- EU Court of Justice Makes it Harder to Justify Restrictive Gambling Legislation.
Lead Features
EU Court of Justice Makes it Harder to Justify Restrictive Gambling Legislation
Operators exempt from penalties for ignoring disproportionate or unjustified national legislation. The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has issued a ruling regarding Austrian gambling laws that will make it more difficult for member states to justify gambling legislation that restricts competition from operators licensed in other EU countries.
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Traffic Watch
Pokerfuse PRO’s exclusive review of the online poker market across international, US and regulated European markets.
The Deal
Promotional highlights of the week, including partypoker NJ, PokerStars France, William Hill, PokerStrategy, and PokerTracker.
Regulation in Review: US
A review of the latest developments in gaming regulation in the US. This week: California, Pennsylvania and Minnesota.
Regulation in Review: Europe and Beyond
A weekly review of the latest developments in gaming regulation outside the US. This week: Spain, Italy, Switzerland and South Africa.
Exclusive News Articles
Draft Swiss Gaming Bill Will Not License Foreign Operators
Gambling winnings will be tax free, and small poker tournaments may be held outside casinos. The Swiss Federal Government has published the draft of a new gaming bill that will allow regulated online gambling for the first time.
Winning Poker Network Announces Sunday Highroller
A new $530 buy-in $20k guaranteed Sunday Major starts on May 4. A new Sunday major from the Winning Poker Network (WPN) is billed as a High Roller event, with a $530 buy-in.
PokerAtlas Launches Customer Support Forum on Two Plus Two
Jon Friedberg’s informational site—the only affiliate business licensed in both Nevada and New Jersey—starts a large advertising push. US-facing online poker portal PokerAtlas has launched a customer support forum on the popular poker community site Two Plus Two.
Svenska Spel Feels the Effects of Ending Bonuses
Cash game traffic and revenues have fallen since the introduction of “responsible gaming measures.” Six months after ending bonuses and promotions which encourage play, Svenska Spel has reported that operating profits have fallen by more than 6%.
PokerStars Partners with 2+2 for Private Alpha Testing Feedback
PokerStars 7 bug reports and customer feedback hosted on private forum. PokerStars is hosting a private and hidden customer support forum on Two Plus Two for alpha testers of its upcoming new client, PokerStars 7.
WSOP Moves Away from Public Customer Support
Recently public statements in online poker forums indicate that WSOP is looking to move away from offering public customer support, directing players instead to email support.
Interest in Unibet’s New Poker Platform “Bigger Than Expected”
New platform aims to reverse massive decline in poker revenues for the group. Unibet has touted a larger than expected customer interest in its new independent online poker platform.
PokerStrategy, William Hill Offer WSOP Packages
Ten WSOP packages to be given away to PokerStrategy members through rake race and freeroll. Online training site and community PokerStrategy will award ten WSOP packages to its members through two separate promotions offered in partnership with William Hill Poker.
PKR Slumbers in Spring
A sudden fall in the last month has cost PKR almost a quarter of its cash game traffic. PKR has successfully kept pace with the ups and downs of the global online poker market for the last year, but the last four weeks have seen it go into a substantial Spring slump.
William Hill Reports Poker Down 15%
The revenue decline contrasted with strong results in other online gambling. William Hill’s first quarter results show poker revenues down 15% on the same quarter last year.
Private Member’s Bill Hopes to Legalise Online Gaming in South Africa
While the bill’s chances are slim, it may provoke the government into accelerating its own plans. South African opposition MP Geordin Hill-Lewis has produced the text of a proposed bill to legalize online gambling, and has invited public comment.
Market Concentration Increases in Spain
More than 9 out of 10 cash game hands in Spain are played at PokerStars and 888poker. Almost 92% of cash game traffic in the Spanish regulated market now goes to just two operators, the latest traffic figures show.
