Roman Bogoduhov, EvenBet Gaming’s Head of Account Management, joined the company late last year. We caught up with him on how the business plans to secure further growth as the region’s various markets develop. 

CasinoBeats: Which LatAm countries do you see having the most immediate potential right now and why?

RB: There’re several countries where it’s lucrative to start a casino or sports betting website at the moment. Colombia is the most attractive one with minimal legislative barriers and an established and transparent licencing process. Argentina comes in second place as it’s a huge market with an igaming-hungry population, but it’s a lot more complicated, with 24 jurisdictions in the country, all with various regulatory statuses. On top of that, the legislation in most of these territories makes starting a brand new casino nearly impossible. 

However, the online market in Mexico is very attractive, but it’s only available to existing land-based operators.     

CasinoBeats: How has the status of online poker changed in LatAm in recent years?

RB: In Latam countries that allow the operation of local or offshore poker offerings, online poker has quickly transformed from being associated with the black market and illegal activities into an indispensable part of everyday entertainment. For example, in Colombia and Chile, we’re seeing interest in our product increasing constantly, especially from sports betting operators because of the audience crossover.   

To lean into this, we have optimised our Side-Bet product, which allows players to bet on sports without having to leave the poker room. For projects starting from scratch, we have pre-integrated sportsbooks from two partner providers with an enormous choice of sports and events, so an operator can give passionate players access to both offers simultaneously.

CasinoBeats: Conversely, which countries do you see as slow burners that further down the line could be the most promising markets?

RB: Brazil is the biggest potential market. We see slow movement toward online gaming regulation as the 2022 World Cup draws ever closer. That being said, the proposed changes mostly cater to sports betting and lotteries. However, as the government sees the benefits of a regular influx of taxes from the igaming sector – especially considering the costly events of the past two years – the regulation will naturally extend to online casinos and poker rooms as well. This is particularly likely given poker’s affinity with sports betting. 

As well as that, these games are already part of day-to-day life in the form of illegal operators and the country stands to benefit exponentially from common-sense regulation.  

CasinoBeats: With the complexities in relation to the regulatory status of LatAm – with some countries such as Brazil currently prohibiting gambling, others unregulated but not actively prohibiting it, and others such as Argentina regulated on a province-by-province basis, how do you target the best opportunities for the company?

RB: There are several questions we ask ourselves before making any country-specific offer. First, and most importantly, is online poker currently regulated in the country, such as in Colombia? If not, is playing in offshore poker rooms allowed, as is the case in Chile? 

Then we need to examine whether there’s an existing offline and online poker culture in the region that would allow an operator to create a sustainable user database. In Argentina’s case, there’s massive affection for the game, making it a no brainer to implement the game there.    

Having interrogated these factors, we can advise an operator on whether to proceed with an offering. We’re also beginning to examine how EvenBet Gaming can help our customers to better understand legislative barriers and which forms of partnerships are the most promising.

CasinoBeats: A region with such potential will inherently bring competition. What do you believe makes your company stand out from your competitors?

RB: EvenBet Gaming was one of the first poker providers that started to work in Latin and South America. In the last four years, we’ve optimised our offerings to the needs of local operators and players, completely localised the software and management tools we offer specific clients and created a Spanish-speaking business support team. As well as that, we have consistently participated in many gaming industry events in Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Mexico, and other countries. 

Finally, we offer the same world-class poker platform that we make available in more mature markets, such as Europe and the US, with all the necessary certifications. It is safe, secure, and packed with all necessary anti-fraud and compliance tools. We pay special attention to developing and providing KYC and anti-fraud solutions to LatAm-based operators because trust and safety are among the biggest issues in the region. There’s still a lot to be done, but we’re ready to launch any type of project our partners might need.

CasinoBeats: If you could change any elements of how the LatAm countries currently operate in terms of gambling and regulation, what would they be and why?

RB: I’d speed up the process of transition from black and grey online markets to regulated ones. That would be beneficial for both the players, who would be protected from various scams and fraudulent operations, and each of these countries’ economies would receive more taxes. Keeping online gambling in the shadows has grave consequences for the industry’s reputation in general. It only serves to complicate the operations of legally working companies.

CasinoBeats: What new products should operators in the region be looking forward to?

RB: More mobile-first and mobile-only multi-gaming platforms. These seem to be most interesting for many audiences in LatAm. The combinations can be quite different. For example, EvenBet offers a mobile poker platform with the possibility to add thousands of casino and table games as well as a live offering and classic sports betting.

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Ekaterina Giganova, EvenBet Gaming CMO, shares her thoughts on why India is ‘too attractive as a market not to try’ before touching upon why the introduction of a well-thought out regulatory framework could present an attractive opportunity for foreign operators looking to expand.

How many online casino and sports betting players are there in a country with the world’s second-largest population, noted for the fact that gambling is inherited in the culture? And how many of them are visible to us and the country authorities in the situation of uncertain and controversial regulation?

India being one of the most promising igaming markets is, at the same time, also one of the toughest, for many reasons. The legal issues are a headache, with countless variations between different states and the whole online verticals banned by the federal law, not to mention the enormous size of both black and grey markets. 

The users’ preferences are not always evident for operators who used to work in Europe or North America. And the payment processing for igaming still causes difficulties for many projects.

However, India is too attractive as a market not to try. Some data suggests that right now, 10 per cent of all online gaming users are from India. According to recent surveys, 40 per cent of Internet users in the country gamble online while 80 per cent of adults make at least one bet a year. 

During the pandemic, as Business Wire India stated, online gambling in the country experienced a 21 per cent growth. India loses at least US$140m in taxes a year, due to the lack of online gaming regulation, and the market is predicted to grow to US$1bn in revenue within a few years.

How does poker fare?

Online poker is relatively lucky in India if compared to slots and most online casino games. Online casinos are officially prohibited as a form of gambling in most of the Indian states, while online poker is considered to be a game of skill and is therefore treated as neither gambling nor regulated (the same works for fantasy sports). 

This situation makes us face a lot of uncertainty: as long as the status of online poker as a game of chance or skill may be revisited by the state governments, and as far as lately some severe actions against online gambling have been taken (in Tamil Nadu and Telangana already, with more states considering similar measures), we cannot be sure that situation will stay favourable for online poker long.

At the same time, the black market of online casinos and sports betting during the pandemic is growing rapidly as never before. Without the access to the limited number of land-based casinos in four states regulating physical gambling, no horse racing (also game of skill in India), etc., this nation of heavy gamblers quickly has turned to illegal websites offering to spin a roulette, try luck in slots, or bet on one of the few sports events available.

Instead of introducing regulation, the governments propose more and more severe bans, and that doesn’t improve the situation with money spent in illegal casinos, gambling addiction, or fraud.

Regulation and the possibility to work legally and secure the business could be attractive for many local and some global operators interested in developing the Indian market. As for online poker, now its status is based on court precedents but is not fixed by law, except for five states which claim online poker as a form of gambling and either regulate (Nagaland, Sikkim) or ban it (Telangana, Andra Pradesh, Gujarat).

So, everyone entering the online market in India with whichever offering is legal here must consider either games of skill uncertain status or the possibility of the whole industry becoming illegal.

Indian players: mobile gen Z and rummy fans

We see a completely different approach to the igaming regulation, but can we also say that Indian players are different? Does the relatively legitimate status of online poker or fantasy sports affect their popularity? Are there any local preferences for the games?

Yes and no; pretty much as the rest of the world, Indian poker fans prefer Texas Hold’em, its’ Short Deck variation, and Omaha; these three game types make over 95 per cent of all poker games played. But a poker room might get a significant advantage if it also offers locally popular card games like Rummy and Teen Patti alongside poker. This combination would make a definite success recipe if the promotion strategy is right.

While marketing a poker room or a casino, one should also take into consideration that the actively playing audience here is young (if compared with North America, for example, where a huge part of online poker fans started playing during the poker boom of the noughties), mobile, and sees online gaming as a part of the lifestyle. 

No wonder that successful marketing campaigns for online casino and poker projects include using such tools as TikTok, YouTube lives and video shows, and other video marketing options, securing collaborations with local pop and rap stars, and other campaigns appealing to gen Z.

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The hubs – located in Armenia, Serbia and Turkey – will mean that Connective Games is now active in four countries, with its HQ located in Malta.

The online poker software developer explained that the three additional hubs are a “logical step in the company’s global development strategy”. 

By opening offices in Belgrade, Fethiye and Yerevan, Connective Games also hopes that it can diversify its workforce. This “fresh talent”, it said, will ultimately strengthen its wider development talent.

As well as traditional poker formats, Connective Games offers a portfolio of ‘social gaming’ poker games which it believes provides a more engaging gameplay experience for bettors.

Back in 2020, the company launched a feature that enables operators to live stream tournaments to players around the world. 

The Poker Tournament Live Stream sits on the Connective Games platform, which powers sites such as Spartan Poker. It allows users to remain engaged with a poker brand even when they are not playing themselves, by watching professional players go head to head.

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CasinoBeats: What are the major challenges in scaling poker operations in highly regulated or uncertain markets?

Dmitry Starostenkov: The primary challenge that all operators face is attracting an audience. In poker, we refer to this as “liquidity”, which is the flow of traffic to the operator that ensures a consistent player presence in the poker room. This is crucial, as unlike with casino games such as roulette, where the player competes against the house, poker is fundamentally a game between players. Therefore, it is vital for an operator to have a sufficient audience to facilitate engaging gameplay.

This issue affects both new projects and established operators. Attracting a steady influx of new players is not an easy task. Many poker rooms operate on traditional models and rely solely on time-tested games, but this audience is gradually ageing and losing interest as they explore other games and formats.

The key takeaway is that we must offer players something that truly resonates with a younger demographic—those who have grown up with mobile phones and have played games such as Candy Crush and farm simulators from a young age. This applies universally across all markets, both those that are developed with long-standing regulations, and emerging markets. However, it is particularly relevant in new markets.

In these markets, operators must start from scratch, which means actively growing and educating the audience. For instance, in Africa, education is paramount. The demographic is interested in poker but lacks the knowledge to play effectively. Without adequate understanding, they may quickly lose interest after initial losses. It is therefore pivotal that we seize the opportunity to educate potential players in a timely manner to foster lasting engagement.

CB: How can online poker platforms adapt their business models to guarantee success in regions like Latin America and Southeast Asia, where regulatory frameworks can be stringent or inconsistent?

DS: In addition to directly adapting the product, it is essential, as aforementioned, to educate your audience, to form and nurture it, and to teach people how to play poker. Latin America and South Asia are markets where regulations are changing rapidly. However, in most cases, there is still no regulation specifically for online poker in these regions, or it remains at a very basic level.

This means that any operator entering these countries faces numerous uncertainties related to practical business operations. For example, traditional payment methods may not be available because online banking does not permit transactions for online poker, even in cases where it is not legally prohibited. In many cases, this issue simply has not been addressed yet in the nation. Additionally, operators may find it difficult to connect to a large poker network to gain traffic and make games interesting for the audience because that network is not yet operational in the region.

These challenges can often be overcome by experimenting with the product itself. There are already established strategies in Asia for attracting an audience. Typically, there are popular local games in this region that serve as gateways into poker. For instance, in India, where EvenBet has a significant market share, people often come to play Rummy, which is a popular card game in the region. Having enjoyed the experience, they then transition into poker.

It is also crucial to be financially flexible, for example, by creating numerous tables for micro-stakes, as players may not yet be ready to wager at higher values. In such cases, it is wise to favour quick, simplified formats such as shorthanded games or trimmed decks. There is also huge potential in offering fast tournament formats or tournaments with random elements, such as Spin & Go or Mystery Bounty tournaments. These formats attract an audience that is just starting to learn how to play.

Professional players can sit successfully at a table with high stakes or endure a three-hour tournament, something no beginner can easily replicate due to a lack of skills. It is no coincidence that formats with lower wagering options are popular in such markets. A prime example of this is the success of mobile applications that do not formally involve real-money gambling, as these allow players to experience excitement without constantly risking significant sums. This solution also enables operators to address monetisation issues, as they are not required to process a large number of payments from thousands of players and can instead comfortably implement in-game purchases.

Psychologically, this approach is simpler for players, especially those who are beginners or who play casually and occasionally. In the case of club poker, the volume of financial transactions is also lower, thus reducing the risks related to those transactions. In such instances, the poker room is only paid by the club owner, who then distributes chips, virtual currency, and creates games for the players. Therefore, the number of counterparties directly involved with the operator is lower, as is the volume of transactions.

CB: With continued uncertainty surrounding alternate payment options to standard fiat transactions, what does the future look like for cryptocurrency payments on a global scale?

DS: Cryptocurrency has proven to be effective in most markets. However, the challenge is that in some regions, it is considered easier to ban its use than to regulate the process. In certain countries, there are already significant restrictions on cryptocurrency transactions and their use as a payment method. Nevertheless, this situation is not widespread, and there are no indications that it will become so. 

Overall, the prospects for cryptocurrency in gambling are very promising. This is connected to the unreliability of traditional payment systems, the high number of blocked transactions and chargebacks in online gambling, and the complexities of compliance with legislative regulations surrounding payments. These three factors make working with payment systems complicated, labour-intensive, and without guaranteed results. In contrast, using cryptocurrency simplifies the entire process. 

The key point is that regulatory bodies in the online gaming industry need to learn how to handle cryptocurrency payments. If we reach a point where the use of cryptocurrency is equated with the use of conventional payment methods, then in the future, such transactions could dominate the gambling market.

CB: Across tricky to navigate jurisdictions, how can businesses diversify their revenue streams to ensure maximum profitability?

DS: The main rule is that you should not rely entirely on a single monetisation tool, especially in today’s reality. It is not reasonable to consider traditional online poker—where players come to play, deposit $100, and either win or lose—as a universal solution. All operators need to seek new ways to encourage players to increase their expenditure, and to do so in various ways.

This can be achieved with additional games. EvenBet has side games integrated into its poker platform, which are mini-games that can be played parallel to the poker table. A player can enjoy blackjack, roulette, or make sports bets while waiting for their turn or during breaks. These mini-games can be just as significant a source of income as the main poker platform and are an essential additional revenue stream.

Virtual purchase stores, one of which EvenBet has also launched, are another method of diversifying revenue streams. Players can purchase additional functionalities, such as the ability to view their opponent’s game statistics or a time bank that extends the player’s turn. These features cost the operator very little but are appealing to players as they provide more information about the game and extra opportunities, making players willing to spend on them.

Finally, the introduction of new business models should be a priority. In addition to classic real-money poker, launching club poker allows for the combination of standard games, tournaments and private games on a single platform. This creates two distinct revenue streams for the operator while enabling cross-marketing between unique audiences, including private and classic games. This approach generates greater revenue and extends the lifetime value of each player due to the availability of more varied gameplay options to try.

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The MSIGA compact – managed by the Multi-State Internet Gaming Association – was entered into first by Nevada and Delaware in 2014, but it has since expanded to include more states.

New Jersey joined the agreement in 2017, while Michigan was added in 2022. West Virginia now joins that list.

“I am pleased that our West Virginia igaming providers will now have the opportunity to offer multi-state poker to our players,” commented West Virginia Lottery Director John Myers.

“This will greatly increase the potential pool of participants and thus allow our players to play for bigger winnings.”

While online poker has been legalised in West Virginia since 2019, no sites have yet launched in the state. However, that could soon change now that the state is part of the MSIGA.

PokerStars has its player bases in Michigan and New Jersey combined following an agreement earlier this year. WSOP.com combines its player pools across Nevada and New Jersey and works with 888 in Delaware.

Two other states have online poker – Pennsylvania and Connecticut – but they are in completely different situations regarding the product.

Pennsylvania has legal and running online poker but has yet to join the MSIGA, while Connecticut has legalised the product but no sites have yet launched in the state.

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Reporting the latest set of monthly figures, the region’s Gaming Control Board reported that revenue through the month reached $467m, up six per cent from the previous month’s $440.49m and 8.85 per cent from $429m year-on-year, but falling shy of a half a billion dollar mark that appears to be proving elusive at the moment.

Total tax revenue generated from slot machines, table games, sports wagering, igaming, video gaming terminals and fantasy contests stood at $192m.

Per casino property, the top three remain unchanged from the past month as Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course unsurprisingly maintained its leading status via an increase of 125.62 per cent to $70m (2022: $55.79m). The previous month recorded $72.58m.

Parx Casino has narrowed the gap month-on-month, but still lags some way behind with revenue of $56.1m, down less than one percentage point from the previous year’s $56.37m and 9.32 per cent from $51.32 MoM.

Rounding off the top three is King of Prussia’s Valley Forge Casino Resort with a revenue increase of 32.07 per cent, the largest in the state, to close July at $54.64m (2022: $41.37m). This is also up 6.74 per cent from June’s $51.19m.

Looking at another of the commonwealth’s reporting segments, igaming tracked a 35 per cent year-on-year increase from $98.57m to $132.89m, however, this is down 1.9 per cent from the previous month’s $135.43m.

Online slots unsurprisingly led the way with $114.66m, up less than one percentage point YoY from $113.9m, as igaming tables surged ahead 48 per cent with $35.36m (2022: $23.89m). Online poker continued to fall, this time by a little under five per cent to $2.63m (2022: $2.76m).

It’s another case of familiarity in the property-by-property online casino standings, with Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course leading the way with $54.39m, up 40.97 per cent from the past year’s $38.58m.

This is ahead of Valley Forge Casino Resort’s 67.4 per cent increase to $29.22m (2022: $17.45m), with Rivers Casino Philadelphia closing July at $26.82m, 8.52per cent ahead YoY from $24.71m. 

Harrah’s Philadelphia maintained a trend of securing the largest percentage increase after recording a 80.29 per cent surge to $5.69m (2022: $3.15m).

Looking at specific game types across the year, retail slots remain the dominant force with revenue of $214.68m, which represents a slight increase when compared to the $213.9m generated in one year earlier. Retail table games dropped 3.77 per cent to $83.41m (2022: $86.68m).

Total sports betting handle through the month was $338.45m, which represents a rise of less than one percentage point YoY from $433.65m. Revenue reached $32m, up 126 per cent from $25.44m.

Revenue for video gaming terminals was $3.35m, a decline of 7.23 per cent YoY from $3.61m, with fantasy contests down 24 per cent to $655,886 (2021: $858,569).

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Three new features – video chat, throwable objects and bomb pots – have been integrated into the platform by the online gaming software developer to help emulate the offline poker experience online and improve communication and interactions.

EvenBet added that the features will boost several KPIs as well as provide a positive impact on engagement, retention and revenue.

“We are very excited to release these fun and engaging features within our platform,” commented Dmitry Starostenkov, CEO of EvenBet Gaming.

“We are continuously looking at ways to bring elements of the offline poker experience into the online world, and now players have the opportunity to express their emotions and engage with opponents in real-time with these upgrades.

“We are very proud of what we have achieved, and we look forward to working on future enhancements that continue to evolve the digital poker experience.”

EvenBet’s video chat feature will allow players to interact with one another through a camera and microphone in real-time at specific tables, excluding tournaments.

The throwable objects upgrade will give players the option to select one of 10 virtual animated objects to throw at their opposition, which the developer says offers a “funnier alternative to the classic emoji”.

Finally, the bomb pot feature will randomly appear within a session and force players to pay an ante, increasing the amount which can be won. 

Operators can control how often the bomb pot feature occurs during the game, but the player’s consent may be required before the game can continue.

Earlier this year, Starostenkov spoke to SBC about online poker and how such an offering can be rolled out efficiently.

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A move which also comes two years after the relevant legislation was founded, the GGL is looking to maintain the momentum of what it bills as a “successful first half of 2023”.

In addition to addressing the impending introduction of an official seal of approval in a bid to make legal offerings “more easily recognisable,” the authority first touched upon ongoing enforcement efforts.

As of June 2023, 142 providers of virtual slot machine games and online poker, sports and horse betting were named on the country’s white list, with a further 45 applications sitting in the processing stage.

However, the GGL noted that it is “concerned with the new legal situation”, which currently sees 100 proceedings currently pending regarding a review of the provisions of the treaty and licences issued.

The regulator has previously said that it was being faced with “a large number of lawsuits from providers of games of chance on the internet”.

However, it was noted that its actions “have mostly been confirmed by the courts” after the Higher Administrative Court of the State of Saxony-Anhalt revised decisions of the Halle Administrative Court in five proceedings for temporary legal protection following a complaint by the GGL.

In making its decision, consideration was given to bans on infomercials, advertising for free online casino games and virtual slot machines, influencer marketing, advertising by streamers and affiliate advertising with partners who also advertise illegal offerings.

It was deemed that the regulations that have been put in place are necessary to ensure sufficient player protection, as well as to enforce the overarching ambitions of the goals of the State Treaty on Gaming 2021.

GGL board member Ronald Benter, who presented the report, said: “We can look back on a successful first half of 2023. We will continue along the path of consistent legal enforcement in the issuing of permits and supervision. The first court decisions confirm this. At the same time, we remain in dialogue with the industry regarding new challenges.”

In addition, information was also given regarding the protection of minors and players, with more than 2000 websites have been checked for illegal gambling and advertising.

This recently saw Tipster have its sports betting certification revoked after it was deemed that the requirements for legal operations were no longer being met.

Fellow board member Benjamin Schwanke noted: “We are successfully working together with all the key players in the fight against illegal gambling. 

“Here, too, we always keep an eye on new developments, such as camouflage as a competition. The judgement of the Munich Administrative Court in the spring shows that we are not powerless against it.”

In addition, July 1 will witness a pair of key developments within the GGL, with the Chair of the administrative board of the joint gaming authority of the federal states to change.

After Schleswig-Holstein, under Jörg Sibbel, State Secretary in the Ministry of the Interior, Municipal Affairs, Housing and Sport, led the way from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, Udo Götze, State Secretary in the Thuringian Ministry of the Interior and Municipal Affairs, will take the reins from tomorrow.

Furthermore, an official GGL seal of approval and approval will also be made available from this date, as the regulator hopes to better distinguish legal entities from their illegal counterparts.

This, it was said, will contain a legal obligation to provide relevant licensing status on home pages, as additional consumer safety is sought.

The past year saw the volume of the Germany gambling market sit at €13.4bn, which the GGL noted is “roughly the same as in 2019”.

The providers for which the GGL is responsible took a €3.5bn share, with sports betting occupying €1.4bn, ahead of lotteries and slot and poker providers that did not have a licence but were earmarked to do so. 

“Overall, it can be assumed that the market will stabilise at this level for the time being,” the GGL concluded.

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Furthermore, the online gambling operator’s 888poker brand has also announced the recovery of a record amount from gaming integrity reviews through the past year.

Sports Illustrated broadens Gaming Realms’ US reach

The gaming content provider will expand its presence in the Wolverine State alongside the recently launched, and Sports Illustrated branded, SI Casino, which is owned and operated by 888.

Under the terms of the partnership, the igaming site will gain an additional content uplift courtesy of titles such as Slingo Sweet Bonanza, Slingo Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania and Slingo Deal or No Deal.

Howard Mittman, 888 US President, noted: “Partnering further with Gaming Realms through our new SI Casino brand is a key part of our product and content leadership strategy in the US. 

“This collaboration will help us to provide unique and exciting experiences to our players in Michigan, and we look forward to continuing to work with the Gaming Realms team.”

This latest tie-up in the state for Gaming Realms comes after the group made its debut in the region during 2022, and expands an ongoing partnership with the operator group.

The two companies have also partnered-up in Spain, Denmark, Sweden and New Jersey across the last three months. 

Craig Falciglia, Director of Business Development at Gaming Realms, said: “We are excited to once again partner with 888 and to deliver innovative slots that offer unparalleled engagement through decision-based choices to their customer-base in Michigan. 

“This collaboration through SI Casino further builds upon our flourishing relationship with 888, having already received positive feedback from similar global agreements with the operator.”    

888poker recovers ‘record amount’ from integrity reviews

888’s online poker room has also disclosed that it has returned $287,292 of refunds to players through 2022, which have been recovered from accounts that have been deemed to have violated its fair gaming policy.

In addition to detailing progress on the issue of bots and RTA, software programming used to create unfair advantages over real-life players, 888poker also noted that it also “detected players colluding with each other for unfair advantage”.

In total, the operator refunded 6,801 players with $287,292, which represents a 32 per cent uptick year-on-year, averaging $42 per player. 

Matan Krakow, Head of Poker Offering at 888poker, explained: “At 888poker, we take the issue of game integrity very seriously. This year, as a result of our continued investments in technology, cooperation of our players, and hard work of our teams, we have increased the detection rate of bot accounts, RTA and collusion to give back almost $290,000 to players. 

“In the year ahead, we will continue to focus on this area to ensure that customers have a fair, safe, and entertaining experience when they play with 888poker.”

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The bill aims to reclassify certain poker formats, such as Texas Hold’em and Omaha, as games of skill, rather than chance, to make them legal across the Empire State.

HB1380 seeks to amend to the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding laws to classify both poker formats as games of skill, declaring that ‘courts have found that where a contest pits the skill levels of the players against each other, those games are games of skill and not games of chance’.

The bill also highlighted that the internet can help players find illicit ways of accessing online poker. HB1380 states that this issue needs “regulatory oversight to safeguard the integrity of the games and participants”.

With this legislation, the New York State Gaming Commission would operate regulatory oversight of online poker from 180 days of the bill coming into place, with 11 licences becoming available to companies with pre existing class III gaming licences as well as VLT licences. 

Further, all licence holders would be subject to a one-time fee payable to the gaming commission over a maximum of 60 months, standing at $10m. 

HB1380 also suggests a tax rate of 15 per cent on all GGR made from those online poker operators, with the funds set to be used to top up the state lottery fund for New York. 

This is not the first time an attempt has been made to legalise poker in the Empire State, following numerous previous probes that had little to no impact. 

In January 2019, Senator Joseph Addabbo introduced a similar bill that also sought to provide 11 licences across Class III licensees and VLT-certified establishments. 

Unfortunately, that bill failed to pass the house and Sen Addabbo repeated this failure in 2021 with a bill aiming to legalise both online poker and online casino.

Despite the previous failures, Pretlow will hope to have the support needed for the bill to pass through the legislative procedures required. This could be helped by the impressive performance of the state’s sports betting market since it launched last year, which yielded record taxes.

Lawmakers within New York are set to amend the state’s sports betting laws in order to offer tax relief to operators who have, so far, paid 51 per cent tax on GGR since the market launch.

Suggested proposals would see the tax burden of these companies decreased to either 50 or 25 per cent, depending on specific conditions. 

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