Best of PRO This Week: PokerStars' Player Meeting, UK Gambling Bill and New Offshore US-Facing Network

Key Takeaways

Industry Summary: PokerStars’ Player Meeting Report.
Analysis: Is the UK Gambling Bill “Complete Nonsense?”.

Lead Features

Industry Summary: PokerStars’ Player Meeting Report

PokerStars 7, mobile upgrades and a focus on recreational players for 2014. Twice a year, PokerStars invites half a dozen customers chosen from online communities to their heads offices in the Isle of Man to discuss issues that affect high volume players.

Analysis: Is the UK Gambling Bill “Complete Nonsense?”

Despite arguments that it “has nothing to do with regulation or player protection—it is about taxation,” the UK Bill passed its second reading. The UK’s proposed Gambling (Licensing And Advertising) Bill passed its second reading in the House of Commons last week. The debate brought to the fore many points that suggested that the Bill risks not achieving its avowed aim of consumer protection.

Exclusive News Articles

BetClic Everest Takes Aim at PartyPoker with “Major Relaunch” of French Poker Product

Everest Poker wants to nab the third-place spot in the French online poker market. French online gaming group BetClic Everest has shown a renewed confidence in regulated markets, with a planned relaunch of its poker product in France aimed at usurping PartyPoker from the third-place spot.

Bulgaria: MPs Propose Change Gambling Taxes

A switch from turnover to gross gaming revenue tax on is expected to be accepted by the Bulgarian government. MPs from both parties in Bulgaria’s governing coalition have proposed amendments to the country’s gambling legislation that would change the basis of gaming taxation.

EU Advocate General: Member States Must Justify Gaming Laws

Austrian gambling law lacks consistency; raising tax revenue not a justifiable reason for restrictions, UK AG opines. Eleanor Sharpston QC, The UK Advocate General (UK AG) at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), has written an opinion that member states must justify gaming laws and ensure that such laws are consistent rather than arbitrary.

Poland Plans Internet Gambling Monopoly

Poland submits gambling laws amendments to the EU Commission. Poland has sent a proposed law which would establish a government-controlled internet gambling monopoly to the EU for approval.

Greek ISP Blocking “In Contravention of EU Law,” Says bwin.party

bwin.party and OPAP assert directly opposing views in quarterly reports. The publication of bwin.party’s third quarter report included a regulatory update that asserted the Greek “blacklist” of gambling sites contravenes EU law.

New Jersey DGE Clarifies Rules for Online Gaming Bonuses

Regulator places a 30 day embargo on wager-based promotions. In response to inquiries received by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, Director David Rebuck has issued a bulletin to clarify issues surrounding the use of bonuses in the promotion of online gaming.

bwin.party Sees “Encouraging Growth” in Online Poker

Light at the end of the “transitional year” tunnel, group assures. bwin.party’s revenue in the third quarter of 2013 has declined 21% compared to the same period in 2012, a figure “in-line with previously reported trading,” bwin.party assures.

Leggett Steps Down From Amaya to Expedite NJ License Approval

Paul Leggett, VP of Online for Amaya, has resigned to avoid jeopardizing the company’s approval for a license to provide online gaming services in New Jersey, sources have confirmed to pokerfuse.

PokerStars Contracts with Jumio for ID Verfication Services

ID verification has become a higher priority for operators as regulators impose stricter anti-money laundering requirements. PokerStars has announced a new agreement with Jumio, providers of real-time customer ID verification.

Romanian Regulator Wants to Clarify Gambling Laws

After 6 months as the first President of ONJN, Odeta Nestor already wants legislative changes. Odeta Nestor, President of the National Gambling Office (ONJN), has given an extensive interview to Romanian gambling news site CasinoInside.ro, in which she sets out her views of the industry and plan to clarify misunderstood gaming laws.

Gibraltar Head Regulator Takes a Swipe at UK POC Tax

UK proposals are “seriously flawed” and will arouse opposition from the EU, according to Phillip Brear. As the former Deputy Chief Constable of the West Yorkshire Police, Gibraltar’s Gambling Commissioner Phillip Brear is not just unquestionably a man of great integrity, he knows a thing or two about the law. In an interview with Calvin Ayre’s Becky Liggero, he avers that the UK’s new strategy is against the law.

Santa Misericordia Ready for Portuguese Regulation

Pressure from the Troika means new gaming laws are expected in early 2014. The head of the Portuguese gaming regulator Santa Casa da Misericordia de Lisboa has given an extensive interview in which he says that he is ready for the implementation of new gambling laws.

Netherlands Regulator Seeks Agreement to Keep Out Adverts Promoting Unlicensed Operators

Kansspelautoriteit is negotiating a voluntary agreement with Dutch advertising companies to restrict gambling adverts by unlicensed operators when new laws are introduced next year. In preparation for new gaming laws being implemented early next year, the Dutch Gaming Authority (DGA)— Kansspelautoriteit—has opened talks with advertisers.

Swedish Gaming Monopoly Svenska Spel Introduces Mandatory Customer Cards

The cards will enable comprehensive tracking of all gambling as an aid to consumer protection. Svenska Spel has decided to make customer cards mandatory for all of its players except those buying physical lottery tickets or gambling inside Casino Cosmopol casinos.

Promo Pushes Full Tilt to Top of the “Other Four”

“Big bonus” promotion drives FTP traffic up 30%. The “Big Bonus” promotion at Full Tilt Poker has pushed its traffic to second place in the cash game rankings.

bwin.party to Launch Own Brand in New Jersey

Group will operate under both Borgata and PartyPoker brands. bwin.party announced it was “delighted” to have received a Transactional Waiver Friday to operate online gaming in the state of New Jersey, and confirmed that it intends to launch gaming products under its own brand.

Full Tilt Releases Native Rush Poker iOS App in UK

Functionality is limited, but expected to expand quickly. Full Tilt has launched a native iOS app for Rush Poker, but it is currently limited to the UK store only.

Five Skin-Strong Equity Poker Network Opens for Real Money

New offshore US-facing network goes live. Equity Poker Network (EPN) opened its doors for real-money play Friday with a total of five skins on the network.

Best of PRO This Week: PokerStars’ Player Meeting, UK Gambling Bill and New Offshore US-Facing Network