Compliance Updates
Ireland’s New Gambling Regulator to Begin Work on Phased Basis Next Year
Ireland’s new gambling regulator is likely to begin overseeing betting businesses in the Republic midway through next year, industry figures predict.
President Micheal D Higgins recently signed the new Gambling Regulation Act, which overhauls licensing and creates a new authority to govern betting firms, into law. Industry figures forecast that the new regime should begin operating midway through next year, a key point for many businesses as they will have to renew online betting licences by that time.
Government also has to pass several milestones before the new Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland can start functioning, including appointing the seven people the body requires.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee appointed senior civil servant Anne Marie Caulfield as chief executive designate of the authority in summer 2022. Her office has 11 staff. According to the Department of Justice, the State’s Public Appointments Service will shortly begin recruiting the authority’s seven members.
The Minister will appoint the candidates the service recommends.
The department could not say when the authority would start regulating but noted this would happen in a phased “timely manner” after its establishment.
Jack Chambers, Minister for Finance, earmarked €9.1 million for the authority next year in this month’s budget. That includes €4 million for technology.
Ms Caulfield wrote to industry organisations last week confirming that her organisation would begin its work on a “phased basis” but pointing out that it has already completed many preparations. In a statement she said that the authority was committed to keeping the industry fully informed so businesses can “plan for the new regulatory regime”.
Meanwhile, the Public Service Appointments Service last week advertised for someone to head the authority’s social fund. Under the new law’s provisions, betting businesses will contribute to this fund which the authority will use to tackle problem gambling.
Betting businesses regard the fund’s establishment as one of the key steps towards establishing the new regime.
Alongside that, they say that the authority will also have to set up its new licensing system. The law demands that all gambling businesses operating in the Republic be licensed and makes it a criminal offence to operate without a proper permit.
Lawyers at Arthur Cox recently noted that current permits are preserved until licensing sections of the act come into force. Existing high street and online bookies’ licences will have a run-off period, but lawyers said that how this would work in practice depended on how the regulator developed the new system.
Betting businesses are keen that the authority works on a national self-exclusion register for customers who voluntarily ask bookmakers not to take their bets. Currently, most individual bookies have systems where customers who fear they have a problem, or are at risk, can exclude themselves in this way.
The post Ireland’s New Gambling Regulator to Begin Work on Phased Basis Next Year appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The Wyoming Gaming Commission has approved Wyoming’s first mile-long horse racing track for 16 live race dates in 2025, as well as simulcasting and related activities. While the first racing season at Thunder Plains Park will feature temporary structures, the essential components, including barns, racing officials’ tower, video patrol towers, and spectator areas, will be in place.
The track, located 10 miles east of Cheyenne at Thunder Plains Park, will host its inaugural race day on Friday, August 1, 2025, with additional race days to follow on August 2, 3, 8-10, 15-17, 22-24, 29-31 and September 1. Dates are subject to change per the Wyoming Gaming Commission.
With its convenient location along I-80, the track is set to draw racing fans from neighboring states in the mountain west region, as well as local fans from Cheyenne and surrounding areas.
“As a fifth-generation Wyomingite, being able to bring this track to our state carries a lot of meaning,” said Ryan Clement, managing partner at Thunder Plains. “Thunder Plains sees an incredible opportunity to create a positive impact not only on the Wyoming horse racing industry but also the area’s economy, in terms of new job opportunities and tourism revenue.”
Through partnerships with elite industry veterans and horsemen, Thunder Plains looks forward to bringing high-quality, high-caliber racing to Laramie County.
“We’ve established a strong partnership with 1/ST, North America’s preeminent Thoroughbred racing, entertainment and pari-mutuel wagering company,” said Clement. “They’ve set the standard for horse safety across the nation, and we’re looking forward to bringing that strong emphasis on safety and track protocols to Wyoming.”
Of the partnership with Thunder Plains, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY’s Senior Vice President Jeff True said he sees exciting opportunities ahead.
“1/ST has a long history of operating premier racetracks and premier racing events across the country. We are thrilled to be entering the Wyoming horse racing market together with our local Wyoming partners, and we look forward to lending our expertise to help grow Wyoming horse racing.”
For all simulcasting operations, 1/ST will leverage the expertise of its affiliates at Monarch Content Management, AmTote International, and PariMAX.
“Our racetrack will be operated with numerous horse safety and welfare protocols in place,” Clement said. “The track itself, being a mile long and eighty feet wide, dramatically improves horse and rider safety. Throughout track design and construction, we collaborated with Dennis Moore, a renowned track surface specialist, to ensure the safest, most high-quality racing surface.”
Moore’s professional history includes designing and building world-class racetracks across the county, as well as consulting on track safety projects at racetracks across the country and around the world. Moore’s projects have included the racing surfaces at Santa Anita Park, Del Mar, Lone Star Park, Remington Park and in Dubai, among others.
Future plans at Thunder Plains Park include building a regional equestrian center and establishing a high-altitude horse training and breeding program.
CT Interactive has achieved A1 Supplier Certification in Greece, awarded by the Hellenic Gaming Commission. This significant milestone underscores the company’s strategic commitment to expanding its presence in regulated European markets. The A1 certification enables CT Interactive to offer its top-tier gaming portfolio to licensed operators across Greece.
Focused on enhancing the player experience, CT Interactive delivers a meticulously curated selection of games that have proven successful in the market, including titles like Win Storm, Lucky Clover, The Big Chilli, Chilli Fruits and many others. By prioritising quality and player satisfaction, each game is designed to provide immersive, engaging experiences.
Continuously evolving to meet player preferences and utilising cutting-edge technology, CT Interactive ensures a seamless and rewarding gaming journey. This commitment not only fosters long-term player loyalty but also reinforces the company’s dedication to creating lasting value while maintaining the highest standards of performance and entertainment.
The post CT Interactive Achieves A1 Certification for Greece appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has confirmed that three Nigerian tennis players have been sanctioned for breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme (TACP).
The sanctions are linked to a criminal case heard in 2023 involving a match-fixing syndicate in Belgium. Collaboration between the ITIA and Belgian authorities led to a five-year custodial sentence for the leader of the syndicate, Grigor Sargsyan.
The three players’ cases were ruled on by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO) Amani Khalifa.
35-year-old Henry Atseye, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 1518 in September 2015, admitted to six breaches of the TACP across 2017 and 2018. The player admitted to collaborating with Karim Hossam (who was issued a lifetime ban in 2018) to commit corruption offenses, including facilitating wagering and contriving the outcome of three matches.
Atseye was issued a suspension of two years and six months, alongside a fine of $10,000. The suspension began on 14 October 2024, and will end on 13 April 2027.
Sylvester Emmanuel and Christian Paul did not respond to ITIA charges, effectively accepting liability and acceding to sanctions, as outlined under section G.1.e of the TACP.
26-year-old Emmanuel, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 1097 in December 2016, and 29-year-old Paul, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 1257 in May 2016, were found liable for six breaches of the TACP across 2017 and 2018 – including facilitating wagering, contriving the outcome of matches, receipt of money and failure to report corrupt approaches.
Emmanuel and Paul were issued suspensions of three years, alongside fines of $10,000. The suspensions began on 6 November 2024, and will end on 5 November 2027.
During their periods of ineligibility, the players are prohibited from playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA (ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, Fédération Française de Tennis Wimbledon and USTA) or any national association.
The ITIA is an independent body established by its tennis members to promote, encourage, enhance and safeguard the integrity of professional tennis events worldwide.
The post Three Nigerian Tennis Players Suspended Under Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
ELA Games Signs Exciting Partnership with Rootz to Introduce Its Portfolio to New Audiences
Wyoming’s First Mile-Long Racetrack Set to Launch in the Mountain West
CryptoWins Celebrates One-Year Milestone with Birthday Month Bonuses and New Slot Launch: Wild Alaska
BetMGM Debuts 2024 Emirates NBA Cup Original Bets Sweepstakes
Jackpot.com Announces Exclusive Collaboration with 7-Eleven Inc.
MGM Resorts Teams with USO and American Airlines for 14th Annual Salute to the Troops at Mandalay Bay
Evoplay enters Czech market with exclusive Fortuna collaboration
Spinomenal celebrates Halloween with Book of the Cursed release
EveryMatrix launches EveryMatrix Effect campaign
ComeOn Group adds sportsbook to its offering in Ontario
-
gaming2 years agoODIN by 4Players: Immersive, state-of-the-art in-game audio launches into the next generation of gaming
-
EEG iGaming Directory8 years ago
iSoftBet continues to grow with new release Forest Mania
-
News7 years ago
Softbroke collaborates with Asia Live Tech for the expansion of the service line in the igaming market
-
News6 years ago
Super Bowl LIII: NFL Fans Can Bet on the #1 Sportsbook Review Site Betting-Super-Bowl.com, Providing Free Unbiased and Trusted News, Picks and Predictions
-
iGaming Industry7 years ago
Rick Meitzler appointed to the Indian Gaming Magazine Advisory Board for 2018
-
News6 years ago
REVEALED: Top eSports players set to earn $3.2 million in 2019
-
iGaming Industry7 years ago
French Senator raises Loot Boxes to France’s Gambling Regulator
-
News7 years ago
Exclusive Interview with Miklos Handa (Founder of the email marketing solutions, “MailMike.net”), speaker at Vienna International Gaming Expo 2018
