News

The Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR) has issued an official statement countering recent remarks by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who suggested a total ban on online betting in Brazil. In an interview with ICL Notícias, the President expressed deep concern over rising household debt and the social impact of gambling, stating he would “shut down” operations if given the chance. The IBJR’s response serves as a critical defence of the newly established legal framework, arguing that a pivot toward prohibition would be counterproductive. The Institute emphasises that the formal market is the only viable mechanism for protecting […]

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has formally intervened in a high-stakes legal dispute in Arizona involving the prediction market platform Kalshi. This move marks a significant escalation in the federal regulator’s efforts to assert its authority over event contracts, particularly those involving political outcomes. By filing a memorandum in support of the state’s position or seeking to clarify the bounds of federal commodity law, the CFTC is signalling its intent to maintain a tight grip on how “prediction wagering” is categorised and governed within the United States. A Broadening Legal Front Against Election Betting The intervention in Arizona is […]

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has released the third-quarter statistics for BetStop, the National Self-Exclusion Register, revealing that nearly 60,000 Australians have now signed up for the service. The Q3 2025-2026 report highlights a sustained upward trajectory in adoption since the platform’s launch, underscoring its role as a central pillar of the Australian government’s consumer protection framework for online wagering. By providing a single, “one-stop” mechanism to block access to all licensed interactive wagering providers, BetStop is fundamentally reshaping the compliance obligations for operators in the region. Analyzing the Q3 Growth and Demographic Trends The latest ACMA data […]

The UK government has officially announced the first wave of recipients for the Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector funding, sourced from the newly established statutory gambling levy. This funding, spanning the 2026 to 2028 period, is specifically earmarked for projects dedicated to preventing gambling-related harms and building sector resilience.  The move represents a concrete step in the government’s transition away from a voluntary contribution model toward a mandated fiscal framework designed to provide stable, long-term support for research, prevention, and treatment (RET). Strategic Allocation: The Role of VCSEs in the New Regulatory Framework The distribution of these funds […]

Spain’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs, through the Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ), has launched a dedicated web platform to combat identity theft (suplantación de identidad) within the iGaming sector. This new digital tool allows citizens to report, manage, and rectify instances where their personal data has been used to open unauthorised gambling accounts. By centralising the dispute process, the DGOJ aims to reduce the administrative burden on both consumers and operators while tightening the security perimeter of the regulated Spanish market. Operational Impacts of the DGOJ’s Centralized Identity Portal The launch of this portal marks a shift […]

The National Gambling Board (NGB) of South Africa has officially launched a centralised “Verified Operator” portal, a strategic digital tool designed to help consumers and financial institutions distinguish between legal, licensed entities and offshore “black market” sites. Announced via a formal media release, the portal serves as a real-time database of all operators licensed by the various Provincial Gambling Boards (PGBs). This initiative marks a significant escalation in the NGB’s efforts to sanitise the domestic market and ensure that gambling revenue remains within the South African economy. Strategic Implications of the Centralized Verification System The introduction of a single “source […]

The Portuguese gambling regulator, Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos (SRIJ), has officially launched a new, unified self-exclusion platform designed to streamline the process for players seeking to restrict their access to gambling services. Operating under the authority of Turismo de Portugal, the SRIJ’s new digital portal allows consumers to self-exclude from all licensed online and land-based gambling venues simultaneously. This infrastructure upgrade aims to replace the previous fragmented reporting system with a real-time, centralised database, ensuring that any exclusion request is immediately synchronised across the entire regulated market. Strategic Implications of a Unified Exclusion Framework The deployment of […]

On April 9, 2026, Governor Tony Evers officially signed Assembly Bill 601 (AB 601) into law, marking a transformative shift in the Wisconsin gaming landscape. The legislation authorizes statewide online sports wagering, moving beyond the previous restrictive model that limited betting to physical tribal casino locations. By amending the existing regulatory framework, the state now permits federally recognised tribes to offer mobile betting platforms to any individual physically located within Wisconsin’s borders. Strategic Implications of the Wisconsin Market Expansion The enactment of AB 601 represents a strategic victory for tribal sovereignty and the modernisation of the state’s revenue streams. For […]

The Netherlands Lottery, the Dutch state-owned gambling operator, has initiated formal civil legal proceedings against the unlicensed iGaming brand Qbet (operated by Casbit Group N.V.). In a strategic shift from traditional regulatory enforcement, the incumbent is seeking a court-ordered injunction to block the operator’s access to the Dutch market and is claiming financial damages for unfair competition.  This marks the second major civil action by the state operator following its 2025 lawsuit against the LalaBet brand, signalling a new era where licensed entities utilise private law to bypass the perceived administrative delays of regulatory fines. Strategic Implications of Civil Enforcement […]

The Finnish Government has signalled that an Initial Public Offering (IPO) for Veikkaus Oy is unlikely to occur before the early 2030s, prioritising the successful implementation of the country’s new multi-licence gambling framework. According to the new 2025 state holdings report, the total value of Finland’s corporate portfolio rose to €38 billion, driven by active restructuring, including the Posti Group listing. However, while other state assets have moved toward privatisation, the Ministry of the Interior and ownership steering officials indicated that Veikkaus must first demonstrate its viability within a competitive market before any public listing is considered. Strategic Implications of […]