Read the latest in Dutch and international gaming news.

Fire Destroys Holland Casino Groningen

Early Sunday morning, a devastating fire completely destroyed the Holland Casino branch in the Dutch city of Groningen.

“It is a black day for Holland Casino Groningen,” a company spokesperson said. “Fortunately, there were no casualties and all alarm systems worked as intended. Thanks to the quick response of the emergency services, more destruction was prevented.”

As of yet, it is unclear how much cash money, if any, was destroyed in the fire.
The casino operator has already announced it will be looking for a new location in the city. In the mean time, some of the staff that is employed in Groningen will be transferred to the nearest Holland Casino branch in Leeuwarden.

The Groningen branch of Holland Casino, which opened in 1988, has had an eventful history.

Bookmakers Win Big on Mayweather-McGregor Fight

Bookmakers won big in the early hours of Sunday morning as Floyd Mayweather outclassed Conor McGregor, despite around 80% of punters backing the Irishman to pull off the upset.

A Kindred Group spokesperson stated the fight entered the firm’s top 10 highest ever events in terms of turnover.

Paddy Power’s Lee Price said: “It was the biggest betting event of the year.”

Betway’s Head of PR Alan Alger commented on the event: “The bet count throughout Saturday was similar to if a major football final was taking place that evening.”

“Some of the early rounds for McGregor had liabilities that would have produced a record loss on any market we’ve ever offered. Thankfully, in the end, we couldn’t have picked a better outcome. It was one of the busiest and most profitable events in the history of the company.”

Regulatory Uncertainty Could Drive Further UK Gambling Industry Consolidation

British gambling groups could be preparing for a fresh round of consolidation as the industry braces itself for further regulatory crackdowns from UK authorities, The Financial Times observed in response to the failed merger talks between GVC Holdings and Ladbrokes Coral.

Online gambling group GVC Holdings approached Ladbrokes Coral in recent weeks with a takeover offer worth as much as £3.6bn to create one of the world’s largest betting companies. However, the UK government’s prospective review of FOBT wagering, made it hard for GVC to make a straight-up offer for Ladbrokes Coral.

Upcoming Events

The following upcoming events may be of interest to members of the GiH community.

• On 12 September, the World Regulatory Briefing London 2017 will take place at the OXO2 conference center. WrB London 2017 will focus on responsible gambling politics, technology, and commercial strategy. The event’s latest agenda is available here. UK Gambling Commission Executive Director Tim Miller previews his appearance at WrB Responsible Gambling Innovation here.
• SBC Events’ Betting on Sports Conference is set to take place on 12-15 September at the Olympia Conference Center in London. The conference will feature an impressive 165 speakers across 44 sessions and focuses on everything related to sports and betting, including leadership, legislation, marketing, innovation, and “super affiliates.” Members of the GiH community are offered a 25% discount if they use the promotional code GIH25 when registering.
• Eurocoin Gaming is organizing two invitation-only open days on 14 and 15 September at its headquarters in Waalwijk, the Netherlands.
• On 24 November, Malta’s largest iGaming conference SIGMA’17 will feature a session on regulatory developments in the Netherlands, moderated by GiH founder Willem van Oort. Conference registration is open. Gaming in Holland and Leaseweb invite SIGMA’17 attendees to join us for drinks – including Dutch beers – on Thursday, 23 November 2017, starting at 7:30 pm. Places are limited, so please reserve your place today by registering here.
• Registration for the 2017 Excellence in Gaming conference, which will be taking place 30 October-1 November 2017 in Berlin, is now open.

Mounting Concerns over UK Problem Gambling Rates

Last week, the UK Gambling Commission published the comprehensive survey Gambling Behaviour in Great Britain 2015.

Notwithstanding some alarmist messages in the UK media, problem and at-risk gambling rates had remained essentially flat (p. 52):

“Looking at problem and at-risk gambling, rates were similar to those published in 2012. In 2015, approximately 0.8% of adults in Great Britain were estimated to be problem gamblers (according to either screen) and a further 3.9% were either low or moderate risk gamblers according to the PGSI. Taken together, this means that one in twenty adults (5%) experienced some difficulty with gambling in the past year; the same as observed in 2012.”

Nonetheless, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has said that the industry must do more to tackle issues related to problem gambling. “Whilst overall problem gambling rates in Britain have remained statistically stable, our research suggests that in excess of two million people are at-risk or classed as problem gamblers, with very many more impacted by the wider consequences of gambling-related harm,” Tim Miller, executive director of the UKGC stated.

In response, Labour MP Carolyn Harris has been calling for maximum stakes for online gambling: “Non-problem gamblers wager £14 when they bet, whereas problem gamblers bet an average of £98. On this basis, a huge proportion of revenue is derived from problem gambling. This is unsustainable, so the government must look at the maximum stakes online once they finally reduce the maximum stake to £2 on FOBTs in October.”

Other News

“The Netherlands Gaming Authority has never tolerated illegal online gambling,” the regulator’s CEO Marja Appelman emphatically stressed in a recent interview.

Peter-Paul de Goeij, MD of recent licensee Lottovate, discusses his company’s experiences with the Netherlands Gaming Authority, as well as the planned roll-out of a new lottery product in the Netherlands.

Sportech, holder of the sole Dutch tote betting license, reported year-on-year growth across a number of key financials for the six months to June 30.

Four Dutch players who were suspected of being involved with match-fixing have been cleared by the Finnish football association.

Lead generation company Catena Media, which recently ran afoul of the Dutch gaming regulator, has been approved for listing on Nasdaq Stockholm.

Holland Casino is looking to hire a Senior Communications Advisor.

Austria’s government has proposed allowing internet service providers to block the domains of websites deemed to be breaking local laws, a category that could include internationally licensed online gambling sites.

Worldwide gambling software services supplier Playtech has announced a higher-than-expected 25% rise in its year-on-year profits for the first six months of 2017. An earnings call transcript with Playtech CEO Mor Weizer is available here.

Cherry AB has reported a 241% jump in online revenues in Q2 to SEK437m, thanks largely to the acquisition of operator ComeOn in 2016.

Bet365 has acquired the bankrupt data technology firm Bash Technologies.

Mobile-first operator LeoVegas has entered into a partnership with the German Handball Bundesliga top-tier club competition.

Betway will sponsor the ESL Pro League, which the longest running in professional CS:GO, for another season.

Following Season 1 and a successful launch in China, the Global Poker League, a team-based poker competition, now sets its sights on India.

The latest in Dutch and international gaming news.

Netherlands Gaming Authority Issues Cease and Desist Order to Catena Media
Yesterday, the Netherlands Gaming Authority announced that it has issued a cease and desist order to Malta-based iGaming lead generation company Catena Media.

The regulator found that Catena Media was actively promoting the services of online gaming operators, including ComeOn, to a Dutch audience through various websites, such as netentcasino.nl, gokoverzicht.com, and spellenoverzicht.com.

The Gaming Authority further decided to impose a daily penalty payment of €1500, up to a maximum of €21,000, if Catena Media would fail to comply with its cease and desist order.

As of now, the aforementioned websites appear to be no longer accessible from the Netherlands.

Europe Generates Almost 50% of All Online & Mobile Gambling Revenue
When it comes to online and mobile gambling, Europe is way ahead of other geographic regions, the Financial Times outlined on Saturday. UK operators have benefited most:

“Firms based in the UK have long benefited from not being as tightly regulated as elsewhere in the world. In some countries, such as China and India, bans on online gambling have pushed the practice underground, creating multibillion-dollar black markets for wagers. Other major markets, such as Germany, enforce strict restrictions.”

In the same FT article, Paddy Power Betfair’s outgoing CEO Breon Corcoran remarked that his company has no intention to re-enter grey markets (such as – currently – the Netherlands). “Ultimately, there is a question about sustainability in grey markets,” Corcoran said.

Updated Swedish Gaming Legislation Could Take Effect in 2019
“A new framework for the gaming industry in Sweden has been introduced and it could soon end the iGaming monopoly under the control of Svenska Spel. The updated legislation could take effect by 2019 modifying the current regime, although legislators are set to carry out further debates on the issue,” Focus Gaming News reports.

Former Swedish gambling regulator, Hakan Hallstedt, has recommended that online gambling operators pay an 18% tax on their gross gaming revenue. An estimated 90% percent of the Swedish online market would then be licensed and generating taxes from gambling.

Janshen-Hahnraths Group Posts 4.4% Increase in Revenues in 2016
The Janshen-Hahnraths Group, owner of 42 Fair Play arcade halls in the Netherlands, announced yesterday that its annual revenues increased 4.4% to €77m. Earnings before taxes amounted to €1.7m.

In order to safeguard its position in a Dutch market that is expected to go through some major changes, including the opening of the online market and the privatization of Holland Casino, the group made significant investments in the development of an online presence, as well as more frequent and generous jackpot payouts.

“We are happy with our financial results,” Janshen-Hahnraths’ CEO Jan Schiffelers said. “Last year’s lower profits are the result of a deliberate strategic choice to prioritize investments that are vital to the long-term viability of the Group. Moreover, we have opted to to draw the necessary funds from our cash flow, rather than external financing.”

Other News
Despite strict enforcement by the Netherlands Gaming Authority, online casino operators still find ways to advertise their services to a Dutch audience.

Holland Casino has released an official video to announce the World Series of Poker’s circuit stop in Rotterdam.

Holland Casino is looking to hire a financial accountant.

The Sportech Racing and Digital division of Sportech, holder of the single Dutch tote betting license, has agreed to provide pari-mutuel betting technologies and services to Dansk Hestevæddeløb ApS (DHV), the joint operating company for horseracing and operator of all racecourses in Denmark.

US casinos are warning that they are not sufficiently marijuana friendly.

The global lottery sector got off to a “modest start” in 2017, with reporting lotteries eking out a first-quarter on first-quarter aggregate increase in sales of 0.9%, new data from the World Lottery Association (WLA) indicates.

The Malta Gaming Authority is aiming to roll out a regulatory framework for blockchain technology by Q1 2018.

Portugal has announced the issuance of its eighth online gambling license to Estoril Sol to offer online sports betting services. The operator was already in possession of a Portuguese online casino license.

PokerStars parent company The Stars Group reported a 7.9% constant currency rise in Q2 revenues to $303.5m, with soaring casino revenues overcoming a significant decline in poker revenues. Revenue diversification reached a significant milestone last quarter, with non-poker revenue representing one-third of the company’s total revenue for the first time.

Shortly after Google opted to drop a long-standing ban on gambling and betting apps in its app store, Sporting Index has become the first company to launch a sports spread betting mobile application on Google Play.

Targeting hundreds of millions of Metal fans worldwide and having already partnered with some of the genre’s major stars, Metal Casino is to launch the world’s first gaming site for hard rock enthusiasts.

Paysafe, which owns Skrill, Neteller and Paysafecard, reported revenues of $538.7m (€458.5m) in the first half of this year, up 11% from $486.7m in the opening six months of last year.

Betsafe has signed UFC star Conor McGregor as an EU ambassador, ahead of the Irishman’s upcoming fight with Floyd Mayweather.

Slot machine maker Aristocrat Leisure has acquired Israeli social gaming company Plarium Global Ltd, reinforcing the Australian company’s status as a technology business.

Maine has become the 15th US state to legalize paid-for daily fantasy sports (DFS) contests.

A lucky punter in Las Vegas took home an $11.8m slot machine jackpot after wagering a mere $3.

For the first time ever, a free-to-attend exhibition for the gaming industry will be held in the Netherlands. It is almost like ICE came to Amsterdam!

Can you afford to miss it?

The expo

In addition to the main conference event, the sixth edition of the annual Gaming in Holland Conference & Expo will also feature an industry exhibition where game developers, software suppliers, and service providers to the international gaming industry can showcase their products and services.

The expo will include informative breakout sessions on data services, training for gaming professionals, and white label casino solutions for regulated markets.

Why now?

The Dutch gaming landscape is changing rapidly. The lottery licensing regime has already been liberalized. The opening of the Dutch regulated online market and the privatization of Holland Casino are expected to occur in short order.

As a result, there now exists a significant demand for new products and technologies. Local trade associations VAN (for the land-based gaming industry) and Speel Verantwoord (for the online industry) are therefore supporting this initiative.

For whom?

The expo is aimed at gaming industry professionals in the land-based, online, and lottery sectors.

When & where?

The Gaming in Holland Conference & Expo will take place June 13-14, from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM at De Hallen Studio’s in Amsterdam.

The Conference & Expo location is easily accessible by public transportation. Parking is available underneath the building.

It’s free!

Visiting the expo is free for qualified gaming professionals. All visitors must be 18 or older. The organizers can only accommodate a limited number of visitors, registration is required.

Visit the conference

If you will be visiting the expo, you should also consider attending the main conference event. Speakers will include representatives from the Netherlands Gaming Authority, the Ministry of Security and Justice, Holland Casino, and many more. Speakers from twelve different countries, including the USA, will share their insights with the audience.

The 2016 edition of the Gaming in Holland Conference was sold out. Book your place before it is too late!

Exhibitors

The Gaming in Holland Expo will host the following exhibitors:

• CDDN: data and customer ID verification services.
• Dutch Roulette Design: offering a new roulette-inspired game format.
• Ezugi: live dealer gaming.
• JCDecaux: local market leader in outdoor advertising.
• Leaseweb: web hosting and IT security.
• NMi: certification and compliance testing.
• Novomatic: electronic gaming machine wholesaler and operator. In addition, there will be separate stands from the following Novomatic subsidiaries:
  • Amutron
  • Eurocoin
  • Stakelogic
• Screen Impact: narrow-casting for the gaming industry.

Last but not least, the expo will also feature an Affiliate Zone, where Dutch affiliates may meet with operators in anticipation of the opening of the Dutch market.

Visitors will have the opportunity to chat at the Microgaming Coffee Bar.

Further information

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Willem van Oort: [email protected].

The organizers would like to thank their strategic partners: Janshen-Hahnraths Group, JVH gaming & entertainment group, Leaseweb, Lottovate, NMi, Novomatic Netherlands, Playtech; our conference sponsors: Aspire Global, CDDN, Ezugi, Kalff Katz & Franssen, Microgaming; our media partners: CalvinAyre, Gambling Compliance, Gambling Insider, H2 Gambling Capital, iGaming Business, iGamingCalendar, JCDecaux; as well as the trade associations IMGL, Speel Verantwoord, and VAN Kansspelen.