Cleocatra

What is Cleocatra?

The Ministry of Finance of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reaffirmed it holds sole authority to oversee the nation’s gambling sector.

In a press release dated 27 August, the DRC’s Ministry of Finance reminded gambling operators that Ordinance No. 25/293 formally transferred responsibility for regulating the sector from the Ministry of Sports and Leisure to its own remit.

In the Ministry of Finance’s view, this ended “any institutional ambiguity” over who should oversee the DRC’s gambling industry.

About Cleocatra

From July 2027, the company will lose exclusivity over betting and iCasino products, which will become licence-based, while retaining exclusive rights for lottery games, scratchcards, slot machines and physical table games. 

The company has committed to paying market-based compensation for exclusive operations, estimated at around €1 billion for a 10-year licence period, with a significant front-loaded payment scheduled for 2026.

In further preparations for the competitive market, Veikkaus this week joined the market’s trade body, the Finnish Gambling Association, which has long lobbied for market liberalisation.

What is Cleocatra?

He was among 22 people arrested in coordinated raids by the FBI April 29 following a long-running investigation dubbed “Operation Porterhouse Parlay,” which allegedly uncovered links between illegal gambling operations and restaurant networks spanning Northwest Indiana and suburban Chicago.

Grasso claimed he was unaware of the donations before being approached by Patch. He added that his campaign had reported them to the Board of Elections and would be returning them.

It was not the first time Grasso had returned campaign money from Rovito.