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.

The annual Gaming in Holland Conference & Expo is THE place to find out what is happening in the Dutch gaming market; and to meet with local and international executives, industry experts, and service providers.

Here are six more reasons why you can’t afford to miss this event:

1. Conference visitors will be among the very first to hear details of the secondary legislation accompanying the remote gaming bill under consideration by the Dutch Senate. Policy officials from the Ministry of Security and Justice will discuss current regulatory proposals (tech standards, responsible gaming, etc.), followed by a presentation of Gaming Authority CEO Marja Appelman on remote gaming licensing.

2. The Gaming in Holland Conference & Expo serves the entire gaming industry across all channels and product verticals and is of interest to the land-based, online, and lottery sectors. Representatives of various trade associations, including VAN, Speel Verantwoord, and the International Masters of Gaming Law, will both attend and contribute to the proceedings.

3. This year’s conference will feature a free Expo. Exhibitors include Novomatic, Ezugi, CDDN, JC Decaux, NMi, Leaseweb, and Screen Impact. There will also be an Affiliate Zone, where Dutch affiliates and operators may meet in anticipation of the opening of the Dutch market. Following the example of both ICE and EiG, there will also be opportunities to meet up at the Microgaming Bar. The Expo is free to attend for qualified gaming industry professionals. Sign up for the Expo here.

4. The Dutch casino market is currently undergoing a significant transition. State-owned Holland Casino is likely to be privatized in 2018. Hear all about the company’s vision for the future from Holland Casino CEO Erwin van Lambaart himself.

5. Stay informed of the latest facts & figures. According to H2 Gambling Capital, the Dutch iGaming market currently generates an estimated €250m in GGR annually. Around one million players wager online. Forty to fifty operators are expected to eventually enter the Dutch regulated online market. If you work for an operator in Legal, Compliance or Business Development, this event is a must.

6. The Gaming in Holland Conference & Expo is an ideal event for networking and connecting to local knowledge. With virtually all local and international Netherlands-focused industry professionals in one place, there will be almost endless networking opportunities during coffee breaks, lunches, as well as the official conference dinner.

The Gaming in Holland Conference & Expo aims to keep industry professionals from the land-based and online segments, as well as the casino, betting, and lottery verticals abreast of the latest developments in the Dutch gaming market.

Check out the full conference agenda and book your place before it is too late!