The citizens of Richmond will once again vote on whether a $562 million casino resort, originally proposed two years prior, will be approved. The previous vote resulted in the referendum’s failure to pass.

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney’s new proposal follows a $10 million marketing campaign by media conglomerate Urban One and the operator of the Kentucky Derby race, Churchill Downs. This campaign was undertaken with the goal of convincing Richmond’s residents that the establishment will be beneficial to Virginia’s capital city.

The Richmond Grand Resort and Casino, as it is now named, will be built in District 79 if approved. Its premises will house a sportsbook and space for table games and slot machines. A hotel with a 250-room capacity will also open, and guests will be able to enjoy an outdoor park and various dining and beverage venues. Finally, the project will also include a concert hall that will be able to seat 3,000 guests. In total, all of these amenities, coupled with the casino and sportsbook, will result in 1,300 permanent job positions. The casino’s supporters have also highlighted how the project will contribute toward Richmond in terms of tax revenue. According to predictions, the tax revenue generated will amount to $30 million annually.

Preliminary Poll Suggests Voters Might Reject the Proposal

A poll centered around the matter was held in October by polling company co/efficient, and a little over 900 Richmond citizens participated, with 34% of voters residing in the casino’s district. As reported by ABC 8News, 49% of voters voiced their support for the project. In contrast, 52% voted firmly against the casino resort or stated that they were not likely to back the project.

Another aspect of the survey had to do with voters’ judgment of the project in the 2021 vote, with 45% of the participants saying they backed the project, while 46% answered that they rejected the proposal. The remaining 10% either did not participate in the 2021 poll, or were not certain of their vote. These results mirror the 2021 results, where a difference of just under 2% resulted in the project being rejected.

Apart from the substantial pro-casino campaign, the project does have significant opponents, with the organization “No Means No Casino” being at the center of the efforts to influence voters. One of the core arguments has to do with the fact that the previous attempt to gain voters’ support in favor of the casino failed, as shown in the 2021 vote. Anti-casino lobbyists have also emphasized problem gambling as another potential negative consequence of the casino resort’s opening.

This campaign’s supporters include Richmond Action LLC and attorney Paul Goldman, among other backers. Goldman was the target of antisemitic remarks from Preston Brown, ex-host of an Urban One radio show, due to Goldman’s involvement in the anti-casino efforts. CEO of Urban One, Alfred Liggins, issued an apology to Goldman following the incident, and Mayor Stoney condemned the remarks.

Camilla Rosenberg, Director General of Spelinspektionen, the Swedish Gambling Authority, has issued a statement regarding the Ministry of Finance’s recent report on “Enhanced consumer protection against risky lending and over-indebtedness”. The government consultation, published in July 2023, offered the implementation of a credit card ban on all gambling-related transactions in the Scandinavian country. The 650-page report focused on examining the Swedish market for consumer credit and proposing measures to counteract gambling with funds that players cannot repay.

According to Rosenburg, whose appointment was extended for three years, earlier this spring, such a ban should not be introduced, at least yet, as, there existed practical constraints. This view, however, did not overturn Spelinspektionen’s belief that a ban on gambling transactions via credit cards should be among the long-term goals for the industry.

In her statement, she underlined that

“the authority doubts the investigation’s conclusion that the reasons against introducing such a ban are stronger than the reasons for a ban”

. The Swedish Gambling Authority further recommended observations on other markets that have already implemented credit card bans on gambling transactions, such as the UK.

The UK introduced the credit card ban in April 2020, and ever since there have been no objections against this measure. About a year and a half after the introduction of the measure, the UK Gambling Commission reported consumers did not oppose the ban which helped them stay within reasonable limits. Sweden’s gambling authority further recommended that the government should keep an eye on the effectiveness of credit card bans in other European countries.

Spelinspektionen supports the introduction of Skri Register

According to Swedish legislation, authorized gambling operators are not allowed to promote credits to their customers as a means to keep on playing. The Spelinspektionen has expressed its agreement that this ban should be communicated more unequivocally. The authority recommended that the public’s awareness that gambling with borrowed funds was wrong and unwelcome should be further raised.

According to a recent survey, more than half of all licensed operators in Sweden offer credit cards as an option to load funds into one’s gambling account. This is possible through third-party payment service providers. In doing so, they do not adhere to the established standards and circumvent the regulations.

Rosenberg further expressed her support for the introduction of robust credit checks that would play an instrumental role in minimizing the risks associated with over-indebtedness. The credit and debt register is known as the Skri Register. The head of the Swedish Gambling Authority further emphasized the importance of outlining specific requirements for the operation of credit information companies. The Spelinspektionen concluded by stating that other than the credit card ban and credit checks, it had “no views on the proposals in the report”.

Videoslots is facing a fine of SEK 9 million (approximately $810,700) after the Swedish Gambling Authority (Spelinspektionen) found the company to have been unsuccessful in taking adequate measures to prevent money laundering. Spelinspektionen began its investigation on November 2, 2021, and it involved Videoslots providing the regulator with a list of customers that were selected based on their deposit activity in 2020 and 2021. The watchdog then picked 10 random players from the list.

After examining the data, Spelinspektionen determined that Viodeoslots was in breach of Sweden’s anti-money laundering (AML) rules and had failed to conduct proper research into the origin of its users’ funds. Videoslots will not be stripped of its Swedish license, but Spelinspektionen issued a warning and urged the operator to improve the methods utilized for performing Know your Customer (KYC) checks.

Videoslots’ Response

In its response to Spelinspektionen’s ruling, Videoslots claimed that its AML measures and actions were in compliance with Sweden’s regulations. It was also noted that deposits alone were not a sufficient metric for tracking a client’s ability to afford their gambling expenses, and that this type of activity was not effective in determining whether additional measures to prevent a client from engaging in suspected money laundering are necessary. The operator insisted that it focused on customers’ turnover ratio, i.e., the ratio between their deposits and their bets.

Videoslots said that the frequency of withdrawals and a player’s individual luck can also aid their ability to spend on gambling without this being affected by their income. Videoslots also put a focus on the payment methods utilized by Swedish gamblers, namely their usage of banking services like Trustly, and pointed out that it is through banking that deposits can be utilized for money laundering purposes. Another one of Videoslots’ core arguments had to do with the company’s view that AML rules were mainly in place for operators to report suspicious activity to Sweden’s financial authorities.

Spelinspektionen Does not Intend to Reverse the Ruling

Ultimately, the Swedish Gambling Authority does not agree with Videoslots’ claims, stating that the goal of Sweden’s Money Laundering Act is the prevention of money laundering. The authority once again asserted its view that Videoslots had failed to take sufficient measures in addressing suspicious player account activity.

According to Spelinspektionen, Videoslots was late in taking measures against the accounts and did not definitively determine the origin of the customers’ funds. In addition, the regulator maintained that winnings could not and should not warrant halting further investigation into the sources of player deposits, and that the company should have terminated its business relationship with the customers. Another breach had to do with Videoslots’ lack of sufficient income information of several customers, as such data needs to be preserved and handed to the Spelinspektionen when demanded.

René Jansen, the Chair of the Netherlands Gaming Authority (KSA), has recently insisted on implementing more stringent monitoring of the Dutch online gambling market. He outlined his view on the industry’s ongoing development and challenges in a blog post, entitled “Gambling addiction: prevention is better than cure” and published on the official webpage of the Kansspelautoriteit on October 31, 2023.

In his publication, he recognized that the legal gambling market has seen substantial media coverage over the last several months. The Kansspelautoriteit’s reports on duty-of-care and market monitoring have provoked a stir in the public. He explained that the important matters of consideration for the public were the size and growth of the regulated market and the behavior of online gambling operators.

On the one hand, Jansen underlined that although it was difficult to estimate how many new players the regulated market has ushered in, the reports’ channeling rates suggested that they bet largely with legal operators within a safe and transparent environment.

Online gambling operators, on the other hand, should be alert to problem gambling behavior and, consequently, intervene in a timely and appropriate manner, when they identify such.

René Jansen Stresses the Importance of Gambling Addiction Prevention Initiatives

KSA’s Chairman further accentuated the importance of two addiction prevention initiatives administered by the KSA – the Verslavingspreventiefonds (VPF) and Loket Kansspel.

Established in 2021, along with the formal launch of the Dutch online gambling marketplace, the Verslavingspreventiefonds (VPF), is financed by gambling operators and serves to ensure that gambling remains a form of recreation. Gamblers who have crossed the limits of moderation can seek anonymous treatment.

Loket Kansspel, on the other hand, is funded by the VPF and provides a round-the-clock support service via live chat, telephone, and WhatsApp to problem and at-risk gamblers.

In conclusion, Jansen explained that three pilot projects regarding gambling risk awareness are about to be launched in the upcoming months. Among them is an update of an e-learning module designed for professionals on effective mechanisms for recognizing gambling addictions more promptly. Yet another module on the potential harms of gambling will be included in the curriculum of secondary school students. Furthermore, a guide, intended for players about gambling risks and financial guidance will be published on geldfit.nl.

Two weeks ago, René Jansen confirmed his intention to step down as Chairman of the KSA, as he would reach retirement age by the end of the current year. Having assumed the management position in 2018, he will serve as Chairman until June 2024, when the Minister for Legal Protection will appoint a new applicant. Jansen commented on his forthcoming retirement, stating that the role is “challenging, requires creativity, innovation, and decisiveness, but above all has great social value.”

According to data from the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF), over 65 million Nigerians spend an average of $15 on sports betting on a daily basis. The data also revealed that 14 million online bets are placed every day. This information was disclosed on Tuesday by Executive Secretary of the NLTF Bello Maigari during the second edition of Nigeria’s national gaming conference.

Maigari said that in 2021, the global betting market had an estimated worth of more than $50 billion, and this figure specifically pertained to remote sports betting. He also noted that the global industry has seen substantial growth. Nigeria has followed suit, and Maigari put an emphasis on the significance of the Nigerian betting market, which is currently the biggest in the African continent. According to Maigari, current expectations estimate that 2023 will see the online betting revenue of Nigeria exceeding $256 million, and by the year 2027, an estimated near 10% growth rate will increase this figure to over $366 million.

He continued, making a proposal for Nigeria’s Federal Government to implement tax regulations that would allow the country to benefit from the sports betting market’s growth. Maigari went on to say that a clear taxation framework that is also fair to gambling companies would be effective in attracting more offshore operators to Nigeria’s regulated betting sector. The country would then be able to reap the benefits while making sure that proper measures are in place to ensure the safety of the Nigerian population. Maigari also emphasized that the NLTF has done its due diligence in financially contributing to projects relating to health, education, humanitarian aid, and more.

The Current Sports Betting Landscape in Nigeria

Online betting has been regulated in Nigeria since 2005, when the country’s National Lottery Act came into effect. The National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) is responsible for regulating the Nigerian gambling sector and issuing licenses to eligible gambling companies. Nigeria-based and offshore operators are, therefore, permitted to offer sports betting to Nigerian gamblers so long as they have applied for and acquired a license from the NLRC.

Although there are licensing fees gambling companies need to keep track of, taxation is relatively limited at the time of writing. Gambling companies need to pay a 7% lottery tax based on their net proceeds, and this exempts them from being required to pay taxes pertaining to the Companies Income Tax Act or the Value Added Tax Act.

In addition to the NLRC, individual states in Nigeria can have state-level entities that monitor and regulate sports betting within their respective jurisdictions. In Lagos, gambling is under the control of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LSLGA), which was established a year prior to the founding of the NLRC. The two regulators have had disagreements in the past, with a recent issue having to do with the LSLGA declaring a number of operators as unlicensed and illegitimate, despite the said gaming companies being licensees of the NLRC.

The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has met with enthusiasm Finland’s intentions to abandon the state-run gambling monopoly model and launch a multi-licensing system. The shift towards multi-licensing gambling models across EU states is generally seen as a positive trend, as it is a fundamental element of any properly functioning and competitive market.

Finland’s Ministry of the Interior has officially communicated that it is dedicated to renouncing the current government-controlled monopoly system, with plans to replace it with a license model. EGBA’s officials identified this move as a fundamental step of the sole EU country where the monopolistic regime is still in force.

The legislative project on the reform of Finland’s gambling system will cover online gambling including games of chance and betting, which, at present, are provided exclusively by the state-owned company Veikkaus. Among other important considerations, EGBA expressed its unanimous support for the government’s intentions regarding player protection and safer gambling practices.

Officials from the trade association further voiced their conviction that the multi-licensing gambling model would strengthen the effective monitoring of the industry, amplify the tax revenues, and create equal opportunities for all participants in the industry.

The governmental project, which aims to come up with a legislative proposal by the spring of 2025, encompasses multiple aspects of gambling. It will provide a clear framework for license fees, gambling taxes, responsible gambling practices, prevention of compulsive gambling, as well as advertising and marketing regulations.

Officials from EGBA and Veikkaus Share Their Views on the Forthcoming Reform

Officials from both EGBA and Veikkaus shared their views on the forthcoming gambling reform in Finland. EGBA’s Secretary General, Maarten Haijer, said that although the gambling reform in the Scandinavian country was delayed, it would nevertheless furnish the Finnish players with greater choice and stronger protection mechanisms. As for gambling operators, they would benefit from fair conditions. He added that as soon as the regulatory changes enter into force, all EU countries would feature some sort of licensing model for remote gambling.

Earlier this year, a report commissioned by the Interior Ministry of Finland indicated that gambling outside the monopoly system deprived the government of tax revenue totaling approximately €500 million annually. Furthermore, the report suggested that countries that have adopted a licensing system were successful in improving the channeling rate for online gambling, i.e. the percentage of gambling that occurs within the environment of licensed gambling operators.

While Veikkaus is preparing to compete with new license holders in the local market, it is believed it will retain its monopoly over lottery and retail slot machines. Velipekka Nummikoski, Vice President at Veikkaus, also commented on the gambling reform that is about to reshape Finland’s gambling landscape. He said that Veikkaus completely backed the project, highlighting its magnitude. Nummikoski further expressed his hopes that the new licensing model would bring about an increase in the channeling rate in favor of licensed gambling operators.

Nevada’s gambling authority is examining potential changes to a policy that has, thus far, demanded any licensed casino to pay jackpots to trespassers. As reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the issue is being addressed in light of a recent ruling by the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) that required the Casablanca hotel-casino in Mesquite to honor a jackpot won by Rhon Wilson. The individual in question is a repeat offender who has trespassed on the casino’s premises multiple times since 2011. Wilson was not allowed to enter the casino and place wagers at the time he placed the winning wager, yet he was paid $2,045 after the NGCB ruled in his favor in early October.

As shown in the hearing officer’s report the Las Vegas Review-Journal acquired by way of a public records request, the winning wager was placed in April, and the game involved was Dragon Link. The jackpot amounted to $1,660, while Wilson’s slot machine credits were $385. Wilson was discovered to have entered the gambling establishment illegally after the casino’s staff identified the player as per rules dictating that a given casino must prepare Internal Revenue Service paperwork after an individual scores a substantial jackpot.

Initially, the casino did not pay the winner as per its own policies, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Instead, its staff addressed such issues by calling law enforcement to escort trespassers out of the casino and reporting such situations to the NGCB. Following a patron dispute, however, Wilson was paid his winnings, seeing as the case did not involve malfunctioning casino equipment.

The Casablanca Hotel-Casino was Unsuccessful in Appealing the Decision

After two failed attempts to appeal the ruling, the Casablanca hotel-casino’s officials took the case to the NGCB in October. According to Mesquite Gaming LLC Vice President of Security and Government Affairs Dick Tomasso, Wilson should not be entitled to the winnings, given how he was banned from wagering at the casino. Tomasso also pointed out that conducting thorough trespasser checks for every casino patron that enters the building would be far too expensive for the gambling establishment.

However, Kirk Hendrick, Chairman of the NGCB, ultimately upheld Wilson’s right to receive the jackpot, citing the age of the NGCB’s fair jackpot policy. He and board-member Brittnie Watkins voted in favor of Wilson receiving the jackpot. However, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that board-member and retired Las Vegas Municipal Court Judge George Assad voted against the jackpot’s affirmation.

Mid-October saw Tomasso bringing up the issue of the policy’s existence and implementation, arguing for policy changes to be introduced that would make it so that Nevada-based casinos would no longer be required to pay trespassers. In addition, he emphasized that the terms “patron” and “trespasser” are not “interchangeable.”

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the problem is not exclusive to Mesquite, seeing as the Assistant District Attorney of Clark County, Christopher Lalli, said that since July, a total of 87 trespass cases have been recorded. Assad also weighed in on the matter, stating that he found the policy to be “outdated” and that introducing a new policy would be the key to resolving the issue.

This Thursday, the Illinois Gaming Board unanimously authorized Bally’s Casino to operate at its temporary site at Medinah Temple until September 2026 and gave the business an operating license for its permanent facility which is to be constructed at the former Chicago Tribune Publishing Center.

Located on 600 N. Wabash Ave., at the historic Medinah Temple, Bally’s Casino currently offers approximately 800 slots and over 50 table games, along with dining and cafe facilities. The temporary casino was launched last month, on September 9, and managed to attract 145,000 visitors since then. According to data from the Illinois Gaming Board, the facility has generated nearly $6.7 million in adjusted gross receipts in its first three weeks of operation ($695,000 in city tax revenue).

The gambling tax revenue from the operator’s temporary and permanent sites will be directed toward the state’s under-financed police and firefighter pension funds. According to city officials, the tax gambling revenue from the temporary site in 2024 is expected to reach $35 million, whereas the estimations for the permanent location stand at nearly $200 million.

The board extended Bally’s permit to operate from the temporary location for 12 months beyond the standard two-year maximum. According to state statute, the gambling regulatory authority limits the operation of temporary facilities to two years, with an option to extend this deadline by 12 months.

The extension was necessary as the operator would not be able to assume control over its permanent site in the city’s River West neighborhood before July 2024. This is when the Tribune Publishing is expected to vacate the site. However, the business had already begun working with an architect, general contractor, and city officials to ensure hassle-free construction works at the former 505,000-square-foot industrial property.

The Illinois Gaming Board Grants Bally’s with Four-Year Chicago Operating License

The Illinois Gaming Board shared Bally’s optimism as regards its future business prospects. In addition to extending the gambling service provider’s rights to operate from the temporary location for 12 months, the board also granted it with a four-year license for gambling operations in Chicago through October 2027.

Mark Wong, General Manager of Bally’s Chicago, told the Illinois Gaming Board he felt optimistic that by the new September 9, 2026 deadline, at least the casino portion of the $1.74 billion complex would be completed. He added that the business managed to finalize the necessary renovations at Medinah Temple within just months of receiving the preliminary permit. Wong also reassured that despite the project’s large scale, he was confident Bally’s would meet the deadline.

The $1.74 billion grand casino complex will include 3,400 slot machines and 174 table games. Besides gambling equipment, it will offer a 500-room hotel, an exhibition center, and 11 restaurants, among other facilities.

In a statement to the Legal Sports Report (LSR), Milton Champion, Executive Director of the Maine Gambling Control Unit, announced that Underdog Fantasy has been fined with $391,850 for giving its Maine-based users the opportunity to partake in pick ‘em-style Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) events. The company was ordered to stop offering such contests until further notice.

Earlier this year, Underdog Fantasy received a complaint, according to which pick ‘em contests do not fall under Maine’s legal definition of fantasy sports events. The issue with such contests has to do with their close resemblance to proposition bets, where individuals wager against the house, unlike typical DFS, where players compete with one another. This was noted in Champion’s ruling.

It was found by the Maine Gambling Control Unit (MGCU) that 482,771 prop-style bets were placed by Maine-based clients, resulting in Underdog achieving earnings of $1.4 million starting from January 2021. In total, the number of the players who partook in wagering on such events is 7,837, and Underdog was fined $50 per user, resulting in a total financial penalty of $391,850. Champion noted that this situation is “setting a precedent.”

Underdog Fantasy was given 30 days to file an appeal. Moreover, pick ‘em style events are no longer included among its DFS offerings for Maine-based clients, according to a company spokesperson who shared this information with LSR.

The United States’ Continued War on Prop-Style DFS Events

An Underdog spokesperson told LSR that the initial ruling was just the beginning of the administrative process. They also emphasized that Underdog Fantasy was given the chance to present its case to the MGCU, and that the company’s current expectations are that Underdog’s interpretation of fantasy sports legislations will be accepted.

Nonetheless, this situation marks yet another attack on prop-style DFS contests in the US, as they have been put under investigation and prohibited across multiple states in 2023. October alone saw multiple instances of states targeting this type of fantasy sports event.

Underdog Fantasy received another cease-and-desist letter in October, this time from Florida’s regulators. This month, it was also revealed that North Carolina’s sports betting rules file contests and bets that are “based on proposition wagering or contests” and similar to sports betting under its list of banned DFS contests.

In New York, the State Gaming Commission determined that pick ‘em offers are prohibited under the state’s legislation and that they are not categorized under the legally permitted DFS events. Earlier, in August, Michigan also made the decision to ban this type of contest, citing prop-style contests’ close resemblance to sports betting.

Although the Michigan ruling did not affect Underdog, given its departure from the state in 2021, Underdog still operates within New York and even continues to include pick ‘em events in its selections. The operator’s explanation for doing so has to do with the fact that Underdog has, thus far, not been ordered to officially cease offering such events to clients in New York.

Coljuegos, Colombia’s regulator of land-based and online gambling, has released the most recent resolution depicting its approach to newly proposed gambling advertising regulations. If approved by Congress, they would enter into force as of January 1, next year, establishing Coljuegos as the country’s central gambling advertising authority.

All advertising, marketing, and sponsorship campaigns of licensed Colombian operators would be under the control of the regulator. In particular, the set of rules provides detailed explanations of the way companies describe the financial risks associated with gambling within their marketing and advertising campaigns.

The regulator proposes a multi-layered model for gambling operators to follow. According to it, the volume of advertising they would be allowed to broadcast would be contingent on the revenue they contributed to the state budget. By way of example, newly licensed operators would be allowed to distribute a maximum of 20% of their gross gaming revenue (GGR) to advertising.

Furthermore, in their first year of operation, license holders would be required to observe specific spending caps. They would be allowed to spend no more than $2.2 million on promotions.

Failure to comply with the regulations would subject operators to fines equivalent to the amount with which they surpassed the said limitations. Sponsorship deals also fall within the scope of these restrictions, with teams being required to obtain Coljuegos’ permission to negotiate such.

Coljuegos Aims to Safeguard Vulnerable Groups of Society from Deceptive Ads

Columbia’s gambling authority initially backed the bill on advertising on September 29. The new set of rules is specifically aimed at safeguarding vulnerable groups of society from potentially deceptive ads that play down the financial risks associated with gambling products. Operators would also be prohibited from popularizing their activity through people who have already profited from gambling.

Besides tackling advertising limitations on operators, the resolution also takes into consideration specific certification requirements and limits on deposits via credit cards. As far as safer gambling tools and practices are concerned, operators would be obliged to refrain from advertising near healthcare and educational establishments.

The regulator also plans to prohibit gambling operators from advertising their products to underage individuals and self-excluded players. License holders would be required to implement mechanisms that would detect signs of excessive gambling and exclude problem gamblers from receiving advertising and marketing communications.

Additionally, gambling service providers would be required to report their expenses before the gambling regulator, thus bringing more transparency into the way they abide by the new regulations.

If approved by Congress, the resolution would expand the influence of the regulatory body and ultimately, reshape the gambling advertising landscape in Colombia.

The Latin American country was the first to regulate online gambling on the continent back in 2016, thus becoming a role model for the rest of the neighboring nations.