This Week's Top iGaming News, May 19, 2023

This Week's Top iGaming News, May 19, 2023

It’s time for your ten-minute iGaming coffee break! Get your fill of interesting and intriguing iGaming news and gossip from around the world, all gathered in one easy-to-read newsletter!

New Sportradar Office in Mumbai, India

Sportradar, the global sports technology company that works across betting, sports, and media, has strengthened its presence in Asia with the opening of its new office in Mumbai. Prasun Bhadani will be heading up the team as the new General Manager, he has a wealth of knowledge and experience in sports marketing, including managing Indian Premier League (IPL) players.

Bhadani’s first main focus will be strengthening relationships and implementing the strategy for India. Bhadani stated that: "India has a rich sporting culture, and sports fans here have deep passion and enthusiasm. It is an exciting time for a sports technology company like ours to be at the centre of the action. I look forward to supporting Sportradar in its goal to continue innovating the sports industry through impactful technological solutions."

Nevada’s Pop-Up Casino with Only Eight Hours of Play Time!

If you’re anywhere in the vicinity of Nevada on 23 May, you may want to get yourself down to the former site of The Beach Nightclub. From 6 am, for eight hours only, there will be a temporary casino set up in a tent! The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) has approved the temporary licence for Marriott International which will erect sixteen slot machines operated by Century Gaming Technologies, a subsidiary of United Coin Machine (UCM).

The temporary licence was sought to ensure the land value doesn’t decrease for future casino use. Clark County laws specify that a licensee must offer at least eight hours of commercial gaming every eighteen months, with sixteen slots being permitted. How long these laws and the ‘pop-up’ casinos are allowed is uncertain, but for now, residents can enjoy one day of extra fun in Nevada.

Bahamas Casinos to Get the Go-Ahead for Residents

Talks are underway in The Bahamas that many hope will bring an end to restrictions on gambling for Bahamas’ residents. While non-residents are able to enjoy Bahamian casinos, Bahamian nationals, their spouses, permanent residents, and work permit holders are prohibited from playing.

Dr Daniel Johnson, Chairman of the Gaming Board for the Bahamas, described the legislation as unfair towards the residents and that changes in legislation would greatly benefit the nation. Johnson said, "We have to reimagine and reengineer our entertainment brand and the gaming world has the capacity to do that. We are looking at bringing the gaming industry along with entertainment and that would take our brand up another notch.”

Mega Casino & Entertainment Resort for Korea

The Mohegan Inspire Entertainment Resort, in Yeongjong Island, Korea, is tipped to be open before the end of the year. Once completed, the resort will be the largest entertainment resort in the whole of Northeast Asia.

Built close to Incheon International Airport, for ease of access, the resort will include an indoor concert venue to seat 15,000. The extensive site covers around 4.3 million square miles and includes a luxury hotel, an indoor water park, a theme park, a convention space, a shopping centre and a top-class casino for non-Koreans with over 700 slot machines.

Finland Considering Licensing System

A report was commissioned by Finland’s Interior Ministry to determine the future of iGaming in the country. Currently, the state lottery system is in need of changes in order to become more efficient and the report advises changing to a licensing system instead as the current system annually makes a €500-550 million loss in tax revenue.

The report considered systems similar to countries such as Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. Options suggested included introducing new restrictions to prevent gambling outside of the monopoly or instead having a new licence system. At present, all gambling in Finland is operated by state-owned Veikkaus, which could possibly create an affiliated company for future use, should legislation change.

Keep in the Loop

WeAreGame enjoy bringing you our weekly collection of iGaming news, join us next week for more!

If you want to find out more about how you can start up your own iGaming business or expand your current brand, get in touch at: hello@weare.game

‍