Regulatory Compliance: Around the world in September

With ongoing legislative and regulatory changes in the gambling industry taking place all across the world, it is key that Altenar remains up to date with all of the latest developments.

In order to help all of our readers remain informed, we have compiled a list of the biggest updates and stories during September.

LICENSED COUNTRIES

ROMANIA

Advertising ban proposed

Romania’s National Liberal Party (PNL) announced, in the autumn parliamentary session, that a ban on gambling advertising is one of its main proposals.

Under current regulations, gambling advertising is only permitted on television between the hours of 11pm and 6am and during live sports broadcasts, yet there are no current limitations on online gambling advertisements.

UK

Demand for quick implementation of reforms

An early-day motion has been signed by a group of MPs calling for the “swift implementation” of the Gambling Reform White Paper.

Tabled on September 2, the motion stated “that this House notes with concern that the most recent regulations on gambling are from the Gambling Act 2005; considers the need for further affordability checks, levies and advertising limits following the rise of online gambling since 2005; and calls on the Government to act swiftly to implement the recommendations of the Gambling Reform White Paper 2023.”

The motion was signed by a total of seven MPs spread across several political parties.

New BGC boss

Grainne Hurst has started her role as the new CEO of the trade group Betting and Gaming Council (BGC).

Hurst, who previously spent almost a decade at Entain, has spoken of her focus on delivering the previously-mentioned White Paper, including:?

• A statutory levy to address problem gambling and related harms
• An Ombudsman for improved consumer redress
• Online financial risk checks carefully targeted on those at risk
• New stake limits for online slots
• Sports Sponsorship Code
• Modernisation proposals for the land-based casino sector

Read more

SWEDEN

Regulator outlines duty of care requirements

The SGA (Swedish Gambling Authority) has been granted the power to set detailed requirements for gambling licensees’ action plans for tackling excessive gambling. From the start of October, Swedish licensees must set out their duty of care for players.

Finance Ministry proposes right for betting licensees to process infringement information

A memorandum from the Finance Ministry has suggested that licensed betting operators should have the right to process personal data if it is necessary to review a game involving money. There are three aims to the proposal:

• Detect cheating, fraud and criminal activity.
• Report suspicious or abnormal betting patterns.
• Check and report if a player has participated in any betting violations in relation to match-fixing.

PERU

Warning for unlicensed operators

Peru’s gaming regulator MINCETUR has published a document outlining that all sports betting and remote gambling operators must be licensed following a transition phase.

The same document also states that any operators that continue to operate without a licence must cease operations in Peru with immediate effect, otherwise MINCETUR will initiate actions that lead to the closure of said establishments.

Selective consumption tax for online gaming and sports betting announced

Legislative Decree No. 1644 was approved on September 13 and extends the selective consumption tax (ISC) to include remote gaming and sports betting. The decree is in accordance with Law No. 31557.

?For foreign operators licensed in Peru, the decree applies to all bets carried out by players who have their habitual residence in Peru. A player will be deemed to have their residence in the country if any of the following occur:

• The player’s IP address is in Peru.
• Credit or debit cards, digital wallets or any other system for the support of electronic money are provided by companies under the Peruvian financial system.
• The address that the player registers on the individual technological platform for remote gaming/sports betting is in Peru.

CERTIFIED COUNTRIES

BRAZIL

Plans to block unlicensed operators

Brazil’s treasury has started the process of suspending operators that have not yet applied for a betting licence.

All players registered with an account for those operators will be given a 10-day window to withdraw funds before they are closed.

Despite the fact the regulated market is yet to launch, there has been plenty of press attention which has forced the treasury to act sooner than expected.

COLOMBIA

Regulator publishes draft technical requirements for virtual sports terminals

Colombian gaming regulator Coljuegos has posted draft regulations establishing technical requirements for land-based gaming machines that offer betting on racing and virtual sports.

The draft regulations outline parameters for key aspects of the machine including technological infrastructure and security protocols.

CZECH REPUBLIC

Guidance on ‘panic buttons’ and self-exclusion

The Czech Ministry of Finance has published a list of obligations for both land-based and online gambling operators.

• Operators must offer a ‘panic button’ (also known as a timeout button) which offers customers a 48-hour break from all types of gambling.
• Any customer who uses the ‘panic button’ will be added to the national register for self-exclusion.
• If a customer requests registration for self-exclusion (regardless of the use of a ‘panic button’) they will also be included in the national register.

In addition to the points outlined above, the guidance also outlines detailed information on:

• The display and design of the ‘panic button’ for both land-based and online gambling operators.
• The means of verifying a customer's real intent when they make use of the ‘panic button’ in a proportionate manner.
• The consequences of use of the ‘panic button’ for both the operator and customer.
• Long-term self-exclusion (one year) mediated by gambling operators at the customer’s request.

SPAIN

Technical requirements outlined for player verification

The Spanish gambling regulator (Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling) has published technical requirements for the web service used for player verification by online gambling operators.

The service can be used to verify the identity of Spanish residents, dates of birth and check the registry of self-exclusion. The DGOJ also provided a test environment, test games and the registration form required for the web service.

Spain notifies European Commission of new deposit limits

The following amendments have been proposed to the Royal Decree No. 1614/2011:?

• Deposit limits for online gambling players who hold several gambling accounts with different operators is to be limited to €600 per day and €1,500 per week (combined across all accounts).
• The Director General of the DGOJ will be responsible for the management of the system for joint deposit limits.

LATVIA

Draft law amendment to Gambling Act submitted

The Latvian Cabinet of Ministers has submitted draft law amendments with the aim of:?

• Increasing the gambling age from 18 to 21
• Implementing a monitoring system for at-risk players as of the start of 2025
• The introduction of personalised player smart cards
• Prohibiting online gambling for more than 21 hours in a single session and 24 hours in several sessions
• Mandatory visitor registration in gambling establishments
• Implementation of a unified information system that allows for data exchange with the gambling regulator

DENMARK

European Commission notified of online casino certification program and technical requirements for online casino and betting

The aim of the certification update is to ensure greater clarity on the requirements that licence holders and game suppliers must adhere to.

Set to come into effect as of January 1, 2025, the new certification program will become mandatory from July 2025 onwards.

The final version of the certification program, along with updated standard reports, will be published later this year.

NETHERLANDS

Tax hikes on gambling announced

On September 17, the budget was published by the Dutch government in which a two-step increase in gambling tax in 2025 and 2026 was outlined.

• Current betting and lottery tax: 30.5%
• From January 1, 2025: 34.2%
• From January 1, 2026: 37.8%

The taxes apply to entrepreneurs based in the Netherlands who organise games of chance or have an operating permit for gaming machines.

OTHER TERRITORIES

FINLAND

Government urged to rethink ban

The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has called on Finland’s government to rethink its ban on bonuses, affiliates, and social media marketing.

In a statement issued to the Finnish government, the EGBA argued that the ban on gambling adverts on social media and via affiliates would hamper their ability to compete against the black market.

The EGBA suggests that regulations should be introduced to govern and monitor affiliates and allow bonuses according to restricted rules linked to responsible gambling.

These suggestions are ahead of Finland’s proposed dismantling of its current gambling monopoly with the launch of a licensed market in 2027.

Read the EGBA statement?

ARGENTINA

Government inundated with restrictive advertising bills

In a continued effort to curtail gambling advertising in Argentina, a federal senator has presented a bill for a total ban on online sports betting and gaming operators from advertising in traditional media and on social networks.

In addition, Argentina’s federal Ombudsman’s office also submitted a proposed bill calling for a ban on all untargeted advertising and bonus offers.

Additional federal bills have also been submitted in Argentina with similar aims to limit advertising by banning bonus offers and any ads targeted at minors.?

CURA?AO

Regulator outlines licence fees and payment process for operators

The Cura?ao Gaming Control Board (GCB) has announced the licence fee costs and collection policy for online gaming operators.

The announcement comes as the government of Cura?ao continues to develop a complete reform and modernisation of its online gambling legislation.

The introduction of a new law ‘Landsverordening op de kansspelen’ (LOK) will aid the new reforms and in anticipation of LOK’s introduction, the Minister of Finance of Cura?ao will continue to issue licences under the current law, NOOGH.