Every week, CasinoBeats breaks down the numbers behind some of the industry’s most fascinating stories. Our latest breakdown features a range of M&A manoeuvres, a disputed Greek fine levelled at OPAP, Super Group’s Indian cessation and a slowdown of growth in the Netherlands.
1.33
The Dutch online gambling market is continuing to meet channelisation goals, however, the nation’s regulator, Kansspelautoriteit, noted that growth appears to be levelling off two years after the legal ecosystem was introduced.
Despite gross gaming revenue increasing to €1.33bn during August 2022 to July 2023, the Ksa has acknowledged that this growth is not as strong as previously witnessed.
During August 2022 to January 2023 ongoing momentum brought a 33 per cent uptick, however, this slowed to eight per cent during the following six months. Online casino games are the largest segment, taking a 74 per cent share.
2023
Star Entertainment vowed to learn the lessons from the past amid a proclamation that 2023 “will be remembered as a watershed year” for the company.
The comments were made by David Foster, Chair and Independent Non-Executive Director, in the operator’s latest annual report, following a series of regulatory run-ins that have blighted the Australian casino industry.
However, the company asserted that it is emerging from “a period when we committed to changing the ways we fundamentally behave and operate”.
Foster added: “It followed deep self-reflection, and learning our lessons from the past, to help ensure the events that left us challenged in so many ways never happen again.”
24.5
Greek operator group OPAP hit back after receiving a €24.5m fine from the Hellenic Gaming Commission for violating Greek and European Union competition rules.
OPAP, which stated that it “strongly disagrees” with the financial action imposed, received the penalty as the Hellenic Cooperative of Professional Lotteries issued complaints stating that the firm had unfairly instigated non-compete clauses from 2017-2022, and had therefore undermined legislation on free market competition.
Seen as a violation of Greek and the EU’s fair competition standards, the company was accused of infringing articles 101 and 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, relating to unfair pricing, limited distribution of equipment and imposing unfair conditions on transactions.
As a result of the breaches, the HGC issued a fine to represent €10,000 per day that the violations are deemed to have occurred, which stands at a total of €24.5m.
2
US Integrity and Odds On Compliance disclosed a merger to form “a global powerhouse”, following the pair aligning earlier in the year to form the ProhiBet compliance solution.
This union, the two companies said, will create an industry leading force of expertise, innovation, and solutions for betting operators and professional and collegiate sports organisations.
The combination is expected to close later in the month, subject to certain shareholder and regulatory approvals as well as customary closing conditions.
28
Super Group disclosed the immediate cessation of all activities within the Indian market, citing changes to the country’s Goods and Services Tax.
The parent company of the Betway and Spin brands noted that the decision was implemented from October 1, 2023, adding that the new rules make the region “no longer commercially viable”.
Earlier in the year, India’s Parliament gave approval for the Goods and Services Tax Council to amend tax rates applied to companies deemed to be providing gambling services, regardless of domicile.
The approval saw the GST apply a 28 per cent turnover tax on all services for online gambling, land-based casinos and horse racing.
The GST Council, comprising the Union Finance Minister and delegates from every state and union territory in India, holds the authority to determine tax rates, exemptions, and administrative processes.
331
Golden Matrix entered into a further amended and restated Meridianbet purchase agreement, which has extended the potential date of completion and modified terms on closing.
The transaction, with a value of approximately $331m, raised from $300m in a prior amendment, is now expected to close in the fourth quarter of the current year or the first of 2024.
This is subject to a range of customary closing conditions that include, but not limited to, GMGI shareholder approval and Nasdaq approval, among other items.
10
The Australian state of Victoria introduced its Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 to parliament in the latest stage of ongoing efforts to ramp up protections from gambling harms across the region.
Melissa Horne, Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, put forward the changes, which would enforce mandatory closure periods for pokie spaces across the region.
This would see electronic gaming machine areas of all venues, except casinos, be subjected to a closure period between 4am and 10am every day. This is slated to enter into force during mid-2024.
In addition to this, the Bill would also extend powers to ban harmful betting on activities that take place outside of Victoria, such as sports played by minors.
42
The American Gaming Association’s latest Gaming Industry Outlook study suggested that top gaming executives are remaining positive when it comes to current business conditions.
In partnership with Fitch Ratings, the study found that an ‘overwhelming majority’ of executives surveyed find the current business situation to be ‘good’ (42 per cent) or ‘satisfactory’ (55 per cent).
While representing a positive outlook on the industry, these figures do show a slight decrease from Q1’s statistics, in which 62 per cent reported conditions to be ‘good’ and 35 per cent answered ‘satisfactory’.
Analysing future projections, when asked about their thoughts on future business conditions, over half of those quizzed expect the next three to six months to be the same (58 per cent).
72
Mandatory pre-verification for all online gambling has gone live in Australia, with every player registering for an account now set to have their age and identity verified by an operator before they can place a wager.
In a move welcomed by Responsible Wagering Australia, this change, which officially entered into force on September 29, 2023, replaced a 72-hour window that was previously in place.
The independent body welcomed the move as a much needed assist for providers in identifying and preventing underage individuals, as well as those that may have self-excluded through BetStop, from using such services.
