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Catch up on six of the stories our gambling compliance analysts have covered lately, and stay up-to-date on the latest news.

Interest In Brazil Sports-Betting Licences Exceeds Expectation By Four Times

Brazil’s Ministry of Finance has received four times the amount of interest than 96 expected in an open call for operators to express internets in the sports-betting market. 

The window to register was 30 days, beginning October 27, and was designed to inform the ministry of the scale of the industry it would have to manage and the potential profits.

In total, 132 companies registered, and the members of the Treasury told Brazil’s paper of record Folha de São Paulo that they expected around 100 to eventually obtain licences. 

Registering interest, however, is in no way binding nor does it prevent future application for a licence. 

As the sports-betting bill has not yet been signed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, companies cannot be 100 percent certain what the final tax rate or licence fee will be.

UK Study Estimates Need For Problem Gambling Treatment

About 1.6m British adults could benefit from some kind of treatment or support for harmful gambling, according to a government-commissioned study.

About 970,000 of them could benefit from two or three sessions of motivational interviewing by gambling harm specialists, according to commissioned by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities.

The study, released on December 7, was done by researchers at the University of Glasgow and University of Sheffield.

About 243,000 could benefit from eight to 14 sessions of cognitive behaviour therapy for a gambling disorder, the report said.

Nearly 40,000 could gain from residential treatment involving one-to-one therapy and group sessions, the researchers said. 

AGA Names Everi Executive As Chairman

The American Gaming Association (AGA) board of directors elected Michael Rumbolz, executive chair of the board of directors of Everi Holdings, as the association’s new chairman.

He will succeed Hard Rock International chairman and Seminole Gaming CEO Jim Allen, who has served as AGA chairman since January 2002. Rumbolz begins his two-year term in January, the AGA announced Thursday (December 7).

Rumbolz previously served as president and CEO of Everi, was a member and chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, and chief deputy attorney general of Nevada. 

NSW Regulator Gives Star Six-Month Ultimatum

The New South Wales Independent Casino Commission (NICC) has warned Star Entertainment Group it has six months to “prove” it can be trusted to run Sydney’s The Star casino or suffer permanent closure.

The Sydney Morning Herald on Wednesday (December 6) quoted an NICC spokesperson as saying the regulator “is not satisfied The Star has reached a point where the licence suspension can be lifted and it can run its casino without the supervision of the [NICC-authorised special] manager”.

“If they can’t prove they are capable of operating with a conditional licence over the next six months, the manager will be retired, and the doors will close,” he said.

The report did not elaborate on the reasons for the NICC’s unease or why it chose to express them through the newspaper instead of a formal statement.

Star announced in November that special manager Nick Weeks, appointed in the wake of a of Star, had his to June 30 but that the term would not be renewed.

In the same week, Star announced the signing of a binding tax agreement with the state government, suggesting the casino’s regulatory and fiscal prospects were improving.

Calcutta Court Suspends Massive Delta Corp GST Notice

India’s casino and listed online gaming company Delta Corp has won another reprieve in its fight with the national tax authority over alleged goods and services tax (GST) delinquency.

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday (December 6) ordered that a 63.8bn rupee ($766m) tax notice issued by the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) to Delta subsidiary Deltatech Gaming over be suspended until further notice.

The high court follows a similar order by the Sikkim High Court in October, which a DGGI notice targeting revenue at Delta’s land-based operations in the state.

The DGGI subsequently suspended its claim against Delta’s riverboat casino operations in Goa, informing the Goa branch of the Bombay High Court that it would not proceed while the matter is before the court.

The Supreme Court of India is hearing a DGGI appeal in a separate case involving GST claims on gaming companies that will likely clarify if crippling GST obligations can be issued without distinguishing between games of skill and chance.

GambleAware Study Suggests Link Between Discrimination, Gambling Harm

Adults from minority communities in Great Britain who have any level of problem gambling habit are 50 percent more likely to have experienced public racism or discrimination than those who report no gambling issues, according to a report commissioned by GambleAware.

Using gambling as a coping mechanism is three times more likely among minority communities than white British people, according to the survey, done by Ipsos UK and ClearView Research.

Survey participants pointed to discrimination and racism contributing to the worsening of gambling behaviour, including feelings of social exclusion and reduced employment chances, according to the report released on Wednesday (December 6)

GambleAware, the industry-funded charity, said it plans a £4.3m initiative to address harms reported by minority religious and ethnic communities.

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