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Cross Party Committee calls for Betting Tax Reforms

Published

3 years ago

June 30, 2022

Poland’s Ministry of Finance is under pressure from Members of Parliament to review how gambling tax is structured in the country. A cross-party committee has expressed concern over the current legislation and is looking to rekindle the licensed bookmaking sector of the economy. They want to see more income generated but believe the current taxation system is repressing growth in the industry.

The cross-party committee is compiled of members of Sejm. Sejm is the lower house of the national legislature of Poland. The committee represents Polish consumers and entrepreneurship. It has submitted a proposal calling on the Ministry of Finance to “abandon the 12% turnover tax applied to sports betting”.

The committee wants the country to adopt the tax system favoured by most EU member states. The standard system applied across the EU to tax gambling services is based on Gross Gambling Revenue (GGR). Poland’s current system is on total turnover.

The European Betting and Gambling Association are supportive of the move, and in a statement on their website, Martin Haijer, Secretary-General, said, “EGBA welcomes the ongoing discussions on the future of Poland’s online gambling regulation and supports changes to the tax base for online sports betting. The current turnover tax is punitively high and not conducive to a viable online gambling market that meets the needs and expectations of Polish players. Poland is a large gambling market and has a great love for sports, and a sensible GGR-based tax would be an incentive for virtually all Polish players to play with regulated websites and for more of Europe’s betting companies, including EGBA members, to consider applying for an online sports betting license. These companies would not only support Polish sports through sponsorships and other revenues, but also pay gaming taxes and contribute to a more viable market which is attractive to Polish bettors and offers them a safe and regulated environment to play in.”

Between 2011 and 2016, a liberalised online gambling market operated for betting and online casinos in Poland. However, following the election of Andrzej Duda’s PiS (Law and Justice Party) to Government, the sector was radically overhauled. As a result, the Treasury was sanctioned to implement radical reforms to Poland’s gambling codes. This led to the remodelling of the makeup of the market in 2017. The changes included the imposition of a 12% turnover tax across all the gambling verticals in the sports betting market. As a result, the activities of online casino gaming were restricted and the domain of the state monopoly in the sector, Totalizator Sportowy, was limited.

The changes in the legislation post-2017 required all licensed operators to have a physical presence in Poland and for the companies to log databases of their players with the Ministry of Finance. This led to many international operators, including William Hill, Olympic Entertainment Group, Bwin and bet365, ceasing to operate in Poland.

The Sejm Committee regards these reforms as regressive compared to other European nations and has urged the Ministry to reconsider its tax policies. The Polish sportsbook trade association, called the PIGBRiB, has previously lobbied the Government. The Sejm Committee has recommended that the Government implement the recommendation of taxing sportsbook activities on GGR and not turnover. The advice is to introduce a flat 22% rate of taxation on sportsbook GGR.

Members of the Sejm Committee are drawn from across the political spectrum. Poland is one of only six European nations that tax betting based on turnover, not GGR. The committee members believe that the current regime suppresses the potential tax-earning income of the sector. The EGBA has carried out independent calculations that show Poland’s 12% turnover tax is equivalent to around a 65% GGR tax rate. This means that, by comparison, Poland has one of the highest online sports betting taxes in the EU.

There was also a question by the committee as to whether the size of the market could be accurately calculated, given that the current data is based on taxed income and not gross proceeds.

Wladimir P.

Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)

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PAGCOR WORKERS BRIEFED ON SAFE USE OF AI CHAT TOOL

Published

1 day ago

October 3, 2025

George Miller

Reading Time: < 1 minute

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 Announces Leadership Transition as COO Becomes CEO

Published

2 days ago

October 3, 2025

George Miller

Reading Time: < 1 minute

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 Partners with Magnum to Expand Local Payment Access in Brazil

Published

2 days ago

October 3, 2025

George Miller

Reading Time: 2 minutes

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.

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