Regulation

The difficulty in locking down what is allowed or prohibited in India is largely centered around each state government's definition of what is gambling and what is a game of skill. Poker is one such game constantly finding itself on either side of the fence, depending on the jurisdiction.

India’s online skill gaming industry has collectively recommended a policy think tank of the Indian national government, NITI Aayog, to establish a new institution to standardize regulations governing the industry.

Ankush Gera, founder and CEO of Junglee Games, talks with Asia Gaming Brief Managing Editor Sharon Singleton about the growth of the skill-based gaming market in industry in India, some of the regulatory and operating challenges and what’s driving growth. 

The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) says its deputy director Leong Man Ion will step down from Jan. 7th at his own request. He will return to his prior position as a DICJ senior technical advisor.

On 3 April 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs of Singapore (MHA) announced that it will be reconstituting the Casino Regulatory Authority (CRA) to establish the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) by 2021. The GRA will have an expanded mandate to regulate the entire gambling landscape in Singapore and aims to consolidate and optimize gambling regulatory resources within a single agency. 

Russia’s parliament has passed a new bill redistributing control over the online betting market, creating a unified gambling regulator to track bets and allocations to sporting leagues and significantly increasing costs to the industry. 

An Indian government policy think-tank has recommended the establishment of a self-regulatory body, recognized by the central government, for the country's booming fantasy sports industry. It also said the government should maintain a "light touch" with regulation.

The fallout from the inquiry into Crown Resorts' suitability to hold a license in Sydney may have ramifications for the entire industry in Australia, including tighter regulation, Fitch Ratings said in its 2021 outlook.

Dennis Valdes, former head of igaming company Philweb and now president of property developer Alphaland talks with AGB managing editor Sharon Singleton. He reflects on the development of the Philippine market and current state-of-play.

Ukraine's cabinet of ministers has approved the appointment of four more members to the Ukrainian Gambling and Lottery Commission. The committee now has enough members to enter into operation.