Casinos have been banned in Brazil for many decades and gambling is generally regarded as morally reprehensible. Recently, however, there has (once again) been movement in the "old order". Sports betting has been allowed to be officially brokered under certain conditions since 2018. Online casinos are a legal grey area. A draft bill has been submitted for the legalisation of terrestrial casinos. The liberalisation of such offers is expected to bring considerable benefits for tourism.
Controversies have accompanied Formula 1 for decades: "Too loud, too dangerous, too damaging to the environment" are absolute classics. There have also been repeated debates about advertising, particularly in relation to alcohol and cigarettes. Recently, gambling in the form of Sauber sponsor Stake took centre stage. The Swiss Gaming Commission accused the racing team of advertising illegal offers in the country.
According to a recent study on the development of the Dutch online gambling market, 19 out of 20 players play in legal online casinos. The Dutch government has set itself the target of having "only" 16 out of 20 players in the legal online gambling market. So can the government now put all canalisation plans on ice, as the target has already been exceeded?
Twice in the space of just a few days, a Swedish court has cancelled the fine imposed by the Swedish Gambling Authority. The two gambling companies affected are Kindred and Mr Green. But why did the court reduce the penalty in both cases and what impact will the judgements have on the future work of the Swedish Gambling Authority?
It's no secret that the British are gambling enthusiasts: they have a long tradition of betting on sports and horses in particular. But other offers are also popular. Data from the latest Gambling Survey for Great Britain was recently published, shedding light on the market and the preferences of the British. Lotteries are at the forefront of players' favourites.
Las Vegas is a city of superlatives that has produced numerous icons in the past and present. The Mirage is one of the things that are firmly associated with the gambling metropolis: the mega hotel with its tropical theme and volcano was one of the first of its kind - it symbolises an entire era of the city and was home to the famous predator show "Siegfried & Roy" with the white tigers. Now, after more than 30 years, it is to be closed once and for all.
In Austria, the results of the first major study on in-game purchases were published a few weeks ago. The results showed that more than 50 per cent of young people have already used such features and invested considerable sums of money in the process. There are often strong parallels with typical games of chance. The debate on loot boxes and the like is likely to be fuelled once again.
According to the recently published turnover figures for 2023, online casinos in Switzerland enjoyed a significant increase in turnover. Land-based casinos, on the other hand, suffered a decline in turnover. But will this trend continue in the coming years, meaning that land-based casinos could even face extinction in the long term?
A few days ago, a high-end Mallorcan restaurant was raided due to a special event for which a so-called mobile casino was provided. The Spanish authorities suspected illegal gambling at the casino-themed event. An investigation has now been launched against the organisers, a German couple. Was it all just a misunderstanding or was there a criminal offence?
A 72-year-old pensioner claims to have won more than 2.5 million dollars at a US casino. According to her statement, however, the casino in question refuses to pay out the million-dollar prize and ultimately only offers a mini-compensation of 350 dollars. But why is the renowned casino refusing to pay out the winnings and what are the player's chances of success?
The Republic of Uzbekistan is legalising online gambling from next year. The approximately 37 million inhabitants of Uzbekistan will then probably not only be able to legally gamble in online casinos, but also place sports bets online and take part in lotteries. But why did the President of Uzbekistan sign a decree to this effect a few weeks ago?
A coalition agreement was recently reached between four parties in the Netherlands. One of the results of this is an increase in gambling tax to a whopping 37.8 per cent. At 30.5 percent, our neighbours' tax rates are already quite high by European standards. The industry and corresponding associations are particularly concerned about a possible strengthening of the black market.
In April, the Dutch House of Representatives voted in favour of a ban on online advertising for games of chance and even a complete ban on slots. In fact, the majority of those involved were in favour of banning all forms of targeted promotions on the internet and also in favour of banning slot machines. The latter are regarded as ‘high-risk games’.
During the coronavirus pandemic, a Swiss man is said to have invited several friends to his hobby room. The problem: there were two functioning gaming machines in the room. Due to the contact restrictions in force at the time, the police checked the event and broke it up. The organiser was not only charged with a violation of the coronavirus regulations, but also with making the gaming machines available to third parties.
A software glitch at the renowned The Star Casino in Sydney has caused millions in damages in just a few days. A high double-digit number of guests took advantage of the system error and had their winnings paid out illegally. The casino is now taking action against the players affected. But how was it possible to defraud the casino of a seven-figure sum?
Chris_W
Christian_1994