The briefing: Netherlands update

By Justin Franssen, Partner at Kalff Katz & Franssen and Younes Moussaoui, Associate at Kalff Katz & Franssen

Justin Franssen, Partner at Kalff Katz & Franssen, and Younes Moussaoui, Associate at Kalff Katz & Franssen, look back on a landmark year for i-gaming in the Netherlands – and ahead to another important 12 months.

There were many key developments involving remote gaming in the Netherlands in 2013 – and more groundbreaking events are expected in 2014.

Last year, the Dutch gaming authority showed its teeth for the first time and the draft remote gaming bill gave insight into the future framework of remote gaming in the Netherlands. The next 12 months will be crucial for the regulation of remote gaming since the final version of the remote gaming proposals are due to be discussed in parliament. Furthermore, plans to privatise Holland Casino will be revealed and the lottery licensing system will be overhauled.

Read the whole article here.

Published on iNTERGAMING

Practice is ahead of the Concession Granting Process

The Hesse Ministry of the Interior responsible for the nationwide concession proceedings set the entire process to zero in November 2013. Lawyers specialized in sports betting and providers analyze the legal development and the current practice situation. Despite all obstacles one thing is clear: bets and betting shops are part of everyday life now. Whether the industry is going to pull together, is uncertain. This shows an example of mutual association work.

The granting of the nationwide sports betting licenses by the responsible Hesse Ministry of the Interior turns more and more into a farce and probably to a never ending story. … Continue Reading

WOGLR: The Italian gaming sector as 2013 closes and 2014 dawns

By Quirino Mancini, Partner SCM Lawyers

The Italian gaming sector has not had the easiest of years, with operators having to contend with falling GGR figures, animosity from the media, and an ongoing tough economic climate. Quirino Mancini, a Partner at SCM Lawyers, reviews the past year for the Italian  gaming market and the current state of play, giving his opinion in the process on what has ailed online gambling in Italy this year and on what needs to change to help Italy’s gaming sector improve in 2014.

… Continue Reading

The briefing: Netherlands update – secondary legislation and delay in the legislative process

By Younes Moussaoui, Attorney at Kalff Katz & Franssen

The Dutch ministry of security and justice (“Ministry”) published a proposed bill for consultation to introduce a regulatory framework for the regulation of remote gaming on May 22, 2013. However, many salient practical details are not covered in the proposed bill and the Ministry is currently in the process of establishing secondary legislation that will flesh out such details.

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Published on iNTERGAMING

WOGLR: German casinos struggle in the face of modern gaming

Read the whole article now on Gaminglaw.eu:

By Dr. Wulf Hambach, Partner at Hambach & Hambach law firm

Whereas the private land-based casino of Berlin (Novomaticowned, for many years the partner casino of PokerStars European Poker Tour) is celebrating its No. 1 ranking as the strongest casino of Germany in terms of revenue (gross profit in 2012: 84,4 million Euro; annual growth: 8.5%) the Bavarian state casinos are all facing huge problems. For years now, Bavarian liberal and green politicians as well as the Bavarian Supreme Audit Office have been requesting drastic consequences up to and including the closing of individual casinos. However, Bavaria is certainly not the only case. According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, most German casinos are experiencing a big crisis. “Since 2008, gross gaming revenues have nationwide declined by 42 per cent,” the Chairman of the Federal Association of Private Casinos in Germany, Martin Reeckmann, explains. But why do certain state politicians stubbornly hang on to their casinos, even as modern game behaviour goes in a different direction? As reported by the Süddeutsche Zeitung, the internet in particular provides ways to ‘make big business with poker and casino games – many players migrate there.’

Find the whole article here: WOGLR German casinos struggle