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A Danish appeal arguing the compliance of proposed differentiated taxing for on and offline gambling activity has been ruled upon by the EU Central Court. The Acceptance of Differentiated Taxing Upon appeal, the court upheld the compliance in cases T-601/11 (Dansk Automat Brancheforening v Commission) and T-615/11 (Royal Scandinavian Casino Århus v Commission), thereby validating and accepting the differentiated gambling tax system of Denmark. The key finding of the court which paved the way for the reversal of the original decision was that land-based applicants are not affected, penalized, or disadvantaged by the differentiated approach. The key weighting measure that maintains the appropriate and fair distinction between online and offline gambling from a European taxing standpoint is the fact that Member States will be able to set tax levels for online gambling activity based on competitive global online taxing rates that will generate market value rates for consumers. The decision for all intents and purposes acknowledges the need for a different pricing and rate system between online and offline gambling activity. Origin of the Argument The issue emanates from the Danish attempt to fairly and effectively channel Danish consumers towards regulated online gambling rates consistent with public policy objectives of the Danish Gaming Act. The Court's decision today confirmed that differentiated tax measures as submitted by the Danes are on principle general and fair measures that do not penalize, affect, exclude or in any way target specific groups of applicants. The Court's decision was handed down in paragraph 52 of T-601/11: "The applicant has not demonstrated … that the aid measure in question was liable to have a substantial adverse effect on the position of one or more of its members on the market concerned. The applicant’s members and, consequently, the applicant are therefore not individually concerned by the contested decision."
Barcelona prepare for battle against many familiar faces at PSG tonight, as they attempt to improve to 2-0 with a firm grasp on Group F in this season's Champions League. With a team like Barcelona on the pitch, most critics are quick to write off the opposition but there are some scary statistics and match history, which could point to an alternative outcome. The last time that Barcelona and PSG faced each other was in the Quarter Finals of the 2012/13 Champions League. Barcelona advanced to the Semi Finals only to be routed by the tournament winners Bayern Munich, after beating PSG on aggregate goals after two draws. The Spanish side does not have a perfect record going into tonight's match, as they have lost four games and won only two of their last eight away games in the Champions League. Against French teams altogether, Camp Nou is only 3-3-2. If Andres Iniesta plays, it will be his 100th Champions League match, as he returns to the city in which he won his first Champions League final on May 17, 2006. PSG's Chances On paper, Paris Saint-Germain's record looks a lot better, as they have not lost at home in 29 matches since 2006. They opened their Group F campaign with a meager draw to AFC Ajax, but Laurent Blanc's team are 4-1-0 at home in the last five including victories over Benfica, Olympiacos, Bayer 04 Leverkusen and even Chelsea. To make things even more interesting, many of PSG's roster, including their manager Luis Enrique used to call Barcelona home. Ibrahimović spent 2009/10 at Barcelona scoring 16 La Liga goals and Thiago Motta was part of Barcelona's Champions League tournament win in 2006. Matchday Markets and Live Betting Online markets for Champions League games are flooding the internet and Winner Sports in on top of it all. Including the long list of live bets available tonight, there are 101 pre-game lines available. Unsurprisingly, the outright markets are close with Barcelona at 2.10 and PSG at 3.55. This match could very well end in a draw, which Winner is offering at 3.40.
The US online lottery industry at this point remains a largely untapped market—but that could change very soon. New Forms of Lottery Online New online platforms incoming to the US could spur increases of up to $17.5 billion in annual sales. The key boost online would be a 33% increase in sales to new lottery players. The newest B2B online lottery platform comes from betting operator Tipp24's subsidiary Lottovate, which has enlisted the assistance of an independent third party research firm to prove the reality of an untapped market. Untapped Market Figures Figures from UK-based YouGov indicate that 27.1% of US adults indicating interest in playing lottery games via PC or mobile devices. Of existing lottery players, 41% expressed interest in participating in the online medium. Another 8.3% of US adults who currently don’t play the lottery said they would play if an online option was available. Of potential online lottery offerings, the well-known nine-figure jackpot yielding multi-state draw games were tabbed to have the most appeal. At this point, a scant three states in the US have made lottery tickets available online: Illinois, Minnesota and Georgia. But it's not just about the ability to offer online lotteries, but the ability in the online form to offer variations on straight ticket sales, with Minnesota currently the only state to offer a variation—in the form of online scratch tickets. Pragmatic Projections The optimism behind these robust numbers should be tempered the recent downgrade of industry earning projections by investment experts Morgan-Stanley. Initial estimates of $3.5b by 2017 and $8b by 2020 were adjusted after legislative and bureaucratic obstacles manifested in the three states currently offering online gambling. Morgan-Stanley now more pragmatically offers a projected worth of $1.3 billion in 2017 and $5 billion by 2020. Even if one factors in the Deutsche Bank response projections of no more than $2.2b by 2020, the growth of online gambling in the US is still nothing to sneeze at. Where the true earning fall between these parameters could well be a product of how rapidly states embrace hybrid forms of online lotteries.
NetEnt is in the process of redeveloping a number of its games outside of the much heralded slots variety. In an attempt to offer diversity, NetEnt has been enhancing one of its existing video poker games for the purpose of providing players with an enhanced experience. Coming in October will be the re-release of Jacks or Better: Double Up. New Version is Slicker and Quicker The challenge in updating Jacks or Better: Double Up is to give players an experience that feels modern, as opposed to the retro style of video poker that is at risk of becoming dated. The new version is expected to be both slicker and quicker than the original version, which should, in turn, make it more accessible. Game Format Featuring a single-player design, this video poker game follows the Jacks or Better format in which only a pair of jacks or else a better hand can trigger a payout. However, this version is larger in scale than a standard version of video poker. And that is because the Double Up version will let players to choose to start with one, five, ten, or 25 hands. This provides multiple opportunities to wager in each round. Intelligent Design The challenge of each hand is to choose which cards to retain and which to replace with new ones. To make life simple for players, there is a display that shows all of the potential payouts in order of the most successful hands. Double Up Feature Of all the changes made, it is the Double Up feature that will be the most eagerly anticipated. Following every winning hand, players will be afforded the opportunity to wager their winnings. The challenge is pretty basic in that players have to gamble on the colour of a card to try and double their winnings, potentially continuing until they reach a multiplier of 5x.
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has been forced to delay its impending alterations to online gambling legislation within the country, in the wake of a court challenge from Gibraltar. October 1 had been the initial date planned for implantation of the legislation, but the UKGC has elected to wait until November 1 while the challenge is resolved. The judges participating in the legal intervention require time to resolve the issue without time constraints. New Tax Included in Legislation The Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Commission (GBGC) is accusing the UK of attempting to generate additional revenue by taxing gambling revenues, as opposed to acting in interests of consumer protection. Should that allegation be proven true, it will be in violation of EU trading laws. The new legislation will require operators accepting bets from UK consumers to pay 15% point-of-consumption tax and to hold a license with the GBGC. Licensing Fees Due Online gambling operators will also be subject to paying an initial cost of £19,500 along with an annual fee of £118,000. The GBGC has argued that the proposed legislation will make specialist gambling jurisdictions like Gibraltar less appealing for operators, who will no longer see the value of paying for specialist licensing as well as core UK licensing. Other jurisdictions that could be affected include Alderney and the Isle of Man. GBGC Argues Against Legislation A two-day hearing was held in the UK High Court, with the delay announced last Thursday. Central to the argument of the GBGC was that consumers would not ultimately benefit from the new legislation. The GBGC claimed that consumers would be made to cover the extra costs, and that they would subsequently seek out unlicensed operators, in turn nullifying the purpose of the legislation. UK advocates were given the opportunity to dispute the claims during the hearing’s second day.
Online casino and sportsbook giant bet365 has announced it will be relocating to Gibraltar. The move will see bet365's remote gambling affairs move from Stoke-on-Trent to Gibraltar, while maintaining all of their staff, and their presence at their former headquarters in the UK. Restructuring bet365 has been reviewing their operations and structure for some time, and came to an agreement that their new hub of licensing for all online gambling would move to Gibraltar. It seems like an obvious decision since their gaming business has been located in Gibraltar since 2007. The British Overseas Territory off the coast of Spain is home to many of the world's largest and most popular online gambling companies and the infrastructure and stability therein is second-to-none. The move will not have any implications for current licenses that bet365 holds in the UK, Australia, Spain, Italy and Denmark. They will continue to pursue new licenses in any regulated market and feel that Gibraltar is the best place to base those operations as well. All of bet365's international betting operations will now operate with licenses from the government of Gibraltar under the Gambling Act of 2005. Same, but Different bet365 released a statement upon announcing the decision, "Aside from the staff relocating to Gibraltar, the bet365 Group will retain a significant presence in Stoke-on-Trent with other existing bet365 employees remaining there in order to provide various contracted support to the Gibraltar operating hub, including software and technical support, outsourced customer services and contracted marketing services." Making the decision to move was a long and arduous process. Just before the new online gambling regulations take effect in the UK, bet365 joins the likes of Ladbrokes, Victor Chandler, bwin.party and literally dozens of others, whom call Gibraltar the base of operations. This move is yet another sign of bet365's dedication to innovation and the want to continue its expansion.
Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League continues today as Group B sees Liverpool and FC Basel meeting in Switzerland (7:45pm UK time). Basel Desperate for Win FC Basel's Champions League season began on the left foot after they've lost 5-1 to Real Madrid in the group's opener two weeks ago. The Swiss champions have shown great performances in the domestic Swiss Super League, positioned atop the table with 22 points composed of 7 wins in 10 games. However, things lacked for the Swiss champions against Real Madrid and a game against Liverpool today is the last thing they would ask for in this situation. If Basel loses this game, they can practically say goodbye to the Champions League season. Liverpool Must Improve Liverpool is still under the impression left by the Merseyside derby disappointment in which they lost a 1-0 lead due to an injury-time goal by Everton's Phil Jagielka. Their game against Ludogorets Razgrad a fortnight ago finished 2-1 in favor of the Reds but it took the team 82 minutes and one Mario Balotelli to succeed. Without the home advantage and Basel's desperate need for three points and considering the flaws in Liverpool's defense have been exposed in its games against Ludogorets and Everton it's not impossible that Liverpool will lose today bet365 Betting Markets bet365 Sports will cover all Champions League games taking place tonight as well as Basel's meeting with Liverpool with pre-match and in-play markets. In full time result bet365 has 13/5 on Basel, 23/20 on Liverpool and 13/5 for a draw. Punters can enjoy bet365's special offers like the 100% Euro Soccer Bonus or the Bore Draw Money Back offer guaranteeing refunds on pre-match correct score, half-time/full-time and scorecast bets. Don't miss out on tonight's games – get to bet365 and place a wager.
NextGen Gaming has announced that it is developing a new game with an exclusive license with TV personality actress and producer Holly Madison. The first game under the new license will be a video slot called "An Evening With Holly Madison" and it is slated for release at the end of the current year at NextGen powered casinos. According to NetGen's announcement, more Holly Madison-themed slot games will be developed in the future. Expanding Wilds and Free Games The upcoming video slot will be packed with traditional and player-favorite features including expanding wilds, re-spins, free games and bonus screens. The slot is said to have a bonus stage called Repeat Win Photo-shoot which features exclusive audio and video which was provided by Holly Madison, together with a unique sound score composed by NextGen for the game. Holly Madison will also serve as the slot's wild symbol. Commenting on the game, Holly Madison said: "It’s been a lot of fun working with NextGen and I’m extremely excited to see the game launched and enjoyed by players all around the world where gaming is legal". Commercial Director at NYX Gaming Group David Johnson said, "We’re delighted to be working with Holly, who has played a huge role in bringing NextGen’s latest multi-featured slot gaming experience to market. The game will be available in all formats across our industry’s widest distribution network, and initially to our NYX OGS™ partners." About NextGen Gaming Part of the Las Vegas based NYX Gaming Group, NextGen Gaming is a prominent online casino software developer based in Sydney, Australia. NextGen's rich gaming portfolio is well known and liked with online casino players. The company has just recently released a new feature packed video slot with social hooks, Gorilla Go Wild, a William Hill Vegas exclusive.
German punters and online gambling aficionados will be happy to know that the newly formed German Sports Betting Association (DSWV) will work to make online sports betting more sound. A number of the leading domestic and international betting companies with operations in Germany have overseen the launch. This new organization will focus on encouraging legally stable sports gambling, while combatting gambling addiction, illegal sports betting and match fixing. Waging War on Illegal Sports Betting Ladbrokes, Betfair, Admiral Sportwetten, BetterBet, Cashpoint,Mybet, Deutsche Sportwetten, Hillside (New Media), Tipico, Stanleybet and World of Sportsbetting are the 11 founding members and have dedicated themselves to the cause. Many of these companies were granted with federal sports betting licenses earlier in September, while others were not so lucky. Companies that failed to receive licenses launched legal appeal's calling the licensing process "chaotic" and the fact that only 20 licenses were granted in total is unfair and needs to be changed. The German state of Lower Saxony is one of the main naysayers for online gambling. They continually urge credit card companies and banks to block transactions with gambling sites that continue to operate even after orders to 'cease and desist'. Over 100 international gambling sites offer full services in Germany against the wishes of German authorities. Dark History of Betting The legality of sports betting in Germany has long and sometimes dark history with some industry heads calling the market completely unsound. The goal of the new association is to reassure punters and decision makers that safe betting is attainable. Chair of the Committee on Economics and Energy Affairs, Peter Ramsauer, gave his praise and well wishes upon the establishment of the new association.“This association is an enrichment and a strong ally in the war against illegal gambling and addiction,” Ramsauer said. Former Mybet CEO, Matthias Dahms will be at the helm of the DSWV and Dirk Quermann, CEO of Merkur Interactive and Hans Wolfram Kessler, General Counsel at Tipico will fill the Vice President roles.
Famous software provider Yggdrasil has a new game in its portfolio which it expects to do more than just spark interest. The new video slot is called Pyrons and not only does it come with the modern graphics the developer is already known for, but also has some special features which can turn even the smallest win into a large payout. Theme and Symbols The theme of Pyrons is quite interesting as it takes classic slots symbols and gives them a modern twist. Players can expect to find stars, sevens, cherries and other fruit. These are found inside glass bubbles and inside the symbols, there is a liquid which can get hot and start to boil if the action of the game increases the temperature too much. A blue flame will surround the symbols after every successful win and multipliers will be added alongside for bigger prizes. Gameplay and Features Pyrons is a 5-reel video slot but the symbols do no spin on the reels. Instead, they are dropped to create five lines of three rows. Every time a winning combination is hit on the 20 paylines, the symbols making it will explode and disappear, allowing other symbols to fall in their place. Additional combinations do not cost anything and they come with increasingly higher multipliers, from x2 to x3, x5 and x20. The interface of the video slot is modern and Yggdrasil players will certainly recognize the button layout while new players will get the hang of things right away. There are no wilds, scatters, bonus rounds or any of the other features which make other slots feel too complicated. Pyrons is all about making it easy for players to win big prizes and they only need to let the symbols drop and see how the prizes add up and increase through multipliers. Where to Play The video slot will be added to all Yggdrasil-powered casinos. We recommended trying out the game at Vera and John Casino and EuroSlots Casino for a safe and secure gaming experience.
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