France aims to legalize online casinos next year, aligning its regulations with most EU countries, according to a government amendment. Authorities believe that the decision, which is part of the country's budget plan for 2025, will help curb illegal gambling. If approved, virtual casinos would be taxed at 55.6% of their revenue.
The government proposed the legalization of online casinos as part of the budget project for 2025 presented last weekend. The text was examined by the National Assembly on Monday.
Arguing that France and Cyprus are the only EU member states where online casinos are still illegal, the administration of Prime Minister Michel Barnier presented an amendment to its budget plan for 2025 that has been debated in Parliament since Monday (21).
Physical casinos have already protested against the plan, saying they risk losing large portions of revenue and jobs if online casinos can compete with them.
France allows online betting, but online casino gambling was banned, with previous governments arguing that the risk of addiction is too great.
Poker, which is played in casinos and allowed online, is the exception because it is considered more dependent on the player's skill than on pure luck.
But there is a growing offer of illegal online casinos in France, which the government believes generate up to €1.5 billion each year, or about 10% of the entire sector's income.
By legalizing and regulating online casinos, the government believes it can "limit the impact of online gaming on consumer health". It would also be able to tax them at 55.6% of gross revenue.
Although betting sites have long wanted to add casino games to their online offerings, real-world casinos say the impact on their businesses would be "catastrophic", costing them between 20 and 30 percent of their gross revenues.
Gregory Rabuel, head of the French casino association, told the business newspaper Les Echos that the change would lead to the "closure of 30 percent of our establishments", with 15,000 jobs at risk.
But proponents of the government's change argue that there is already a considerable market for online casinos, and their legalization would not significantly increase competitive pressures on physical casinos compared to now.
Source: GMB / AFP
Recently, the Minas Gerais Lottery and the MSL Group (Mineira da Sorte Loteria) launched the Trem das 11, a modality to capture the passion of the people from Minas. In the first draw, 818 people were awarded in the 12 administrative regions of the state. The maximum prize, with 11 or 0 correct guesses, accumulated for Saturday's (26) draw, amounting to R$ 600,000 for those who purchase the Completinha, which includes all bets and additional numbers on two tickets bought together.
In the draw, 806 people were awarded for the drawn numbers and 12 more regional prizes were given, one for each administrative region of Minas. The innovative format of the game offers various ways to win: besides the maximum prize for those who guess the 11 numbers, there is also a prize for those who mark none, and there are 8 prize tiers among the 12 possible.
Hosted by Carina Pereira and Elton Novais, two winners also received prizes for 10 correct guesses; 35 players for 9; 370 were awarded for 8; 358 people for 3 correct guesses; 37 bettors for 2, and 4 for one correct guess.
In the regional draw, the Trem das 11 also awarded players in the following locations: Monsenhor Paulo, Divinópolis, Barbacena, Ubá, Gouveia, Brasília de Minas, Uberlândia, Teófilo Otoni, Governador Valadares, Três Marias, Belo Horizonte, and Unaí. In this prize modality, the bettor who registers their ticket on the website tremdas11.com.br, if drawn, will have their prize doubled from R$ 1,000 to R$ 2,000.
Funds for social programs
Following the success of the Scratch Card®, which has already awarded more than 600,000 people in 2024 and is present in about 2,000 points of sale, the Trem das 11 also plays an essential role in raising funds for government social programs.
From the total net revenue, 21% are reverted to the Mineira Lottery and part of the value will be allocated to income and employment generation projects, as well as supporting the creation of nurseries, hospitals, and social entities.
Following the wide reach of the first product launched by the MSL Group, the Trem das 11 is now available in thousands of sales points that sell the Scratch Card® and can be found throughout the state of Minas Gerais.
Resulting from a consortium between the two main global lottery providers, IGT and Scientific Games, with more than 35 years of experience and infrastructure to operate lottery systems in more than 100 countries, MSL also counts on the expertise of the national company SAGA BGI.
“We are a group with extensive experience in the lottery sector in Brazil and have prepared significant investments in marketing. Moreover, we count on the knowledge of leading companies in the global market”, says Roberto Quattrini, CEO of the MSL Group.
The segment continues to expand in other markets around the world. In Italy, IGT and SG launched the national instant ticket lottery in 2004 and increased sales from approximately USD 400 million to over USD 11 billion. In New Jersey (USA), IGT and SG jointly manage the lottery since 2013 and have seen an annual sales increase of 20% since the start of the contract.
For more information about MSL products:
www.tremdas11.com.br
www.raspadinha.com.br
Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / X / TikTok: @tremdas11 @raspadinha.oficial
Source: GMB
The World Lottery Summit 2024 started this Monday (21) and will continue until the 24th, in Paris. The event, organized by the World Lottery Association (WLA), is one of the largest global gatherings in the lottery and sports betting industry. In this edition, NGX and Skilrock Technologies will present their solutions in a strategic collaboration between the two companies.
During the event, NGX will reinforce its international expansion alongside its recent partnership with Skilrock Technologies, a company with a strong presence in the regulated lottery markets of Asia and Africa. NGX will be at the Skilrock booth in Paris, taking the opportunity to highlight this strategic collaboration.
The partnership involves integrating NGX's sportbook solutions with Skilrock's Infiniti platform, offering lottery operators in these regions a more complete and technological experience.
For this project, NGX developed a new product: an exclusive sportbook iframe, which uses data fed by the odds from Sportradar and takes advantage of all the benefits of MTS (Managed Trading Services). This innovative approach will ensure operators a highly competitive platform adaptable to market demands.
Sujit Lahiry, Executive Director & CEO of Skilrock Technologies, commented on the collaboration: "We are very happy to establish this partnership with NGX to bring innovative sportbook solutions to the Asian and African markets. This collaboration is fully aligned with our vision as we approach the World Lottery Summit (WLS) in Paris".
“By combining NGX's expertise in sports betting with Skilrock's robust technological capabilities, we are ready to offer an unparalleled gaming experience for our customers. This partnership will drive growth and offer customized solutions that meet the unique demands of various markets. Together, we aim to set new milestones in the industry and deliver excellence to our users”.
Alexandre Tauszig, Commercial Director of NGX, highlights the importance of the partnership: “NGX is in full international expansion, and the partnership with Skilrock Technologies strengthens this journey. Skilrock is a recognized player in the lottery sector, especially in emerging markets, and this expertise was a decisive factor for us to join forces and advance to regulated markets in other regions”.
“Our partnership is based on a shared vision of offering cutting-edge technological solutions with a focus on security, innovation, and adaptation to local regulations. We will provide a platform and resources that meet the unique needs of these markets".
NGX is one of the leading providers of platforms and solutions for the iGaming market, recognized for its excellence in innovation, security, and compliance. With a robust and flexible infrastructure, the company supports operators in regulated markets, helping them thrive in competitive environments. Additionally, NGX is one of the main partners of Sportradar in the markets it operates, which strengthens its position as a reliable and innovative supplier in the industry.
For more information: comercial@ngx.bet.
Source: GMB
