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Why the Swiss voted to ban offshore gambling websites
The Swiss people have voted in favour of banning foreign-based gambling sites, which could prompt other countries follow suit As well.
For starters, Switzerland had proposed to ban foreign-based gambling sites with a new Gambling Act. In line with the countries law, a citizens’ referendum was held on June 10, 2018, for its approval or rejection. In the referendum, 72.9 per cent of Swiss voters supported the new gambling law – in other words, an overwhelming majority of the people were with banning offshore gambling websites. As a result, from next year onwards, only Swiss-certified casinos and gambling companies will be able to operate in the country – both offline and online.
Passed on September 29, 2017, the Swiss Money Gaming Act substitutes the existing gambling law which deals with casino games and betting lotteries. Under the new Act, the overall ban on online gambling is abolished. However, the only licensed land-based casinos in Switzerland can run gambling websites for the people in the country. Essentially, the Act bans foreign-based gambling sites.
The government maintains that the Act will help deal with gambling addiction as well as allow taxation on gambling revenues. The taxes collected from gambling revenues will be used for anti-gambling purposes, the government insists. On the other hand, not everyone supports the Act. According to Mobile Casino Hub, the changes introduced by the Act will “censor the internet”.
The Opposition Opines
The Young Liberals, the Green Party, the Pirate Party and the Digitale Gesellschaft all backed a petition for changes in the June referendum. Organisations had 100 days from October 2017 to gather 50,000 signatures, which would allow changing the referendum. Despite that opponents managed to gather all necessary signatures, however, they did not do so in schedule, and so the referendum remained unchanged.
According to the Young Liberals, the Swiss economy will be affected by these changes. In a statement posted on the party’s website, representatives said that the block of foreign sites in favour of domestic companies is not reasonable. Additionally, the freedom of business and information will also be affected after the law is enforced.
Young Liberals criticised the government’s decision, saying they set a “dangerous precedent” which allows for a further limitation of the Internet. All the act does, opposing organisations say, is removing unwanted competition.
In the end, Young Liberals proposed an alternative, which they dubbed a “sensible solution” – foreign-based betting sites should be regulated and subject to taxation.
Enforcement of the Swiss Money Gaming Act
Enforced next year, the law will be one of the most severe laws in Europe. While it will enable online betting, the law will ban all foreign-based gambling sites. The Act introduces other changes in gambling – it changes the legislation of poker tournaments outside casinos and even tackles non-taxable wins from games outside casinos.
Under the Act, small-scale poker tournaments outside of casinos are no longer illegal. However, they will be limited in terms of buyin and amount of participants. Additionally, small-scale poker tournaments are subject to a license.
The most controversial element of the Act—the ban of foreign-based sites—was heavily disputed over the past several months, with opposing organisations saying it puts a limit on the freedom of the Internet and interferes with personal rights. Despite severe criticism, the government maintains that such measures are necessary to protect Swiss players from unregulated gambling on foreign sites.
Help Fight Gambling Addition
Swiss players spend nearly 250 million Swiss francs on unregulated betting sites abroad, paying nothing to the Swiss government. With the enforcement of the Act in 2019, this “hemorrhaging” will be stopped. The government has said that not only will taxes from gambling revenues be used for anti-gambling purposes, but they also will be used to fund anti-addiction programmes.
Will Other Countries Follow Suit?
An important question emerges after the Swiss decision to ban foreign-based gambling sites – will other countries follow suit?
Currently, the UK government is trying to deal with problem gambling. Despite that UK has a self-exclusion scheme; it has been failing for years due to the liberal gambling market, which allows all sorts of gambling operators to offer services on UK ground.
Nevertheless, Norway is currently pushing for a ban on all foreign-based gaming companies. Several Norway organisations pushed for legislation that will block foreign betting operators, grant extended authority to the Lottery Authority, etc.
Essentially, these measures will block all sites belonging to foreign-based operators, creating a poker ban (Norsk Tipping—Norway’s national lottery and future gambling monopoly—does not offer poker). The proposed measures were accepted on May 7, 2018, and are likely to be adopted soon.
Source: techfinancials.co.za
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The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) on Tuesday, September 30, conducted an agency-wide orientation on the responsible use of Microsoft Copilot with governance safeguards in observance of Development Policy Research Month (DPRM).
Anchored on this year’s theme, “Reimagining Governance in the Age of AI,” the online session underscored the need to embrace artificial intelligence responsibly to ensure that innovation is balanced with accountability and transparency in the workplace.
The Microsoft Copilot Chat Masterclass was facilitated via Microsoft Teams by AI Workforce Specialist Christeen Padilla, with 98 employees from PAGCOR’s corporate offices and branches in attendance.
Padilla introduced Microsoft Copilot Chat, a secure AI-powered assistant designed to boost productivity through features such as drafting correspondence, summarizing reports, generating ideas, and answering work-related queries.
She also distinguished between the free Copilot Chat, which provides web-sourced responses, and the M365 Chat version, which delivers organization-specific replies.
Employees with an M365 Chat license can also access specialized tools such as Researcher, Analyst, Prompt Coach, Writing Coach, Idea Coach, Career Coach, Learning Coach, Surveys, and Microsoft 365 Admin.
Citing industry data, Padilla noted that 86 percent of AI-assisted chat application users in the Philippines had adopted Copilot in 2024, reflecting the country’s rapid shift toward AI-powered workplace solutions.
While highlighting Copilot’s potential to streamline tasks and improve efficiency, the orientation also placed strong emphasis on governance safeguards to ensure its responsible use. These include compliance with enterprise data protection standards, observance of organizational policies, and vigilance in distinguishing between web-based and internal data to protect sensitive information.
The post PAGCOR WORKERS BRIEFED ON SAFE USE OF AI CHAT TOOL appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Broadway Gaming, a leading provider of online bingo and casino, today announced the appointment of Mark Cleary as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Founder and outgoing CEO David Butler will assume the role of Executive Chairman.
The leadership transition marks a key milestone in Broadway Gaming’s growth journey, positioning the company for its next phase of scale and strategic development.
“Mark is a deeply respected leader who has helped shape the success of Broadway Gaming,” said David. “This transition has been carefully planned, and I have full confidence in his ability to lead the company forward. As Executive Chairman, I’ll continue to be actively involved in driving our long-term vision, partnerships and potential mergers and acquisitions.”
Mark has served as COO since 2018, overseeing operations, compliance, payments and HR. Under his leadership, Broadway Gaming has expanded its footprint across key markets and delivered sustained growth and engagement.
“I’m honoured to take on the CEO role and lead an exceptional team,” said Mark.
“Broadway Gaming has an exciting future ahead, and I’m committed to building on the strong foundations that David has laid to deliver even greater value for our players, partners, and people.”
Broadway Gaming will continue to focus on innovation, customer experience, and responsible gaming as core pillars of its long-term strategy.
The post Broadway Gaming Announces Leadership Transition as COO Becomes CEO appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Atlaslive, a leading B2B software company and iGaming platform provider, has entered into a partnership with Magnum, a financial institution in Brazil regulated by the Central Bank and focused on secure digital transactions.
This collaboration enables Atlaslive operators to offer an additional local payment option integrated directly into the Atlaslive platform. By doing so, it supports operators in regulated markets with secure, compliant, and fast payment flows tailored to Brazil.
“Expanding and diversifying payment access is central to our promise of flexibility,” said Milica Jovanovic, CBDO at Atlaslive. “By partnering with Magnum, we’re reinforcing our ability to help operators grow in Brazil with payment solutions that are reliable, transparent, and built for scale.”
Magnum, authorized by the Central Bank, brings proven expertise in digital banking and payment services. For operators, this means localized solutions aligned with Brazil’s financial regulations and digital economy.
“Joining forces with Atlaslive allows us to bring our technology to a wider network of operators,” said Mário Graziano, Head of Business Development. “We are excited to support secure, fast, and convenient payment journeys that align with Brazil’s evolving digital economy.”
The agreement reinforces Atlaslive’s growth in Latin America, where regulated payment options play a decisive role in compliance, licensing, and player trust.
About Atlaslive
Atlaslive is a B2B software company delivering a fully managed iGaming platform for regulated markets. Designed for fast launches, real-time control, and modular scalability, the platform supports operators across LATAM and EMEA.
About Magnum
Magnum SCD is a financial institution in Brazil authorized by the Central Bank to provide digital accounts, payments, and credit services. As a direct PIX participant and official Visa card issuer, Magnum enables instant and reliable transactions. Combining compliance, transparency, and innovation, Magnum offers payment infrastructure that supports sectors including betting, retail, and digital commerce.
This document is provided to you for your information and discussion only. This document was based on public sources of information and was created by the Atlaslive team for marketing usage. It is not a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any gambling-related product. Nothing in this document constitutes legal or business development advice. This document has been prepared from sources Atlaslive believes to be reliable, but we do not guarantee its accuracy or completeness and do not accept liability for any loss arising from its use. Atlaslive reserves the right to remedy any errors that may be present in this document.
About Atlaslive
Atlaslive, formerly known as Atlas-IAC, underwent a rebranding campaign in May 2024. It is a B2B software development company that specializes in creating a multifunctional and automated platform to optimize the workflow of sports betting and casino operators. Key components of the Atlaslive Platform include Sportsbook, Casino, Risk Management and Anti-Fraud Tools, CRM, Bonus Engine, Business Analytics, Payment Systems, and Retail Module. Follow the company on LinkedIn to stay updated with the latest news in iGaming technology.
The post Atlaslive Partners with Magnum to Expand Local Payment Access in Brazil appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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