Penalty for gaming operators in case they lure problem gamblers

The state government in Queensland, Australia has decided to increase the penalty for gaming operators who lure known problem gamblers back to their venues with advertising and promotion.

Recently, the state had put an end to new poker machines in Queensland. Premier Anna Bligh and Treasurer Andrew Fraser announced a permanent cap on the number of additional machines for clubs. The move will cost the Government $20 million a year in lost revenue.

As per the information available, in the latest move, laws would be introduced early next year to increase the fine to up to $4,000.

“This step introduces real penalties aimed at reducing a problem gambler’s exposure to material which could potentially worsen their situation,” said Bligh, who also emphasised on keeping children out of gambling venues to reduce the risk of breeding future problem gamblers.

According to Queensland Treasurer Andrew Fraser, the government had moved to place a cap on the number of pokies in pubs and clubs. Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing statistics show in the month of October, Pine Rivers’ 859 gaming machines took in $4,044,084.31 at $4707.90 per machine. The rate was higher than Caboolture ($4145.53), Redcliffe ($4601.26) and Brisbane ($4213.46) for the same month.

The number of poker machines in Queensland pubs and clubs increased by 2560 between November 2005 and October 2008.

Cooperation among national gaming regulators appears to be a necessary first step

A draft EU document has indicated that there are grounds for a common approach to regulating the European Union’s multi-billion-euro gambling sector.

According to Reuters, the draft authored found there were “already grounds for seeking a common approach”.

“While the legal frameworks differ, there are significant similarities in the member states’ objectives as regards gambling and betting,” said the document, obtained by Reuters. “The common challenges identified would appear to justify the development of a new EU-level approach.”

Cooperation among national gaming regulators appears to be a necessary first step to combating money laundering, fraud and corruption, the draft document said. “Topics for discussion could include methods for real-time checking of players and transactions or mandatory reporting of transactions and verification methods,” it added.

A ceiling on player rates of return could be part of an EU approach and finance ministers could look at ending double-taxation by taxing gaming where it takes place, the document said.

A player wins Swedish online poker tax ruling

A ruling has gone in Swedish poker player’s favour, freeing him from paying taxes on a portion of his online poker winnings. The verdict came against the Swedish tax agency Skatteverket.

The county administrative court (Länsrätten) in Östergoötland ruled that Sargon Rüya did not have to pay Swedish taxes on the 650,000 kronor ($80,900) he won playing online poker on a site based in the Isle of Man, reports the Östgöta Correspondenten newspaper. It was reported that Rüya was still liable for paying taxes on winnings earned while playing on a site based in Monaco. The difference in tax treatment stems from European Union rules stipulating that winnings from games such as poker are free from taxes within the EU.

According to the newspaper, the Swedish tax authority Skatteverket had originally demanded that Sargon Rüya pay tax on his winnings because the Isle of Man is not part of the EU but Rüya was able to prove the company was operated by a Cypriot parent and the earnings were therefore from within the EU.

For its part, the Court went a step further and said that Skatteverket could not place the burden of proof of where foreign companies operations are based on an individual in order to collect tax.

Dutch bankers oppose policing of Internet gambling sites

A move to involve the banking industry in enforcing a Dutch-style UIGEA proposal is facing opposition from the representatives of the Netherlands Bankers Association (NVB).

The Online Gambling Act was countered recently in a formal statement from the Association, protesting against Dutch Justice Minister Hirsch Ballin’s plan to curtail financial transactions.

The NVB told Ballin that his plan to use Dutch financial institutions to police online poker and Internet gambling sites is neither practical nor legal.

NVB spokesman Michel Noordermeer stated: “The Minister wants us to become an extension of the justice system, but that is not the role of the banks.” Noordermeer asserted that EU rules dictated that banks continue to serve online gambling sites, and that the Dutch government should prosecute an Internet casino operator before trying to ask the banks to enforce a questionable law. He said the Betting and Gaming Act, in conjunction with EU law, would almost certainly preclude the Dutch plan.

A Ministry spokesperson dismissed the NVB’s comments saying: “Justice bases itself on Dutch law in fighting illegal Internet gaming and there is no room for free choice on the side of the banks. European law has no influence on this.” The matter remains under consideration at several levels of Holland’s government.

France may pass a law authorising online gambling by end of 2009

French Budget Minister Eric Woerth has reportedly said a law authorising online gambling will probably be passed by the end of 2009.

The French government is yet to decide on how to tax the online companies, Woerth said. It is being said that the government currently gets €5bn from levies on private casino operators and a state-owned company with a monopoly on lotteries and sports betting.

The draft bill designed to open the gambling market to competition and legalise online betting was drawn up to comply with EU anti-monopoly rules.

According to another report, information portal Online Casino Topic reports that the owners of French online gambling sites are getting set to start fighting French opponents who do not want them to launch online casino and poker websites.

In a development being attributed to Patrick Partouche of the French casino company Partouche Group by a report from swisspoker.ch, it is being said that the company is moving ahead rapidly with a Gibraltar licence initiative. He has pointed out that there are many Internet gaming sites like Unibet and Bwin that are offering the French public online action regardless of the current law, which is in the process of being changed, citing EU law precedence. Consequently, he intends to position his enterprise to compete without awaiting the evolution of the slow French bureaucratic process to open the market.