News

It seems that Namibia’s gambling industry, which has been estimated to millions of dollars, is to be seriously hit by the introduction of new levies. After the Casinos and Gambling Houses Act of 1994, and more specifically its section 54 was amended in April 2017, the gambling companies that operate on the territory of the country are obliged to pay a gambling license fee every year, as well as a flat rate tax for each gambling machine they own. Local operators also have to pay a 5% increase on the…

September 26th is to see the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission visit the proposed gambling sites situated in Downtown Cedar Rapids. The visit comes as the next step towards the Commission’s decision whether to grant the three proposed casinos for Cedar Rapids with a new gambling license. As revealed by Brian Ohorilko, a Racing and Gaming administrator, the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission has organised its meeting in the city, so that it would be able to visit all three casino sites. According to Mr. Ohorilko, the Commission’s meeting would…

Today, the UK Labour Party is expected to unveil its proposals for a new tax that is to be imposed on gambling. Labour is aimed at redirecting money accumulated thanks to the new tax in order to fund National Health Service (NHS) treatment programs for people suffering from problem gambling behaviour. According to media reports, a review into problem gambling is to be officially presented by the deputy Labour Party leader Tom Watson and Jon Ashworth, a shadow culture secretary in Brighton. The Labour Party is to call for the…

One of the most exclusive Kensington casinos – Maxims Casino Club – has been offered for sale by the entity’s owner. It came to our knowledge that the Genting brand which has owned the casino for more than ten years now, has put the luxurious gaming venue for sale and is looking to get no less than £40 million as soon as they carry out the transaction. As reported by The Times, the Genting would probably announce its decision for the sale as soon as possible. The Genting Casinos UK,…

Currently, UK lotteries are very popular among local residents, some of whom take part in National Lottery and EuroMillions draws on a regular basis. However, are lottery winnings, including jackpot winnings, being taxed in the UK? The non-ministerial department of the UK Government Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not regard lottery winnings as an income, which is the reason why the generated lottery winnings are not taxable up to date. However, lottery players in the UK need to bear in mind that they may face tax implications once…

Global gambling market has always been very competitive and volatile one. Different aspects of technical progress, consumer gambling habit changes, new gambling solutions have raised both customer expectations and market requirements, urging gambling companies to develop in various directions, seeking to attract more users and enlarge their players bases. The expansion of the gambling industry is also happening at fast pace, revealing a great variety of options and trends to be followed. Some of them have been there for some time, while others are emerging. In any way, the constant…

Yesterday, the major gambling regulatory body in the UK – the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) – revealed that it would be hosting a reception at the Welsh Assembly along with the Directors of Public Protection Wales. The event was aimed at building more partnerships aimed at raising gambling addiction awareness in order to reduce negative effects that gambling could have on local customers. The event came in the light of some research data published by the UK Gambling Commission that showed that currently are about 27,000 Welsh gamblers who suffer…

The Australian Federal Court upheld an appeal against the long-discussed merger between the local betting company Tabcorp Holdings and the lotteries operator Tatts Group. If successful, the deal, which was estimated to about AU$11 billion, would create a betting giant that would hold a massive share of the Australian gambling market. Now, the two companies’ plans for their multi-billion merger have suffered a serious blow, with the Federal Court rejecting the proposed deal. The two operators’ proposed deal is now uncertain, as the Court ruled in favour of the local…

Fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) – the machines that offer a large variety of casino games and some of the highest stakes in the industry – have been a controversial topic over the last few years. The machines have been put under a lot of criticism since almost day one, with many Members of the Parliament, as well as charity organisations blaming them for the large stakes offered and their addictiveness which ended up in ruining people’s lives. According to some researchers, uninterrupted machine play that can be very dangerous for…

As reported by Casino Guardian, UK gambling operators, advertisers and broadcasting companies have offered the Government to take part in its addiction awareness campaign funding. The campaign is being coordinated by the Industry Group for Responsible Gambling (IGRG) and is worth about £8 million. At first, the willingness of betting companies to join the gambling addiction awareness campaign seemed like an act of nobility, but is it really so? Does the fact operators made their proposal at a moment when the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is…