Monthly Archives: May 2020

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Brand new partnership between the bookmaker and Udemy platform to offer thousands of virtual lessons with which workers will be able to increase professional skills and cultivate personal interests and goals

From Leadership & Managementto yoga, fromMarketingtoData Science, throughguitarlessons anddesigncourses, tophotography,pilatesand even courses to pilot adrone. These are just some of the contents available to employees ofSKS365, one of the leading operators in the international betting and gaming market, in Italy with thePlanetwin365brand.

Almost500 workerslocated betweenItaly,Austria,SerbiaandMalta, all currently remote working due to the global health pandemic Covid-19. Despite the general situation of uncertainty, the company continues to invest in their workforces learning activity, providing courses useful not only for skills development for advancement and professional career, but also to improve or deepen ones hobbies and personal interests. More than 4,000 courses on demand, some with the possibility of obtaining a true certification according to the area, all available on a single platform:Udemy, one of the most famous and rich marketplaces in the world.

Moving towards the learning culture is recognized to both, bring high value to the people and ensure long term sustainability of the companies. In SKS365 we definitely aim to embrace this culture. We know we are there when learning is no longer one more must on top of our busy schedules, but the way we approach things, an intrinsic need saidMilena Milosevic, HR Director On our path towards the learning culture we wanted to provide to our people learning that is exciting, diverse, available anytime and anywhere shaped by todays people needs. We recognized Udemy for Business as a great platform and partner.Message is simple Learn for your job, learn for yourself, learn music or graphic design, programming, leadership skills and much more. I find it beneficial because we can really explore what we want to learn personally, and professionally.

SKS365had embarked in 2019 on a process of inclusion and integration aimed at employees, through the publication of thecompany culture book available online and open to all on web a sort of corporate manifesto with which management has undertaken to enhance the relationship with human resources not only in words, but also witheconomic bonuses,extra benefitsandmeasures for balancing work and private life.

This period of strict isolation redefines the dynamics of work and interaction, risks distancing the employees from their company commentedBrianDean,CPOandHead of CommunicationofSKS365This is an unprecedented and sudden situation, which will leave a sign on all of us and will say a lot about how the relationship with the people was approached, not only in terms of technical support and role guarantee, but also as a presence, stimulus and involvement. We thought of the best way to invest in our resources, in their growth, extending attention not only to their working position, but also to their attitudes and passions. Each of them will know how to find their favourite courses among the countless contents offered by Udemy for Business.

The agreement withUdemyfor e-learning on demand enrichestraining, updating programs and, above all, concretizes the commitment that has always been declared to encourage the cultivation of individual passions and personal fulfilment even away from PCs and desks.

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NSoft offers BlueOcean Gaming's content to its full web clients - European Gaming Industry News

In conjunction with Chris Elliott and Beth French of Wiggin LLP, iGB provides a regulatory snapshot of igaming across Europe. Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden are among those updated for this edition, with a number of these related to the Covid-19 pandemic

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.

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 place. 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 new betting law, which entered into force in March 2019, replaces the 2012 Betting Law. The provisions of the new 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).An overhaul to player protection measures has been proposed by the betting regulator.

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 new gambling regulatory regime entered into force in the Czech Republic on 1 January 2017, allowing 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 regulator has introduced new marketing regulations, effective from 1 April 2020.

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 main 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. The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority recently published a report criticising the existing regime, citing failures of the current monopolistic system that arguably raise questions over the regimes compatibility with EU law.Maximum loss limits have been lowered by government decree until 30 September 2020 (applicable to monopoly provider Veikkaus Oy) in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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. Ordinance 2019-1015, which was published in the French Official Journal in October 2019, amends the existing gambling legislation and establishes a new regulatory authority, Lautorit Nationale des Jeux, for land-based and online gambling(said to be effective from Spring 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.

GERMANYRegulated gambling products: Schleswig-Holstein, a small northern-German state, regulates sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino and bingo. The other 15 states of Germany currently permit only sports betting and horse race betting.Operator type: 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). In the other 15 states, 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,albeit the licensing process has been suspended following a ruling of Administrative Court of Darmstadt in April (currently the subject of appeal).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 have resulted in the approval of the 3rd Amendment Treaty which, following ratification on 18 December 2019, entered into force on 1 January 2020. The 3rd Amendment Treaty removes the limit on the number of sports betting licences and re-introduces a sports betting licensing process. The ban on online casino remains in place, although there is an exception to the prohibition for S-H. An increase in enforcement action is expected now the 3rd Amendment Treaty is in effect.On 12 March 2020, the German prime ministers approved the new Interstate Treaty on Gambling which proposes to allow private operators to obtain a licence to offer online slots for the first time (although stringent restrictions, such as stake limits, are expected to be implemented). The Treaty, which is scheduled to enter into force from 1 July 2021, still needs to be ratified by state parliaments before becoming law.Enforcement action continues, including a recent interdiction order issued to a payment services provider.

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. Licensed operators are prohibited from allowing consumers to use credit cards to gamble (including online and land-based gambling with the exception of non-remote lotteries) as of 14 April 2020. The GC is set to consider the introduction of stake limits online, with a decision to be made within the next six months.Members of the Betting and Gaming Council, a UK trade group, have agreed to stop TV and radio advertising during the coronavirus lockdown.

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 24 transitional licences for private operators remain active, with all products permitted.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 will introduce an open licensing regime for online betting and other online games, including casino and poker, entered into force on 30 October 2019.The new regime was not implemented by 31 March 2020 as was originally envisaged. As a result, the regulator confirmed that transitionally licensed operators could continue to offer their services under temporary licences provided such operators had submitted an application for a permanent licence prior to 31 March 2020.

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.

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, recently issued its first sanction against an operator for violation of the advertising ban (introduced in 2018). New measures to combat unlicensed gambling, including payment blocking measures, entered into effect in October 2019. The 2020 Budget Law provides for the organisation of a tender for the issuance of licences by 31 December 2020 it is understood there will be 40 licences available for online gambling.

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 has 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 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 Bill, intended to introduce a new regime, is expected to enter into force on 1 January 2021, with a six-month window for licence applications. It is understood that operators that have directly targeted the Dutch market will face a 30-month cooling-off period before being eligible for a licence. Full implementation of a licensing regime is not expected until 1 July 2021, albeit local experts consider this target increasngly unlikely. 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 proposed legislative changes to 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.

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 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. 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.The Portuguese government has instituted legislation that imposes a partial or total ban on online gambling for the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic. The legislation does not state the specifics on the limitations, but it is understood that it will apply to online casino only (if implemented).

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. After some delay, the secondary legislation that fully implemented the new licensing regime came into force on 26 February 2016. The gambling regulator actively polices the regime and notifies ISPs to block blacklisted websites.

SLOVAKIARegulated gambling products: Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery.Operator type: Private operators can apply for licences for online casino as of 1 March 2019 and for sports betting licences from 1 July 2019. Lottery and bingo remain reserved for the monopoly provider.Status: A new 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 will not be operational until at least 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 April 2020, Spains government introduced restrictive measures on the offer of bonuses and advertising gambling for the duration of the countrys lockdown during the Covid-19 crisis.

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.Proposed regulation, which is set to be introduced on 1 June 2020 in response to the Covid-19 crisis, will introduce restrictions on, among other things, deposit and loss limits and total login time. The measures are expected to be in place until the end of 2020.

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 gambling@wiggin.co.uk.

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Wiggin European regulation roundup May 2020 - iGaming Business

The City of Kamloops is looking for ways in which it could boost its city coffers with gaming revenue, a situation that requires more flexibility, as well as brand new arrangements. Kamloops Mayor Ken Christian recently confirmed that the city has commenced a conversation with the British Columbia government regarding bagging a percentage of the online gaming revenue locals generate.

Right now online gaming is widely popular across the province of British Columbia, as well as across Canada. Players are advised to practice social distancing and explore the gaming offerings available online. They are powered by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation and are available on its premium online platform called PlayNow.com. The gaming revenue generated via online gaming is considerable.

Municipalities across the province have their brick-and-mortar casino locations shut down and no gaming revenue flows into the city coffers. This interferes with the larger projects on a local level, as well as the budget set in stone earlier this year. Kamloops officials want to see the online revenue distributed across the province of British Columbia now that brick-and-mortar casino venues are not welcoming patrons on a daily basis.

Coun. Arjun Singh was the first to talk on the subject making it clear that many Kamloops locals currently gamble online and fuel the British Columbia Lottery Corporation. They have more free time on their hands and this allows them to explore the online gaming offerings the Crown corporation has up for grabs. The online gaming revenue could end up supporting their local communities, as Coun. Singh made it clear in April.

British Columbias Attorney Generals office made it clear that the change must be formally requested by the municipalities interested in bagging a percent of the revenue in question. Then both parties have to approve the new arrangement. Kamloops Mayor Ken Christian is currently engaging in this milestone conversation with the provincial government.

Brick-and-mortar casinos and gambling halls to the likes of Cascades in Aberdeen, Chances in Brocklehurst, Cascades Casino Kamloops, and Chances Casino Kamloops are expected to be the last businesses to relaunch operation in the summer months of 2020. They would have to implement various measures promoting social distancing and protecting the health of patrons frequenting them.

The preparation period ahead of the reopening is expected to take longer than the quick shutdown mid-March. Kamloops is eligible for a 10 percent of the gaming revenue of the casino hotspots in the municipality. Kamloops solely bagged some CA$2.5 million over the course of the 2018/2019 fiscal year. Projections are that the city coffers would experience a strong hit when the next casino revenue allocation makes its way.

The upcoming four months are expected to bring loss of about CA$2 million now that the two casinos are closed for business. Some of the local projects that have been postponed are the second construction phase of McArthur Island community park, infrastructural work on Victoria Street, as well as work related to the museum facility. Casino cash was also supposed to support renovation work on the Old Courthouse.

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Kamloops Readies for Online Gaming Revenue Allocations - Casino Reports

With the state of New Jersey under a stay-at-home order until further notice, Atlantic City casinos remain shuttered.

While this is a huge blow for the gambling industry, thankfully, New Jersey online casinos provide another revenue stream for the gaming companies.

AC casinos saw an instant impact on their bottom line. Before the closure, casinos enjoyed a 21-month streak of revenue growth.

During the first month of the lockdown, the casinos saw a 47% drop from March of last year. However, despite the decline, online gaming revenue saw an increase of over 65% from that period.

David Schwartz, a gambling historian with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, told KRCR News that the deep declines were expected.

While there will be some revenue coming in from online sources, the cessation of live casino gaming caused numbers to sharply plummet, and they will take some time to increase, even after the shutdowns end.

The $64.8 million that was earned through online gaming during the first month of the quarantine is a nice buffer. The casinos certainly welcome the revenue during these trying times.

However, when we factor in the $124 million in total gambling revenue lost, it shows a bleaker outlook for the casinos.

The longer that the brick-and-mortar casinos remain closed, the harder it will be for the corporations that own them to reopen.

With that being said, the online casinos that bring more to the table in regards to customer acquisition will be better equipped to weather the storm.

Memorial Day weekend, which is the kickoff to summer and Atlantic Citys biggest money-making season, is about a month away. If the casinos have any chance of surviving, they need to reopen around this time in some fashion.

Of course, that means a plan that involves any and all social distancing and cleaning guidelines. Only relying on online casino revenue will become less and less feasible as months go by.

Two major employers in South Jersey, AtlantiCare and the Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ), announced a battle plan last week.

CANJ President Steve Callender spoke to NJBIZ about the plan.

We want Atlantic City to be ready to open as soon as the government determines it is appropriate to do so.

That is why we are working with our regional health care provider to develop a comprehensive plan that ensures our properties are prepared and ready to reopen when the stay-at-home order is lifted.

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New Jersey Online Casinos Have Big Shoes To Fill With AC Casinos Closed; Can They Do It? - Play NJ

Each week,CasinoBeatsbreaks down the numbers behind some of the industrys most interesting stories. The latest edition features a UKGC gambling related-harm injection, removal of adverts and the urging of Swedish proposals to be reversed.

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TheUK Gambling Commissionis making 9m in funds from regulatory settlements available toGambleAwarein a bid to boost the resilience of gambling harm treatment services during COVID-19.

After receiving $27m in penalty packages since January of this year alone, the charity and its partners are to use the windfall to help ensure treatment and support services can continue to operate effectively and withstand additional pressures brought by the outbreak.

This follows research undertaken by the regulator that indicated an overall fall in gambling participation since lockdown commenced, however concern was raised over evidence of an increase in the use of certain gambling products such as online slots, poker, casino gaming and virtual sports.

Furthermore, it was also said that funds will help to address any increase in demand for such services, support the move of services to alternative models of delivery, such as online, as well as building resilience in the treatment and support system during the uncertainty.

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TheEuropean Gaming and Betting Associationhas urged Swedish decision makers to withdraw proposals that would see further restrictions imposed on the countrys online gambling market.

Calling on the country not to exacerbate an already harmful unregulated gambling problem and jeopardise consumer protection even further, the comments follow the publication of a new study undertaken byCopenhagen Economics.

Published this week by Swedens online gambling trade associationBranschfreningen fr Onlinespel, it found that 22-28 per cent of online casino gambling and 15-20 per cent of sports betting is unregulated, higher than the previous official estimates.

Online gambling is a consumer-driven market and customers will shop-around for better value, bonuses and products and even look outside the regulated market to find these,Maarten Haijer, secretary general of the EGBA.

Significant numbers of Swedes already gamble in the unregulated market and the proposed restrictions to the regulated market will encourage more to do so. For these reasons, black-market companies will be the only people celebrating the restrictions.

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Members of theBetting and Gaming Councilhave agreed to the voluntary removal of all gaming product advertising on TV and radio during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Despite a drop of ten per cent in advertising spend and the volume of TV sport and casino advertisements,BGCmembers have made the decision that all existing TV and radio advertising slots will be replaced by safe gambling messages, donated to charities or removed from broadcast where contracts permit.

Operators have until May 7 to implement the changes which will remain in force for six weeks and at a minimum until June 5 of this year. This voluntary change will apply 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will only be reviewed when lockdown restrictions are relaxed.

BGC chief executive Michael Dughercommented on the removal: From day one of this crisis we have sought to protect customers potentially at risk, including announcing stepping up safer gambling measures as part of our ten pledges for COVID-19 in March.

This latest move by the regulated industry further underlines our commitment to safer betting and gaming with many people cut off and feeling anxious.

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The Danish Gambling AuthoritySpillemyndighedenhas been successful in taking action to block a further 16 websites from the market after bringing fresh action to the District Court.

Taking the total number of successful actions against illegal entities to 90 since 2012, this becomes the sixth time that the authority has gone to court to have illegal websites blocked that, without a licence, offer betting, online casino and skin betting to Danes.

The Spillemyndigheden stipulates that initially 17 entities were identified, however, one provider stopped the illegal provision before the case was conducted. Those blocked included seven online casinos as well as seven skin betting and two betting portals.

In a media release the regulator maintains that efforts to find and block sites that offer gambling illegally are an important part of its work to ensure a fair and legal gambling market in the country.

We work to protect players against illegal gambling, and we also need to ensure that the operators who are licensed to offer gambling in Denmark can run their businesses under orderly conditions. That is why it is very important for us to clamp down on gambling offered without a licence, stateddirector of the Danish Gambling Authority Morten Niels Jakobsen.

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Swedish concerns, UKGC injection and Danish blocks: The week in numbers - Casino Beats

The former Argentine forward played alongside the Brazilian at PSG and insists that his ability with the ball made him "different" to any other player

Martin Cardetti sayshe would choose former Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Ronaldinho over Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi.

Ronaldinho enjoyed a stellar career with PSG, Barca, AC Milan and Brazil, winning the 2005 Ballon d'Or, World Cup, Champions League and La Liga among other honours.

Messi - regarded as arguably the greatest footballer ever - has claimed a record six Ballons d'Or to go with 10 La Liga crowns, four Champions League medals and many more team trophies and personal accolades.

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But Cardetti, who spent a season playing alongside Ronaldinho at PSG before the Brazilian moved to Barca in 2003, told Crack Deportivo: "As a coach, for my team I would chooseRonaldinhoat his best overMessi.

"I shared a year withRonaldinhoand he is a different player, he's touched by God.

"He always had fun; with the ball he was always doing things and he practiced a lot so that he could replicate those things in matches."

On Ronaldinho, Argentinian Cardetti added: "You see him in training, in matches and every move he makes is different from everyone.

"Players like him appear very rarely and they are remembered in football history.

"I'm proud to have been a team-mate of that kind of player."

Ronaldinho has been in the news of late after heand his brother Roberto Assis were arrested in Paraguay in early Marchfor allegedly using fake documents to enter the country.

After spending a monthin prison, a judgedecided that the duo can live in a hotel inAsuncion while they await trial on their charges.

Speaking to Paraguayan television networkABC Colorfrom the Palmaroga hotel in the Paraguayan capital, the 40-year-old former Brazilinternational insists they came to the country to be at the launch of an online casino.

Former Ballon dOr winner Ronaldinho, part of Brazils 2002 World Cup-winning squad, said the entire situation had been hard to takeand he was working with the police to try and resolve matters.

He said: "We were totally surprised to learn that the documents were not legal. Since then our intention has been to collaborate with the justice system to clarify the facts.

"From that moment until today, we have explained everything and facilitated everything that has been requested of us."

Speaking of the moment he was told he was going to jail, Ronaldinho said: "It was a hard blow, I never imagined that I would go through such a situation. All my life I have sought to reach the highest professional level and bring joy to people with my football."

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'Touched by God' Ronaldinho is better than Messi - Cardetti - Goal.com