This Week's Top iGaming News, June 2, 2023

This Week's Top iGaming News, June 2, 2023

It’s that time of the week again when you can sit back, relax and enjoy the WeAreGame weekly iGaming newsletter!

Wynn Al Marjan Island Resort in the United Arab Emirates

The exciting new resort set to open in 2027 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been unveiled by owners Wynn Resorts, the Las Vegas-based luxury resort company. The resort is predicted to cost around $3.9 billion and is expected to open its doors in spring 2027.

Comprising four individual islands, in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, the resort will cover 115 acres and will be made up of 1,500 units featuring rooms, suites and villas. It’s the first property in UAE to have a casino and the architecture will include a 1,000ft tower. John DeCree, a gaming industry analyst from Las Vegas-based CBRE Equity Research, said “Wynn Al Marjan Island (is expected) to generate cash flow of between $450 million and $600 million annually.”

Online Casinos to be Legalised in France?

The National Assembly of France is considering a bill that would see the legalisation of online casinos in the country. Philippe Latombe, of the Democratic Movement party, introduced Bill 1248 which set out a proposal for five years of legal online casino gambling.

However, the proposal states that this initial period would be for ‘national actors’ only to establish economic conditions before opening the market up fully. Article 1 of the bill refers to offering similar casino games as found in the many French land-based casinos, and Article 3 states that the games would be subject to the same levies applied to all other forms of gambling. The legalisation of online casinos would bring the vertical in line with online sports wagering and horse race betting which is already legal and will help raise tax income for France.

Lotteries to be Privatised in the Netherlands?

The Dutch finance minister, Marnix van Rij, published an evaluation of the Dutch NLO (National Lottery) on 24th May. The report gave evidence for the privatisation of the NLO which was supported by the NLO itself.

The proposal puts forward the opportunity to develop and grow the commercial activities of the lottery to remain successful and active in the sector. The ministry states that multiple areas of legislation and regulations must be explored further before proceeding with any changes. If the move goes ahead, it could be great news for the NLO and improve current provisions.

City of Dreams Mediterranean to Open on 10 July in Cyprus

Luxury resort, City of Dreams Mediterranean, is due to open on July 10th in Cyprus, after much anticipation. General Manager Grant Johnson said, “We are thrilled to finally open the doors of City of Dreams Mediterranean to our valued guests. A landmark project and our first venture in Europe, it will bring Melco’s award-winning standards of entertainment and leisure and welcome innovation to Cyprus’ luxury hotel scene.”

The deluxe resort, built by Melco, is tipped to be the go-to destination in the Med for casino resort fans. Opening on June 12th for special guests, the resort boasts a massive casino of over 7,500m² that includes a designated poker area, table games, state-of-the-art slot machines, and live entertainment. The resort also has world-renowned chefs, multiple pool complexes, an adventure park, kids’ clubs, event spaces, a spa, and a Roman-style amphitheatre!

Bolivia’s Gambling Stance

Bolivia may not be the first place you think of when it comes to gambling. Regulation began in 2002 with the establishment of the National Lottery of Bolivia (LNB) and the Bolivian Gambling Control Authority (AJ) created in 2010.

Primary legislation came into force in 2010 with Law No. 060 that bans all unauthorised gambling activities, including online gambling. However, loopholes allowed foreign websites to be set up and accept Bolivians as players. Amendments to current laws could now be in place to allow a better framework to come into place which would give improved protection to players and generate more tax for the country. We will wait in anticipation for more news on Bolivia's changing gambling landscape…

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