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Risks and Uncertainties
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Risks and Uncertainties  
Risks and Uncertainties

 

NOTE 7 — Risks and Uncertainties

 

Regulation and Licensing  The Company’s operations are subject to regulation by each federal and local jurisdiction in which it operates. Each of the Company’s officers may be subject to strict scrutiny and approval from the gaming commission or other regulatory body of each jurisdiction in which TWC conducts gambling operations.  Furthermore, the operations of its casinos are contingent upon maintaining all necessary regulatory licenses, permits, approvals, registrations, findings of suitability, orders and authorizations. The laws, regulations and ordinances requiring these licenses, permits and other approvals generally relate to the operations of the casinos, the payment of taxes, the responsibility, financial stability and character of the owners and managers of gambling operations, as well as persons financially interested or involved in gambling operations.  All of TWC’s Czech casinos are duly licensed by the Czech Ministry of Finance (“MOF”), the national governmental authority that regulates gambling in the Czech Republic.  The Company is also subject to ongoing regulation and oversight to maintain these operations.

 

Czech regulatory authorities have broad powers to request detailed financial and other information, to limit, condition, suspend or revoke a registration, gaming license or related approval and to approve changes in the Company’s operations. Substantial fines for violations of gaming laws or regulations may be levied. The suspension or revocation of any license which may be granted to the Company or the levy of substantial fines for violations could significantly harm its business, financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, compliance costs associated with gaming laws, regulations and licenses are significant.  Any change in the laws, regulations or licenses applicable to its business or a violation of any current or future laws or regulations applicable to its business or gaming licenses could require the Company to make substantial expenditures or could otherwise negatively affect its gambling operations.

 

Potential changes in legislation and regulation of our operations  Laws and regulations governing the conduct of gambling activities and the obligations of gaming companies in any jurisdiction in which the Company has or in the future may have gambling operations are subject to change and could impose additional operating, financial or other burdens on the way TWC conducts its business.

 

Moreover, legislation to prohibit, limit, or add burdens to its business may be introduced in the future in the Czech Republic or elsewhere where gambling has been legalized. In addition, from time to time, legislators and special interest groups (which may include its competitors) have proposed legislation that would expand, restrict or prevent gambling operations or which may otherwise adversely impact its operations in the jurisdictions in which the Company operate. Any expansion of gambling or restriction on or prohibition of its gambling operations, increase in gaming taxes, or enactment of other adverse regulatory changes could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, operating results and prospects.

 

Gaming legislation is introduced in the Czech Parliament from time to time. In October 2014, the MOF introduced proposed legislation that would, if approved, among other things, limit the number of gambling establishments, limit the number of slot machines, shorten license periods, require security bonds for each casino operation by location, limit betting amounts and the amount of losses per hour and per month for players, limit the duration of each individual’s playtime and the pace of certain live games, prohibit the serving of complimentary food, beverage and cigarettes, link slot machines to an MOF database, create an online database of gamblers that is linked to the MOF, and give localities more power over gambling establishments. In addition to the recent amendment to the gaming law, which raised the rates of gaming taxes on both live game revenue and slot revenue (see Note 2 “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies — Czech Gaming Taxes”), the MOF has also stated publicly that it is contemplating the introduction of higher gaming taxes. Any proposed draft law would be open to comment by interested parties, reviews by other government agencies, parliamentary procedure that could include amendments that could materially change the proposal, and amendment and/or ratification in the Czech Senate, all of which may occur during the year 2016. Because the parameters and effects of this proposed legislation are still speculative at this point in time, the Company cannot predict what the ultimate statute will contain, whether it will be passed in the Czech Parliament, or whether it will be signed by the Czech President. Therefore, management cannot, as of the date of this report, specifically predict the proposed legislation and its effect on the results of operations or financial condition of the Company.

 

Foreign Activities  The Company’s operations are entirely outside of the United States of America.  Operating internationally involves additional risks relating to such things as currency exchange rates, different legal and regulatory environments, political and economic risks relating to the stability or predictability of foreign governments, differences in the manner in which different cultures conduct business, difficulties in staffing and managing foreign operations, differences in financial reporting, operating difficulties, different types of criminal threats, and other factors.  The occurrence of any of these risks, if severe enough, could have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company.

 

Cash and cash equivalents  Cash and cash equivalents consists of cash and short-term deposits in banks and on hand.  The Company maintains a substantial portion of its cash balances in financial institutions that are outside the United States of America or that may exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) coverage of $250 per account.  The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts and believes it is not subject to any significant credit risk on cash.  In addition, the FDIC does not insure the Company’s foreign cash, which totaled $10,172 and $6,246 at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.  The Company has not incurred any losses in such accounts and believes it is not exposed to any significant credit risk on its cash and cash equivalents.