Agrupación de iGaming Responsable criticised proposed online gambling restrictions in Chile, warning that legislative amendments could expand the black market. Brazil’s online gambling shutdown has reportedly been extended to March.
Proposed restrictions in Chile could expand the black market, creating regulatory and market risks for online gambling operators.
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The president of Brazilian football club Vitória has criticised a ban on betting companies and pointed to a multi-million-reais financial shortfall. The report says the veto has caused a behind-the-scenes crisis at the club and threatens its economic stability in Série A.
Senator Flávio Bolsonaro criticised on 25 September a provisional measure announced by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s government to prohibit betting in Brazil. Bolsonaro said the measure lasts four months and could lapse without congressional approval, allowing betting companies to resume operations. He also alleged that the government had collected more than R$20 billion from the sector since regulating it.
It was reported that BOS representative Gustaf Hoffstedt criticised Sweden’s ban on gambling credit card payments. He argued that declining channelisation deserved greater legislative attention.
An opinion piece on an Italian betting industry site relayed lawyer Stefano Sbordoni’s criticism of Italy’s gambling advertising ban after new online gaming concessions were awarded. Sbordoni argued that limited information about legal gambling sites could lead players towards unauthorised operators, and said the concessions require platform recertification, responsible-gambling provisions and a nine-year investment plan.
The Social Gaming Leadership Alliance criticised the California Assembly Governmental Organisation Committee’s approval of AB 831, which would prohibit online social games with sweepstakes promotions. The group said the bill could eliminate more than $1 billion in annual economic activity and urged Governor Gavin Newsom to veto it if it advances; the bill returns to the Assembly for concurrence.