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US Territories to Benefit from Sports-Betting Bill

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The recent US Supreme Court order that struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) is certainly going to pave the way for legalised sports betting in the country. It basically means that individual states can formulate their own legislation regarding sports betting. A number of states are jumping into the bandwagon to legalise sports betting. A question arises now is whether or not the bill extends to US territories.

Here is an overview of this topic.

What does it mean for territories?

The legal issues are somewhat confusing, mainly because the Supreme Court focused on the sovereignty of states. But there are precedents and good arguments as to why territories should be treated like states, especially when issues like pre-emption and constitutional rights are involved.

Take Puerto Rico, which has 3.4 million residents but is currently bankrupt and running a deficit. There is a good argument that it should be treated as a US state. Since the territory already has casinos and racetracks, with eight facilities in San Juan alone, this could be a great money-maker for the struggling country.

Online gambling bill is offered

Puerto Rico’s Commission for Tourism and Social Welfare is currently analysing a bill that would allow casinos to offer online gaming.

Presented by the head of the commission, Representative Néstor Alonso Vega, the bill sets outs the minimum requirements to operate an online gaming “franchise concession.” It also presents a taxation framework for the sector and reports on how the receipts would be divided among Puerto Rico’s institutions.

Most important, the bill recommends that the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (CTPR), a government-owned corporation that currently oversees the territory’s tourism industry, should also regulate online gaming.

The director of the Gaming Division of the CTPR, Jaime Alex Irizarry, agrees. He has lent his backing to this proposal that allows the territory’s casinos to run online gaming operations.

He said: “We understand how important it is to approve legislation like this, precisely because due to the absence of effective regulation – as is set out in the proposal – at the moment in Puerto Rico it’s possible to gamble on the internet illegally, without any protections or guarantees, either for the players or the state.”

Licensing concerns

The Gaming Division of the CTPR administers all the licensing and management of land-based casinos, but this would have to be completely overhauled for a new online industry.

While speaking before a public audience, Irizarry recommended that the CTPR be empowered to block servers and service providers that host unauthorised online gaming.

That is the approach taken by Poland and Switzerland to counter unlicensed operators.

Lower taxes

To attract operators to Puerto Rico, Irizarry suggested a lower tax rate, 15 per cent as compared to 20 per cent in the mainland US.

He said, “This reduction will allow the licensee the necessary income to improve [the quality of] their gaming offer. When the quality of the supply improves, the volume of players increases, which will result in a higher gross income.”

However, he argued that the hold percentage for online casino games should be the same as that for games offered in land-based casinos.

In 2017, the net revenue from Puerto Rico’s slot machines was around $263m (£200m). Of this amount, casinos received $126.8m (£96.5), while the territory received $136.2m (£103.7m).

It is estimated that the additional revenue generated by regulating iGaming could create a huge boost for the territory’s economy.

What now for US territories?

What’s for sure is that other territories will certainly be watching with interest how this plays out for Puerto Rico.

In particular, the US Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas both have casinos and would possibly like to take internet wagers from the rest of the world.

Source: vegasslotsonline.com

Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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Wazdan amplifies Swiss presence with Swiss4Win launch

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Wazdan, the gain-focused developer behind some of the world’s most rewarding casino game experiences has further expanded in the regulated Swiss market, taking its games live with Swiss4Win.

The collaboration enhances Wazdan’s profile in the country with Swiss4Win’s leading online gambling platform revolutionising player experiences with the introduction of the studio’s exciting range of games.

As Wazdan continues to deliver the world’s most rewarding casino game experiences, this new partnership heralds a new era of entertainment. Players can look forward to a diverse selection of captivating slots designed to appeal to Swiss players.

In conjunction with this partnership, Swiss4Win unveils its new website, meticulously crafted to enhance user engagement. The platform boasts a cutting-edge SEO-oriented design, complemented by a sleek dark mode interface. With a heightened focus on slot providers, the website features a dedicated page showcasing premier gaming offerings.

Radka Bacheva, Head of Sales and Business Development at Wazdan, said: “We’re excited to join forces with swiss4win.ch to introduce our latest games to players worldwide. This collaboration represents a shared commitment to innovation and excellence in the iGaming industry.”

Paolo Sanvido, Chief Executive Officer at Casino Lugano and Swiss4Win, added: “Wazdan’s distinguished reputation stems from its exceptional graphics and innovative features, which have resonated with players globally. Its dedication to crafting enriching casino experiences offers players greater control over their gaming preferences and seamlessly aligns with our audience’s interests.”

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WhichBingo Reveals 2024 Award Winners at 10th Anniversary of the WhichBingo Awards

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WhichBingo, one of the UK’s best-known and most trusted online bingo review and affiliate sites, owned and operated by Gambling.com Group, has announced its 2024 WhichBingo Award winners at an action-packed event aboard the Sunborn Yacht Hotel in Gibraltar. The headline sponsor of the event was Pragmatic Play, a prolific provider of slot games and a powerhouse bingo platform. Other big-name sponsors included Eyecon and its parent company, Playtech.

Gala Bingo and Buzz Bingo were the big winners of the night, picking up four awards each. Popular choice awards for Gala Bingo included Best Bingo Site, Best Proprietary Bingo Site and Best Slots site for its Gala Spins game. In addition, Gala Bingo was awarded Best Marketing Campaign by an expert panel of judges. Buzz Bingo walked away with the trophies for Best Chat Team, Best Exclusive Bingo Game and Best Playtech Bingo site thanks to the player votes – and Best Livestream Entertainment from the judging panel.

There were several new features to mark the 10th anniversary of the WhichBingo Awards, including the first WhichBingo Player Panel. Designed to bring real players and their insights to industry insiders, and hosted by WhichBingo safer gambling partner Better Change, the panel was a highlight of the event. Themes included what players value most in online bingo games and a deep dive into their preferred play styles. In another first, the inaugural Better Change Positive Play Award was presented to PlayOJO in recognition of its efforts to ensure players stay safe while still having fun.

The night’s entertainment included the UK’s own Dabbers Social Bingo, famous for its annual contest to find the best comedy bingo caller. The bingo operators were the ones dabbing the bingo cards for a change, and the winners walked away with some enviable prizes.

“Congratulations to all of the winners of the 2024 WhichBingo Awards. It’s truly inspiring to see the passion and dedication of the bingo community celebrated in such a spectacular fashion. At Gambling.com Group, we value our partnerships with operators, affiliates, and industry leaders, and we are proud to be part of such an engaged and vibrant community,” Owen Watters, Vice President Commercial at Gambling.com Group, said.

WhichBingo was founded more than two decades ago, and the WhichBingo Awards remain one of the annual highlights in the UK’s online bingo industry calendar, a unique celebration that recognizes the best brands in the gaming business.

All the Award Winners in Full:

Best Bingo Site: Gala Bingo

Best Slot Game: Big Bass Amazon Xtreme (Pragmatic Play)

Best Exclusive Bingo Game: Buzz Bingo Live Bingo

Best Pragmatic Play Bingo Site: Heart Bingo

Best Dragonfish Bingo Site: 888Ladies

Best Playtech Bingo Site: Buzz Bingo

Best Proprietary Bingo Site: Gala Bingo

Best Bingo Chat Team: Buzz Bingo

Best Slots Site: Gala Spins

Judged Awards

Better Change Positive Play Award: PlayOJO

Best Customer Service: tombola

Best Marketing Campaign: Gala Bingo

Best Mobile Bingo Site: bet365 Bingo

Best Livestream Entertainment: Buzz Bingo

The post WhichBingo Reveals 2024 Award Winners at 10th Anniversary of the WhichBingo Awards appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Bet365 Debuts its Bespoke Live Game Show Super Mega Ultra in Collaboration with Playtech

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Playtech announced the launch of the new live game show, Super Mega Ultra, in collaboration with bet365. The game is now accessible to players in multiple territories, including the UK, Mexico and Ontario.

The live game show is crafted in-house and draws inspiration from one of bet365’s popular slots. It stands as a testament to the synergistic efforts between Playtech and bet365, aiming to provide players with an immersive live entertainment experience.

As wheel-based live game shows continue to gain popularity, bet365 has positioned itself at the forefront by offering a range of captivating options for players. The introduction of this innovative three-tier base game across two wheels further solidifies bet365’s reputation as a leading provider of premium, entertaining gaming experiences and high-quality, in-house gaming content.

The game features three payout levels – Super, Mega, and Ultra – providing players with the chance to win significant rewards. Each round offers maximum multipliers (×300 for Super, ×500 for Mega, and ×2500 for Ultra). The game starts at the Super level, and with each “Level Up” spin result, players advance to the next payout level, either Mega or Ultra.

To add to the excitement, two bonus rounds – 7s Heaven and Slot Spins – have been incorporated to further enrich the player’s gaming experience.

bet365 spokesperson commented: “We’re thrilled to unveil this new game to our global community, marking a significant milestone for us. It is a valuable addition to our Live Casino portfolio, taking our in-house game production to new heights. With the introduction of the three-tier base live game spanning two wheels, we’re setting a new industry standard – a testament to our commitment to creating innovative, top-quality and engaging game experiences for our players. Playtech’s expertise and collaboration were instrumental in the development of this exciting new game show. The partnership between both companies continues to drive success, as we continue to work together to create groundbreaking gaming experiences for players around the world.”

Kevin Kilminster, Chief Product Innovation Officer at Playtech Live, said: “We are excited to collaborate with bet365 to launch their bespoke Live game show, Super Mega Ultra to their player base. It is fantastic to see one of our most trusted partners taking the opportunity to continuously build bespoke content and utilise the knowledge and experience that the Playtech Live team has to offer. The debut of the three-tier base live game across two wheels is a new industry standard and reflects our joint dedication to crafting innovative, high-quality, and captivating gaming experiences for players. We look forward to continuing our strong and successful partnership with this world-class operator.”

The post Bet365 Debuts its Bespoke Live Game Show Super Mega Ultra in Collaboration with Playtech appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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