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The government of Laos, one of the world’s few remaining one-party communist states, is still chasing more than $5 million from the American businessmen behind a casino venture that descended into a bitter legal battle more than a decade ago.
A US appeals court last week gave Laos another chance to pursue casino entrepreneur John K. Baldwin and his company, Bridge Capital, for the money.
The ruling is the latest twist in a dispute dating to 2012 that has involved allegations of government interference, a failed settlement, and three international arbitration awards.
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The KVA’s statement mirrors a broader European regulatory trend where authorities are increasingly scrutinising how major internet platforms facilitate traffic to unlicensed gambling services.
In Sweden, Spelinspektionen recently flagged affiliates and social media as key channels for black market advertising and how affiliate networks redirect search traffic towards unlicensed operators.
Regulators have so far focused mainly on monitoring paid advertising. In Germany, the GGL credited an updated Google ad policy with reducing black market visibility. Yet, it acknowledged that illegal operators could still achieve visibility in organic search through SEO manipulation.
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It noted the role of machine gaming revenue in sustaining shops outside of race days, which in turn supports local economic activity, including around £50 million annually devoted to British horse racing.
Entain warned that a sharp rise in MGD could prompt customers to migrate out of the regulated market, estimating that up to £1 billion in gambling stakes could shift to the black market.
The company cited analyses from the Office for Budget Responsibility which suggested previous gambling tax rises had reduced expected tax receipts, including a £500m reduction in forecast receipts for 2029-30. This revenue, writes David, would flow to the black market.