China is continuously applying pressure to Southeast Asia countries to ban online gaming. Earlier this week, an analyst from Regulus Partners suggested that china could also exert the same influence to Europe.
According to Inside Asian Gaming, China has applied pressure on Cambodia and the Philippines to ban online gambling, Paul Leyland of Regulus Partners believes this pressure could be shifted to European countries. During a keynote speech at KPMG Gaming eSummit held in Malta, Leyland made the following statement:
“This is a level of pressure that China can exert pretty much globally, and if you asked any politician anywhere in the world what do you like more, online gambling or China, it’s a really easy choice for them to make.”
Soccer Marketing
While many European online gambling operators have no access to the China market, the Europe Leagues, such as EPL has a huge following in Asia. The operators have invested in jersey sponsorship to boost the league market as well as reach directly where the gambling market is prohibited.
In 2014, UK based bet365 tried to argue that there was no legislation in China that prohibited remote gambling services provided by operators outside China. However, China’s authority has deployed internet cop who maintain a “Great Firewall.” This program censors any online program related to illegal gambling.
Philippines Defiant, Cambodia Rolls Over
According to Casino.org, Philippines operators offered online gaming services in China. In August, the Chinese Embassy in Manila blasted Philippine authority for failing to take concrete measures. Manila has defiantly resisted Beijing’s advances, but in Cambodia, China successfully forced the country to shut down the industry.
Could Europe be the next?
Leyland thinks that Europe could be next. The online industry has taken notice of what China has been doing in disrupting the online market. But still, in the Asia market, there is a significant shift. The land-based points are slowly incorporating online payments. The Chinese government has noticed that and it’s putting more pressure on the Philippines. Leyland hopes that the geopolitical tension around China is going to keep boiling, and in the end, there will be exciting changes in the industry that hasn’t be thought about.
Source: https://www.casino.org/news/china-poses-future-threat-to-european-online-gaming-industry-analyst/
