The flames have been raging in Southern California since January 7. So far, at least 24 deaths have been officially confirmed. The large-scale forest fires are caused by a combination of extremely dry conditions and strong winds. Many gambling companies from nearby Las Vegas are now also supporting the victims of the catastrophic fire.
Christian_1994
The Federal Statistical Office has just published the tax revenue from games of chance for 2023. In a ten-year comparison, there was an overall increase of 51 percent, which is undoubtedly more than respectable. However, explosive details can be found further in the background: Virtual slot machines, online poker and sports betting, for example, were down in tax terms - and significantly so. Slots even saw an incredible 38 percent drop! How can such a drastic slump be explained?
Chris_W
Even in regulated European markets, the allocation of operator and ownership structures for online casinos quickly becomes difficult. Not to mention the many offshore platforms that deliberately conceal their data in order to remain under the radar in regions for which they do not have a license. Now a major data leak is providing specific insights into the world of such companies. Several tens of thousands of internal documents are said to show how laws are being circumvented across Europe and how the authorities are forced to watch powerlessly.
Chris_W
Mergers and acquisitions are the order of the day in business. However, some deals are a particular talking point. This is also the case with Novomatic's latest announcement: around 200 betting outlets of the Admiral Group in Austria are to be sold to its German competitor Tipico, which itself operates numerous outlets in the country. Why leave the market to one of its biggest competitors?
Chris_W
There is never a dull moment in German amusement arcades. If you take a look at the local press, you will be confronted with robberies, break-ins and rowdy customers on an almost daily basis. In today's article, we have summarized in a nutshell what can happen in amusement arcades in a single week.
Christian_1994
The gambling market in the Netherlands is strictly regulated, but also very successful. The channeling rate appears to be excellent - and the authorities regularly make headlines for their strict approach to illegal activities in the country. The latter was recently the case again when the local gambling supervisory authority threatened two offshore operators with fines of 280,000 euros per week.
Chris_W
Large construction projects cost a lot of money and are often associated with considerable difficulties. Almost every day, there are reports in the regional and national press about blocked approvals, exploding costs or failed projects. However, disputes such as the one currently surrounding the renowned Casino Pfäffikon in the municipality of Freienbach in the Swiss canton of Schwyz do not occur every day. It involves 11 million Swiss francs and more.
Chris_W
More and more players are filing complaints against foreign gambling companies with the German data protection authorities. However, the primary aim is not to ensure data protection, but instead to reclaim casino losses suffered. But can a data protection complaint actually lead to casino players being refunded their bets?
Christian_1994
Gambling is fun and can be very lucrative. On the other hand, it harbors considerable dangers, at the top of which is gambling addiction. Such a disorder is accompanied by various, often serious social conflicts. Treatment is complex and expensive. This is why the British government recently decided on a social tax for all gambling, which is intended to generate 100 million pounds annually. Would this also be an option for Germany?
Chris_W
The new year is just around the corner and many people have made resolutions for 2025. Some gambling fans may have come up with the following idea: "I should open an online casino myself and make money from it." In fact, the German gambling market is currently stronger than ever - and statistics suggest that turnover will continue to rise steadily over the next few years. Good conditions for casino operators. But how realistic is it to enter the business - what do you need to consider?
Chris_W
As reported by BILD.de, the poker partner of the German-language TV channel Sport1 is reportedly no longer permitted to broadcast poker programs. But what are the reasons for the TV channel, which was created in 2010 from the merger of Sport1.de and Deutsches Sportsehen (DSF), to completely remove poker from its program?
Christian_1994
Of course, violations of gambling laws are not only a problem in Germany. Various offenses are also committed in other European countries. The penalties can be enormous, depending on the offense, but usually no amounts are disclosed. In Spain, however, the responsible ministry regularly publishes specific figures. The report for the first half of 2024 is truly impressive: unlicensed providers in particular had to pay several million euros in compensation.
Chris_W
Now the time has come: after a long back and forth, the first official licenses for sports betting were activated in Brazil on 1 January 2025. A whopping 71 licenses were issued. The big players in the industry are positioning themselves for one of the strongest markets in South America and worldwide. International experts and the trade press are expecting an exciting battle for the top spots. Who will get the biggest slice of the cake?
Chris_W
Regional traditions and customs are often very special. This is also the case in the Hessian town of Laubach, which belongs to the district of Giessen: here, the locals get into a real dice fever at the turn of the year. Throughout the town, people gamble in cafés, bakeries, restaurants and pubs. Young and old are involved. It's all about gaming tables, croupiers, bets, luck and (often tasty) wins. Real gambling for everyone - or just a nice, fun leisure activity?
Chris_W
In the late summer of this year, amateur football was really shaken up by a documentary by the public broadcasters: Many clubs and DFB officials realised that betting on matches in the lower leagues is an international business worth millions. After weeks of clarification and controversy, calls for concrete and effective laws against such behaviour are now slowly but surely becoming louder.
Chris_W