Inside Asian Gaming

October 2011 | INSIDE ASIAN GAMING 51 Briefs Thebill passed123-32, givingSpeaker Robert DeLeo a resounding win on an issue that he has championed since he took office in 2009. The House’s backing was largely expected, but the lopsided victory—even more slanted than the 115-36 margin that endorsed similar legislation last year—showed further erosion of support for the arguments put forward by gambling opponents. Although DeLeo has said he hopes the bill is signed into law by mid-October, Senate President Therese Murray has yet to offer a timeframe to take up the plan. Ms Murray, however, has also spoken favorably about the bill. Backers of expanded gambling argue that three casinos will create as many as 15,000 jobs and generate hundreds of millions of dollar in revenue from a 25% tax on casino earnings. In addition, the revenue would be disbursed to a variety of favoured programs, from the Massachusetts Cultural Council to education, local aid and transportation infrastructure for cities and towns. King of Pop takes centre stage at Bally’s G2E exhibit Highlighting Bally’s G2E games exhibit are popular, iconic brands. Taking centre stage at Bally’s G2E games exhibit is Michael Jackson King of Pop, in a music-filled game on Bally’s new Pro Series™ V22/32 cabinet with the new custom, professional Pro Series surround-sound chair. Offering everything frommystery wilds bonuses and free games bonus events featuring Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough, Billie Jean, Beat It, and Smooth Criminal , this game is highlighted by a U-Spin™ Platinum Record Bonus. Michael Jackson is represented exclusively for licensing by the Bravado International Group. Bally will showcase several other new games for its ALPHA 2 Pro Series cabinets. On the award-winning Pro Curve cabinet, featuring the industry’s only curved LCD to emulate spinning reels on a video slot, it will exhibit 17 new game titles, including Playboy Playmate Party Also on prominent display at Bally’s booth #1127 will be the iVIEW Display Manager, the Elite Bonusing Suite, a host of mobile technology, and Bally’s full suite of casino and slot-management systems. Lower tax on internet gambling is acceptable, says EC On 20th September, the enforcement arm of the European Union, the European Commission, approved the new Danish online gambling taxes drafted as part of a law liberalising gambling. The Commission said in a statement that following an in- depth investigation it had found that the law lifting some restrictions on gambling in Denmark, which also allowed for lower taxes for online casinos than for land operations, complied with EU state aid rules. “The Commission’s decision establishes that the lower rate of taxation for online gambling indeed constitutes state aid but finds it compatible with EU rules, because the positive effects of the liberalisation of the market outweigh the distortions of competition brought about by the measure,” said a statement from the Commission, which acts as enforcer and trade regulator in the 27-member European Union. The EC decision hopefully brings to an end a dispute that has lasted for a year and delayed the implementation of an online gambling regulatory regime in the Nordic country. Complaints filed mid-2010 by the Danish Slot Machine Association and by one of the terrestrial casinos claimed that the lower tax rate set for online casino operators in the context of the opening of the Danish gaming market had to be considered an illegal State aid (see previous reports). The European Gaming and Betting Association, a trade group supported by most large European internet gambling groups, commented on the EC decision, saying: We are satisfied that this investigation has led the European Commission to confirm that differentiated tax treatment for online and offline gambling activities is justified and is the result of distinct business environments. Online operators are subject to a much higher global competitive pressure than land-based providers. The business model of land-based operators is completely different as casinos in particular operate quasi local monopolies in their specific geographical market. Operators who wish to apply for an online gaming licence to offer their services in the newly liberalised Danish online gambling market have only until 17th October to submit applications to the Danish Gaming Authority, according to a statement on its website. Successful licences would take effect from 1st January, 2012. The Danish Gaming Authority has reiterated that licences will be issued as a temporary permit for a duration of only one year due to time constraints in its ability to conduct a full investigation into each operator’s compliance with Danish conditions. Once a full study on the operator has been undertaken by the Authority regarding compliance and conditions being met, the operator will then be eligible for a conversion of its one-year temporary licence to a more permanent five-year licence. No additional application fee’s would be payable during the conversion process. Applications and other information are accessible at: http://www.skat.dk/SKAT.aspx?oId=1966468&vId=0&lang=US Bally’s Michael Jackson King of Pop The European Commission