Welcome to the Weekend Report, where iGB covers the news that you may have missed over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This week, we look at an Olympic boost for sports betting in France and the arrest of elderly residents in Hong Kong for mahjong gambling.
Going for gold: France Olympics betting set to triple
French regulator l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) has estimated that players in the country will have bet approximately €360m (£308m/$393m) by the end of this summer’s Olympics in Paris.
The games concluded yesterday (11 August) after two weeks, with estimates suggesting the total bet could triple what was wagered on the last games in Tokyo, Japan.
Week one of the games alone drew around €125m in bets. Tennis was most popular with French players, while football, rugby, handball, basketball and swimming also performed well.
Florida man sues Hard Rock over betting promotion
Heading stateside, one Florida man is suing the Seminole tribe and Hard Rock over a sports betting promotion, reports SportsHandle.
The class-action lawsuit claims the “No Regret First Bet” promo was misleading and violated Florida consumer protection law. The promotion told new players they could bet up to $100 and get their money back if the wager lost.
However, Floridian Brandon Montgomery claims the offer “misrepresents” and omits several key facts. He argues players cannot simply cash out a refund if they lose the bet, but instead must place another bet.
Montgomery, who lost his initial bet, is inviting other Floridians who suffered the same fate to join the class action.
Nevada set to close betting loophole
Meanwhile in Nevada, the Nevada Gaming Commission will consider changing current rules to stop “past posting”, when players place a wager after an event has already started or when the outcome is known. This occurs when a sportsbook accidentally leaves betting open through computer or human error.
CDC Gaming Reports states the Commission is due to meet on 22 August to discuss the rule change. This comes after the Nevada Gaming Control Board recommended approval last week.
ANJL agrees cooperation deal with São Paulo police
In Brazil, the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) signed a cooperation agreement with the general delegation of the civil police of the state of São Paulo.
The deal will see the two sides partner on security measures relating to betting following a meeting between ANJL president Plínio Lemos Jorge and the general delegate Artur José Dian.
As reported by Games Magazine Brasil, Plínio Lemos hopes the agreement will lead to a safer environment for Brazilian bettors ahead of the anticipated legal market launch date of 1 January 2025.
“Our goal is to open direct channels of communication and collaboration with these actors in everything related to sports betting and online gaming,” Plínio Lemos said.
“We have increasingly reinforced the message that the market can only be structured and advance in an environment that is honest and safe for everyone.”
Elderly residents arrested for mahjong gambling
Turning now to Asia, a group of elderly residents in Hong Kong have been arrested for mahjong gambling.
SCMP reports that officers raided a flat in Tsuen Wan allegedly being used as an illegal mahjong parlour. Police arrested one suspected operator and nine gamblers, one of whom was aged 90.
Elsewhere in Asia, a former minister was among those arrested on charges of gambling in Kathmandu, Nepal. Khabarhub reports Buddi Kumar Raj Bhandari, previously province minister for Koshi, was arrested alongside 10 other people over the weekend on charges of gambling.
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