Norway is one of the few countries in Europe that still has a state monopoly on gambling. Regulation is enforced very restrictively and with all possible force. This includes network blocks, payment blocking, strict control of possible winnings and other measures. The Norwegian supervisory authority Lotteritilsynet and the governing party still consider the system to be the best and safest solution. However, industry representatives, players, experts and politicians in the country are increasingly calling for the market to be opened up.
Over the past few weeks, the headlines surrounding the famous singer Pietro Lombardi have been piling up. After an argument with his girlfriend Laura Maria Rypa, the police even had to be called and there were accusations of domestic violence. Now Lombardi spoke to “bild.de” about his passion for casino visits.
In Switzerland, it is possible to do what we have been talking about for some time but have not yet practised: The responsible gambling authority there keeps illegal online casinos off the market with the help of network blocking or IP blocking technologies. However, as Thomas Fritschi, Head of the Secretariat of the Federal Gaming Board, recently told Swiss Radio and Television (SRF), the process is quite complex. Nevertheless, the blocking list now has almost 2,000 entries - and it continues to grow.
The social casino business seems crazy to many die-hard slot fans: you gamble, you can't win anything and yet it must be worthwhile for the operators somehow. It does indeed - and to a considerable extent, as insiders recently revealed to the international trade press. As part of a comprehensive report by a major industry portal, several people involved provided astonishing insights into turnover, values and player motivations.
The gaming industry is fundamentally innovation-orientated and does try things out. However, it is still relatively rare for something completely new to be launched specifically for the gaming community. The platform called ‘YesOrNo’, which went live in France at the end of September, is once again a real novelty after a long time: it combines simple and user-generated bets that can be placed quickly by saying yes or no, with social media and community elements. ‘A mixture of TikTok and Tinder,’ says the provider itself in a promotional video.
Spielbank Berlin celebrated its 26th birthday on 2 October 2024 in its main building on Potsdamer Platz. Under the motto ‘Good luck on your birthday’, the traditional casino invited guests to the big celebrations. But how attractive is the Potsdamer Platz location after more than 25 years?
In the past, we at GambleJoe have often reported critically on licensed online casinos in Germany. To put it mildly, our community also often sees some potential for optimisation in the gaming conditions of legal online providers. Today, however, we have specifically set out to look for arguments in favour of German online casinos.
In Germany, the deposit limit for online casinos and digital sports betting providers of 1,000 euros per month is a constant source of debate and a great deal of resentment: too low, too inflexible, too strict and ultimately a good reason to prefer illegal providers - according to critics. In contrast to our neighbors in Holland, however, we have comparatively much freedom for our gambling spending. Even stricter restrictions have been in place there since October 1.
Thailand is slowly but surely opening up to gambling, but there are still severe legal restrictions in place, which are among the strictest in East Asia. Thai boxer Sutthiwat, who is a real force to be reckoned with in the country, recently felt the full force of this fact. He was arrested for apparently wilfully promoting illegal gambling offers via his social media accounts. Following a large-scale investigation, he is now facing a hefty fine. He could face large fines or even a prison sentence.
There is a lot of unrest in German amateur football at the moment: almost every week there are new reports about illegal sports betting on matches, reprimands for data scouts who provide match statistics to bookmakers or even potential match-fixing for betting purposes. The controversy has now prompted DFB partner Interwetten to cancel betting on amateur matches - at least in the German leagues.
The Austrian sports betting provider Interwetten recently announced a new advertising deal with an NFL team. From now on, it will be working with none other than the record-breaking champions, the New England Patriots. What does this mean and can a partnership with a US football team be worthwhile for a German-speaking bookmaker?
Gambling associations from the USA and Europe want to work more closely together in future. A memorandum of understanding was recently signed to achieve this goal. But what is the motivation behind the associations' plans for closer cooperation?
Gambling is regulated and access is restricted in all countries around the world. Specific age limits are enforced in particular to protect young people from the psychological and financial risks of such offers. The minimum age of 18 is standard in Europe. However, Belgium has raised the age to 21 - despite the fact that fewer and fewer young people seem to be gambling there. At the same time, many Belgians are not even aware of the age restriction. And what about the access age in other countries?
The Joint Gambling Authority of the German federal states (GGL) recently achieved a legal success against a payment service provider from Switzerland. The GGL had previously prohibited the foreign payment service provider from participating in all illegal gambling offers in Germany. The special thing about this is that it does not only apply to specifically known online casinos, but to all illegal online casinos.
Lars Felderhoff was officially handed over the sceptre from ‘vending machine king’ Paul Gauselmann on 1 October. We will probably be hearing or reading a lot about the new man at the helm of Merkur in the future. After all, he is now head of Germany's largest gaming group and one of the most important companies in the industry worldwide. We take this as an opportunity to take a closer look at Felderhoff. Who is he, where does he come from and how will he manage the Merkur Group?
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