iGaming News
The latest from the iGaming industry — regulation, operators, deals and product launches. Summaries are compiled from leading trade sources, with a link to each original report.
Bally's Intralot Evoke Takeover Clears Both Shareholder Votes
Bally's Intralot shareholders backed the £243.1m Evoke buyout with 99.585% approval, mirroring Evoke's own 99.63% vote in August.
UK Betting Exchanges Halve as US Prediction Markets Boom
Gambling Commission data shows exchange GGY down 46% since 2016/17, even as prediction markets attract billions in US valuations and draw UK operator interest.
Australia Post Worker Jailed for $100K Card Theft
A postal worker who stole bank cards from secure mail to fund online gambling and luxury buys gets jail through December 2027, with two accomplices also implicated.
SOFTSWISS Founder: Tech No Longer Wins the Race, Decisions Do
Ivan Montik told the Warsaw Tech Race Summit that access to AI is no longer a moat. Speed of execution, teams of ten, and the $37.3m CoinsPaid hack now define strategy.
Affiliate Leaders Summit Adds SEO and Discovery Track for Lisbon 2026
The Content & Discovery track on 1 October closes three days of programming, with panels on DMCA takedowns, surviving without paid search and SEO's 2027 outlook.
Detroit to Inspect Polymarket Water Tower Ad Over Permit
City officials will visit a privately owned water tower branded in Polymarket blue after no advertising permit was issued for the Mount Elliott site.
Lithuania Blocks Polymarket in First for Prediction Markets
LPT orders ISPs and payment providers to cut off Polymarket, calling its 'prediction market' a cover for unlicensed betting, with 2,204 illegal sites now blocked.
Lords Push for Full UK Gambling Advertising Ban
The House of Lords Liaison Committee wants a blanket ban on UK gambling advertising, citing Dutch and Australian restrictions and rejecting black market fears.
SBC Leaders Issue 41: Tomic, Mallon, Fellas Talk Strategy
Issue 41 of SBC Leaders features Alexandre Tomic, Paul Mallon and Savvas Fellas on expansion, reactive marketing, black market operators and the numbers behind the noise.
Pennsylvania Lottery Hits $1B Profit for 15th Straight Year
The Pennsylvania Lottery cleared $1 billion in annual profit for the 15th year running, with draw games up 12.7% and online sales hitting $849 million.
Senate Advances Protect College Sports Act in 74-24 Vote
The Senate voted 74-24 to invoke cloture on S. 4668, the Protect College Sports Act, moving the bipartisan NIL and athlete compensation bill toward a final vote.
Leagues Push Lifetime Bans for Bettors Who Threaten Athletes
The NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and MLS want state regulators to permanently ban bettors who harass players, coaches and their families, with a cross-operator reporting framework.
Mastermind Names Michael Baker-Mosley Fractional Chief Growth Officer
iGaming Leader Mastermind has appointed industry veteran Michael Baker-Mosley as its new Fractional Chief Growth Officer, tasking him with member acquisition, sales and marketing.
Entain to Cut Up to 400 Customer Care Jobs
Entain is cutting as many as 400 customer care roles, roughly a fifth of the team, as UK tax pressures mount and the wider sector sheds jobs.
SBC Taps GHASBO to Give Ghana a Seat at African Gaming Forum
SBC has signed GHASBO as a strategic partner for the invite-only African Gaming Forum in Lisbon, bringing Ghanaian operator voices into the programme and SBC Media coverage.
Brazil's SPA Orders Banks to Block Illegal Betting Money Flows
Ordinance 2,750/2026 puts Brazil's licensed banks and payment firms on the hook for spotting and shutting down illegal betting transactions, with hard deadlines.
Philippine Casinos Told to Merge Online and Floor Data
Executives at the IAG Academy Summit in Manila say operators entering digital gaming must break internal data silos and build one customer view.
Las Vegas Recovery Stalls as Strip Room Rates Slip
JP Morgan's Daniel Politzer says Las Vegas momentum is fading, with Strip room rates down 10% in August and MGM deal doubts adding pressure.
Genius Sports CEO: We Get Paid Whatever Regulators Decide
Mark Locke told investors Genius Sports will profit from prediction markets no matter how US rules shake out, citing deals with Kalshi and Polymarket.
Hard Rock Bet Rolls Out Phase Two of Ontario Campaign
Hard Rock Bet's 'Hard Rock Bet is Here' campaign enters its second phase in Ontario, backed by Toronto hip-hop artists k-os and Saukrates and a broad media push.
FDJ Takes Ligue 1+ Pro to 29,000 Retail Venues Via ParionsSport
FDJ United will distribute Ligue 1+ Pro through its ParionsSport retail network, letting bars, cafés and betting shops show every Ligue 1 McDonald's fixture.
Tesco Branding Hijacked by Unlicensed 'Tesco Slots' Casino
An unlicensed operator is using Tesco's red-and-blue branding to push a fake UK casino on Facebook, promising a £1,500 bonus and 250 free spins.
Bally's Lands $560M Bronx Financing From WhiteHawk
WhiteHawk Capital Partners is leading $560 million in term loans for Bally's Bronx casino project, with $400 million available at closing and $160 million on delayed draw.
Springfield Sues MGM Over Host Agreement as Casino Eyes Exit
The city says MGM Springfield runs about 1,600 machines against a required 2,800 to 3,000, and the operator wants out of the property.
DAZN Appoints Alex Gersh CFO as Betting Veteran Joins
DAZN has named sports betting veteran Alex Gersh as its new CFO, replacing Darren Waterman, who becomes chief business officer in a broader leadership reshuffle.
CFTC Moves to Block Connecticut Prediction Market Crackdown
The CFTC filed for a preliminary injunction on Sept. 11 as Robinhood intervened, while Crypto.com took its Nevada fight to the Supreme Court.
Google to Pull Gambling Ads in Croatia From October 7
Google will revoke all existing gambling ad certifications for Croatia on 7 October and stop accepting new applicants, hitting affiliates and media portals that buy traffic.
Connecticut Orders Nine Prediction Markets to Halt Sports Bets
State regulators hit Polymarket, Robinhood, Coinbase and six others with cease-and-desist orders, warning that unlicensed sports contracts put young people and problem gamblers at risk.
BetMGM Signs Multi-Year Vikings Deal in Canada
BetMGM is now the official sports betting and online casino partner of the Minnesota Vikings in Canada, launching a team-themed game in Alberta and Ontario.
Pragmatic Play Launches Helios Triple Sun Slot With 5,000x Max Win
Pragmatic Play's new Greek mythology slot Helios Triple Sun runs on a 6x5 grid with scatter-driven modifiers, a Tumble mechanic and a 5,000x top payout.
Ygam Reaches 1.2M Young People in a Year
Ygam's latest impact report shows 1.2 million children and young people reached in a year, with 11,000+ professionals trained to spot gambling harm.
Pragmatic Play Launches Eternal Diamonds With 20,000x Max Win
Pragmatic Play's new Las Vegas-themed slot Eternal Diamonds packs 50 paylines, a 96.5% RTP, high volatility, and a three-layer Respin bonus with a 10,000x full-grid prize.
Sunderland Signs Shuffle Sleeve Deal as Unlicensed Sponsor Pressure Builds
Sunderland has inked a multi-year sleeve partnership with Curaçao-licensed Shuffle, making it the 11th Premier League club tied to an unlicensed gambling brand.
Playtech's Weizer: 'Illegal is illegal' on tech supply
Playtech's CEO used the group's H1 earnings call to draw a hard line between unregulated markets and outright illegal supply, as pre-tax profit hit €113m.
Omnichannel Gambling Moves From Buzzword to Execution Race
Operators on both sides of the Atlantic are finally syncing retail loyalty with digital wallets, and the deals are getting bigger.
Sorsby Documentary Details 9,000 Bets That Ended College Career
Brendan Sorsby's new four-part series reveals the gambling that cost him his college eligibility and a shot at the 2026 NFL season.
PMU Unions Back Restructuring as 47 Jobs Set to Go
Three of four unions at France's PMU have signed a collective agreement covering 128 role cuts and 81 new posts, with the CFDT refusing to ratify the deal.
Germany Raids Illegal Gambling Network Over $6.7B Stakes
Frankfurt prosecutors searched 11 properties and froze €82m in assets in a three-year probe into unlicensed online gambling and €77.6m in alleged unpaid tax.
Codere Online Posts Record Q2 as World Cup Lifts Group Revenue 5.8%
Grupo Codere's seventh straight profitable quarter was powered by its Nasdaq-listed arm, which turned a €1.4m quarterly loss into a €5.6m first-half profit.
FATF Flags Online Gambling as Growing Money Laundering Channel
The Paris-based financial crime watchdog has published risk indicators for online betting operators, warning that e-wallets, virtual assets and offshore licensing are straining AML controls.
ASA Bans Smart Gravity Ad After 'Help With Gambling' Search
The UK ad watchdog ruled that an affiliate review site's 'Fast Signups and Mega Bonuses' promotion was irresponsibly targeted after it surfaced on an addiction-support search.
Football Sponsorship Needs Trust, Not Just Visibility
1xCare advisory member Chris Bird says football gives brands unmatched reach, but partnerships only pay off long-term if operators back them with responsible gambling measures.
Playtech Swings to €113m Pre-Tax Profit on Americas Surge
Playtech posted €425m H1 revenue, up 10%, as US revenue jumped 161% and adjusted EBITDA climbed 77% to €162m, though UK tax changes loom over H2.
Hard Rock, Seminole Expand PlayersEdge Responsible Gambling
Hard Rock and Seminole Gaming have broadened their PlayersEdge responsible gambling program with a new awareness campaign, a digital health app pilot and fresh research ties.
Playtech Sees Spectrum Report as Black Cube Corroboration
Playtech says the long-awaited Spectrum Report backs key findings from its Black Cube probe, including Evolution's exposure to prohibited markets.
Red Rock Casino Must Bargain With Union After Supreme Court Denies Stay
The Supreme Court rejected Red Rock Casino's emergency request to block a bargaining order. The casino must now negotiate with Culinary Union Local 226.
Brazil's Lula weighs fast-track gambling restrictions
President Lula da Silva may fast-track restrictions on Brazil's Bets regime, with total bans on verticals like online betting not off the table.
Veikkaus CEO: Finland needs fair competition, not a monopoly
Veikkaus CEO Olli Sarekoski backs Finland's 2027 market opening, arguing the monopoly failed to channel players and prevent harm. He expects fair competition to lift channelisation to 80%.
Florida Man Sues Wynn Las Vegas Over Legionnaires' Exposure
A Florida man claims he contracted Legionnaires' disease during a January stay at Wynn Las Vegas and is suing for more than $30,000 in damages.
BofA: Sports Betting Returns Just 75 Cents on the Dollar
Bank of America analysis shows most sports bettors recover less than 75 cents per dollar wagered, with only 3-5% turning a profit.
bet365 goes live in Washington D.C. with Monumental pact
bet365 has launched in Washington D.C., signing a multi-year deal with Monumental Sports & Entertainment to partner the Capitals, Wizards and Mystics, alongside a new-customer bonus.
SBC Summit academy to tackle AI marketing, brand strategy
SBC Summit's Digital Marketing & CRM Academy lands Sept 30 in Lisbon, with sessions on agentic CRM, AI advertising, and a $1M budget workshop. Speakers from Meta, Google, Allwyn, and Xtremepush are on deck.
Armenia to block offshore gambling sites via telecoms
Armenia's State Revenue Committee will force telecoms operators to block unlicensed gambling sites from 8 February 2027, tightening advertising and payments oversight.
UKGC Names Ruth Evans Permanent Chair After Long Search
Ruth Evans will take over as UK Gambling Commission chair on September 30, ending months of interim leadership. She steps into the role amid major regulatory shifts.
Holland Casino Admits Fault as Self-Excluded Player Enters With Fake ID
A PowNed reporter registered with Cruks got into three Dutch venues using a colleague's license. Holland Casino says staff relied on an older photo, not just the ID image.
Primero Games Closes Win Systems Gaming Unit Deal
Primero Games has completed its acquisition of Win Systems' Gaming Division, picking up the Gold Club electronic roulette business and more than 3,000 gaming positions across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Bulgaria's We Continue The Change seeks full ad ban
The centrist party wants to close loopholes in Bulgaria's gambling ad rules after World Cup broadcasts sparked complaints.
Machine Games Duty doubling on the cards for Autumn Budget
Chancellor John Healey is reportedly considering doubling Machine Games Duty in the Autumn Budget, a move that could close nearly 3,000 betting shops and cut the horse racing levy by £70m.
UK Gambling Commission gets first permanent Chair in nearly two years
Ruth Evans has been appointed as the Gambling Commission's first permanent Chair since Marcus Boyle departed in January 2025. She starts on 30 September.
Underdog exits fantasy in 7 states as predictions take priority
Underdog will surrender fantasy licences in seven states on 10 September, betting on CFTC-licensed prediction products over its Drafts game.