May 2018 was a ground-breaking month for the sports betting industry in the United States, as Supreme Court’s ruling gave states the power to legalize this activity if and when they decide to do so. So far, a solid number of states have introduced either retail or online sports betting, with Maine being among the most recent ones to make strides in this field.
Meanwhile, in other parts of the world, Brazil is also preparing the ground for the launch of sports betting. Eager to continue promoting responsible gambling, one of the states Down Under came up with enhanced player protection measures.
One of the states to make progress with sports betting legalization is Maine, as its Gambling Control Unit forwarded the sports betting regulations to the Attorney General for approval.
Should the Governor approve it, temporary licenses could be issued, meaning the industry could be up and running until the end of the current year. However, as of yet no official confirmations have arrived with regards to the exact launch date.
As for Arizona, the local Department of Gaming announced it would accept applications for three new sports betting licenses. From August, interested operators will be able to apply for one tribal sports wagering license or for one of the two certificates for professional sports teams.
Following the approval from the Department of Interior in Kansas, the state’s tribes received permission to offer retail and online sports wagering. However, the operations can be conducted only ON the reservation boundaries, not beyond them.
Worth clarifying is that this approval is valid for Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. If interested in offering sports wagering, other tribes will have to create compact amendments.
According to the provisional measure that authorizes sports betting in Brazil, commercial operators would be permitted to offer the said activity at a tax rate of 18% of GGR. As far as defined, taxes would be imposed on player winnings, which must be declared by the individual at a rate of 30% income tax. People with a monthly income less than BRL2,112 would be exempted.
In addition to this, this Bill, signed into law by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, includes included the establishment of a new regulator, the National Secretariat for Games and Betting (SNJA). This body would be in charge of overseeing the licensing and regulation of the industry.
The National Congress is given 120 days to approve or block the new law. In the meantime, Senator Angelo Coronel submitted amendments wanting to expand the bill to include other activities. As he noted, in addition to sports betting halls, bingo halls, the illegal street lottery known as “the animal game” and casinos should be encompassed as well.
PAGCOR, the gambling regulator of the Philippines, came up with a new set of regulations, requesting all operators to reapply for offshore online gaming licenses before September 17, 2023. A reassessment will be conducted so that any companies that have previously been caught in illegal activitiesor activities outside their licensed verticals will have their license revoked.
In addition to this, the regulator unveiled plans to launch an online casino platform in Q1 2024. As revealed, the platform should be equipped with a diversity of casino products including virtual reality games.
Starting October 1, 2023, India will have a 28% tax on gambling turnover, as confirmed by the Goods and Services Tax Council. Applied to casinos, horserace betting, and online gaming, the tax will be revised after 6 months.
Aiming to decrease gambling-related harm, the State of Victoria came up with a range of gaming machine reforms, requiring multiple modifications.
To start with, a notable reduction in the maximum deposit limit should be implemented. Instead of AUD 1,000, the max limit should be capped at AUD 100. Also, gaming machines that are not situated in casinos should be closed between 04:00 and 10:00. The spin rate should be increased to three seconds per game, plus, the establishment of mandatory pre-commitment schemes for all machines.
Source:
H2 Gambling Capital, August 2023