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Promoting Responsible Gaming a Must for 2023

2022 has been another good year for American gambling companies. More states have made sports betting legal and several have also gone across the border to launch in Ontario. Will 2023 be as good?
The new year is guaranteed an exciting beginning for American gamblers. After a long wait, legal sports betting will be launched in Ohio on January 1.
With a tax rate of 10% (far lower than the 51% in New York), the top gambling businesses are all ready to enter the Ohio betting market. That includes DraftKings, BetMGM and FanDuel. The long awaited launch comes just in time for the NFL play-offs and of course the Super Bowl.
That should guarantee a busy start for legal sports betting in Ohio. It won’t quite mirror that seen in New York when they launched mobile sports betting at the start of 2022. The frustration of not being able to legally place bets in Ohio will be over.
It’s not just the gamblers who will be relieved. It has been a frustrating time for the state with neighbors Pennsylvania, Michigan and Indiana already having made sports betting legal and receiving millions in tax revenue.
Gamblers in the state will be eager to place bets on teams such as the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns. There will also be plenty of wagers on college sports too. The estimates are that there will be around $90 million in taxes earned per year from sports betting, particularly online.
No longer will gamblers have to use offshore sports betting sites, again denying the state of Ohio tax revenue. That’s one of the most important factors in the sports betting revolution that has been taking place in the US.
When gamblers were unable to legally bet on sport, they registered with offshore sites. The problem with this was the lack of protection for customers. Now that an increasing number of US states have made sports betting legal, it is a different story.
Customer protection is important because sadly there are still some rogue sites out there. They have welcome bonuses that are nowhere near as good as they look. Wagering requirements or odds restrictions can be so strict that it’s hard to withdraw any cash from the bonus received.
With gambling companies having to be licensed they cannot get away with such behavior. If they do, then they are in serious danger of losing the license they have been waiting so long to receive.
Another important area is that of responsible gaming. It is a worry that this new world of sports betting will lead to an increase in the numbers that become addicted to gambling.
Recently the leading gambling companies in the US agreed a 12-point pledge that sets up an industry benchmark re responsible gaming standards.
It’s an important step with the aim of ensuring that players are treated well. The main aims of the pledges are to produce a situation where online gaming is seen as fun and entertainment not a way of making money. It is important also to recognize the fact some players will develop problems and they need to be given support, particularly those who opt for self-exclusion.
The prevention of underage gambling is at the top of their pledges list. Others include having rules to games that are actually understandable. Online slots players will know that isn’t always the case.
Hopefully the pledges will see a safe gambling industry created in the US. Showing that the members of the industry can work together is important. There are still many states that are yet to make sports betting legal.
More will go down that route in 2023 but there are still several that are resisting the idea of doing so. The lure of tax revenue from gambling sites may become too strong for some states. If the industry can show that they wish to promote responsible gaming, then that will help persuade some states to take the plunge.
One area is ensuring that customers are given the message to only gamble what they can afford to lose. Equally important is that the gambling sites themselves take swift action when they see customers spending and losing high amounts.
In the UK, there have been cases where betting companies haven’t been doing this. The UK Gambling Commission have issued fines worth millions of pounds to companies such as Entain (who are also active in the US market) and 888 who have been guilty of allowing customers to bet far too much and not always question where the funds are coming from.
2023 looks like being another successful year for the US gambling industry. Betting sites know that this is an opportunity they cannot blow. Ensuring that they are seen as an industry that cares for its customers is a New Year’s resolution that has to be kept.
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Workers at Caesars Southern Indiana Casino Authorize Strike

More than 140 workers at Caesars Southern Indiana Hotel & Casino, represented by Teamsters Local 89 and Operating Engineers Local 399, have voted by a 98% margin to authorize a strike. The overwhelming vote is a direct response to management’s refusal to offer a fair contract.
“Our members are united and ready to fight for the strongest possible agreement. This vote sends a clear message — we will not back down. If management won’t negotiate in good faith, we’re prepared to take action,” said Avral Thompson, President of Local 89.
Caesars Southern Indiana, owned and operated by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), pulled in more than $240 million in revenue last year, making it one of the most profitable casinos in the state. Workers are demanding a contract that reflects their essential contributions to that success.
“I’ve worked at Caesars for over seven years, and we deserve a contract that values our hard work and dedication. No one wants to strike, but if management keeps disrespecting us at the bargaining table, we’re ready to demand what we’ve earned,” said Sandra Ramirez, a slot attendant at Caesars Southern Indiana and a member of Local 89.
After months of negotiations, management at Caesars Southern Indiana continues to refuse to offer fair retirement benefits and remains far apart on other key economic issues.
“At this point, the ball is entirely in management’s court. If Caesars faces a strike, management will have no one to blame but themselves for the fallout. We stand ready to back our members every step of the way,” said Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman.
Compliance Updates
VIP Play Obtains Interim West Virginia iGaming and Sports Wagering Management Service Provider Licenses

VIP Play Inc. announced the approval of its interim License in West Virginia for both Sports Wagering and iGaming managed services. This follows the recently announced market access partnership between VIP Play and Delaware North’s Wheeling Island Casino.
This milestone marks the company’s initial expansion beyond Tennessee, where it currently operates as a mobile Sports Wagering Operator. The interim License in West Virginia also adds iGaming to the company’s book of business, and allows VIP Play to participate in the rapidly expanding i-Gaming industry. VIP Play expects to begin serving West Virginia customers in the coming months.
Bruce Cassidy, VIP Play CEO & Chairman of the Board, said: “The acquisition of our interim Sports Wagering and i-Gaming License in West Virginia marks a significant milestone in our journey to expand, underscoring our commitment to provide innovative experiences to a wider audience. As we grow our presence, our dedication to excellence stands firm, and we’re excited to play a role in enriching West Virginia’s dynamic gaming community.”
Compliance Updates
QTech Games sharpens its LatAm focus with MINCETUR licence in Peru

New certification for emerging-markets leader arrives ahead of key industry summit in Sao Paulo and awards recognition
QTech Games, the leading game aggregator for emerging markets, has had its platform and games successfully approved for the Peruvian market, demonstrating that its premier B2B platform and all-encompassing content conforms to the latest legislative updates to enhance and regulate Peru’s local gaming environment.
Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Commerce and Tourism (MINCETUR) has now issued an online gaming licence to QTech Games, whereby all its platform products and games are now deemed legally permitted. This includes its new software service for retail, QTech Hybrid, which allows land-based partners to scale their operations online. QTech Hybrid simplifies transactions by enabling deposits, withdrawals and gameplay while allowing access to players both in-shop and on personal devices.
This breakthrough hybrid solution has quickly won clients and awards in the comparably fragmented African market (most recently in March for Best Innovation at AGE Lagos), and now promises to do likewise across LatAm, where QTech Games has already signed several major clients for both its aggregation platform and its QTech Hybrid solution. This activity has seen it again nominated for Best Aggregator at the SiGMA Americas Awards, which kickstart the SiGMA Americas summit (7-10 April) next week, as the igaming world converges on Sao Paulo for a must-attend conference in another of QTech Games’ “focus markets” for 2025.
Philip Doftvik, QTech Games’ CEO, said: “It’s fantastic to have certified our aggregation platform in Peru via MINCETUR – and I’m pleased to say we have more such approvals pending across the continent. We attended fantastic events in Rio and, more recently, SAGSE 2025 in Buenos Aires – and anticipate more of the same at SiGMA Americas in Sao Paulo next week, where we’re also thrilled to have been shortlisted for Best Aggregator at their LatAm Awards. Given the venue, Brazil will be dominating the discussion for many at SiGMA Sao Paulo. However, we’ll also be looking beyond Brazilian borders this year, and are already active in Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Paraguay. We know our QTech Hybrid solution will work very well wherever we put a pin on the LatAm map.”
QTech Games delegates will be present at five more LatAm summits in 2025, with SiGMA Americas (7 April) the next port of call – followed by GAT Expo Cartagena (28 April), SBC Americas (13 May), Peru Gaming Show (18 June) and GAT Expo Mexico (28 Aug).
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