Dark Spiral

How to play Dark Spiral

“Premier League clubs that have struck new deals with unlicensed gambling operators knew the risks,” she said. “The government made clear in February that it would bring in a ban and it should do so immediately: even if that means clubs ordering new kit mid-season.

“Inconvenience is not an excuse for inaction.”

According to Entain, the consultation included data that demonstrated 22% of consumers who use unlicensed operators first interacted with them through social media, with 13% via sponsorship.

About Dark Spiral

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has published a report setting out red-flag risk indicators across the gaming and gambling sector. The indicators cover money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing. 

FATF released the report – Risks of Gaming and Gambling – on Wednesday. It updates the body’s 2009 analysis of the casino sector. In addition, it draws on questionnaire responses from 80 jurisdictions and written comments from a further 29, alongside industry consultation.

The report identifies land-based and online casinos and sports betting as carrying the highest money laundering exposure. By contrast, lotteries and scratchcards present lower risk. 

About Dark Spiral

“There should be, in my opinion, a review of the whole ISC or consumption tax framework and find a kind of alignment or a better way to get an income in terms of taxes, but that should be balanced in order to avoid the disruption of businesses and a migration of customers to the illegal market.”

Atucha warns there is a tipping point where higher taxes can undermine channelisation, citing the UK and Germany as important case studies.

“I sometimes wish regulators would look at other cases,” he adds. “I mean, what happened in Germany, what’s happening in the UK.”