Daily Archives: August 14, 2021

In conjunction with Chris Elliott and Rawa Kaftan of Wiggin LLP, iGB provides a regulatory snapshot of igaming across Europe. Cyprus, France and Greece are among those updated for this edition.

AUSTRIARegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery.Operator type:Licences for sports betting and horse race betting are available for private operators on a regional basis within Austria, whereas poker, casino, bingo and lottery are controlled by the monopoly, Casinos Austria, which has exclusive rights until 2027.Status:The CJEU has held that the Austrian casino monopoly is incompatible with EU law in a number of cases, although national courts continue to reach conflicting decisions on the compatibility of Austrias current gambling legislative framework with EU law and the position remains unclear. In February 2021, the Finance Minister of Austria announced a wide-ranging set of proposals to reform gambling in Austria. Proposals include the establishment of a new independent regulator and the introduction of both website blocking and greater player protection measures. A draft law formally setting out the proposed reforms is expected to be published during 2021.

BELGIUMRegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery.Operator type:All products are available to private operators except for lotteries, which are reserved exclusively for the monopoly provider. However, online operators need to partner with a land-based licence holder in order to satisfy a local establishment requirement; alternatively, apply for one of the retail licences that can be extended to cover online.Status:There remain valid arguments that the existing regime is incompatible with Belgiums EU Treaty obligations. Active enforcement measures against operators and players are in place.A mandatory, weekly deposit limit of 500 for all customers of licensed operators is in effect. A draft law to introduce an advertising and sponsorship ban has been submitted to parliament.

BULGARIARegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery (excluding raffles and instant lottery games).Operator type:All products are available to private operators except for lotteries, which are to be reserved exclusively for the monopoly.Status:Any operator from an EU/EEA jurisdiction or the Swiss Confederation can apply for a licence. The Bulgarian regulator has awarded approximately 30 licences to date, including to a number of international operators. The government has adopted amendments to the countrys gambling legislation to establish a monopoly on lotteries in Bulgaria, with any existing lottery licences to be revoked with immediate effect following the amendments entry into force.

CROATIARegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery.Operator type:All products are available to private operators except for lotteries, which are reserved exclusively for the monopoly provider. Private operators can only be licensed to offer online gambling if they obtain a land-based casino or betting licence.Status:Attempts by the Ministry to update its gambling legislation have been subject to criticism in respect of EU incompatibility issues (including the requirement that only holders of land-based licences can offer online gambling). Regulatory reforms appear to have stalled in the country.

CYPRUSRegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting and lottery.Operator type:OPAP has a monopoly over lottery operations; betting licences are available to private operators.Status:Cyprus regulated online betting in July 2012, although a licensing regime was not established until 2016. ISPs are obliged to implement blocking measures to prohibit Cypriot residents from accessing unlicensed gambling websites. A betting law, which entered into force in March 2019, replaced the 2012 Betting Law. The provisions of the 2019 law are substantially the same, with minor amends introduced to address EU incompatibility concerns under the previous law (such as the requirement to have a local branch in order to obtain a betting licence).In July 2021 the local regulator introduced new rules and restrictions on gambling advertising.

CZECH REPUBLICRegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery.Operator type:EU and EEA-based operators are able to apply for licences.Status:The gambling regulatory regime, which entered into force in the Czech Republic on 1 January 2017, allows EU/EEA companies to enter the market. ISP-blocking measures are active in the jurisdiction. Tax rates reportedly increased to up to 30% of GGR for certain online gambling activities from January 2020.

DENMARKRegulated gambling products:Sports betting, fantasy sports, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery.Operator type:Licences for all gambling products are available to private operators save for lotteries, which are controlled by the state monopoly.Status:The Danish online gambling regime went live on 1 January 2012. ISP-blocking measures are active in the jurisdiction and the Danish Gaming Authority (DGA) has been granted an injunction to block operators and suppliers that have been targeting Danish customers without the requisite licence. As of 1 January 2020, licensed operators are required to ensure that customers have set deposit limits before they are allowed to gamble, although it is understood this applies to online casino only. The DGA introduced new marketing regulations, effective from 1 April 2020. On 1 January 2021, the rate of tax increased from 20% to 28% of GGR for online gambling activities.

ESTONIARegulated gambling products: Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery.Operator type:Licences for all gambling products are available to private operators save for lotteries, which are reserved exclusively for the monopoly operator.Status:Operators seeking to accept business from players in Estonia must be issued an activity licence for the type of gambling they wish to offer, then an operating permit to provide the services online. A blacklist of operators is maintained and updated by local authorities and ISP and payment blocking is in force. Though some operators argue that the regime is still not compatible with EU law, no notification alleging incompatibility has been issued by the EC since the requirement for licensees to maintain servers in Estonia was removed.

FINLANDRegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery.Operator type:All gambling products are under the exclusive control of monopoly provider Veikkaus Oy.Status:Despite the existence of a national monopoly, EC enforcement action was dropped subsequent to various changes to Finnish laws. Active enforcement measures are in place (restrictive marketing for offshore operators in particular) and the government is exploring measures to further restrict the offshore supply of gambling services. In January 2021, the government opened a consultation on a number of proposals to reform Finlands gambling legislation. It had been expected that the finalised proposals would be submitted to parliament by the end of June 2021; however, that did not come to pass and the final proposals are now anticipated to be debated in parliament after summer 2021.

FRANCERegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, bingo and lottery.Operator type:Private operators can obtain online licences for sports betting, horse race betting and poker. The monopoly has exclusive rights to bingo and lottery.Status:A regulated market since the introduction of a licensing regime in 2010, following which the EC withdrew its infringement proceedings. A new regulatory authority, Lautorit Nationale des Jeux, took over from ARJEL in June 2020. Responsible gambling advice has been issued to operators and players during the Covid-19 crisis, with a warning against using bonuses to attract new players to poker. In July 2021 a draft law proposing a ban on gambling advertising was submitted to parliament, which (if adopted) is anticipated to enter into force on 1 January 2022.

GERMANYRegulated gambling products: Sports betting, horse race betting, virtual slots, online poker and table games. (The German state of Schleswig-Holstein also regulates sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino and bingo.)Operator type:Horse race betting licences are available at a regional level. Sports betting licences can be applied for by private operators as of 1 January 2020. Since 1 July 2021, private operators have been able to submit licence applications to operate virtual slots and online poker. Online table games (such as roulette, blackjack and live dealer casino) are reserved to land-based casinos, most of which are state operated. (Private operators can no longer obtain casino licences in Schleswig-Holstein under the existing regime, although S-H has approved legislation to reinstate existing licences until 2021 (with operations allowed to continue in the interim). S-H has also introduced a quasi-licensing regime for sports betting (intended to be of a transitional nature).)Status:The main legal framework for gambling regulation in Germany has been the subject of much debate and has been heavily criticised by the EC and interested parties/states within Germany for a number of years. Discussions to reform the existing legislation resulted in the approval of the 3rd Amendment Treaty which entered into force on 1 January 2020. The 3rd Amendment Treatyremoves the limit on the number of sports betting licences and re-introduces a sports betting licensing process. In July 2021 the 4th Interstate Treaty on Gambling entered into effect which brought new licensing options for private operators for online poker and virtual slots (although stringent restrictions, such as stake limits, shall apply).In October 2020 a transitional toleration regime was introduced which permits operators to offer online poker and slots provided they comply with the toleration regimes requirements and certain restrictions (such as stake limits); it is anticipated that the toleration regime will remain in place until such time that the virtual slots and online poker market fully launches.

GREAT BRITAINRegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery.Operator type:All licences are available to private operators save for lottery, which is reserved exclusively for the monopoly provider, Camelot.Status:Any operator that transacts with, or advertises to, British residents requires a licence from the Gambling Commission (GC). Licensed operators are required to source gambling software from GC-licensed businesses.In December 2020, the government launched a major and wide-ranging review into the current gambling legislation in Great Britain. It is anticipated that any proposals for reform will be published in a white paper during 2021.

GREECERegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting and lottery.Operator type:All products are exclusively reserved for the monopoly providers pending the implementation of an open licensing regime, although certain private operators are permitted to operate on a transitional basis.Status:In 2012, a transition period commenced, whereby the Greek government granted 24 transitional licences to operators, enabling them to provide services to Greek residents. Legislation, which introduced an open licensing regime for online betting and other online games, including casino and poker, entered into force on 30 October 2019.However, the regulations implementing the new legal regime were not published until August 2020. Operators holding a transitional licence may continue to offer services until a decision is made to grant a permanent licence. In July 2021 the regulator announced that the first cycle of the permanent licensing process had come to an end and that it had issued 15 licences under the permanent licensing regime. It is understood that of the 15 licensees, 13 were permitted to go live as of 6 August 2021.

HUNGARYRegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery.Operator type:Only the state monopolies (Szerencsejtk Zrt. and Magyar Lversenyfogadst-Szervezo Kft) and local concession companies can apply for a licence.Status:Amendments to Hungarian gambling law came into force on 1 October 2015 and allow only two land-based casinos to hold remote casino concessions. The regulator has since issued fines, a number of which have been challenged, against unlicensed operators that continue to target the market. In June 2017, the ECJ determined Hungarys gambling regime to be incompatible with Article 56 TFEU. A subsequent ECJ decision in February 2018 ruled against the Hungarian requirement that online gambling operators must have a land-based licence to offer online gambling services to Hungarian citizens, further strengthening arguments that the current regime is incompatible with EU law.

IRELANDRegulated gambling products:Online betting regulated since August 2015. Online gaming is not specifically accounted for in Irelands outdated legislation and as such is currently unregulated.Operator type:Private operators can apply for a betting licence.Status:Ireland has contemplated updating its legislation, which will create a comprehensive igaming regime, for some time. The Gambling Control Bill the legislation which promises to specifically regulate online gambling has been subject to continued delay and legislative progress is not expected in the short- to medium-term. Interim reform measures intended to modernise the regulation of gambling in Ireland entered into effect on 1 December 2020. In February 2021 draft legislation was published (by an opposition party) which, if passed, would restrict most forms of gambling advertising. According to the Department of Justices Justice Plan 2021, it is expected that in Q3 2021 a General Scheme of legislation to reform the licensing regime for gambling will be published.

ITALYRegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery.Operator type:Fully regulated market, although lotteries are the subject of a state monopoly.Status:Remote gambling licences are granted within specific application windows. The last tender process for applications closed on 19 March 2018. AGCOM, the Italian communications regulator, has issued sanctions against operators and media companies for violation of the gambling advertising ban (introduced in 2018). Measures to combat unlicensed gambling, including payment blocking measures, entered into effect in October 2019.A tax, which amounts to 0.5% on turnover, was introduced in 2020 on all bets on sporting events (including virtual sports) and is expected to remain in place until 31 December 2021. It is understood that Italian authorities are currently preparing a draft law on a 2023 licensing tender process that will reduce the number of available online licences to 40.

LUXEMBOURGRegulated gambling products:Lottery.Operator type:Monopoly.Status:The general prohibition on gambling appears sufficiently wide to cover all forms of online gambling.

MALTARegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery.Operator type: Private operators can apply for a local licence (except for lottery products).Status:In 2018, Malta approved a new Gaming Act that replaced all existing gaming legislation with a single piece of legislation, supplemented by secondary legislation. The Gaming Act, with directives and regulations, became effective on 1 August 2018.

NETHERLANDSRegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery.Operator type:Monopoly for all products.Status:The Remote Gambling Act, which introduced a new licensing regime, entered into force on 1 April 2021. Operators may now submit applications for a licence under the new regime. However, operators that have previously directly targeted the Dutch market will face a 33-month cooling-off period before being eligible for a licence. While applications have been accepted since April 2021, the market under the new regime is not anticipated to go live until 1 October 2021. In the interim, the regulator is expected to continue to implement enforcement measures against operators targeting Dutch players.

NORWAYRegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting and lottery.Operator type:Online gambling is reserved for the two monopoly providers, Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto.Status:The monopoly has extended its offering to include live betting, online bingo and casino games in an attempt to redirect traffic from unlicensed sites. The Norwegian regulator continues to step up enforcement efforts against unregulated operators, local banks and payment service providers. The government has passed amendments to try and stem the flow of gambling supply from offshore, including enhanced enforcement powers to prevent gambling advertising from abroad. Expanded payment blocking provisions entered into effect on 1 January 2020. Draft legislation consolidating Norways various gambling laws and further strengthening the regulators powers to address unlicensed gambling and the advertisement of the same was submitted to Norwegian parliament for debate and approval in June 2021.

POLANDRegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting, casino and poker.Operator type:Betting licences are available for companies with a representative in Poland. Casino and poker are reserved for a state monopoly.Status:Legislation enacted on 1 January 2012 permits betting. Online gaming (including poker) is no longer prohibited as of 1 April 2017, although the exclusive rights to offer such products are reserved for a state monopoly. Provisions that provide for the establishment of a blacklist of unlicensed operators and ISP and payment blocking came into force on 1 July 2017 and in February 2021 amendments to such provisions were the subject of parliamentary debate. The blacklist contains more than 1,000 domain names.

PORTUGALRegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery.Operator type:Any EU/EEA operator can apply to be granted a licence for online gambling. Lottery games and land-based fixed-odds sports betting remain reserved for a monopoly.Status:A regulated market since 2015. Although operators can apply for licences, their Portuguese revenue streams are subject to comparatively high tax rates, particularly in sports betting.Portugals 2020 Budget will implement changes to the current taxation rates applicable to selected gambling products offered online.

ROMANIARegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting, casino, bingo and lottery.Operator type:Any operator from an EU/EEA jurisdiction or the Swiss Confederation can apply for a licence. Lottery games remain reserved for the monopoly.Status:The Gambling Law (as amended) introduced a legal framework for a fully regulated online gambling market and requires licences to be held by online gambling operators, as well as software providers, payment processors, affiliates and testing labs. The secondary legislation that fully implemented the current licensing regime came into force on 26 February 2016. The gambling regulator actively polices the regime and notifies ISPs to block blacklisted websites. A legislative proposal to further amend the Gambling Law was submitted to the Romanian Senate in September 2020.

SLOVAKIARegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery.Operator type:Private operators can apply for licences for online casino and for sports betting licences. Lottery and bingo remain reserved for the monopoly provider.Status:The Gambling Law came into force on 1 March 2019. The Gambling Law allows private operators outside of Slovakia to apply for licences for sports betting and casino, although sports betting licences did not take effect until 1 July 2020.

SLOVENIARegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery.Operator type:Online gambling must be operated by land-based casinos or lotteries and, as a result, only the monopoly holds online licences in Slovenia.Status:The requirement that only land-based Slovenian operators are eligible for licences is considered by certain industry stakeholders to be incompatible with EU law. Draft amendments to the Gaming Act were published in 2015, which aimed to remove the current local establishment requirement. However, the proposal does not appear to have been submitted to parliament to date. Whether any proposed amendments will ultimately introduce an open licensing system remains unclear.

SPAINRegulated gambling products:Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery.Operator type:Private operators can apply for licences for all gambling products save for lottery.Status:Operators must hold a general licence and a specific licence, both issued by the National Gambling Commission, for each activity. Remote gambling licences are granted within specific application windows. The last tender process for applications closed on 18 December 2018.In November 2020, Spain introduced significant restrictions on gambling advertising, sports sponsorship and welcome bonuses.In July 2021, the Spanish regulator published for consultation a draft royal decree on responsible gambling that proposes the introduction of requirements on players to set spend limits prior to play. It is currently expected that the requirements will enter into force in July 2022.

SWEDENRegulated gambling products:Betting (including sports, horse race, pool, exchanges), casino, poker, bingo and lottery.Operator type:Licences are available for private operators.Status:As of 1 January 2019, Sweden is a fully regulated market. All gambling operators that wish to offer their services to Swedish residents will be required to obtain a licence in order to validly do so (either a betting licence or a commercial online games licence, depending on the product(s) being offered). Active enforcement measures are in place.Temporary regulations, which were introduced on 2 July 2020 in response to the Covid-19 crisis, restrict, among other things, deposit and loss limits (applicable to casino only) and total login time. The measures were initially due to be lifted by the end of 2020 and then by the end of June 2021; however, they will remain in place until at least 14 November 2021. In January 2021, the Swedish government opened a consultation on certain proposals, such as the prohibition of gambling advertising between 6am to 9pm and the introduction of a B2B licensing regime. In June 2021 the Swedish government also opened a further consultation on proposals to subject gambling advertising to similar requirements that are in place with respect to the advertising of alcohol.

Wiggin is a law firm dedicated to supporting the media, entertainment and gaming sectors. Its market-leading betting and gaming group provides specialist legal services to an array of gambling industry stakeholders. We advise many of the worlds leading gambling operators and suppliers and also enjoy helping entrepreneurial, interactive start-up businesses. If youd like to hear more, contact us at[emailprotected].

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The family of Lauren Spierer have informed police about a viral TikTok that theorizes what may have happened to the missing Indiana University student whose 2011 disappearance was detailed on popular true crime podcast "Crime Junkie."

We have seen the TikTok video, and while we do not believe it has anything to do with Lauren, it has been forwarded to the authorities, Charlene Spierer, Laurens mother, wrote in an update on Facebook days after a TikTok that alleged Lauren had been sighted garnered over 1 million views.

The video in question alleges that a woman resembling Lauren is involved in an online gambling game and accuses the game of being a front for human trafficking.

Lauren disappeared in the early hours of June 3, 2011 after a night of partying with friends in Bloomington, Indiana.

According to police and accounts from friends, she had gone to a sports bar with a group of male friends. She returned home briefly before going to one of the friends apartments.

The last photo of the college student, caught on surveillance camera, shows her smiling as she left her apartment that night.

Lauren, who was 20 at the time, then decided to walk home at around 4:30 am, according to witness accounts. She was never seen after leaving the friends apartment.

RELATED:Suspect Explains Exactly What Happened Inside Movie Theater Before Shooting TikToker Anthony Barajas & Rylee Goodrich

Lauren is reported to have been extremely intoxicated, and may have taken or been given drugs, on the night of her disappearance.

This led to a theory that she may have accidentally overdosed and her death was covered up by friends with her that night, while other theories imply she was abducted while walking back to her apartment.

In the video, a TikToker who goes by the handle @tythecrazyguy describes a theory that an online casino, Roobet, is holding women hostage and forcing them to work as dealers.

Its basically a virtual casino where you can bet money on these card games from your computer, and the dealers, who are mostly women, play against you live, the TikToker explains, Many people believe that theyre being overworked, drugged, or something in between.

Ty says that comparisons have been drawn between one of the women and Lauren. The woman in question wears a mask, possibly to hide her identity.

RELATED: Mom Shares Video Of 'Possessed' Teen Daughter Whose Drink Was Spiked With Drugs To Warn Others

The video also contains a clip of another female dealer appearing to pass out while at the tables. Men come along and drag the woman out on her chair, raising suspicions that these women are tied to their chairs and being forced to work.

Roobet is not available in the US and the exact location of the casino is not clear.

However, the company is registered in Curacao a Caribbean island according to their privacy policy.

Charlene shared an emotional post to Facebook on June 3 as she continued her bid to uncover the truth about her daughters disappearance.

The space that once held hopes and dreams for Lauren will never heal, she wrote It is replaced by an ache fueled by the not knowing.

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Corey Rossman: one of the last known people to see Spierer alive prior to her disappearance.

Daniel Messel: a man who was convicted of killing another IU student, Hannah Wilson, in 2016, and who has been "connected to several other incidents involving college-aged women who reported identical vehicle descriptions."

Jesse Wolff: Spierer's boyfriend at the time she went missing.

The Spierer family have a dedicated website used for gathering and sharing information about Laurens disappearance as well as to collect donations in order to continue their search.

RELATED: Teen Girl Fined For 'Wasting Police Time' By Reporting Her Stalker Then He Murdered Her

Alice Kelly is a senior news and entertainment editor for YourTango. Based out of Brooklyn, New York, her work covers all things social justice, crime, and human interest. Keep up with her Twitter for more.

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Mom Of Lauren Spierer Contacts Police Over Viral TikTok Video Claiming To Have Possibly Found Her After 10 Years - YourTango

The West Virginia sports betting market officially added a new online sportsbook on Thursday.

PointsBet Sportsbook WV is now available for download to all of those located in the Mountain State. The newest WV online sports betting app is the sixth to launch in the state.

This news comes about a week after WV sportsbooks introduced a new name to their selection. William Hill transitioned into the current Caesars Sportsbook WV.

PointsBet is now live and open for betting. Of course, those who join the online sportsbook can take full advantage of its amazing welcome offer.

New bettors can earn up to $2,000 in total risk-free bets when they create an account with PointsBet. Its offering two separate risk-free wagers, one for fixed odds up to $500, along with one for a PointsBetting bet for up to $1,500.

The online sportsbook might not be as recognizable as some other brands, but its growing within the US. WV becomes the seventh state where PointsBet is legal and regulated.

Its also active in New Jersey, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Colorado, and Michigan.

The online app joins WV under a license from the Hollywood Casino in Charles Town. DraftKings WV also services the retail establishment.

PointsBet is available for download today for both Apple and Android customers. The App Store, as well as the Google Play Store carry it, so getting it onto your device couldnt be easier.

The online sportsbooks release not only provides WV residents another quality app, but one of the better welcome bonuses in the state.

By using the promo code BETBONUS, youll be eligible to receive the $2,000 in risk-free bets.

Not only can you place a regular, fixed odds bet like you would at any other online sportsbook risk-free for $500, but you get lots more.

Bettors get another risk-free wager for a PointsBetting bet up to $1,500, too.

With this type of bonus, youll receive a full refund for your first bet with PointsBet, up to the certain amount listed for each. If you end up winning your opening wager, youll just keep your normal winnings.

PointsBets offer is slightly different than others because it actually allows you to split up your refunded free bets into two, three, or even four equal portions.

This allows you to spread out how you utilize the money as opposed to needing to put it all on one market.

It should be noted that any free bets you earn expire 30 days after theyre awarded. They will state when they are no longer valid.

For those unfamiliar with PointsBet, it brings a different twist to online sports betting. In addition to placing normal bets with set odds, you can submit PointsBetting bets that change based on the outcome.

This means that if your bet wins by a wide margin, youll collect more money, however, it also works the other way. If your bet does terribly and loses by a lot, you will lose more than you initially put down.

Essentially, the difference in the games outcome and the point spread acts as a multiplier for both positive and negative results. PointsBet lets you adjust your limits for the max win and loss for these wagers.

Outside of this great welcome offer, WVs newest operator gives new customers other promos, as well.

According to PointsBet, those in the state can use a special signup deal to receive a free bet even before making a deposit. All new users will earn a $20 free bet within an hour of creating an account.

So before you even commit to the online sportsbook, PointsBet is giving you the freedom to check out its product and bet some actual money.

Bettors who join the online sportsbook this weekend can also cash in on an additional promotion. With its Take Me Home boost, everyone using PointsBet has the ability to take +100 odds on any MLB team to score only one run for this Sunday, Aug. 15.

This is clearly a quality offer, as its probably more difficult to choose a team that wont score on that day.

PointsBet USA CEO, Johnny Aitken, discussed the operators latest expansion. He said:

Launching in West Virginia is a special moment for PointsBet and presents another tremendous opportunity we are excited to attack. As always, PointsBet will provide this passionate, sports-loving community with the fastest and most reliable online sports betting product across every customer touchpoint. We are thrilled to now introduce West Virginian sports bettors to PointsBets competitive advantages in owning our technology end-to-end, such as our unrivaled speed and ease of use as well as the deepest slate of betting options in the world for every NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, WNBA, and PGA TOUR contest.

This wont be the last time WV bettors hear some rumblings from the company, either. PointsBet also intends to launch its online casino in the Mountain State sometime soon.

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PointsBet Sportsbook Launches In WV To Become 6th Online Platform - Play WV

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iGaming aggregator and software provider Slotegrator has announced its participation in the Ukrainian Gaming Week, which will be held in Kyiv on September 14-15, after several reschedulings due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Slotegrator will be represented by the sales team managers at booth B7 on both days of the events, where it will showcase new solutions and products designed for boosting gambling platforms.

Participants of the UGK may also book a meeting with the companys managers to get insights into the Ukrainian market and learn more about new products and services available for online casino business.

UGW is entirely dedicated to issues related to the countrys entering into the gambling market. Participants and partners will attend the conference and introduce their latest findings within the industry, while providing expert opinion on the viability and sustainability of the Ukrainian market, its risks and strategies.

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Slotegrator to exhibit new solutions and products at the Ukrainian Gaming Week - Yogonet International

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

| Updated: Friday, August 13, 2021, 15:13 [IST]

India is one of the countries that have been hit the hardest by the global COVID-19 pandemic. This is a pandemic that saw the struggle and even downfall of many industries, particularly those that rely on physical location interactions. However, one such industry that managed to thrive during the pandemic is the gambling market. In particular, the online gambling industry has found much success as of late. It seems that it even managed to gain a more formidable footing over the course of the pandemic. In this article, we will go over just how the online casino industry managed to grow substantially over the past years and how it has stayed afloat in India despite the country's strict gambling laws.

As of the moment, the India IT Act is the only piece of legislation that regulates any kind of cyber operation in the country, including online gambling. However, there aren't any specific mentions or provisions that pertain to online gambling within the document itself. Right now, only the states of Sikkim, Diu, Goa, and Daman are allowed to establish legal land-based gambling operations. However, even within those mentioned states, the laws can differ from one another. While it seems that India's legislative process on regulating online gambling seems to be lagging behind, there are still a number of different factors that contribute to the rise of the industry in the country.

The first factor that needs to be taken into consideration is the advancement of mobile technology. More than most other countries in the world, India is known to be one of the most literate and capable when it comes to technology. This has led to many members of the Indian masses to gain access to mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. These are devices that are incredibly powerful and are becoming more accessible even to lower wage earners. As phones continue to get stronger and cheaper at the same time, more people will have access to devices that will allow them to participate in online gambling.

Again, as was previously mentioned, many industries suffered catastrophic losses over the course of the pandemic as people were forced to stay indoors and lock themselves down in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus. However, this also opened a window of opportunity for other industries to thrive. More specifically, online gaming became such a huge hit for people who were practically left with more time on their hands while staying cooped up at home.

In the age of digital information, the access to high-speed internet is becoming increasingly rampant. This, of course, has many implications in a variety of different industries, but it dramatically impacts the mobile gaming market especially. High-speed internet makes it a lot easier and more convenient for people to have access to high-quality gameplay wherever they are and at whatever time of day.

More than just the increased demand for online gaming, casino operators and game developers are doing their part in trying to outdo one another for market dominance. This has led to an increase in the quality of gameplay and user experience for many different gaming platforms on the internet. These casino operators are making it easier for potential gamblers to find them online. More importantly, they're making it more difficult for users to breakaway from their platforms due to the quality of the gameplay.

Lastly, India just happens to have one of the most vibrant markets when it comes to gambling. This further incentivizes investors and operators to make their services available to the Indian public. This is a nation with such a healthy relationship with gambling as a pastime. Aside from that, this is a market that has largely welcomed the integration of technology into their daily lives. It seemed like such a natural fit for the two institutions of tech and gambling to merge to create platforms that will ultimately benefit the gambling fans of India.

Moving forward, it doesn't look like the online gambling industry is going to slow down. This is going to place further pressure on the Indian government to come up with more modern and relevant legislation that will allow for operations of gambling institutions in India. There are far too many incentives to ignore when it comes to the potential tax revenues of such a thriving market.

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The Future of Online Gambling in India - Oneindia