Philippines Senator Joel Villanueva is advocating for the advancement of his 2022 legislation aimed at banning Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) and all forms of online gambling. Initially filed in September 2022, Villanueva's Senate Bill 1281 seeks to repeal all existing legislation that grants authority to regulate online gambling and criminalize the activity. Under the proposed law, individuals who place, receive, or inadvertently transmit an online bet would be subject to six months of imprisonment or a fine of PHP500,000 (£6,736.74/€7,943.75/8,524.33). Corporations engaged in gambling would face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for their presidents, directors, or managers, along with the same PHP500,000 fine. Villanueva has pointed to alarming evidence connecting POGO operations to severe crimes such as kidnapping, murder, and human trafficking to support his call for a ban. "There should be no debate that the social costs of gambling far outweigh any benefits. We must put an end to this once and for all," Villanueva stated, as reported by the Philippines News Agency. He criticized the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) for failing to provide effective oversight and curtail criminal conduct. Since its assignment to the Senate's Ways and Means committee and the Public Order and Dangerous Drugs committee in 2022, there has been no progress on SB1281.
FanDuel has demonstrated continued dominance in New York's sports betting market, according to the latest weekly revenue report. For the week ending June 23, FanDuel accounted for over half of the state's sports betting revenue and more than a third of the total betting handle. Bettors placed $131.1 million with FanDuel during the seven-day period, resulting in a gross gaming revenue (GGR) of $19.7 million, representing around 51% of New York's total for that week. This indicates a hold of 15.0%, significantly above the national average of approximately 9.1%. DraftKings, the nearest competitor, recorded $118.0 million in stakes and a GGR of $10.9 million. The uptick in mobile sports betting in New York may be attributed to ongoing events like Copa América and Euro 2024, which have invigorated betting activity typically lacking during the summer months.
In New Hampshire, former senator Andy Sanborn has been granted an extension until July 18 to sell Concord Casino, following a revised deadline from the original June 27. The casino was closed in December 2023 amid allegations of misappropriation of federal pandemic funding, with Sanborn accused of fraudulently obtaining $844,000 in aid and spending $181,250 of those funds on two Porsches and a Ferrari. Investigators revealed that Sanborn submitted the pandemic relief application under a different name and failed to disclose the gambling nature of his business. Sanborn initially had six months to sell the property starting January 1, with the stipulation that failure to do so would result in the revocation of his facility and gaming operator licenses for two years. These licenses remain suspended until the New Hampshire Lottery Commission approves the sale. The deadline may shift to September if a potential sale is in progress, though no buyer details have been disclosed yet.
In Thailand, the Royal Thai police have arrested over 2,600 individuals for operating or participating in illegal gambling activities, coinciding with a heightened betting environment due to the ongoing Euro 2024 tournament. Since the tournament began on June 14, authorities have detained 2,113 individuals involved in in-person bookmaking, which includes 2,052 bettors, 22 bet collectors, and 39 bookies. Police efforts also extended to online platforms, resulting in the shutdown of 142 gambling websites and the arrest of 513 suspects, with 63 individuals suspected of running unauthorized betting sites and 450 of participating in online gambling.
A survey conducted by marketing consultancy Ilumeo has revealed a considerable interest in sports betting among Brazilians. With the government advancing legislation aimed at a projected launch on January 1, 2025, the survey of 2,327 Brazilians found that 83% of respondents were either already engaging in betting or considering doing so. Among those interested, 47% reported that they were already gambling, while 36% expressed intentions to bet. The primary motivation for this interest was the prospect of generating additional income through winnings, cited by 62% of respondents, while 37% indicated they would bet primarily for entertainment purposes. Conversely, among the 17% who stated they would not engage in betting, 39% cited a lack of skills to win, and 27% expressed doubts about their likelihood of making money.
