic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything.

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4 EDITOR NOTES Editor welcomes you to the latest edition of Infinity Gaming Magazine.

6 OUR WRITERS Meet our feature writers, the superb writers on our rosta.

08 ECA RELEVANT?

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14 BLOCKCHAIN SOON 18 THE EAGLE 22 OUT OF AFRICA

BLOCKCHAIN COMING SOON Lee-Ann Johnstone

38 GAMBLINGS FUTURE GAMBLING INDUSTRY FUTURE

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41 CATSKILLS BANKRUPTCY?

43 JUNKET PROBE

+ NEWS & MORE NEWS from the gaming industry

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Lana Thompson - Editor-in-Chief

Welcome to the latest edition of the Infinity Gaming Magazine

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Welcome to the latest edition of the

Back to the magazine and our feature

Infinity Gaming Magazine and we hope

writers, Lee-Ann Johnstone, Teresa Tun-

you have had a superb summer break,

stall and Lynn Pearce De Freitas bring as

as we all know just around the corner is

always some superb insights from the

the busiest time of the year.

world of gaming.

Business Partnerships Svetlana@gaming-awards.com

In case you missed it we have now

We recently celebrated our 100th edi-

launched the categories for the Interna-

tion of the Infinity Gaming Magazine, it

Marketing & Advertising claire@cleverduckmedia.com

tional Gaming Awards (IGA) 2020, this

is with great thanks that you our readers

year expanding on social responsibility

love the magazine and keep it so popu-

and more focus towards the US busi-

lar, so long as you read it we will publish

ness as the industry grows there.

it, thank you all so much.

The categories are live on the website

Also inside is a review of the ECA and a

and deadline for entries is 18th Octo-

look at the future of gambling, as always

ber, good luck to all those taking part.

we got all the very latest news from all parts of the world covering the business

Looking forward we have already

sector.

booked the date for the Women in Gaming Diversity Awards for the 14th May

Have a super month, enjoy the maga-

2020 at the stunning Savoy Hotel. On a

zine and we will catch you all with an-

personal note, my daughter Maria-Tiffa-

nouncing the line-up of judges for the

ny who is 13 years old beat 147 men in

IGA in the next edition.

a major competition recently, and first woman to win comp in 47 years, girl

“To Infinity and Beyond!”

power!

Regards,

Lana The Editor

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Sponsorship Opportunities Colin@cleverduckmedia.com

Editorial Content & PR media@cleverduckmedia.com

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Infinity Gaming Magazine Contributing Writers A magazine is only as good as the content inside and with some of the leading specialists within the gaming industry. With specialised articles covering customer service, the gaming law, new prducts, technology and current affairs with the sector the Infinity Gaming Magazine is delighted to showcase our superb line-up of contributing writers.

Christina Thakor-Rankin Christina is Principal Consultant at 1710 Gaming Ltd, a specialist betting and gaming consultancy, delivering a range of services including licensing and compliance (incl. regulation, money laundering and social responsibility), business start-up, training and strategic reengineering, project management, research, business analysis and development, to start-ups and established multi-national operators and providers, gambling regu-

lators, law enforcement and government agencies, media, and specialist interest groups and associations within the sector, in both established and emerging markets across the world.

www.1710gaming.com

Teresa Tunstall – Independent Gaming Consultant After many years of working in casinos in the UK and on USA ships as a croupier and inspector, Teresa turned from ‘poacher to gamekeeper,’ spending 16 years with GamCare, who offer help and support to those who develop problems with their gambling.

Teresa now works independently consulting on all issues relating to Social Responsibility and Problem Gambling.

Working closely with the betting and gaming industry, She developed strong links delivering Social Responsibility and Problem Gambling training around the world, from Antigua to Moscow, and Auditing in the UK.

To contact Teresa regarding consulting please email: Teresatunstall1@gmail.com

Lee-Ann Johnstone - CEO Best Odds Marketing With almost two decades of digital marketing and affiliate experience gained within retail, payments and blue chip iGaming brands, Lee-Ann has a wealth of expertise as an award winning digital marketing expert and business mentor. She is the creator of AffiliateFEST, founder of Best Odds Marketing a digital consultancy specialising in affiliate marketing and recently launched Affiliate Insider offering training, events and business development for the affiliate channel.

www.affiliateinsider.com|www.bestoddsmarketing.com

Lynn has creatively strategized and implemented B2C and B2B acquisition, conversion and retention marketing campaigns.

She joined Forwardslash, (an igaming marketing company) as Marketing GM: Creative Studio. She then went on to work for a sportsbetting company to launch a poker room and casino for a while, before being headhuntered to join a startup casino company in Prague, where she worked as the Marketing Operations Manager. Longing for the sea and sunshine, she relocated to Malta to consult for a B2B igaming software development company.

Lynn Pearce de Freitas

Lynn started off her igaming career consulting to LCI, a prestigious land-based casino in the UK, where she was responsible for the online marketing and projectmanagement of conferences, events, presentations, video production, and other activities.

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Is the ECA still relevant today?

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t the moment, the European Casino Association claims to represent over 900 casinos, as well as numerous national organisations. In doing so, it claims to be the body that most effectively provides this kind of representation.

However, with Britain on the brink of leaving the EU and other criticism yet to see dramatic improvement, it’s the ideal time to question the UK’s role within the ECA and to wonder if it is still a relevant organisation.

First founded in the early 1990s, the ECA has come a long way in terms of the service that it provides and these days it claims to have over 70,000 staff and to represent 900 casinos across the 29 countries in which it operates. However, it’s an organisation that has often been slow to change and it often draws questions about its relevancy in 2019.

There are two key issues that raise questions over the ECA’s present relevance and whether or not it continues to be a body that is capable of offering effective representation in 2019.

Firstly, there is the issue of diversity and the little substantial progress that the ECA has made on as an organisation. It was something that we have previously discussed and an

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issue that continues to be of concern.

Last year, we raised our concerns that the ECA was failing on its own 2017 gender standards and the ECA’s chairperson was quick to agree with our criticisms. In response to the article, Per Jadung offered the following comments; “You are absolutely right. It’s not good enough, and that is why the ECA since 2016 is dedicated to improve the gender diversity and to help increase the number of women in top management positions in the casino industry ECA is presently forming alliances with different companies and organizations involved and we will use our network to make a positive change. Unfortunately, it is a slow process, but we are doing our best to speed it up. Some stakeholders and other have ducked behind bushes for years, and they are now jumping on the bandwagon. Sadly, they are often contra-productive.”

As an organisation that still claims to effectively represent the gambling industry, how can it be satisfied with only having two women on its governing body? In addition, one glance at the committee suggests that there is also a lack of BAME members and nothing to suggest that it has even started to really consider LGBTQ representation. Each of these areas should be cause for concern.

Around the world businesses have sought to improve the diversity of their own boards, with companies across all sectors attempting to better their own standards, within the gambling industry not being outside of this progress.

This is something that the ECA has also attempted to further, having previously emailed the International Casino Exhibition, suggesting that they should seek to have more women within their ranks. It’s great to see that it appears to be truly pursuing this agenda and we welcome any moves that they take to increase diversity without the industry.

In addition to the ECA’s encouragement of other organisations improving their own standards, it has now announced that it will continue its partnership with Clarion Gaming and the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers. In doing so, they will continue offer a scholarship for the Executive Development Programme.

The EDP is a prestigious industrybased leadership course and for the second year running the partner organisations will offer a scholarship to an excellent female candidate.

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These measures are obviously welcomed and will help to ensure diversity amongst staff within the industry. However, with just 2 women on its 13-member leadership body, the ECA has to seriously reconsider its own priorities.

It’s excellent to see that they are taking action to correct the obvious problem within the casino industry, but this should not be an either-or situation. Instead of sending emails to companies encouraging them to take positive action, the ECA would make a bigger statement by choosing to address its own gender problem. It was a celebrated move when it chose to introduce the position of Vice President for Education and Diversity, but it now has to ensure that it starts to show businesses how this action should be taken.

If it wants to seriously affect wider change within the casino business,

it has to start by embodying these principles itself.

If it wants to remain relevant in the future and wants to be truly representative, then it has to take further action to ensure that more women are elected to its board.

The second issue is that of Brexit and the questions over what would happen to the role of Tracy Damestani, the UK’s current representative on the ECA board, once we have left the EU. At the moment, she represents the UK’s National Casino Forum and has suggested that she would maintain that position, even once the UK have left the EU. However, this raises serious questions for the ECA and the wider industry.

At the moment, it is important the UK does hold a seat on this board but once we’ve left it’s hard to imagine how the board will then interact with

the UK. There continues to be vast debate and discussion about exactly what Brexit will look like and what it will mean for the current laws that we happen to share with the EU. What aspects of the board would still be relevant to the United Kingdom and what role would the UK play in this set up?

These are all issues that the ECA needs to address urgently.

For the UK, it’s hard to imagine how the ECA could still be relevant once we have left the EU and it’s likely that other organisations could become of increasing importance instead.

However, if the ECA truly wants to be a leading industry body and to remain relevant in 2019, it has to start addressing the concerns that industry insiders have and it has to start being the change that it wants to see.

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GAMING NEWS

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Netkan CEO steps down

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espite only having been CEO for less than a year, Netkan has confirmed that Lucy Buckley has stepped down from the role with immediate effect. The founder and executive director, Gary Shaw, is to take on the role in the interim.

In October 2018, Buckley was confirmed as the new CEO and started the role on the 3rd of December 2018. Prior to this she had spent eight years with Inspired Entertainment and during that time she had rapidly risen through the companies ranks, finding herself as the president’ of the supplier’s interactive divisions.

However, in a statement she confirmed that as a result of a restructuring within the business, it was now the “right moment” for her to leave.

“The business has a solid foundation of propriety technology and a fast-growing B2B business that will help it capitalise on the many global opportunities ahead,” she added.

This now means that Shaw will return to the role, having previously been in the position between 2017 and Buckley’s appointment. Until a new CEO is appointed, Shaw will combine his current role with CEO and will use it to spearhead the businesses’ international expansion.

“On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Lucy for her stewardship during a period of industry change and challenges in the UK market, “ Shaw offered. “The company remains confident that its sales pipeline has the scope to drive significant revenue growth in both the B2C and B2B divisions.”

However, Buckley will remain available to the board for a few months in order to ensure a smooth transition moving forward.

In June, Netkan was forced to use a profit warning to its investors after it experienced a decline in player deposit during the first quarter of the year. However, between the first quarter and the 30th of June, the supplier reported a 14.8% year-onyear increase in revenue. This was said to be thanks to growth across its B2C and B2B segments.

It has not provided the bottom-line figures of that update but it did confirm that it would miss the target of breaking even for the year.

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GAMING NEWS

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Genting Malaysia buys stake in Empire

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he Kuala Lumpur based company, Genting Malaysia Bhd is consolidating its gaming business in the US. In a filing with Bursa Malaysia today, who own Genting USA Ltd, the company has proposed to acquire 13.2 million shares in Empire Resorts Inc from its single largest shareholder Kien Huat Realty II. For US$128.6mil (RM538.8mil).

Empire is a gaming and entertainment company which is publicly traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

The company owns and operates Resorts World Catskills, a casino resort which is situate on a 1700-acre site in New York, America. It also owns and operates Monticello Casino and Raceway.

In addition, it is also proposing a joint venture between GENM and KH to gain full control over Empire Resorts.

ing of retail sports betting and online sportsbook, online casino and online poker.

At the moment, the 13.2 million share represents 46% of the common share stock that is held by KH and it also represents 35% of the Empire’s voting power on a fully diluted basis after conversion of all preferred stock currently outstanding into common stock. KH is currently the largest shareholder of Empire, owning roughly 28.91million shares.

Discussing the reason for the move, GENM stated that it would be in a much better position if the Resorts World brand was in the north-eastern US gaming market. It stated that this would allow it to more effectively cross market with the Resorts World Casino New York City. It would also allow it to attract additional customers from other states, by introducing new marketing efforts in these areas.

Empire has also entered into a sportsbook and digital gaming collaboration agreement with an affiliate of Bet365 Group Limited, a British online gaming company based in the United Kingdom.” Following the collaboration agreement, Bet365 will participate with Empire in the offer-

It would also be able to participate in Empire’s future growth opportunities in the Orange County Opportunity, which is located close to Woodbury Commons Premium Outlet Mall, a renowned shopping outlet in the state of New York which is popular with international tourists.

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Blockchain… it’s coming - soon!

By Lee-Ann Johnstone

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ffiliate marketing is showing no signs of slowing in terms of blockchain integrations.

The channel has had significant growth in recent years, and remains a key part of the player acquisition channel in iGaming. Due to the advancement of new payment technologies and Bitcoin there are a number of interesting businesses investing in this technology as early adopters to develop new ways for affiliate marketing practices to improve.

What’s it all about?

The main promise of blockchain (which is the technology that sits behind Bitcoin) is that it will make online sale transactions safer, faster and more transparent for all parties involved in the referral process. The ecosystem of affiliate marketing in its simplest format requires multiple touch points between the player and the operator. There is tracking, reporting, publisher platforms and administration or reporting and payment systems sitting in layers on top of one another to record the transaction. At any time, the communication between these platforms can fall over or stop reporting on sales completed and commissions earned.

Blockchain can overcome all of this and help deliver one seamless platform. All of these parties can plug into and record the entire transaction from first click to deposit in a manner that doesn’t rely on a level of trust being given between all the

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transacting parties. Blockchains are basically a secure digital ledger that is easily shared among all the participating stakeholders.

No single entity controls this data; which means there is complete transparency in the sales funnel and the information is also highly encrypted.

In addition - once a transaction (or action) has been recorded on a blockchain, it is virtually impossible to change or remove it — making it extremely difficult to amend after it occurs. The security and integrity of this process therefore has the potential to offer a number of opportunities for improvement for the affiliate marketing channel and the iGaming industry which has a complex network of systems in place.

If you Imagine a scenario where everyone in the affiliate ecosystem is working off of the same information across just one singular platform it can enlighten you to the possibility of increasing speed of sales being recorded, accuracy of payments due and the elimination of mistrust between networked parties. Advertisers who are skeptical about the ROI of certain partner programs would be able to effectively trace the lineage of every lead they make and commission payment they receive. No complex reconciliations at month end, no untracked sales, and no heavy resources required to monitor and chase it up.

Affiliate networks and SaaS platforms

would easily be able to record the value they are providing as intermediaries between operator and affiliate allowing digital marketers to effectively distribute their marketing budgets in the right places, at the right time to meet marketing objectives.

It sounds too good to be true, right?

Thing is, we are moving in that direction already with several companies adopting the blockchain foundations into their businesses and new brands building entire ecosystems around this infrastructure from the bottom up.

Assuming the benefits are real and everyone eventually gets involved, the technology has the ability to quickly scale the way we do acquisition marketing and will mean we’ll be on the cusp of a new digital evolution. The question isn’t whether blockchain will disrupt digital marketing, but rather when, how and with whom. As with any big digital change, you can expect to see a wave of new entrants, many of whom will come to market such as RefToken and Blockchip who have platforms that can deliver games and tracking on the blockchain foundation. There will of course be some that crash and burn as they figure out how to utilize this technology cost effectively.

Of course the major players will also be deciding where and how to adopt

Lee-Ann Johnstone Article

aspects of the technology into their products to increase speed and transparency while bringing down their running costs. The SaaS revolution in affiliate marketing has already enabled companies to automate and scale their marketing to better ad spend in real time as well as automate sales and business development.

Affiliate Networks and SaaS platforms to sign up affiliate partners on mass using standardized agreements — a major time saver over negotiating contracts one by one. Using a Smart Contract on blockchain could make this process even faster and available in real time at the point of registration into a given program.

So how will it change the way we do things - exactly?

Blockchain is most disruptive to industries where network access and control is centralised, which reasonably describes the affiliate industry as it works today. Digital Marketing futurists expect that blockchain and smart contracts may eventually replace the need for affiliate networks all together as tracking and payment

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mechanisms between advertisers and publishers become wholly transparent and operate in real time with no delay or manual processing.

Blockchain could accelerate the move from a closed channel to a more open marketplace of affiliates and operators who can work with each other with less friction and at a reduced cost. This trend works toward moving the industry to a more decentralized ecosystem with transparent and open relationships that will continue to threaten closed or opaque networks that don’t offer exclusive relationships or a value-added services.

Conclusion So, will blockchain displace networks and traditional tracking solutions in the next year - it’s unlikely. Will it have an impact in the next five - probably.

Blockchain alone is not a product; it’s a technology which you can build a product on. The more important impact will come from major players already in our ecosystem deciding to adopt aspects of this technology into their existing products. These

changes will not happen overnight, but industry leaders should keep a close eye on how this technology is transforming affiliate marketing as it will present a lot of new choices and allow for reduced marketing costs.

BIOGRAPHY: With almost two decades of digital marketing and affiliate experience gained within retail, payments and Online Casino and Sports betting brands, Lee-Ann Johnstone has a wealth of expertise as an awardwinning digital marketing expert and affiliate marketing mentor. She is the founder of AffiliateINSIDER, a boutique Affiliate Marketing agency offering expert lead affiliate strategy and program management, News & Media , Events, Training and Affiliate Team Coaching.

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Two casinos lose interest in Hellinikon project

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ccording to reports in the Greek media, at least two major casino and hospitality companies have now lost interest in the long-stalled Hellinikon integrated resorts project.

At the time of becoming the new Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis promised that he would make it a priority to set into motion the â‚Ź8 billion project. The plan was to redevelop the site of the former Ellinikon International Airport into a new luxury resort.

However, the deadline for the casino tender has now been extended for the fourth time this year and it is not likely to see any actual progress until later in the year.

The Las Vegas based casino giant; Caesars Entertainment Corp. were among those who showed interest in the project. They were interested in developing a casino complex on the site as part of a larger, integrated resort. However, the company are said to be no longer interested in the project and have found them-

selves exasperated that this further delay.

The Hellenic Gaming Commission launched the casino in February 2018 and this is an essential step that needs to be completed before the project can move further forward.

The project has repeatedly hit blocks over the past few years, with unstated bureaucratic issues being said to be the reason. It’s the same reason that was given for why Prime Minister Mitsotakis was prevented from delivering his promise within the first few weeks of office.

According to local news reports, the Greek Ministry of Development and Investment is currently discussing a series of joint ministerial decisions in relation to the resort. It is said that there are special requirements for the integrated resorts development, as well as the development of zones and spatial planning requirements.

ister, Adonis Georgiadis stated that they were on track for completing the necessary procedures.

As a result of this latest delay, interested developers now have until the 30th of September to submit their bids. The Development Minister stated that this would be the closing date and that there would not be any further delays to the process.

However, whilst both Caesars and Genting are both said to have lost interest in the plans, other companies are still believed to be excited about this project. The local media has also been reporting that representatives from Hard Rock International and Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment were both in Athens last week. It is said that they met with Minister Georgiadis to discuss their interest in the casino license.

This is not the first time that either companies have shown an interest in expanding their role within the Greek market.

However, Greek Development Min-

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Lead like an Eagle

By Lynn Pearce de Freitas

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s a young child, growing up in South Africa, I was always fascinated by birds of all kinds, but by far was my love – and fear - of eagles! I will touch on the love later, but the fear was real, as I was prone to wondering off on my own to try and spot an eagle, so my mother told me that one day an eagle would swoop down and carry me away, obviously a terrifying thought to an over-imaginative child!

graceful, that I was hooked on eagles for life!

One day, while fishing along the banks of a river with my dad, I was lucky enough to spot a Fish Eagle circling overhead, gliding effortlessly, in slow motion – until suddenly it swooped down at speed towards the river, claws extended and in the blink of an eye, it touched the water and caught its prey, a huge fish! The whole sequence of the eagle was so well orchestrated, so majestic and

We can learn a lot about leadership when comparing it to the eagle and its strengths.

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The eagle symbolizes all the best qualities to me, they are extremely agile, graceful, strong, committed to nurturing their young, loyal to their partners, tenacious, have extraordinary vision, are courageous, can fly higher than any other bird, extremely swift and when they do take action, they do it decisively, with conviction.

I have always thought of the role of management, and in particular, leadership, as a rather lonely place to be, but in most instances this is a necessity if you want to be fair and unbiased, not only to everyone in your team, but towards others within

your organization. When I begin to feel this way, I think of the solitary eagle, who flies high and alone; and then I begin to understand that to be a true leader, you need to be able to stand apart, to have strength of character, to know when to be humble, to be visionary, to go above and beyond, to not falter, to be committed and take decisive action in challenging times, giving your team the necessary vision, guidance and direction for growth and success. The eagle, when faced with a thunderous storm, spreads its wings and uses the current to soar above it, not fearing the storm like lesser birds, but using the storm to its advantage, by gliding above the storm and conserving its energies. This is when I become calm and resilient and face the challenges without panic, taking time out to make rational decisions.

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There are so many ways to compare the eagle with great leadership qualities, here are my top 3: 1. A leader needs binocular vision.

When faced with a challenge and receiving conflicting opinions, you need to listen to your inner voice and not to the random opinions of others.

Think of an eagle, perched high on a mountain top and observe how still and quietly attentive it is to all around it – above, below and beyond. This eagle-like vision will help you to focus, to see the bigger picture, to learn from the past, observe the present and predict the future by making a decision that will give your team the way forward, with clear, precise guidelines to achieve their objectives, goals and key results.

2. A leader must take a stand.

A leader must be fearless. He must not sit on the fence. A true leader must have strength of character and the ability to show it when faced with a challenge and not back down at the

first sign of adversity. Think of the eagle, who does not run away from his challenges but faces it head-on. This way you will gain the respect of your peers and your team, whether they agree with you or not.

Think of great leaders, like John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, who fought against racial discrimination and never backed down.

3. Leaders nurture, grow and mentor their staff.

They say great leaders are born – I think they are nurtured! Think like the eagles here, the father and the mother take turns to feed, nurture and train their young, until they are ready to spread their wings and fly!

Take the time to continually train, nurture and mentor your staff to become future leaders. Be a good listener.

Don’t “be like a boss” and see your position as being above them, rather work with your team to encourage

their growth, consistently giving of your time, experiences, skills and knowledge of your industry.

Probably the most important thing when dealing with younger staff members is to realize that most of them are upwardly mobile, itching to climb the corporate ladder, so career guidance is paramount. Quite often, they see the way forward as being part of management, when in fact they are more suited to becoming specialists in their fields – your input and assessment of their skills will be crucial in guiding them in the right direction.

Challenge them daily to deliver their best, gently pushing them forward in their careers – they will appreciate this culture of sharing and learning and will hopefully do the same when they become leaders one day!

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EXCITING ROLE FOR FRENCH SPEAKING CASINO MANAGER EXCELLENT SALARY AND BENEFITS

GAMING NEWS

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Ireland’s Gambling Control Bill

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lthough it is a small country in terms of size and population, somehow Ireland is counted as one of the biggest gambling nations in the world.

At the moment, there are 6000+ people employed in betting shops around the country and a further 1000 or so working with online operators. Whilst horse racing is the favourite of the nation, betting shops are open around the clock and every bookmaker has a number of fixedodd betting terminals.

However, that said, Ireland has had a complicated relationship with its gambling industry, and it has therefore been reluctant to embrace change. Its current laws are woefully outdated and it’s for that reason that the industry is undergoing a transitional phase.

The Gambling Control Bill was floored in Dail Eireann back in 2013 and is yet to become a law. This bill is being perceived as a critical part of country’s gambling legislation, expected to regulate its gambling industry the same way as UK and other countries where the operators both online and off-line, flourish together

in a heavily-regulated environment.

Irish news portals like the Irish Times have also reported a third-party regulator, employing a large to regulate Ireland’s gambling sector. However, no specific developments have yet been seen.

The country is very much demanding further regulation, as it currently has a huge proportion of large problem gamblers. As of now, all operators can acquire a gambling license, making room even for the most unscrupulous off-line/online casinos that allow even problem gamblers to play with them.

The Gambling Conrol Bill has been favoured by numerous high-profile politicians, including Maureen O’Sullivan, David Hickson, and Sharon Byrne. They all believe that it will help reduce money laundering and problem gambling.

The present gambling laws seem very much unfit for purpose, having been introduced and unchanged since the 1950s. In the opinion of these leaders, the government is responsible for ensuring better control over the industry. There is also a common perception that the passing

of this bill will be instrumental in checking the underage gambling.

At the moment, online gambling is the most common amongst 18 to 35 year olds and websites are widely easy to access. There are no specific laws for the online gambling industry, making it a kind of gambling wild west.

Then in the neighbouring UK, both the offline as well as online casinos, plus the sports betting industry is required to provide thorough support to the gamblers. Customers can quickly check their total spending as well as detailed records at every online casino in UK. They can even place specific time and spending limits, which are then directly monitored by the gambling company. No such system is in place for Ireland.

One of the key reasons why the Gambling Control Bill has not yet been implemented, is that it has a lack of overall consensus within the gambling sector. Department of Justice had asked for more concrete evidence on problem gambling and wanted to involve all the stakeholders in the decision-making process.

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Out of Africa

By Teresa Tunstall

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reviously my brother worked in African casino’s you really had to be there to understand the differences between the mixture of gambling and poverty.

However, the future for gambling in Africa could be good if some of the income feeds through to a new hospital ward or a fire-engine for the country concerned. Live Aid raised money and so it continues Business destinations are a big step forward for many countries done in the right way both sides could be a winner!

With this knowledge I’ve created a brief resume of casino’s and betting in various countries in and around Africa, I hope its interesting reading!

Egypt is one of the few Muslim countries in where gambling is legal.

Egyptian citizens are prohibited from gambling with the exception of state-run lotteries. Only tourists may place bets at Egyptian casinos.

Democratic Republic of Congo &

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Rwanda – There are betting shops in the DRC, but it is not possible to bet online with them in fact it is not easy to find a bookmaker offering betting.

International bookies avoided the country so far due to legal risks. Casinos are legal and are run by independant operators, licensing and regulations due to the political atmosphere are fairly vague.

Angola - playing casino games, poker and bingo. Angola has five landbased casinos which play table games and slots. Most of them are located in Luanda, the capital of Angola. Online gambling is still unregulated and has grown very little in popularity. There are no internet gambling websites operating out of Angola, if you must bet online go through an international website.

Zimbabwe, a population of 13 million people with 16 official languages Zimbabwe suffers from economic hardship, crime, and corruption.

Gambling in Zimbabwe is legal and

its popularity is rapidly growing. It isn’t just considered a pastime but also as a long shot means of income.

Zimbabwean gamblers can bet in casinos, on the horse track, plus sports betting shops. Online gambling isn’t as popular due mainly to a low internet penetration rate but a recent surge in internet usage means that internet betting in Zimbabwe is gaining traction. As it stands, there are no specific laws that prohibit online betting.

Mozambique, signed into new law revisions of gambling legislation that legalizes Online gambling, along with new land measures to permit slot machines in non-casino areas and permission for casinos to be built anywhere in the country.

Mozambique’s approach to Internet gambling has received nowhere near the attention of its larger and more influential neighbour South Africa.

Teresa Tunstall Article

Zambia - Sports betting can be placed by phone, betting shops and Online betting platforms. The Republic of Zambia has legalized three forms of gambling; sports betting, casino gambling and lottery games. The legal gambling age is 18. With no mention of Online gambling in Zambia’s gambling legislation, players are free to play at offshore online gambling sites. For those who prefer gambling at land-based casino establishments, they currently have four casinos to choose from.

Ghana – There are four land-based casinos operating legally, as well the creation of Online betting sites in Ghana, provided they adhere to the Gaming Commission of Ghana regulation.

An increase internet access and the availability of mobile phones has expanded the market in the last decade

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and bought gambling to Ghanaians, who are now able to place online and not have to visit a physical sports betting shop. There are more than 20 local companies operating the market plus hundreds international names pushing to get a stronghold of this growing market.

Swaziland - Instead of treating online gambling like its own separate industry, Swaziland’s regulations are centered more about treating it as an extension of the already existing landbased industry, play in Online casinos affords the same level of protection as if you were playing in land-based casino. Swaziland has regulated online gambling completely, though their approach to it has left them without very many operators. Operations are generally limited to casinos that already exist in the country, Piggs Peak Casino

and Volcanic Gold Casino have been the only two online casinos available in the country, both center around land-based casinos of the same name.

Botswana - The legal situation drastically differs between the land-based and online gambling marketplace, player rights and security differ. Thus, on the one hand, players at land-based gambling establishments can address the relatively new authoritative body, file complaints and settle disputes with separate operators. Contrary to this, interactive gambling is practically non-existent under the Botswana legal system, leaving players to handle issues and gamble at their own risk. As soon as estimates show the economic benefits of legalizing online gambling in the country, proper legislation will hopefully follow swiftly afterwards

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Teresa Tunstall Article

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ambia - - Gambling is officially legal but there has been litter interest from the betting industry unlike some of the African countries. The reason: a 10year moratorium on issuing of licenses was imposed by the government.

This was officially lifted in 2006, but there has been little growth in terms of the land-based casinos and lotteries. The existing gambling laws are also obsolete in today’s world. As a result, there are no online casinos based in Namibia.

However, more and more players are now signing up with foreign online casino operators for the world of the online casino.

Kenya - By order of; Kenya’s Betting Control and Licensing Board have effectively shut down a multibillionshilling industry. It argues that the nature of the ownership of most betting companies and existing weak laws had made it easy for the companies to be used as avenues for money laundering. The government also believes that betting firms have been making revenues of up to Ksh200 billion ($2 billion) a year but paid only Ksh4 billion ($40 million) in taxes last

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year. After six months of push-andpull between the Kenyan government and betting firms, the Government struck at the heart of betting operators ordering shut down of 27 companies whose licences have not been renewed.

Uganda is one of the world’s largest landlocked nations, still a relatively impoverished nation, the country has benefited from rapid economic growth in recent decades, with the capital of Kampala benefiting far more than the poverty-stricken rural areas of the country. Perhaps best known for the brutal reign of dictator Idi Amin, now Uganda is a republic, albeit one that has been led by the same president (Yoweri Museveni) since 1986.

Uganda, Sport-betting has taken off for people to place a bet on their favorite football teams or attempt to make a little extra money on the side. As Internet access is more common online gambling has gained in popularity, though the growth of the industry hasn’t been without social consequences for the developing country.

----------------------In many places, gaming laws are outdated and enforced haphazardly. Online betting sites still focus the majority of their attention on wealthier nations in other parts of the world, but some African markets are becoming increasingly attractive.

South Africa remains the biggest market thanks to a relatively stable government, higher per capita income and the passage of laws that have paved the way for both land-based and online gambling to flourish.

Casualties such as, Betway was one of the ten bookmakers firms cleared this week to resume operating in Kenya after settling their tax disputes with the Kenyan Revenue Authority.

Licence renewals for 27 firms betting were denied by the board earlier this month, following a Kenyan government investigation which claimed betting firms were avoiding full payment. Two other operators SportPesa and Betin still facing payment blocking as tax disputes rumbles on.

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Ladbrokes Australia announces partnership

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n Australia, Ladbrokes has announced a new partnership with Tasmanian Racing that will see the GVC-owned operator become the exclusive venue and major race day partner of the island state’s horseracing sector until 2022.

deal,” Tasracing chief executive Paul Eriksson said. “The new partnership will assist Tasracing and clubs to continue pursuing growth in race day attendance, club membership, race horse and greyhound ownership and participation in racing.”

The partnership will begin on the 1st of August and will give Ladbrokes naming rights for three race track – Elwick, Mowbray and Spreyton, which will become Ladbrokes Park Elwick, Ladbrokes Racing Centre Mowbray and Ladbrokes All Weather Spreyton respectively.

The chief executive of Ladbrokes Australia stated that this now allows his company to develop deeper connections with Australian racing.

The company will also gain naming rights to the Tasmanian Summer Thoroughbred Racing Carnival, which includes events such as the Devonport, Hobart and Launceston Cups.

“Sponsorship revenue and the level of marketing support offered to clubs across all codes is set to increase significantly thanks to the Ladbrokes

“Through our existing long-term premier partnerships with the Melbourne Racing Club, Moonee Valley Racing Club and numerous greyhound clubs in NSW, Ladbrokes has developed a proud legacy of supporting the Australian racing industry and its participants,” Scott said. “The chance to partner with greyhounds, harness and thoroughbreds for at least the next three years in the progressive Tasmanian market was simply too good to refuse.

clubs have displayed a desire to think outside the square and to innovate and we look forward to partnering with them on their quest for growth.

We also look forward to embracing Tasmanian punters and participants ensuring their home-state product is treated with the respect it deserves.”

Eriksson added that the number of Ladbrokes consumers made it a great deal for Tasmanian Racing, giving it a unique opportunity to grow in popularity and scale.

“The partnership also allows Tasracing to continue to broaden its promotion of Tasmanian racing to the national market thanks to Ladbrokes extensive customer-base and marketing investment,” he explained.

“Ladbrokes will undertake significant promotion of Tasmanian racing to the national market via its customer database, advertising and promotion.”

“Like Ladbrokes, Tasracing and its

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New Zealand launch online gambling consultation

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ew Zealand has confirmed that there will now be a public consultation into whether or not there should be a sweeping legalisation of a locallyregulated online gambling market.

The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) confirmed that it was launching a consultation into this potential expansion. The consultation was designed to determine the general public’s views of the potential change and ascertain if there is an appetite for online gambling legalisation.

The consultation will last until the 20th of September and interested parties have been advised to visit the website for further information.

As part of this process, the DIA noted that the current gambling laws date back to 2003 and are thus in desperate need of being updated.

At the moment, only the state-run NZ TAB and Lotto NZ, are legally allowed to offer a restricted range online gambling products.

As part of the consultation, resi-

dents have been presented with 4 individual options. One of these being the status quo and the following three being variations of change.

The other options include (a) extending the range of products that Lotto and TAB can offer online, (b) licensing domestic charitable or commercial operators for online gambling, or (c) throwing the doors open to any qualified entity, domestic or international, to provide online gambling products to local residents.

The DIA notes that over the past 18 months residents of New Zealand have spent around NZ$381million on internationally licensed online gambling providers. One of the key changes facing the DIA is how to target this particular issue.

The DIA insists that it “doesn’t see online gambling as necessarily ‘bad’” and that this process is not about “outlawing” online gambling for Kiwis, who at present aren’t legally barred from patronizing international gambling sites. But the DIA wants to “future-proof” the country’s

laws while minimizing and preventing the potential harms of online gambling on Kiwi society.

One this note, the DIA wants advice on what kind of steps that it should be taking. The options include prohibiting or strictly limiting online gambling advertising, ensuring adequate funding of problem gambling programs and public education campaigns, and a possible ban on gambling online via credit cards potential means of limiting selfharm. This is something that the UK has also been considering.

This all comes at the same time that Skycity Entertainment Group, a local casino operator, announced its own plans to launch its own online gambling operation. This would be powered by the Gaming Innovation Group and would be licensed in Malta.

Skycity’s CEO said the launch, which will happen later this year, was made with the “general expectation” that New Zealand would regulate online casino gambling “in the foreseeable future.”

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German licensees ordered to cut online casino ties

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ccording to a new directive from the German body that is responsible for gambling licenses, interested operators must commit to ceasing all illegal forms of gambling, including online casinos.

The Regional Council of Darmstadt, representing the state of Hesse, has ordered all licensees to agree that it will not offer any form of unregulated gambling upon receipt of a sports betting license. This includes direct and indirect activity, including using an affiliated business.

This commitment is one of a range of pieces of information applicants will be required to provide as part of their submission, alongside financial information and evidence of licences in other jurisdictions.

With only sports betting currently permitted in the market, this would mean any operator active in other verticals would have to withdraw these services before they could begin operating in Germany’s regulated market.

Furthermore, the Council confirmed that the licensing process will start from 2020 and license applications submitted before this time will be dealt with has having been submitted after. The confirmed date is the 2nd of January 2020, the first working day of the year.

Ahead of the process launching, an information event will be held for those interested in the securing a license and registration for this event will close on the 2nd of August. This event will give those interested a chance to ask questions to the authority regarding the license requirements.

Dirk Querman said.

This progress comes despite the European Commission’s standstill period, in which European Union member states can review the legislation, being extended to 27 August, after Malta issued a detailed opinion on the proposed regulations.

The content of Malta’s submission has not yet been released, though automatically triggers a one-month extension to the standstill, with Germany now required to address any concerns raised.

In a submission to the EC, the German Online Casino Association, criticised the legislation for offering no improvement in consumer protection, legal certainty and state control as a result of the continued prohibition of online casino games. It stated that it would continue to lobby for a more liberal regulation system when the State Treaty expired on the 30th of June 2021.

“Channelling the existing demand for online gambling offerings by creating a modern legal system would on one hand create legal certainty, improve the range of products on offer, remove barriers to market entry and bring black market operators into the regulated sector,” DOCV president Dr

“On the other, it would allow for efficient regulatory action against noncompliant and unlawful operators.”

Although the state Minister-Presidents have signed the Treaty, it must now be ratified by Germany’s 16 member states before it can come into law. This must happen by the 31st of December this year.

The legislation limits the market in 15 states to sports betting, with a €1,000 monthly spending limit in place for all customers and licensees subject to a 5% turnover tax.

However Schleswig-Holstein will be permitted to maintain its liberalised regulatory model, with no restrictions on product and a 20% gross revenue tax.

Both regulations expire from 30 June 2021, by which time lawmakers across Germany aim to reach a consensus on new federal regulations.

Whilst it does now seem increasingly likely that online casinos and poker will be legalised in Germany, efforts to enforce the current situation are certainly being stepped up.

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The Philippines closes 30,000 sites

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s a direct result of orders from the President, Rodrigo Duterte, authorities in the Philippines have closed all of the state’s 30,000 gambling facilities. The move, which took place on Sunday, is said to be over allegations of corruption and the sites will therefore remain closed until the probe has completed.

The 30,000 sites are currently managed by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and offer a mixture of lottery and other gambling services. However, these kiosks have now been locked by police across the country, as the organisation is suspected of corruption.

In a statement, the PSCO comment that: “The PCSO supports the decision of our dear President in eradicating corruption and illegal gambling activities. The Agency programs, projects and activities are aligned to the objective and goal of our national government. Rest assured that

PCSO will appeal to the President for the resumption of the conduct of all games, to PSCO’s mandate, and for the interest of the PSCO, its agents, and its beneficiaries,” In the meantime, thousands of operators in small businesses and employees from numerous areas have been affected and have been shut off from their regular income source, with no understanding of when this will resume.

However, the financial assistance that the PSCO provide will continue, the authorities have confirmed. At the moment, the PSCO provides support for chemotherapy and other long-term care plans. It was therefore decided that it was too dangerous to shut down these programmes, as it would affect those who are reliant upon the service.

There was some concerns raised by the decision to close the 30,000 outlets with other politicians at the

forefront of the criticism. This comes despite them previously advocating wide scale reform.

Senator Risa Hontiveros told the local news that they had been left worried and shocked by the move.

“Why is President Duterte punishing ordinary people for the corruption of his officials? Thousands of our fellow Filipinos rely on the PCSO for financial assistance to cover costly medical services. At times these are matters of life and death for many.”

Since becoming President, Duterte has undertaken numerous questionable behaviours in aid of his crusade against crime and corruption. It’s believed that he sanctioned the extrajudicial killings of an estimated 27,000 drug dealers and users. It seems that the gambling market could now be next on his list and many will be watching the situation intently.

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South Africa huge boost from online gambling?

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urrentlyonly 40 casinos are legally licensed in South Africa and these continue to be the physical, bricks and mortar kind. Any other gambling operations are considered illegal, but these laws are still being flouted by the black market and its gaining massively.

The South African National Gambling Board has confirmed that illicit gambling is gaining momentum within the country and claims that it is having hugely damaging consequences for the industry. Not only is it helping to increase the numbers of problem gamblers currently active within the country, it is also eroding away and the revenue streams of legitimate operators.

As a result, of its secretive and illegal nature, it’s hard to know exactly how many illegal operations might operating at any one time. However, it is believed to be a huge problem and its believed that it has risen expo-

nentially over the last few months.

According to research conducted by PwC, gambling is a multibillion-rand industry and brought in close to R30-billion in gross earnings in 2018.

This money does come from sports betting, horse racing and bingo, but the largest contributor is the country’s 40 licensed casinos.

Although the Casino Association of South Africa (Casa) has refused to support or repel online gambling advancements, it has raised concerns over the current licensing conditions that are enforced on casino operators. It stated that it felt it was being punished for compliance, with the cost being a substantial tax burden and excessively strict terms and conditions.

However, there is more to come, as a 1% “gambling levy” was announced in the country’s recent budget.

The government claims that this is being added to combat problem

gamblers and further amendments to the Gambling Act are also being proposed.

But Casa CEO Themba Ngobese says it’s not just about the company’s bottom line, but the knock-on effect on tax revenue, employment opportunities and the cash distribution to surrounding communities. NGB statistics show that about 4,000 jobs have already been lost to the unlawful industry.

Ngobese says policymakers need to decide whether they want to maintain the status quo, and take decisive action against illegal operators, or legalise it and subject it to an effective and credible legislative dispensation. Regulatory uncertainty is detrimental to the industry.

“This will also ensure that consumers are protected and that online (continued on next page)

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South Africa huge boost from online gambling? (continued from previous page)

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perators contribute positively to the economy, as the current land-based licensed casinos do.�

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) thinks that more rules and less gambling will be enough to tackle the problem and in 2018 it issued a notice introducing the National Gambling Amendment Bill to parliament. It proposes confiscating illegal winnings from gamblers, fining the internet service providers that knowingly host illegal sites, and forcing banks to monitor and block payments to and from online operators.

The proposals did not pass regulatory muster of the National Council of Provinces. So it is back to the drawing board. It was announced in Mid-July that the bill will be re-tabled and the process started afresh,

according to Mandla Rayi, chairperson of the Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour Select Committee.

However, Casa stated that it was alarmed by these developments and believed that it raised multiple red flags for the industry. One such change was the proposition that the NGB would be replaced by a National Gambling Regulator (NGR).

Meanwhile, the overarching question is whether the country should decriminalise currently illegal gambling. In the past, lobbyists and politicians have tried to change the law and to see that online gambling is illegal but it has failed on each occasion. However, it may have recently gained authority, as the Gambling Review Commission now supports such a change. It stated that legiti-

macy would allow the government to monitor and regulate the industry effectively. The statement from the GRC has been met with a firm rebuttal from not only politicians but the NGB as well.

The South African government are currently seeking new ways to generate revenue and legalising online gambling could be the key to this.

And there is money to be made. According to the Global Online Gambling and Betting Market Report 2019, the size of the global online gambling and betting market will maintain its average annual growth rate of 13.71%.

It has grown from $2.5-billion in 2014 to $3.6-billion in 2019. Market analysts believe the market will further expand over the next few years and will probably be worth $5.6-billion by 2023.

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Does the gambling industry face an uncertain future?

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ver the last few months there seems to have been an increasing amount of scrutiny placed upon the gambling industry, with new proposals being suggested across the political spectrum. With Brexit on the horizon, a new Prime Minister now in office and a number of new regulations being proposed, it’s an uncertain time for the gambling industry in the UK. Although it has often been the source of much debate and discussion, the gambling industry has had vastly positive impact on the British economy and has been an example of one of the biggest business success stories. It is estimated the industry now employs over 100,000 people and contributes approximately £2.8billion to the public purse.

However, over recent years there has been increasing questions aimed at the industry, with many saying that this has come at far too high a cost.

Thanks in part to some high-profile cases, an increasing awareness of mental health and knowledge of addiction, people have now begun to question the damage that could be being caused. At the heart of this

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debate there is now a call for more to be done and for gambling operators to lead the charge against problem gambling.

There is no doubt about it, thanks to some recent scandals, effective lobbying by gambling charities and other news stories, the reputation of the gambling industry has begun to suffer. In recent months alone, there have been numerous issues involving gambling advertising with the use of online influencers and social media now becoming an increasing concern.

As the public are becoming more and more conscious of the problem that some people face in controlling their gambling behaviour, the government is facing pressure to take further preventative action.

It has previously been suggested by the Gambling Commission, that there could be up to 2 million people who are at risk of being problem gamblers.

However, with some new legislation already negatively effecting the industry as a whole and therefore having reverberations across the economy, the government should take time to consider further changes.

In light of recent changes which were legislated to curb the amount of money that could be gambled on fixed odds betting terminals, gambling business are waiting with bated breath and are anticipating what further measures could now be taken.

The high-street is already suffering from the recent changes, as a result of the new cap on FOBT wagers, a number of companies have already announced that they have been affected.

These concerns come as Ladbrokes confirmed the likelihood that it would need to close up to 900 if its stores over the next two years and the announcement by William Hill, that it would now be closing 700 of its stores too. Both citied the fixed odd terminal changes as having played a part.

There is therefore serious concern over what further action could do to what remains of the British highstreet.

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However, it’s not just the high-street now facing potential consequences, as online websites and apps are now the most popular form of gambling.

In fact, figures produced by the Gambling Commission seem to suggest that one in five of us now regularly gamble online. In 2017, the sector made £4.7bn from online bets alone.

Whilst the industry may be gaining a lot from its online platforms, it has recently been criticised for not doing enough to prevent underage gambling with a recent study showing that little has been done to effectively filter advertisements.

Focussing on Twitter in particular, the study showed young people, some as young as 13, were being exposed to online gambling adverts.

It’s therefore likely that this could be the next area to experience increased regulation, with advertising now being a key concern. That is despite it already being heavily regulated.

In addition, the industry remains anxious about the potential impact that Brexit could have on its businesses, a factor made even more present by the increasing chance of the UK leaving without a deal. It remains unknown what would happen if the UK did leave without a deal, but several companies have already indicated that they could then move their offices overseas.

from such advertisements, but in the same regard the government has to do more to protect the industry.

As an industry that contributes billions of pounds to the British economy, adverse effects can have massive reverberations causing a loss of profit for the business and the government.

In addition to the jobs soon to be lost at Ladbrokes and William Hill, it could also see even more jobs being lost, further impacting on the vulnerable British Brexit economy.

What the industry now needs is some stability and little seems to be coming from the government in that regard.

It’s certainly fair to say that some companies could do more to ensure that vulnerable people are protected

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Resort World Catskills faces bankruptcy

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t has been reported that Resorts World Catskills has been forced to consider bankruptcy, following news that it had an operating loss of $36million over the past quarter.

As a result, it is said to be struggling to pay off its $1 billion casino debt and is therefore considering filing for bankruptcy.

Into that enters the casino giant Genting Malaysia and its deep-pocketed investment arm Kien Huat Realty.

At the moment, Genting and Kien Huat are the majority owners of Resorts World and now want to buy Empire Resorts, a publicly-held company which owns the casino Thompson, Sullivan County.

Genting has considered that it wants to take Resorts Catskills private and to fold it into its existing global network of casinos. It already owns Resorts World New York City racino in Queens.

The President of Genting Americas, Ed Farrell, told the USA Today that he

saw the company as being in a unique position which would all them to assist with the management of Resorts World Catskills.

“We can bring synergies to both projects and by just operating at a higher scale, we’re going to be able to put the cost structure in a way that Resorts World Catskills can turn to black and we can make money going forward,” he added.

The company’s financial struggles have continued, with its operating losses hitting $73.5million through to June 20th.

In the SEC filing that was made on Friday, Empire Resorts said that it had received a binding proposal from Kien Hunt. The proposal would see them acquire all outstanding equity of the company at $9.74 per share. The Monticello-based company was now trading at $8.35 a share on Wednesday.

In addition, it has also been confirmed that the Malaysian-Chinese casino magnate, K.T. Lim who owns Kien Huat, has repeatedly bailed out Empire Resorts. Over the last few years, as the company struggled, it’s claimed that Kien Huat helped the business find its footing less than a year ago.

However, Empire Resorts has yet to say confirm whether or not it well accept the offer but in its SEC filing, it did confirm that it would pursue the voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy as a way to negotiate with creditors.

In the filing, Empire Resorts stated that they were “currently generating operating loses as the casino revenues have not exceeded the costs related to the casino since its opening in February 2018.”

However, whilst the company did see some improvement over the past few years, the casino failed to come close to meeting revenue projections.

It had predicted that it would make a gaming revenue of $300 million but it is on pace for $200 million.

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GAMING NEWS

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Junkets probe worries SkyCity boss

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oncerns have been raised by the Chief Executive of SkyCity Entertainment Group Ltd that revenue from VIP gamblers may be curbed by official investigators. They are currently looking into connections between the Australian gaming industry and Chinese criminal organisations. The chief executive, Graeme Stephens, raised his concerns with the local media.

Liquor and Gaming Authority announced that it was launching an investigation into the “change in state affairs” of Australian casino operator Casino Resorts Ltd. In addition, it was also looking into “various matters raised in recent media reports”, pointing towards articles that were recently published in the Nine Network, the Sydney Morning Herald, and the Melbourne Age relating the gaming firm.

At the moment, SkiyCity Entertainment is based in New Zealand and runs three casinos there along with one in Australia. Most of its foreign patrons are Chinese VIPs, who trips are often arranged by junket operators.

The reports, which have been carried in the Australian media since July, alleged that Crown Resorts’ Australian casino business had been a conduit for money laundering and Chinese organised crime activities via highroller gambling.

A report on Wednesday last week in the online edition of the Sydney Morning Herald quotes Mr Stephens as saying: “We’re not quite sure what’s going to happen in the world of junkets… it’s difficult to ignore the media and related responses in the case of Crown over the last few weeks.”

The New South Wales Independent

However, Crown Resorts denied the allegations and has offered to fully cooperate in any inquiry.

Crown Resorts – which has traditionally been strong in high-stakes play – runs a gaming resort in Melbourne, Victoria; one in Perth, Western Australia; and is developing a third at Baran-

garoo in Sydney, New South Wales.

The Sydney Morning Herald quotes Mr Stephens as telling investors: “We’re not sure what that means for us, so that’s added another layer of uncertainty in a world which is inherently difficult to predict.”

The report quotes the finance officer for SkyCity as having said that the volatility of the VIP gaming market makes tapping foreign gamblers the riskiest part of the business his company does.

SkyCity Entertainment reported on Wednesday that its annual net profit fell to NZD144.6 million (US$93.13 million) in its financial year ended last June 30, or 14.7 percent less than the year before.

Annual revenue fell by 2.5 percent to NZD905.4 million. The company declared a final dividend of NZD0.10 a share, payable on September 13 to shareholders on record on August 30.

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45

Macau gaming tax revenue tops US$8.3billion

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he Macau government has confirmed that it has now collected MOP67.21billion (US$8.32 billion) in the tax revenue from the city’s gaming industry in the first seven months of 2019. The tax from the gaming sector is up nearly 2.3percent so far this year.

The Financial Services Bureau releases the data annually to indicate the general health of the city’s income.

The figures, which were published on Thursday, show the sum collected so far this year is 68.4 percent of the amount of tax revenue from the gaming industry the government has budgeted for the whole year.

The government forecasts it will

collect about MOP98.23 billion this year from the gaming sector.

The latest reports indicate that revenue collected from gaming this year accounted for 89.8 percent of the MOP74.81 billion the government collected from all sources.

At the moment, the government’s current revenue from all sources amounts to 65.1 percent of the amount budgeted for over the course of the whole year.

In effect, the government taxes the gross gaming revenue of Macau casinos at a rate of 35 percent, but other levies on casino gaming raise

the tax rate to 39 percent. Taxes on the Macau gaming industry also include levies on the income of Chinese traditional lotteries, horseracing, instant lotteries and tax on commissions earned by operators of gambling junkets.

In calculating its budget, the government tends to air on the side of caution and is always careful about estimating the amount that it takes from gaming. The government has budgeted for a fiscal surplus of more than MOP18.06 billion for the whole of 2019. At the end of July, its surplus was MOP35.60 billion, official figures indicate.

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INFINITY GAMING