The Mystic Gambler

Holland Casino, the Netherlands’ state-owned casino operator, has once again opposed the country’s plans to raise the gambling tax. Dutch lawmakers set out to gradually increase the gambling tax, despite the operator’s numerous warnings.

Holland Casino Is Unhappy with the Rising Tax

For context, the Netherlands decided to incrementally increase its gambling from 30.5% to 34.2% in January 2025. The tax should reach 37.8% by 2026, marking a total increase of over seven percent.

Holland Casino’s latest report cast doubt on the company’s ability to operate sustainably, which was further exacerbated by the Netherlands’ tax plans. The report highlighted significant material uncertainty, necessitating significant changes if the company is to be able to continue operating into 2027.

For context, Holland Casino reported EUR 10.4 million in losses for 2024, highlighting its precarious position. Although the company welcomed more guests than the year before, customers spent less on each visit, resulting in an overall loss for the company.

As if that wasn’t serious enough, Holland Casino’s online branch also saw its revenues decline amid strong competition from the regulated Dutch iGaming market.

Holland Casino Is Considering a Variety of Measures

At the same time, taxes and the overall costs of living and conducting a business have continued to mount up, putting Holland Casino in a difficult position. With higher taxes on the horizon, Holland Casino plans to introduce various changes in the way it conducts business in order to remain operational.

These include an overall workforce reorganization, which has already seen Holland Casino lay off hundreds of workers at its HQ. In addition to that, the company has closed its casino in Zandvoort and could potentially put an end to other less profitable locations.

This would mirror the move of JVH Gaming & Entertainment, the parent company of popular online casino brands Jack’s Casino, Flash Casino, and Flamingo Casino, which opted to close a whopping 23 venues because of the tax hike and regulatory headwinds.

In the meantime, Holland Casino is currently experimenting with lower chances at roulette. It is also eyeing digitalization measures that would lead to further cost savings.

In any case, Holland Casino refused to comment on its exact plans to reduce costs and deal with the upcoming tax hike. However, it insisted that the availability of legal gaming services is paramount to providing customers with ways to play responsibly.

The 2024 Gaming Tax Reached Unprecedented Heights

A month ago, the Netherlands’ Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek, said that in 2024, legal gaming operators paid an unprecedented total of EUR 1 billion in taxes. Despite reflecting the period before the recent tax increases, these results highlight the strength and continued growth of the Dutch gaming market, primarily driven by the growth of iGaming.

However, unions continued to fear that the current regulatory and tax changes would lead to many job losses.

Kern County judge sentenced Rafael Lainez Castro to almost 7 years in prison after last month a jury found him guilty of shooting at a Golden West Casino guard, among other charges.

Rafael Lainez Castro Receives Lengthy Prison Sentence

The 39-year-old man who threatened and shot at a security guard at Golden West Casino has been sentenced to prison, though the guard was not injured in the incident. The convicted man, Rafael Lainez Castro, received a sentence of six years and 10 months during a hearing on Tuesday, according to court records. Castro was convicted last month of attempted voluntary manslaughter, assault with a firearm, and other charges.

According to prosecutors, the shooting happened in the early hours of July 15, 2023. Early on the day Castro entered the Golden West Casino in southeast Bakersfield to gamble and consume alcohol. Around 2 a.m., he was asked to leave the premises due to disruptive behavior. However, Castro refused to leave, and security personnel were asked to escort him out of the building. At that time, Castro immediately began physically fighting with security, growing more upset, and repeatedly threatened the life of a security guard, said prosecutors.

Castro then got into his vehicle, drove over a curb, and headed toward the casino entrance. He pulled up, rolled down his window, and fired multiple shots at the same security guard he had threatened, prosecutors said. 

In response to the gunfire and fearing for his safety, the security guard drew his legally possessed firearm and returned fire, striking Castro once. Fortunately, he was unharmed, and he also managed to hit Castro back one time. After that, Castro quickly drove off, but was apprehended later that day.

Here Are More Details About the Case

Following Castro’s arrest, a lengthy legal trial started. On March 17, 2025, a Kern County jury found Rafael Castro guilty of attempted voluntary manslaughter, assault with a firearm, and attempted criminal threats. He was also convicted of possessing a firearm as a prohibited person due to a prior conviction, and of unlawfully carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle.

Following the pronunciation of Castro as guilty, Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer stated that the alcohol-fueled incident unfolded in a matter of seconds and left several bystanders shaken. She also said that the motive behind the violent act is being treated with the seriousness it warrants. The District Attorney’s Office remained committed to pursuing justice through to the completion of sentencing.

The Kings County Sheriff’s Department is looking for a woman suspected of a brazen and deceptive theft at Tachi Palace Casino. This incident underscores persistent law enforcement challenges as casino-related crime remains a constant threat across the USA. While authorities are doing their best to protect casino-goers, it is also up to individuals to stay vigilant.

The Suspect Acted with Impressive Finesse

According to recent reports, the incident happened on March 31, when a woman approached a male patron playing slot machines at the popular Central California casino. However, what started as an innocent interaction quickly turned into a criminal investigation, underscoring the need for casino-goers to remain alert.

The suspect allegedly offered to sell the victim some jewelry before becoming physically affectionate, sitting in his lap, and hugging him. Under the guise of being attracted to the man, she used the opportunity to steal approximately $3,000 in cash from his front pocket. After the theft, the woman left the casino floor, changed her garments in the parking lot, and sped away in a black Mercedes SUV. 

CCTV footage reportedly showed the vehicle heading westbound on Jersey Avenue toward Highway 41. However, authorities have yet to identify the suspect. The Kings County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information regarding the suspect or her whereabouts to come forward. Even anonymous tips could be vital for solving this case.

Gambling Remains a Magnet for Crime

If apprehended and proven guilty, the woman could face harsh legal consequences under California law. Grand Theft, which involves stealing property worth more than $950, is a felony in the state. A first-time felony could lead to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine. However, California’s “Three Strikes” law means repeat offenders may be sentenced to a minimum of 25 years behind bars.

In a more bizarre, albeit humorous, example of gambling crime overseas, two Scotland Yard officers disguised as Batman and Robin recently foiled a group of scammers operating on London’s Westminster Bridge. The perpetrators were luring tourists into shell games and three-card Monte schemes, an age-old con still thriving in popular high-traffic areas.

While amusing, such anecdotes underscore a deeper issue. Casinos and gambling remain magnets for criminal activity, ranging from opportunistic thefts to organized crime rings. Authorities urge the public to stay alert, avoid engaging with strangers, keep valuables safe, never flaunt winnings, and immediately report any suspicious activity to casino security.

Tech-driven gaming affiliate and media firm Already Media has acquired Live Casino Comparer, a review portal focused on live dealer gaming. The acquisition will reinforce the former company’s affiliate capacities, allowing it to reach new heights.

According to the announcement, Already Media acquired Live Casino Comparer to expand its business. Although Already Media did not disclose the financial aspect of the agreement, it confirmed that the deal aligned with its overall strategy.

The transaction was facilitated by Corfai, an advisory firm specializing in mergers.

For reference, Already Media has strongly focused on acquiring existing affiliate brands and merging them into its own business. It has leveraged its tech capabilities to further enhance the brands it acquires, allowing it to quickly and efficiently expand its reach.

Last year, for example, Already Media scooped up PokerListings, a poker-oriented affiliate, which has since been integrated into the broader Already Media ecosystem, migrated to a new platform and launched into new markets.

Live Casino Comparer, on the other hand, was founded in 2014. As its name implies, it compares different online casinos’ live dealer offerings, allowing players to choose the best one for their tastes. Led by a team of seasoned industry veterans, Live Casino Comparer is poised to become a key asset in the overall Already Media portfolio.

With the deal now closed, Already Media will focus on scaling Live Casino Comparer and bolstering its output across both the B2C and B2B verticals. The former affiliate will furthermore rebuild its new asset’s platform and help add new geos and content formats.

Executives Are Thrilled about the Deal

According to the announcement, Neil Walker, Live Casino Comparer’s founder, will continue to serve as a member of the content team and will help to grow the division. He commented on the matter, expressing strong excitement about the merger.

I couldn’t be more excited to begin this new chapter for Live Casino Comparer as part of the Already Media team. They bring the technical and operational firepower to scale globally, while keeping the spirit of honest, expert-driven reviews at the core.

Neil Walker, founder, Live Casino Comparer

Alina Famenok, Already Media’s chief executive officer, was likewise pleased with the landmark deal. She said that her team will continue its M&A activity in an attempt to expand Already Media’s reach and penetration. She said: “We’re excited to get to work alongside Neil to take Live Casino Comparer to new heights. Huge thanks to Ben and the Corfai team for helping us close this deal in just two weeks, which is surely the fastest M&A deal in iGaming history.”

Singapore’s gambling regulator, the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA), confirmed that it has renewed the casino license of Marina Bay Sands, one of its most iconic landmarks. This will allow the Las Vegas Sands-owned casino to continue to offer gaming for the next few years.

Marina Bay Sands Successfully Renewed Its License

According to an official announcement by the GRA’s Communications & International Relations Branch, the regulator has renewed the casino license of Marina Bay Sands under Section 49 of Singapore’s Casino Control Act 2006 (CCA). The authority emphasized that prior to that, it assessed the property’s casino business, making sure that it had fulfilled the requirements set out in Section 45 of the CCA.

As a result, the iconic property’s casino license was renewed for another 3 years, effective from April 26, 2025.

As mentioned, Marina Bay Sands is owned by the international gaming and hospitality giant Las Vegas Sands. Thanks to its unique shape and the luxurious experiences it offers, it has cemented itself as a major tourism driver in Singapore.

The extension of Marina Bay Sands’ casino license further highlights the property’s central role in the local economy and Las Vegas Sands’ commitment to compliance.

Singapore Remains Committed to Maintaining Its Integrity

Speaking of compliance, Singapore has been bullish on preventing illegal gambling, which jeopardizes the local economy and harms the players.

In January, Singapore’s government announced that it had blocked a total of 3,800 unlicensed gambling websites as of December 31, 2024. However, the country faces a continued battle against illegal operators since they can always make new sites. The country’s Minister of Home Affairs K. Shanmugam vowed to continue the fight against unlicensed gambling but admitted that the government cannot be realistically expected to know of every gambling website.

A few days later, the GRA leveraged ISP blocking to stop decentralized prediction market platform Polymarket from accessing customers in the country. Singaporean authorities considered the platform’s products to constitute unlicensed gambling, necessitating the regulatory action.

LVS Changes Leaders, Backs Down on Texas Casino

In other news, Las Vegas Sands recently announced a major leadership change. Last month, it announced that chairman and chief executive officer Robert Goldstein will transition to the role of senior advisor beginning March 1, 2026. In the meantime, the board nominated chief operating officer Patrick Dumont as Goldstein’s successor.

In more recent news, Las Vegas Sands, which has been among the main promoters of the launch of casino gaming in Texas, backed down on its casino proposal and asked the Irving City Council to withdraw the casino gambling project from its proposed zoning amendment.

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