Serbian gaming operators are asking the country’s government to update slot regulatory requirements to allow machines manufactured by leading international companies, and certified by established testing labs, to be imported into Serbia.

Ukraine has historically been influenced from both the east and the west. Following parliament's dissolution this week, it is these influences at play which will decide the country's future direction at an election to be held in December. These influences are also reflected in draft gambling laws which have covered the spectrum from prohibition, to zoning, to European styled regulation. While there were developments last month regarding the Finance Ministry's draft bill, an analysis of which is included in this updated report, the current state of political turmoil, throws the timetable for reform and the type of reform into question.  

Latvia's gambling market has undergone a spontaneous development from an unregulated to a regulated market. This style of development has lead to an incremental approach to enhancing regulatory oversight. The latest regulatory challenges Latvia faces involve the full implementation of new machine standards, responding to the rise of internet gambling and a regulatory approach to problem gambling.

Latvia’s gambling regulator is beefing up its inspection division in order to enforce new gaming machine standards that will take effect next July. A representative from the Lotteries and Gambling Supervisory Inspection said up to one-third of existing machines in the country will fail to meet the standards.

The inaugural Balkan Entertainment and Gaming Expo kicked off yesterday in Sofia with a candid speech from Mr Dimitar Terziev, Chairman of the Bulgarian State Commission on Gambling, in which he anticipated changes to the current regulatory framework that would bring the country into conformity with European law.

A landmark seminar held in Helsinki last week emphasised the pivotal role of internet poker in the debates surrounding possible gambling reform in Finland. But while established Finnish gambling brands are poised to gain most from licensing, experts stressed that the government would be hard pressed to impose a blanket ban on foreign sites under forthcoming legislation.

Bulgaria, one of the newest EU member states, changed its gambling laws to achieve further harmony with the principles of the open market. Recently the prospect of regulations being introduced to regulate online gambling has been the topic of debate, with the government stating its intention to regulate this form of gambling.

An official report on proposed amendments to Finland’s Lotteries Act was debated in Helsinki last week. Broadly the report recommends raising age limits for all forms of gambling and tighter restrictions on advertising, but further proposals addressing the possible introduction of licensing regimes for specific types of gambling are due to be unveiled before the end of the year.

Cambodia, having suffered for decades, is beginning to emerge as a stable, competitive and attractive player in the region. A new casino administration law is said to be in the works, however gambling operators remain subject to other laws. Recently the country's largest operator suggested the possibility of offering a sub-concession of its operation in the capital Phnom Penn.

Gambling in Lithuania is regulated by the State Gaming Control Commission, which is responsible for executing government gambling policy, the issuance of licences and permits, the inspection of gaming equipment and the supervision of lotteries and gambling. Effects of smoking bans and customer registration obligations are starting to be felt by some operators. In other developments, new AML legislation has come into force this year, bringing the country into accord with EU directives, while other regulatory changes remain in draft form. 

Guyana has earmarked hotel casinos as a way to boost its tourism industry and made important legislative amendments to achieve this last year. The amendments raised the possibility of a principal regulator and a more coherent regulatory regime. Draft regulations to establish a gaming authority are close to being finalised. Reports have linked the Marriott and Hilton brands with hotel casino developments. These moves would mark the emergence of this industry in Guyana.

The status of online gambling in Poland is currently subject to debate, with some analysts predicting Poland will soon move towards a regulated, licensed and taxed online gambling environment. A new draft gambling law has been recently published by the Polish Ministry of Finance which, if enacted, will substantially amend the current legislative framework.

The Slovak Republic has in a short period transformed its laws and regulations to conform to EU community law. As part of moves to changeover to the euro, amendments to the gambling law came into force this year - with a new draft decree regarding video gaming machines being sent to the European Commission in recent weeks. Internet gambling games continue to grow, as does the country's casino sector. 

Since the British Ministry of Defence began closing down its activities on the territory, the low-taxation jurisdiction of Gibraltar has witnessed the development of a competitive e-commerce and financial services economy. Remote gambling is an important arm of this service mix, with Gibraltar recently attracting considerable interest from UK-facing operators following the UK's 'white list' rules coming into effect. Further codes of practice and guidance are set to arrive this year.  

GamblingCompliance spoke exclusively with the chairman of Bulgaria’s State Commission on Gambling about upcoming changes to the Eastern European country’s regulatory regime. While EU integration has already brought with it new opportunities for international gaming operators, more formal regulation of remote gambling activities is now firmly on the menu.

The debate regarding the possible legalisation of casinos in Taiwan has been ongoing for a number of years. With other parts of Asia experiencing a casino gambling boom, it has always been suggested that it is only a matter of when, not if, Taiwan will follow suit. With the KMT party winning both the parliamentary and presidential elections, new developments are expected this parliamentary term.

Denmark continues to be one of the most proactive jurisdictions in enforcing its gambling legislation. Poker is now captured by the criminal code as a result of a court decision last year. Although an appeal of this decision is pending, the legal status of poker in Denmark is in turmoil. Recent comments by the Taxation Minister suggest that the online gambling market is set for liberalisation.

The powers of PMU and FDJ have been questioned by European jurisprudence. A number of new casinos have opened in the last decade and French groups Lucien Barriere and Partouche are expanding rapidly throughout Europe. With a task force now established to explore a controlled opening of the market, the Budget Minister suggests that an experimental phase will begin within the next two years.

Italy is home to a complex and advanced gambling regulatory system with a plethora of legislative instruments providing the framework for operators. This peer reviewed report examines the main sectors of Italy's gambling market, providing the latest tax rates, current statistics and an introduction to the laws which underpin the industry.

To gain a true understanding of Macau’s present and emerging regulatory framework, operators need to understand how a small island which was the first jurisdiction to legalise casino gambling in 1847, has created an environment that generates revenues surpassing even the Las Vegas Strip. With news of a freeze in new casino developments and licenses, along with visa restrictions, this updated report, provides the latest statistics and developments in addition to an in-depth analysis of the principal law, 16/2001.

Jersey is now further along the path to developing a modern gambling regime with the shadow Gambling Commission preparing to release their response to major public consultation papers on gambling reform this morning. It would have been no easy task as the Commission had to deal with vastly different responses, notably over the value of online gambling for the island.

The ways in which Britons gamble and the ways to access gaming services continues to grow as new technologies are introduced. It was the challenges presented by new technologies and a growing consumer demand that prompted an overhaul of the way the gambling industry is regulated. With new annual reports starting to be released, the extent of the increased tax burden is starting to emerge.

Alderney, which achieved 'white listing' status last year, amended its regulations soon after to further enhance its position as an attractive jurisdiction. Established operators in other jurisdictions can 'go live' sooner under those amendments which also introduce new licensee social responsibility criteria. New AML regulations are now in place.

Estonia is overhauling its gambling regime and recently sent its draft law to the European Commission for notification, with a standstill period placed on the implementation of the new law until mid-June.Gambling addiction has risen and that the justification for the law is to decrease the demand for gambling, and to prevent and limit gambling's possible negative economic and social consequences.

New legislation due to come into force in January 2009 means that Estonia is on the verge of completing a much anticipated modernisation of its gambling regulatory regime. The new law, notified to the European Commission last week, radically increases the capital and machine capacity requirements of existing operators, whilst remote gambling is also to be regulated for the first time. This exclusive analysis summarises the key provisions of the draft law, and provides a sneak preview of what Estonia’s new gambling regime will look like.

Macedonia has comprehensive gaming legislation which creates a base for remote gambling operations. Despite this, the nineteen percent of Macedonians who use the internet are prohibited from participating in online gambling. Sports betting is a popular pastime with over 60 percent participation from men in a report released in 2006.

Despite the recent trend of the Constitutional Court finding in favour of state monopolies, both the Swedish government and the European Commission have launched separate inquiries to determine whether Sweden is compliant with EC competition law. In addition a number of new guidelines have been issued by the National Gaming Board and are awaiting approval of the European Commission.

As Samak Sundarvej and his People's Power Party start to settle into their new roles as Thailand's prime minister and ministry, their government - Thailand's first democratically-elected one since the recent coup - is gearing up for the real work to begin. Legalising casinos, a hotly debated topic in recent Thai political history, looks set to feature highly on their agenda. This development is best considered from a regional perspective.

The Hungarian gambling market has seen a steady growth in recent years attracting some very large operators. With laws that class machines as 'waste' after a time, Hungary boasts particular potential in this area for manufacturers. Speculation regarding the privatization of the state operator, Szerencsejáték Zrt, has resumed, with clarification of the position expected by the end of the month.

Today marks the end of the first round of consultation periods, regarding the introduction of video lottery terminals, which are to be introduced onto the Maltese market in June this year. More consultation papers are to be published shortly, but most likely not until after Malta's general election in early March.