This Week's Top iGaming News, August 11, 2023

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Jorge Kajuru – Sports Betting in Brazil

After the publication of Provisional Measure (MP) nº 1.182/2023 last month, developments continue for sports betting in Brazil. The National Congress has 120 days from the publication date to consider the changes from the original Law nº 13.756 for the MP to remain valid.

Jorge Kajuru, Senator for Goiás, will be the president of the mixed committee of the sports betting MP. iGaming Brazil reported that Kajuru said, “There will therefore be a joint commission, my name having already been defined as president of this joint commission for having been the 1st senator to file a bill for regularisation and taxation of these houses and the discussion on the manipulation of results.” 

Amendments to the Brazil Provisional Measure

As mentioned previously, the National Congress of Brazil has four months to address changes to the sports betting MP. Due to the short time limit, things have begun to move swiftly. In total, there are 196 amendments to be considered and scrutinised.

Changes under consideration include but are not limited to defining the definition of a gambler, forming a register for problem gambling, authorisation of gambling advertising, and taxation distribution.  Beneficiaries include charitable funds such as Bolsa-Atleta, an athlete incentive program funded by the Brazilian government, and the National Culture Fund, which supports various Brazilian cultural activities.

PAGCOR Online Casino Coming in 2024

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) plans to launch an online casino next year. PAGCOR is a government-controlled and owned corporation overseeing gambling within the Phillippines. Recent reports have confirmed that the new online venture will go live in Q1 of 2024 and be named Casino Filipino. 

Casino Filipino is PAGCOR’s first endeavour into iGaming alongside its land-based casino work.  The proposed casino will use VR technology to imitate its brack-and-mortar establishments allowing an air of authenticity. As reported in Focus Gaming News, Alejandro H. Tengco, the CEO and Chairman of PAGCOR, announced the news at the recent SiGMA Asia Summit. He remarked, “It will allow players to interact with the digital counterparts of traditional casino games. It will also transcend physical boundaries and will enable users from around the world to interact and participate in virtual environments.”

LET Group & Summit Ascent Announces Okinawa Expansion

LET Group, the parent company of Summit Ascent, recently announced its acquisition of land rights in Okinawa, Japan. The news was shared via the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in July that the land will be used to build a luxury hotel resort, including a casino.

Summit Ascent, a Russian casino operator, already has a significant stake in a similar luxury hotel/casino resort in Manila, the Philippines.  The news of the Okinawa project follows from recent reports of another proposed luxury casino and hotel resort to be built in Osaka by MGM Resorts. 

Joint Study on Women’s Sports, Betting, & Integrity

Yogonet has reported a recent study by All-In Diversity Project (AIDP), Entain, Flutter, the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), and Stats Perform has shown the massive increase in women’s sports and the need to ensure fair integrity of all sports activities.

The report was published in the same season as the Women’s World Cup, gaining increased attention worldwide. For this reason, the report highlights the need for all parties to be vigilant in keeping fair play for all involved. The study examined women who bet and the five most popular women’s sports that people bet on: football, cricket, tennis, basketball, and volleyball. 

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