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Despite internal upheaval, the Brazilian government is moving forward with gambling legislation. New Vote Soon The new gambling bill could be put to vote as early as next month, and is one of the key issues of the Brazil Gaming Conference 2016 which took place two weeks ago. According to Social Democrat and Chamber of Deputies member Herculano Passos, a final draft of the gambling bill should be delivered by next week. Implementation The legislation seeks to authorize introduction of up to 35 brick-and-mortar casinos, 1,200 bingo parlors and 600k video bingo terminals, as well as increasing the number of online sports betting, casino and bingo licenses. Another bill seeks to repeal the ban on popular numbers game jogo de bicho, also known as the “animal game” lottery. Internal Upheaval The progress moves forward in the face of the Brazilian senate´s 55-22 vote to suspend President Dilma Rousseff ahead of her impeachment trial on charges of corruption. New Hope Passos maintains that he “full confidence” in incoming acting President and current vice president Michael Temer´s support of online gambling, calling him “one of the factors that will end the prohibition of gambling in the country.” Gambling Market Value At this point, approved gambling in Brazil is worth approximately $4b per year, with the illegal market worth an estimated $5.7b, of which $3.24b comes from jogo de bicho. The country also has an estimated 220k in illegal slot machines bringing in over $1b per year. Unlicensed online gambling sites contribute an estimated $875m while illegal bingo operations are bringing in $370m. Benefits to be Gained Legalizing said gambling products would bring the annual market value to $16.8b, representing a potential $5b in annual tax and licensing revenue. Olympic Betting Revenue Potential The upcoming Olympics appears to be the ideal time to collect tax revenues, with a huge upsurge in betting sure to take place from the event taking place from August 5 to 21. With 60% of the 200 million Brazilians online, there will be no shortage of online bets placed, especially in light of the fact that there exist virtually no government restrictions on Internet access or e-mail or Internet chat rooms. Legalize It A unified betting device or platform, and licensed marketers and operators, would be a great way for the cash-strapped government to harness the full benefits of online gambling to provide the revenue infusion the beleaguered government is at this point so sorely in need of.
The Juegos Miami conference is set to begin on May 31 at the amazing Biltmore Hotel in Miami. This event will essentially pool all forms of gaming, whether land-based or online, and how its focus on the growing Latin American and Caribbean markets. This year’s conference will focus on the gaming explosion that is expected to occur in the Mexican market with crucial information for operators and stakeholders. A group of professionals with deep understanding of Mexico’s gaming industry will be on hand to discuss the expected gaming boom, including Rodrigo Galvan the Managing Director of JSJ Gaming. Mexico has a population of around 120 million, which includes over 60 million online users and 11 million mobile users. The potential for the online and mobile gaming industries therein are immense and Juegos Miami will offer insightful information about it all. Since Mexico’s outdated regulation regarding the legalization of video lottery terminals and Class II and Class III machines was updated by the Supreme Court, Mexico is poised to become one of the biggest iGaming industries in the world. It looks like it will only be a matter of time until complete online gaming legislature is created and its legal operation begins. Current legislation with regards to gaming dates back to 1947 and Mexico’s Senate has been talking seriously about the positives and potential negatives about rewriting these laws. One of the main points will be that iGaming operators would need to base their servers within Mexican borders and an all new governing body, the National Institute of Games and Lotteries is to be introduced. “We have to take into consideration the existing opportunity in Mexico, being the second country in Latin America in terms of fixed and mobile broadband internet usage," Galvan related. "Gamers are likely to play all type of games that fall into the category of games of chance and raffles, but specifically bingo, lottery, electronic bingo and table games." A total of 30 keynote speakers will be heard at the conference including professionals from all ends of the industry.
The latest news out of Nevada is that the state is interested in expanding its online gambling offerings by creating shared player pools with New Jersey. Governor Brian Sandoval commented at a recent meeting of the Nevada Gaming Policy Committee that he is interested in opening up the doors to a partnership with New Jersey, but there has been some reluctance on New Jersey’s side to get the ball rolling. Sandoval said, “I would like nothing better than to have an agreement with New Jersey, and it seems like there’s been a reluctance on the behalf of New Jersey to do that.” He continued, “I’ve always said that putting New Jersey and Nevada together is like putting the Yankees and the Dodgers on the same team, and it would really be a great opportunity." What’s Preventing the Partnership From Happening? The first issue in creating such a pool of players is undoubtedly a technical one, including where the servers would be located and how the states would split the revenue - but like all partnerships, if the two parties sit down at the table, an agreement could surely be reached. And yet another issue is that Nevada has a lot on its plate - at the same time that Sandoval is interested in creating a partnership with New Jersey, he is also trying to expand Nevada’s intrastate offerings. As of now, Nevada only offers online poker, as opposed to New Jersey and Delaware, which offer both online poker and online casino games. In fact, most of New Jersey’s and Delaware’s revenue comes from casino games, not poker. So that might be an issue that the Nevada Gaming Policy Committee tackles first, before it moves on to interstate partnerships. And yet, it's interesting to note that this option is on the table, and its main benefit is its potential to add to the coffers of both states.
One of NextGen Gaming’s newest slots, Robin Hood Prince of Tweets, is a fun twist on an old classic. About the Game Robin Hood Prince of Tweets is a 5-reel, 40-payline slot set in none-other than Sherwood forest, only in this case, the do-gooder and his band of merry men are actually birds and owls, who are just as skilled as the original characters at swordsmanship and archery. The soundtrack is light and festive, and symbols include a princess, an owl, a sack of gold coins, a quiver, a Wanted poster, a bullseye, a castle, various card symbols, and of course, the Robin Hood bird that acts as a wild. Special Features Special features include wilds, free spins, the Arrow feature, and SuperBet. The free spins feature is triggered when three or more scatter symbols (the castle) appear anywhere on the reels. In the Arrow feature, the Robin Hood wild can turn adjacent symbols into wilds, increasing a player’s chances of winning. The number of symbols that will turn wild depends on the SuperBet feature, which is an exclusive NextGen feature that includes an additional wager that can be adjusted with the control beside the reels to increase a player’s chances of winning. Players can currently enjoy the new video slot at William Hill Casino, and it should be available for play at NextGen Gaming casinos such as 888 Casino and BetVictor Casino, so keep your eyes and ears open! About NextGen Gaming NextGen Gaming is the Sydney-based slots studio of NYX Gaming Group, and is a world-leading supplier of innovative slot games to the gambling industry. The company provides games to internet casinos, land-based operators and software providers all over the world, and has produced fan favorites such as Foxin Wins Again, Gorilla Go Wild, Jackpot Jester 50,000, Medusa II, Mad Mad Monkey and more.
Macau casinos are still in freefall. Searching for Answers With Asian gambling hub Macau looking for new forms of revenue to offset losses brought on by their government's anti-corruption campaign, it appears time to take a closer look at online gambling for the traditional land-based gaming powerhouse. Two Years of Losses April marked the 23rd consecutive month of loss, as the struggle to offset revenue lost from VIP junket operators being forced out by the Chinese government continues. Macau's take for April came out to 17.3 billion patacas ($2.2 billion) in April, representing a 9.5 percent drop year-on-year from the same period in 2015, and down almost a full third since 2013. The Drop Before Chinese President Xi Jinping launched his anti-corruption campaign three years ago, Macau revenues were fueled by VIP junket operators flying in clients to Macau casinos and lending them money. Red Economic Curtain Socialist leaders in the Chinese government began cracking down on these junket operations in 2014, out of concerns that the scheme was being used by wealthy citizens and corporations to move large amounts of money offshore and out of the government's reach. As a result, the government has sought to find alternative forms of revenue. Billionaire hotel and marketing magnates Adelson and Wynn have added themes to their hotels to draw Vegas-style tourism. However, there is still a form of gambling which Macau has yet to tap into: online gambling, a sector where other countries are experiencing incremental boosts in revenue at little or no cost to them, and with relatively minimal costs to operators as well. Increase Revenues through Gambling Activity Since junkets are retooling marketing strategies to appeal to a more middle class tourist-centric audience, why not offer a more affordable form of high stakes play? Hosting online games combining competition from online players and physically present players could give that new segment the opportunity to participate in high stakes games. At this point, it seems increasingly difficult to ignore the online option for stimulating revenues and adapting to Macau's the new era imposed on the Macau market.
The last stage of the Champions League will decide the winner on Saturday and the finalists are both from the city of Madrid. They have played the final in 2014 and back then Real Madrid emerged victorious, after leveling the score in the last minute of overtime. Since then, Atletico Madrid grew a lot and now has one of the best defensive lineups in Europe, which should serve them well in the final. Concerns Regarding Cristiano Ronaldo's Fitness The Portuguese striker has played in the last matches for Real Madrid and did a fine job, but his health concerns are far from over. It goes without saying that he will play in the Champions League final, but he will need to perform at 100% to be an asset for his team. Simeone knows how to shut down individual players and he’ll have his best defenders follow Cristiano all over the field. Real Madrid has plenty of players capable of scoring goals, but recently their backline was surprisingly vulnerable. Against mediocre teams, such as Rayo Vallecano and a reeling Valencia, they’ve allowed two goals and were lucky to score 3 of their own. Against Atletico Madrid it is most unlikely to have a chance at a miraculous rebound, if their opponents score first. Griezmann Spearheading the Offensive The Frenchman will be the sole striker against Real Madrid, but he will benefit from the assistance of Fernando Torres. They have scored a combined 33 goals this season, but a single one scored by any of them could be enough for Atletico Madrid to prevail. We are looking at a low-scoring goal that can literally go either way, so it makes perfect sense to take advantage of the bigger odds. bet365 Sports regards Atletico Madrid as the underdog, so will enjoy odds of 6/5 on them to lift the trophy.
Cordoba managed to win the last match on the road by scoring three goals in the second half and are hoping for a repeat against Mallorca. The hosts will give them a run for their money, because they are still trying to stave off the specter of relegation. They’ve claimed three precious points in the last round and need to double down on that result, to stay for at least one year in the Spanish second division. High Expectations from Andone Cordoba scored three unanswered goals on the road against Mirandes and the most impressive part is that they managed to do so without their most prolific goalscorer contributing. Andone is by far the most successful striker in Liga Adelante, but despite playing for almost the entire match, he was unable to find his way to the goal. The visitors count on him to defeat Mallorca and grant them the needed three points. Defensively, Cordoba is looking better than ever, but can’t afford to rely on its backline in this fixture. They are still playing catch-up with the top six teams and they need to make sure they are within the promotion area before the last round comes. Busy Schedule for Mallorca Two weeks ago, Mallorca looked extremely vulnerable but managed to win both home games by the odd goal. In the last match they will play against Valladolid and should be able to claim victory, because the visitors are not motivated. However, relying on the outcome of that match would be dangerous, now that Pontferradina have tied them for the 17th place. Punters might be tempted to go for the high odds offered by bet365 Sports on Córdoba to win on the road. There’s nothing wrong about trusting the visitors, but you’d enjoy the same odds of 6/5 if you bet on more than 2.5 goals to be scored.
The 2nd edition of the Brazilian Gaming Congress put at ease part of the industry that was worried about the current political climate in Brazil and expressed support at all levels for the gambling bill. The event was held at the Windsor Plasa Brasilia between the 11th and 12th of May, 2016 in Brazil’s capital city Brasilia. It brought in a full house with over 230 attendants looking forward to speeches by industry specialists as well as elected politicians. The Political Environment Backs the Gambling Bill Among the speakers, Federal Deputies Elmas Nacimiento and Herculano Passos spoke publicly about the importance of the gambling bill and the process it will follow in the upcoming six months, where it will be amended and voted as well as signed by the newly appointed president. According to the Deputies as well as all other politicians present at the event, the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff and the current appointment of Michel Temer as standing president will not affect the gambling bill’s progress in any way. The support offered by the political speakers at the event helped cement the importance of the bill while also assuring it will be passed in a timely manner. While some issues have yet to be resolved, particularly regarding aspects such as the status of online gambling or the tax levels, the bill is expected to help close the illegal gambling market while also attracting investors and delivering extra tax income to the state. The Challenge is Set for Gambling Operators In fact, the speedy passing of the bill has put the spotlight on gambling companies who now have to quickly put together an entry strategy for the Brazilian market. Other results from this year’s event as well as the a recap of the best speeches will be presented in detail at the Juegos Miami event which will take place on the 1st of June, 2016, in Miami, Florida.
Poland is adapting its legislation, but there are still vital stakeholders in the market in need of relief. Status The good: Poland has revamped its gambling laws to include online slots. The still problematic: there is still no sign of badly needed tax breaks for locally licensed gambling operators. Online Slots Widen Last Monday, the Poland Ministry of Finance indicated its willingness to allow operators to offer online slots, as long as they adhere to responsible gambling provisions which protect customers. Land-based Slots Land-based slots will be authorized by the Ministry of Finance to be administered by an as yet unspecified entity under the auspices of a state monopoly. The Ministry cites the addictiveness of the slots as the basis for confining land-based operations to "dedicated areas under control." Poker Time The Ministry will loosen restrictions on poker as well, with online as well as land-based games no longer relegated to only the country's current land-based casinos. This will allow for home play and in public establishments, practices which have been strictly forbidden until now, according to borderline draconian policies which the government is planning to lift with the new legislation. Protection The Polish market will protect against unlicensed foreign operations serving Polish customers via existing standard IP- and payment-blocking mechanisms, while promising "more severe consequences" for non-compliant operators. Operators Still Confused The Ministry offered no update regarding expected changes to the country's gambling taxes, with betting operators currently subjected to a 12% tax on turnover. Tax Distribution The proposed gaming tax is thought to seek a new 20% levy on betting revenue, with 10% of that revenue distributed to the Polish Olympic Committee (7%) and gambling addiction support organizations (3%). First of the Year Further revisions have been submitted to relevant branches of government for their approval. The Ministry did say they should they expect all changes in their completed form to take effect on January 1, 2017.
Amsterdam is the host city for the iGaming Super Show that runs from 7th - 10th June 2016. Among the many companies on the stands will be World Match, who will be showcasing their range of over 150 titles and introducing some new ones to both existing and potential customers. About World Match World Match have been in business since 2003 and have developed a range of games in Flash which are now being moved over to the HTML5 platform. iOS and Android are increasingly important, so games are also configured for mobile play. With around 120 slots, 30 table games and a broad selection of Video Poker titles, World Match are rapidly expanding their portfolio, and have two new titles to show in June. Arena de Toros HD and SuperHeroes HD are the latest slot machines, both in HTML5, and they join other successful games like Horror Castle, Fruits 4 Jackpot and Banana King. All World Match slot games feature extra rounds and bonuses while the multiple versions of classics like Roulette, Blackjack, Poker and Craps games, plus twelve Video Poker variants have attracted commercial agreements with Stanleybet, Merkur-Win, Microgame Network, Ever Matrix and Eurobet among others. Many games are presented with HD graphics where the resolutions are up to 1280 x 720 pixels, while connectivity with social networks give players the chance to share their gameplay with friends. Already widely known in Southern Europe, World Match are looking to expand customer awareness in the northern part of the continent by attending the Amsterdam show. About The iGaming Super Show The show will be held at the Amsterdam RAI, the biggest exhibition space in the country. Some 4000 delegates are expected to attend as are over 100 speakers, with around 120 stands. Events and seminars include player acquisition strategies, payment solutions and gaming in Holland. World Match can be found at stand B83 throughout the show.
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