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.
Macau's October GGR Falls 10% to MOP 21.68bn Despite Full Hotels
Macau gross gaming revenue dropped 10% year-on-year in October to MOP 21.68 billion, the fifth straight monthly decline, even as Golden Week crowds and hotel occupancy topped 90%.
EU Study Flags Meta Ad Checks as VNLOK Tightens Pressure
A European Commission-backed study found ad systems can let unlicensed gambling operators target users. Dutch trade body VNLOK is using it in its court fight with Meta.
GiG Software CFO Phil Richards Exits Days After Q3 Results
Phil Richards has left GiG Software days after Q3 revenue fell to €8.5m and operating losses widened to €4.3m. He joins Chaos next month as the 888AFRICA integration looms.
Pennsylvania's MSIGA Entry Reshapes US Poker Liquidity
Pennsylvania joined MSIGA in April 2025, adding 13 million residents and over 150,000 active players to the shared pool. Here's what changes for operators and players.
Channel 4's Million Pound Shot Puts UK Betting Under Scrutiny
A fake game show that turned out to be a gambling-harm documentary drew a sharp response from the Betting and Gaming Council, which says it ignored operator safeguards.
Poker Malware Hack May Have Netted $1.5M to $4M
Hijacked updates for two multi-tabling apps installed a remote-access tool that let an attacker see hole cards. Estimates put illicit winnings as high as $4 million.
Betsson France Lands ANJ Poker Licence, Joins Shared Pool
Betsson France has won a five-year online poker licence from the ANJ and clearance to share liquidity with Italy, Spain and Portugal, arriving as French poker revenue climbs.
UKGC Payment Data: 91% of Repeat Illegal-Site Users Still Bet Licensed
Open banking study finds illegal gambling mostly adds to licensed play rather than replacing it, as duty rises sharpen the black market argument.
MGM Digital Narrows Loss to $4m as Revenue Growth Slows to 6%
MGM's LeoVegas-led online arm cut its quarterly loss from $23m to $4m, but revenue growth decelerated sharply to 6% amid higher UK and European taxes.
Gambling Commission Study Links Illegal Sites to Problem Gambling
A Gambling Commission transactions study finds 45% of illegal-site users score 8+ on PGSI, against 6% of legal-site users, with 91% overlapping both markets.
Nebraska Sports Betting Campaign Hits $21.7M Before Vote
Supporters of Nebraska's online sports betting initiatives have raised nearly $21.7 million, with FanDuel and DraftKings each contributing about $10.3 million ahead of the November 3, 2026 vote.
Konami Gaming Revenue Jumps 41% on Slot Demand
Konami's Gaming & Systems segment posted JPY 25.1 billion in revenue for the six months to September 30, up 41.3%, with segment profit climbing 154.4%.
TrafficStars Launches Gryzo AI Assistant for Media Buyers
TrafficStars has rolled out Gryzo AI, an in-platform assistant that builds campaigns, pulls performance reports and prepares optimisation changes from plain-language instructions.
Italy's 2027 Budget Taps Gambling for €700m, Hits Slots and Halls
Meloni has confirmed gambling will fund €700m of Italy's 2027 budget. A leaked draft puts the burden on land-based concessions and machine levies, not online brands.
Dutch Licensed Gambling Market Shrinks to €4.1bn in 2025
Gross gaming revenue fell from €4.5bn to €4.1bn as online casino and sports betting declined, while Holland Casino grew 2.8%.
BetMakers Opens FY27 With EBITDA Up 176%
BetMakers posted AU$5.9m in EBITDA for Q1 FY27, a 176.1% jump, as revenue climbed 16.3% to AU$24.7m while the Tabcorp takeover grinds through approvals.
HMRC Moves to Rewrite Freeplay Tax Rules After £3.2m Jumpman Defeat
A proposed amendment to the 2014 Finance Act would reclassify free bets as 'restricted plays' and tighten the rules on prizes and tournaments, effective April 2027.
Polymarket to End Michigan Sports Event Contracts by Nov 25
The prediction market platform will stop offering sports event contracts in Michigan by November 25, following court rulings and a push by state regulators.
MGM Q3 Revenue Slips 1% to $4.2B as Las Vegas Room Rates Fall 8%
MGM Resorts posted $4.2 billion in third-quarter revenue, down 1% year on year, as an 8% drop in Las Vegas room rates offset record Macau market share and digital growth.
Ontario Opens Niagara to Casino Bids, $3B Target
Ontario wants up to three new casino operators in Niagara Falls, each committing at least $1.5 billion plus a $100 million entry fee, as part of a 20-year tourism push.
UK Budget Moves Category B Machines to 25% Duty from April 2027
Bingo halls, betting shops and casinos will pay Machine Games Duty's higher rate on Category B machines from April 2027, with supplier liability following in 2028.
Healey Raises Machine Games Duty to 25% to Fund High Street Relief
Chancellor John Healey has confirmed a five-point rise in Machine Games Duty on Category B machines, from 20% to 25%, to pay for expanded small business rate relief.
UKGC Study: Ethnic Minority Groups Face Higher Gambling Harm Risk
New UKGC research covering 2023-2025 finds ethnic minority gamblers score higher on the PGSI and report more harm, despite lower overall participation rates.
Light & Wonder's RAPIDPLAY Cashless Debuts at Crystal Bay, Nevada
Light & Wonder has installed its RAPIDPLAY cashless payment system for the first time, at Crystal Bay Casino in Nevada, letting players move funds by QR code at the machine.
Kitsune Studios Launches Gamdolls Slot With 10,000x Max Win
Kitsune Studios' new haunted-doll slot Gamdolls pairs 100,000 paylines with a 96.3% RTP, high volatility and a 10,000x top prize.
Junglee Games Loses Supreme Court Appeal on India Ban
Flutter-owned Junglee Games has failed in its legal challenge to India's real-money gaming ban, as the Supreme Court upholds state laws in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
IAGR Launches Global Illegal Gambling Awareness Week
IAGR's new campaign runs November 9-13, urging players to verify licensing before betting, with materials out November 6.
Italy Slot Fraud Probe Widens as 15 Investigated, 145 Machines Seized
ADM and Carabinieri raids across Cosenza province net 145 slot machines and €80,000 in cash, with 15 suspects and a bribery probe involving an ADM official.
El Salvador Lottery Moves to Take Over Casino Licensing
El Salvador's LNB wants its powers expanded to cover land-based casinos, gaming halls and equipment suppliers, with a reform package targeted at Congress by March.
BetConstruct AI: Personalisation Lifts Turnover 10-15%
BetConstruct AI's chief AI officer says mature personalisation deployments can lift turnover by 10-15% in targeted areas, as the company pushes conversational agents into operator workflows.
Canada Weighs National Gambling Ad Limits as Bill S-211 Advances
Bill S-211 heads to the Canadian Heritage committee for a late-October vote, with Ontario and Alberta resisting federal advertising standards.
Robinhood Event Contracts to Hit $1.7B by 2028, Bernstein Says
Bernstein's Gautam Chhugani expects Robinhood's prediction market revenue to more than double to $1.7 billion by 2028, edging past crypto trading income.
Denmark's Spillemyndigheden Targets Gambling Mechanics in Kids' Games
A new campaign called "Casino in the Children's Room" asks Danish parents to look past screen time and examine the gambling-style features inside popular games.
Illinois Moves to Block Self-Excluded Gamblers From VGTs
The Illinois Gaming Board has proposed rules that would finally extend self-exclusion to the state's roughly 50,000 video gaming terminals, ending cash play and requiring ID checks at the machine.
First Jail Terms for Insider Bets on 2024 UK Election
Three former Conservative Party figures get suspended sentences and gambling bans for betting on the 2024 election date before it was public.
HBLB Opens Consultation on Levy Audit Costs for Smaller Bookmakers
The Horserace Betting Levy Board is reviewing the £250,000 threshold that forces small and mid-sized operators to file an annual independent accountant's report, with the consultation closing on 26 October.
Lula's Fourth Term Puts Brazil's Betting Market on the Clock
Lula da Silva's re-election hands the president who vowed to reverse the Bets Law a fourth term, with bookmakers facing a 25 October shutdown and Congress as their best hope.
Tether.bet Licence Obtained With Forged Documents, Probe Finds
A Democracy for Sale investigation found the shuttered operator's owner filed a fake £3.75m property sale and an £8m net worth claim while earning £40,000 a year.
Steve Wynn Recalls $630M Mirage Build at Neon Museum Talk
Wynn told 600 attendees at the Golden Nugget how a $630 million bet on The Mirage paid off almost immediately, and how a stubborn homeowner nearly stalled the land deal.
NY Gaming Commission Takes Kalshi Subpoena Fight to Court
The regulator wants a Manhattan judge to order Kalshi to hand over records on sports contracts, under-21 users and advertising as it weighs civil penalties.
Spain Sets €700 Daily Cross-Operator Deposit Cap
The DGOJ has launched a joint deposit limit that follows each player across every licensed Spanish site, with the €700 daily cap becoming binding on 26 March 2027.
Ksa Hits EOD Code With Record €37m Fine Over 12 Casinos
The Dutch gambling authority has fined Costa Rica-registered EOD Code €37 million for running twelve unlicensed casino brands aimed at Dutch players, its largest illegal-gambling penalty yet.
Three Sentenced Over Bets on 2024 UK Election Date
Southwark Crown Court hands suspended sentences and online gambling bans to three people who bet on the 2024 General Election date using confidential timing.
Californians Back Tribal Sports Betting, Snub Online
Half of California voters would allow sports betting inside tribal casinos, but only 37% want it online, a Citrin-POLITICO poll finds.
AGCOM Opens 30-Day Consultation on Italy's Infotainment Loophole
Italy's communications regulator wants tougher rules for gambling-linked infotainment sites, with a 30-day consultation on new editorial and branding standards now open.
IG Group Sets Late 2026 Date for UK Prediction Markets
IG Group will launch a UK prediction market in late Q4 2026, add retail gambling in early 2027, and take on a crowded sportsbook field with a tax bill coming.
Svenska Spel Q3 Profit Falls 9% on Brand and IT Spend
Svenska Spel's Q3 operating profit dropped 9% to SEK656m as margins narrowed to 35%, while net gaming revenue rose 1% to SEK1.898bn.
Flávio Bolsonaro Faces Money Laundering Probe Tied to Betting
Brazil's Federal Police are examining Senator Flávio Bolsonaro's links to lawyer Willer Tomaz and R$6.3bn in wagering transactions, days before the presidential run-off.
LeForbes Sentencing Delayed to December in Resorts World Case
A federal judge has pushed Damien LeForbes' sentencing to December 10, asking for more detail on his role before deciding whether probation and home confinement are appropriate.
Dawn Butler Named Vice Chair of Gambling Reform APPG
Labour MP Dawn Butler takes the vice chair role at the Gambling Reform APPG as the group pushes for a Machine Games Duty hike in next week's Budget.
Latvia Sets Saeima Vote on Tighter Gambling Rules
Latvia's Budget and Finance Committee has backed amendments raising the gambling age to 21, capping online play at 21 hours per day and forcing a central self-exclusion system.
BETBY Powers MOVE Cup with €300k Prize Fund
BETBY is the powering sponsor of the MOVE Cup, a rapid-play chess tournament in Barcelona on 19-20 January 2027, with a €300,000 prize fund and a matching €300,000 donation to the MOVE Foundation.
NCPG Survey: Only Half of Parents Have Discussed Gambling With Kids
A Harris Poll for the NCPG found 51% of parents have talked to their 6-to-17-year-olds about gambling, while 9% have no plans to. Fathers report far more worry than mothers.
L&L Europe Pays £900k Over Unfair Cashout Rules
The UKGC has hit L&L Europe with a £900,000 settlement after finding withdrawal restrictions, weak AML checks and missed harm signals across its seven UK brands.
ACMA Warns AFL Players Over Illegal Gambling Promotions
Australia's communications regulator has issued formal warnings to two former AFL players for promoting unlicensed gambling sites, with new influencer ad rules coming in 2027.
BetGoodwin Eyes £80m AIM Float Despite UK Gambling Stock Slump
Goodwin Racing's online brand is reportedly working with Allenby Capital on a London listing that would value the challenger bookmaker at around £80m, even as listed rivals lose ground.
ACMA Sets Out Notable-Person Ban for Gambling Ads
Australia's communications regulator has detailed how the new advertising rules will treat athletes, celebrities and influencers when the regime starts on 1 January 2027.
Greece Opens Hiring for 40-Strong Gambling Enforcement Unit
The Hellenic Gaming Commission has funding to recruit 40 inspectors for its new Inspection and Enforcement division, backing Greece's tougher black market crackdown.
Utah Sues Kalshi for $61.2M as Flutter Cuts 1,400 Jobs
Utah's AG wants Kalshi geofenced and up to $61.2 million in fees returned, while Flutter trims up to 1,400 UK and Ireland roles after tax hikes.
FIRST.bet's Tom Light: Sportsbooks Must Be Built by Bettors
FIRST.bet co-founder Tom Light says the product team are all gamblers themselves, and that SportOS lets operators differentiate where it counts.