The controversial taxation of online gambling in Belgium has been overturned. This makes the country interesting for operators again…

The European Commission has rejected a State aid complaint lodged by a number of Danish land-based gambling operators challenging the lower tax rate to be imposed on online gambling operators via the Danish Gaming Duties Act 2010. The Remote Gambling Association, which has supported the Danish Government’s ability to vary its gambling tax rate where there are clear and justifiable reasons to do so, has provided detailed evidence to the Commission and has welcomed the judgement and its wider implications.

Britain’s leading bookmakers have warned the Government that any attempt to increase taxes or regulation at the Budget will lead to betting shop closures and job losses, as well as further undermining their ability to compete with offshore rivals. In meetings with Gerry Sutcliffe, Minister for Sport, and Angela Eagle, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, some bookies have also hinted that any regressive move from the Government could force them to relocate parts of their business offshore.

A queue of two dozen taxis extends along the curbside outside the arched entrance of the Hippodrome Casino. It is 8am on a week day and the all-night punters are beginning to drift out of the largest gaming hall in Buenos Aires. Business is good. Argentines like to gamble at the best of times. At the worst of times, they like to chance their luck all the more.

In Turkey, the Telecommunications Directorate (TIB) watchdog has asked the Ministry of Finance to levy a tax on Internet gaming after an investigation allegedly produced irregularities within the sector. According to a report from Zaman Istanbul, Fethi Simsek, the head of TIB, stated that his agency had watched the online gaming sector closely and decided to warn the Ministry about the need for a tax.

On December 16 in Paris, Patrice Debray, the UMP deputy of Haute-Saône, officially presented his bill on the introduction of “small outlay-small winnings machines” (AMLG) in bars, hotels, restaurants and nightclubs. For Debray, while there were 35,600 bars in France in December 2007, that is less than one per commune, the aim is to fight against the closing down of these establishments (3,500 per year since 2000) by supporting them financially.

Dithering has always been part of Britain’s political culture but time is rapidly running out for amusement arcades and the wider pay-to-play leisure industry. Delays in policy decisions are putting nearly 30,000 jobs in the industry in severe jeopardy. More and more businesses are forced to close every week — especially seaside arcades. Far from heralding a liberalisation of the gambling laws, the 2005 Gambling Act has introduced greater regulation for land-based operators…

Tabcorp Holdings Limited (TAH) said it was disappointed that the Queensland Government had decided to increase taxes on electronic gaming machines („EGMs“) at all Queensland casinos from 1 July 2009. The company said it estimated that if the taxes had applied in the previous year, NPAT would have been reduced by AUD 20 million. The Queensland Government announced that taxes on gaming machines at Conrad Treasury in Brisbane and Conrad Jupiters on the Gold Coast would increase to 30%, up from 20%.

British bookmakers are facing the prospect of a tax-rate increase as Her Majesty’s Treasury looks to generate income amid the economic downturn. Reuters reports Chancellor Alistair Darling’s pre-budget report is due to be released this week, and analysts are saying that gambling profits – especially those derived from fixed odds betting terminals – are “easy targets” in the current environment.

After rejecting the budget and the increment in taxes, the political counterattack of the opposition was to propose the government to charge an 8% tax to the collection of riverboat casinos, bingo halls and slots in Palermo horse racetrack. With these resources, they say, it could be replaced the tax increment proposed by City Mayor Mauricio Macri. „When I was Mayor of the City, we fought for the gambling sector to pay Gross Incomes, but companies obtained judicial statements on their favor.“

Last week, South African Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel, publicised a new bill being proposed to the government: the Interactive Gaming Tax Bill. By allowing online gambling to exist but regulating and taxing them, South Africa has created a stable industry with less black market activity than that of the US, critics claim. This measure, if undertaken, will tax gross gambling revenue outside of operators within the online gambling industry.

TabCorp is pleading for immediate government intervention through tax cuts and increased protection for licensed tote operators in order to halt the slide of business towards its Northern Territory-based online rivals. According to a piece in The Age newspaper, Tab took USD 36.5 million in bets on the main Melbourne Cup thoroughbred horse race last week, which was 10.3 % more than on last year’s event.