Turkey is reported to be close to privatizing the country’s state-owned National Lottery, with some estimates saying this may happen by August.

Turkey’s online gaming market needs to be liberalized as part of the country’s attempts at joining the European Union.  Due to current state-run gambling monopolies online bingo games operators and online bingo halls are not abel to operate in Turkey, something that may change in the future if the relaxing on the National Lottery is anything to go by.

The online/interactive part of 2009’s International Casino Exhibition (ICEi) is to be expanded by as much as 40% to cater for the growing demand by the remote gaming industry, according to the event organizers Clarion Gaming.
The 2009 ICEi show will take place from January 27–29 at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London and will feature many online bingo exhibits. The 2008 ICEi was a record breaking event with 69 exhibitors coming from 20 different jurisdictions.

Anthony Medica, Sales Executive responsible for ICEi at Clarion Gaming commented on the upcoming 2009 event saying: “2008 was a record-breaking year on a number of fronts. The final attendance figures confirmed that 2 861 unique i-gaming professionals drawn from 68 jurisdictions made the journey to London, a year-on-year increase of 21.2 percent. These factors contributed massively to generating what was a universally positive response from all of our various stakeholders.

“The international remote gaming community continues to see ICEi as its exhibition of preference and demand for the additional space is strong with all indicators pointing to there being another great show in 2009,”
The growth in bingo online games ensures the sector will enjoy a strong presence at the 2009 ICEi event with many online bingo operators and online bingo games software developers expected to attend.

Media reports speculating that Denmark’s government are close to altering its online gambling policy seems to have been confirmed by more media reports that a regulatory and licensing approach is being seriously discussed.
The news will be welcomed by online bingo games operators and European-based online bingo halls looking to gain access to the growing Scandinavian online bingo market.

Denmark’s minister for taxation, Kristian Jensen, has been heard on Danish national radio saying that the government was looking at opening up its current monopolistic system in favour of strictly regulated and licenced online gaming companies. The move comes after months of pressure from the European Commission (EC) which has sought to convince the Danish government that its current gambling laws are in contradiction to European trade law.

Should the Danes alter policy, non-Danish European Union companies will be able to operate in Denmark in competition with existing gambling state-run monopoly Danske Spil.

The minister is quoted as saying: ”That’s a possible situation, if the foreign bookmakers can live up to the strict regulations we have (in mind) for those who want to offer legal gambling in Denmark. I do not wish any wild west situation. I want a regulated market.”

Bingo online has been gaining in popularity in Denmark over the last year with the market for free online bingo proving to be one of online gambling’s fastest growing niches.