GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 36 - October 2016

QUOTABLES “I am confident that the Netherlands will quickly emerge as one of Europe’s most important gaming jurisdictions. For any operators or providers looking to make the most of this new opportunity, it is important to act quickly and seek local expertise.” —Jaspar Hoekert, co-founder of Revenue Engineers, on the passing of the Dutch Remote Gaming Bill. “This approval is a significant step in support of continued regulation of Internet gaming in America. We are delighted to welcome yesterday’s approval of HB 2150 by the House of Representatives in Pennsylvania, long anticipated to become America’s fourth state to regulate Internet casino gaming. The anticipated passing of bill HB 2150 will be a very positive development for GAN.” — Dermot Smurfit, CEO of GAN, on the approval of Pennsylvania’s bill for the legalization of Internet casino gaming in the state. Quotables “[Pence] went as far as to author a letter to the Indiana Congressional delegation asking them to support the [Sheldon] Adelson bill that would shut down state- licensed poker websites and prohibit new ones. As if that was not enough, he made sure to send a copy to Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), sponsor of the House version of the prohibition legislation, to provide backing for one of Chaffetz’s Congressional hearings on the subject.” — Poker Players Alliance, regarding Mike Pence’s letter on online poker. “When I served in Congress, I was pleased to support the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA). ... I believe it is necessary for Congress to restore the original interpretation of the Wire Act that prohibited Internet gambling nationwide, and I encourage you to support legislation that would accomplish this end.” — 2014 letter to the members of the Indiana Congressional Delegation on Internet gambling from Mike Pence, U.S. Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump’s running mate in the 2016 General Election. “There will be a day (that betting on politics in the U.S. will be allowed). I don’t know how far out it is, but this year’s presidential race would have been the largest thing we ever handled. It would have blown the Super Bowl away.” — Jeff Sherman, assistant sportsbook manager at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. “Daily fantasy sports have proven to be popular in New York, but until now have operated with no supervision and no protections for players. This legislation strikes the right balance that allows this activity to continue with oversight from state regulators, new consumer protections and more funding for education.” — Governor Andrew Cuomo, after signing legislation to legalize interactive fantasy sports in New York State. “This transaction is a testament to Playtika’s unique culture and the innovative spirit of our employees, who for the past six years have consistently designed, produced and operated some of the most compelling, immersive and creative social games in the world . . . This is an amazing milestone for all Playtikans, and we truly value how unique this opportunity is to continue executing our vision with such a strong partner.” — Robert Antokol, co-founder and CEO of Playtika, the casino-style online games unit of Caesars Entertainment Corp., which was sold in July for $4.4 billion to Chinese investors led by Shanghai Giant Network Technology Co. “The eSports industry is projected to exceed $1 billion soon. Gaming is just the new passion point for this digital generation.” — Craig Levine, CEO of the Electronic Sports League. 6 W W W . G P W A T I M E S . O R G