This Monday, Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi gave his approval to a bill, seeking to ban online gambling in the Indian state after it was passed unanimously by the state Assembly. The news came on the same day when Tamil Nadu Assembly adopted a resolution calling for a specific timeframe for State Governors to approve bills passed by the respective Houses. The resolution also urged the President and the Centre to convince the Governor to approve the bills passed by the Assembly in a timely manner.

The Proposed Resolution to Eliminate Undue Delays

The government’s decision to propose a resolution seeking to introduce a timeframe for Governors to approve bills was prompted by several legislations, including those aiming to ban online gambling in Tamil Nadu. The said bills are currently pending with the Raj Bhavan for the Governor’s approval.

During the debate on the resolution, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M.K. Stalin accused the Governor of not approving certain bills due to his caprice. Stalin also claimed that Ravi was working against the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu by keeping the bills pending.

The resolution seeks to address a longstanding issue that has been a cause of concern for many states. Governors are appointed by the President as representatives of the Centre in the states. They can withhold their assent to a bill passed by the State Legislature. However, Governors are also not obliged to comply with a specific timeframe to approve or reject a bill. This leads to delays in the implementation of legislation and conflicts between the Centre and the states.

Tamil Nadu Wants Online Gambling to Be Banned

Justice K. Chandru, the head of the committee responsible for online gaming in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, has called for a complete ban on the activity. He explained that regulation is not an effective solution. Late in March, the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly re-adopted the Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill, 2022, moved by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin after Mr. Ravi returned it on March 6, explaining that it was against the judgments of courts. Today, Ravi finally gave his consent to the bill.

Several states, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Telangana, have tried to ban online gaming by introducing their own legislation. But according to a government official from an unnamed state, the central government is not allowed to create laws on subjects that belong to individual states. However, the Minister for Home Affairs of Karnataka, Araga Jnanendra, welcomed the new regulations and announced that the state would always stand behind initiatives that work in favor of the public.

On Monday morning, the media agency Economic Times (ET) reported that the Group of Ministers (GoM) is to look into the goods and services tax (GST) on online gaming, casinos, and horse racing. People familiar with the matter have confirmed that the GoM is likely to maintain the current tax of 18% for skill-based games and propose 28% GST for luck-based games. The GST Council is to make the final decision during its next meeting, which is to take place in the last week of May or the first week of June.

The GoM Proposes 18% GST for Skill-Based Games and 28% for Luck-Based Games

The GoM, chaired by the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma, may suggest the highest 28% GST on betting, casinos, and horse racing, differentiating between games of skill and games of chance. The recommendations of the GoM are expected to be finalized after the introduction of the IT Intermediary Amendment Rules 2023.

Currently, online gaming is taxed at an 18% GST on the gross gaming revenue. In its previous report submitted to the council, the GoM recommended a 28% GST on GGR on online gaming, regardless of whether it was a game of chance or skill. It is crucial to note that online gambling does not involve betting. The GoM may also suggest another round of consultation with industry stakeholders and GST officials.

But the stance has changed with the introduction of the Finance Act of 2023, which defined the online gaming industry as innovative. The Act also includes separate provisions for the taxation of online gambling winnings.

New Rules to Come Into Effect This April

Under the Finance Act of 2023, a 30% tax deducted at source (TDS) is to be imposed on ‘net winnings’ from online games at the end of every financial year. Each gaming company will be responsible for imposing the tax on the “user account”.

Last week, the Centre issued rules for online gaming as part of the IT Act of 2000, under which self-regulatory entities (SROs) are to allow online games for real money. Furthermore, real-money games must be offered in accordance with the Know Your Customer (KYC) norms.

The rules will come into effect on April 1 instead of July 1 as proposed in the beginning. The TDS will be deducted at a double rate if the concerned deductee fails to comply with the return filing and if the TDS amount in the past year was over INR50,000. At the moment, the online gambling industry deals with a GST demand of INR28,000.

Roland Landers, the Chief Executive Office of All India Gaming Federation (AIGF), said that the new Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the TDS developments will benefit the industry and expressed his hopes that soon there will be clarity when it comes to the GST.

On Tuesday, the Senate passed an amendment bill seeking to prohibit indoor smoking in Kansas casinos. The House of Representatives must approve the legislation before it heads to Gov. Laura Kelly. Health advocates admired the legislative effort, explaining that casino employees will no longer have to suffer the harmful effects of breathing second-hand smoke from cigarettes and cigars. But some people claim that the casino-smoking ban will have a negative revenue impact.

Workers-Led Movement Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects Gains Influence

After the bill was introduced, President and Chief Executive Officer of Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights Cynthia Hallett applauded the legislation and announced that it must go into effect as soon as possible because it will benefit casino workers and visitors.

In her announcement, Ms. Hallett explained that casino employees in many states have been asking lawmakers to ban indoor smoking. She revealed that the Kansas workers were largely inspired by the Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) movement that continues to gain momentum because workers do not want to choose between their health and their job.

Last autumn, CEASE announced that they had expanded outside New Jersey to other gambling markets, including Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. Since then, they have been communicating with casino workers in Kansas, Virginia, Nevada, and Indiana, who want smoking on the casino floor to be banned.

Casinos in Kansas and Other Gambling Markets Exempt from Smoking Bans

Over a decade ago, Kansas introduced a law according to which smoking inside public buildings is prohibited. But casinos in Dodge City, Mulvane, and Kansas City have been exempted from the smoke-free indoor air law after casino executives argued that the ban would significantly affect casinos’ revenue performance. Currently, smoking on casino floors in Kansas is legal. However, tobacco consumption is prohibited in any other areas of the casinos, such as restaurants and bars.

Casinos in Iowa, Michigan, New Jersey, and New Mexico are also allowed to permit smoking on their floors. For example, New Jersey banned smoking inside bars, restaurants, and other public places under the Clean Air Act in 2006. According to the law, casinos can permit smoking on 25% of their floors. However, this may change soon as CEASE urged New Jersey legislators to prohibit smoking in casinos by April 15.

In 2008, the Smokefree Air Act came into force in Iowa, banning smoking in most public places. But the act exempted casinos as owners complained the smoking ban would reduce the number of their visitors and their revenue. Most Michigan casinos ban indoor smoking. But in 2022, MGM Grand Detroit and Hollywood Casino at Greektown announced that smoking indoors would be allowed in their properties.

On Thursday, India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued an advisory, reminding media entities that gambling is illegal and promoting such activities is against the law. This happened only several days after mainstream English and Hindi newspapers published advertisements for betting websites. According to an official statement, the advisory has been issued to all media entities, including newspapers, TV channels, and news websites.

Gambling Advertisements are Against India’s Laws

Betting and gambling are illegal in most parts of India. Hence, publishing commercials for casinos and sportsbooks violates the Consumer Protection Act of 2019, the Cable TV Network Regulation Act of 1995, the Information Technology Rules of 2021, and other relevant laws.

Only several days after mainstream newspapers had published commercials promoting betting platforms, the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued a stern advisory to all media entities, warning newspapers, TV channels, and digital news publishers that they must refrain from carrying promotional content for gambling and betting platforms.

The Ministry even cited examples of companies that have been advertised recently by media agencies. Some include 1XBet, Fairplay, Lotus365, Betway Scores, Panther777, and Khiladi.com. It also added that a betting platform was found to encourage individuals to watch a sports league on its website, which is also against the Copyright Act of 1957. The Ministry explained that it is media agencies’ duty and moral obligation to abide by the “Norms of Journalistic Conduct” and refrain from publishing gambling advertisements.

Betting Platforms Use News Websites to Promote Their Services

But this is not the first time India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued such advisories. Last June, the Ministry issued two advisories, urging private television channels and digital news publishers to stop carrying advertisements for online betting sites. The media agencies were also advised to withdraw commercials for news websites owned by betting brands.

The Ministry even cited the names of several big betting platforms, such as Fairplay, PariMatch, Betway, Wolf 777, and 1xBet, explaining that these websites promote sports betting and gambling services using news websites, which are not even permitted to operate in India. It also revealed that the logos of some news websites and betting platforms are identical, which means that they are most likely related to one another.

The advisories produced the desired result, and some companies withdrew their mainstream advertising. But others continue to advertise their services via international T20 cricket tournaments as well as on-ground and jersey commercials.

India has no central statutory agency that regulates the advertising industry. The non-statutory body, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), has introduced a self-regulatory advertising code, under which the propagation of illegal products and services is banned.

On Wednesday, Albania published its draft law on legalizing online gambling, which was unexpected considering that the country banned nearly all forms of gambling in 2019. Under the provisions of the draft bill, only licensed operators will be allowed to operate in the country.

The bill also mandates that cash deposits will not be made directly with the operator, but through financial agents authorized by the Bank of Albania, such as Western Union and Unionnet, second-level banks, and Albanian Post.

Operators Will Have to Abide By Strict Rules

Under Article 26 of the draft law, organizers of sports betting must pre-register every player participating in online sports betting, and collect and store their identity information for at least three years. Data storage must comply with the relevant personal data protection legislation.

In addition, operators must keep liquid assets equal to €1.5 million in a separate bank account to guarantee winnings from games of chance. This amount must be at least 5% of all deposits made by players during the previous financial year. The Finance Ministry will be the authority that will control access to the account.

Furthermore, the draft law requires a second deposit of €450,000 to be allocated to a separate fund for obligations related to authorities. Businesses interested in receiving a license must be joint-stock companies registered with the National Business Centre and headquartered in Albania. Shareholders must not have a criminal record or be under investigation for criminal offences. The draft bill does not include a limit on the number of licenses that can be issued.

Gambling Taxes Will Benefit Sports, Culture, and Innovation Projects

The draft also includes the creation of a special fund where 15% of corporate income tax paid by operators will be deposited. The fund will support projects in sports, culture, innovation, and innovative technology based on requests for financing presented by state institutions after receiving public opinion.

Besides, land-based casinos will have to deposit 0.4% of annual turnover into the fund, while the National Lottery will be required to pay 5.4% of annual turnover. If the draft bill becomes law, a commission will be established at the Gambling Supervision Agency to award licenses to operators who meet the criteria. The National Agency of Information Society will check if the draft bill complies with identification and registration standards, software and hardware requirements, system certification, invoice, and payment transaction processes.

Albania banned all forms of gambling in 2019 in a bid to combat gambling problems and match-fixing in sports competitions. Players were allowed to gamble at casinos in large hotels. A televised bingo game and the national lottery were also exempt from the ban. Since the ban, authorities have conducted 1,421 checks, which resulted in confiscations, criminal proceedings, administrative measures, and fines imposed on 135 individuals and entities operating illegally in the market.

This Wednesday, the Missouri Senate discussed the latest effort to legalize sports betting in the state until adjourning just before 8 pm. Lawmakers voted against allowing video lottery terminals, and the sports betting bill got stuck in the Senate.

Although some lawmakers and gambling industry lobbyists pushed to legalize sports betting in the state, the issue remains unresolved because the sports betting legislation included provisions to legalize legal sports betting and video lottery terminals.

Sports Betting Bill Spurs Heated Debates in the Senate

The Wednesday debate commenced with Gov. Mike Parson holding meetings with Kansas City Royals officials who stand firmly behind the legislative effort. Under the latest proposal sponsored by Sen. Lauren Arthur, D-Kansas City, bets would be taxed at 15%. For reference, the tax proposed in the original Senate version of the bill endorsed by Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer was 10%.

With this taxing scheme, the state could generate $30 million in tax revenues from sports betting during the first full year of operation. The latest legislation also stipulates that $1 million would be set aside to fund responsible gambling programs. Sen. Denny Hoskins, R-Warrensburg, however, noted that other states invest more in such programs. He added that the tax rate should be higher.

Senate President Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, called the Senate’s inability to reach an agreement “embarrassing”. Rowden and Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo, D-Independence, backed a proposal suggested by a coalition of casinos and the state’s professional sports teams to allow betting on handheld devices at casinos and locations close to pro sports venues.

Lawmakers Must Settle on an Agreement Soon

Sen. Karla May, D-St. Louis, said that she supports the idea of legalizing sports betting in the state and expressed her frustration with the debate. May and Hoskins have been supporting the legalization of video slot machines for a long time. Hoskins suggested that some of the taxes from the gambling expansion could benefit military veterans. He explained that the legalization of video lottery terminals would generate more revenue for the state.

But Rep. Nick Schroer, R-Defiance, expressed his concern about the proliferation of video slot machines in his district and said that kids have access to these machines, too. Lawmakers who support the legalization of sports betting in the state claim that sports betting and slot machines must be addressed separately.

The controversial slot-like gaming machines in Missouri have resulted in the filing of a federal racketeering lawsuit against Torch Electronics. Earlier this year, TNT Amusements took Torch Electronics to court, claiming that the latter offers illegal gaming machines in gas stations and truck stops in the state.

Although sports betting is still illegal in Missouri, many residents of the state travel to neighboring states to wager money on various sporting events. According to figures presented by GeoComply, 8.7 million attempts to place wagers from within the state were blocked during the most recent National Football League season.

Top Sport, a Lithuania-based gambling operator, has been slapped with a €15k fine by Lithuania’s gambling regulator for allowing a player to deposit nearly €15k into their account using a debit card owned by someone else. This goes against Lithuania’s gambling law, which only allows users to make deposits using payment accounts registered in their name.

Lithuania’s Gambling Regulator Imposes a Financial Penalty on Top Sport

Top Sport will have to pay a fine of €15k for accepting a deposit of €14,965 from an account holder who used someone else’s debit card to make the payment. The regulator added that the ruling is subject to appeal. The gambling authority said that the company violated Article 205, paragraph 1 of the Lithuanian Gambling Act, according to which a customer is allowed to make a deposit from their own payment account.

But this is not the first time that Top Sport has been in trouble with the Lithuanian Gambling Supervisory Authority. In May 2022, Top Sport and Amber Gaming were fined by the country’s gambling regulator for breaching the promotion restrictions enacted in 2021. A fine of €25,000 was imposed on Top Sport, whereas Amber Gaming, the brand that owns the 7Bet casino, was ordered to pay a fine of €6,000.

The Lithuanian Gaming Control Authority introduced the ban in an effort to protect players and limit the use of advertisements to promote gambling activity in the country. Promoting free games, promotions, giveaways, free spins, and other special events that encourage gambling is not permitted under the ban.

But the tight restrictions on gambling advertising did not yield the desired effect. Gambling revenue in Lithuania reached €43.4m in the first quarter of 2022, representing a 90% growth compared to 2021.

Top Sport’s Other Breaches

Top Sport faced another €15k fine in September for failing to comply with rules related to CCTV installation at land-based gambling facilities. Under Article 15(3) of the Lithuanian gambling law, betting shops must record everyone who comes in and the money paid by the bookmaker and the punter. In November 2022, Lithuania’s watchdog slapped Top Sport with a €15k fine for allowing someone located outside of Lithuania to use its services.

The fines must serve as a reminder that gambling operators who violate the country’s gambling law will face financial penalties. Lithuanians must use the services of licensed betting sites and online casinos to ensure that their best interests are protected.

Several Michigan State University (MSU) faculties have joined forces and introduced a petition demanding to terminate the controversial $9 million partnership between the university’s athletic department and Caesars Sportsbook. The petition garnered 154 signatures soon after it was posted at 10:15 am on Tuesday. Current and former faculty members as well as students and parents signed the petition, supporting the idea that the university should end its partnership with the betting company.

Why the University Must Terminate its Partnership with Caesars Sportsbook?

The initiator of the petition, Community sustainability professor John Kerr, explained that the university’s goal is to protect its students’ interests and help them overcome mental health issues caused by the mass shooting on MSU’s campus. Mr. Kerr explained that the partnership between the university’s sports department and Caesar Sportsbook stimulates students to participate in gambling activities, which can be addictive.

In recent news articles, it was reported that MSU is one of the few US universities that partner with a gambling company. The petition argues that the university should not compromise with students’ well-being, hence why this partnership must end. Professor Kerr shared the petition with MSU’s Director of Global Ideas, Allan Hruska, who sent it to administrators and the Senior Associate Provost Thomas Jeitschko.

Mr. Jeitschko responded that the petition reflects Interim President Teresa Woodruff’s ideas. At a Faculty Senate meeting held this February, Ms. Woodruff discussed the university’s deal with Caesars and said that her staff would examine this partnership.

Caesars’ Partnerships with US Colleges

It was Athletic Director Alan Haller who negotiated the agreement between MSU and Caesars Sportsbook. Under the deal, Caesars is MSU Athletics’ official sports betting and iGaming partner. The partnership provides Caesars Sportsbook with the opportunity to gain exposure through MSU’s sports facilities.

Under the deal, new premium seating and tailgate areas will use Caesars branding. Besides, the betting company will receive signage at football, basketball, and hockey games. In return, Caesars will treat Spartan fans to special promotional offers and fund student-athlete responsible gaming education, student scholarships, as well as internship and professional development opportunities for MSU students after a career in the sports industry.

However, this is not the first deal between Ceasars Sportsbook and a college. Caesars signed a deal with Louisiana State University in September 2021, just before the official launch of sports betting in the state. In August 2021, the betting company announced that it is to partner with Arizona’s biggest college football game – the Fiesta Bowl.

In November 2022, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D- Conn.) requested Caesars Entertainment to stop advertising its products on college and university campuses. As a result, some big betting companies such as BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel have distanced themselves from college campuses.

Chinese Olympic gold medalist Zhang Jike has been accused of sending intimate videos of his ex-girlfriend Jing Tian, a famous Chinese actress, to pay off his gambling debts. Although Zhang denied the accusations, the player lost some of his sponsors, including the Chinese sports brand Anta.

Last week, it was revealed that the table tennis player Zhang Jike has been suffering from problem gambling for quite some time. Rumors that he shared private videos of his ex-girlfriend with a loan shark to whom Zhang owes a massive gambling debt emerged on Chinese social media. It was reported that the player had shared the videos to pay off part of his debt.

An Award-Winning Journalist Makes Interesting Revelations

The story became even more interesting after the award-winning journalist Li Weiao, who works at the Economic Observer newspaper, confirmed that the rumors were true. The journalist revealed that Zhang owes more than 5 million yuan ($728,000) and published a photo of a loan contract as proof.

According to Li, the former table tennis player lied to the creditor that he had a joint property with his ex-girlfriend. The lender allegedly tried to blackmail Jing, but his attempt failed because the actress took him to court, where Zhang admitted that he had sent the videos. The loan shark was sentenced to seven years in prison in December 2020.

Li shared that he met Zhang’s creditor in 2020 in the central city of Wuhan, who confirmed that he had received several private videos of Zhang’s ex. The journalist said that he had been investigating Zhang’s debts for more than two years. Li also elaborated that Zhang had to fly overseas because casinos in mainland China are prohibited.

Zhang Suffers a Reputation Hit

The scandal made many of Zhang’s fans turn against him. At the same time, many social media users have supported Jing, explaining that the former table tennis player had violated her privacy and he has to apologize. The actress has not commented on the case yet.

On Friday, Zhang’s lawyer issued a statement, according to which everyone who has infringed the player’s reputation will be held liable. Zhang’s representative asked the public to stop spreading rumors and misleading information about him.

The heatedly discussed scandal prompted several of Zhang’s sponsors to cut ties with him. Anta was among the first brands which announced that it terminated its sponsorship deal with the table tennis player. The sportswear company has deleted all social media posts associated with Zhang and removed the table tennis player from its list of brand ambassadors.