Author: Maisie Morrison

TLDR Austria plans to end Win2Day’s online casino monopoly when its license expires on October 1, 2027. Operators must exit the Austrian market by January 2027 or face licensing bans of up to two years. A gap of at least nine months could exist between operators leaving and new licenses being issued. The proposal includes a 45% tax on online gambling revenue and strict player protection rules. Industry groups warn this transition period could push players toward unregulated offshore websites. Austria is moving to end one of Europe’s last online casino monopolies. The change could expose players to unregulated betting…

TLDR The Economic Council, a group linked to the CDU, wants changes to Germany’s 2021 State Treaty on Gambling. The treaty review is expected to finish by the end of 2026. Critics say the 5.3% tax on stakes for online slots hurts licensed operators. Illegal betting sites reportedly outnumber legal ones by eleven to one. The proposal calls for simpler licensing and a focus on cutting illegal gambling. Germany’s gambling rules may be heading for another shake-up. A group tied to the CDU party has put forward a proposal to change the country’s 2021 State Treaty on Gambling. The timing…

TLDR Hong Kong police arrested 29-year-old Erena So Hoi-Lam over suspected promotion of unlicensed gambling websites on social media. She was released on bail while the investigation continues. The arrest comes during a wider crackdown on illegal betting tied to the FIFA World Cup. Separately, 19 people, including a former Footballer of the Year, were detained over alleged match-fixing and illegal football betting. Hong Kong’s gambling laws ban both unlicensed betting and advertising it, putting influencers under growing scrutiny. Hong Kong police have arrested a well-known adult film star as part of an investigation into illegal gambling promotion. The case…

TLDR SEGG Media filed a $20 million lawsuit against White Diamond Research and analyst Adam Gefvert in Tarrant County, Texas. The suit claims the firm ran a “short and distort” scheme that hurt SEGG Media’s stock price. SEGG Media says its shares dropped more than 50% after the June 10 report was published. White Diamond Research had claimed SEGG Media issued press releases for projects that never launched. SEGG Media says Sports.com Predict launched on June 10, 2026, as planned. SEGG Media has taken legal action against a research firm that questioned its business practices. The company filed a $20…

TLDR Craig Williams and Amy Hind pleaded guilty to cheating offences tied to the 2024 UK general election betting scandal. Williams was a former parliamentary private secretary to Rishi Sunak; Hind is married to a Conservative digital director. Both placed bets on the election date before Sunak’s public announcement, using access to confidential information. Williams and Hind could face up to two years in prison or a fine. Twelve other defendants will face trial in September 2027 and January 2028. Two people connected to the UK’s election betting scandal have pleaded guilty to cheating. The Gambling Commission confirmed the news…

TLDR Former NBA players Malik Beasley and Edward Davis are among six people indicted in the Eastern District of New York. Prosecutors say Beasley agreed to underperform or overperform in certain stats to help others win bets. Davis allegedly acted as the “gatekeeper,” passing inside information from Beasley to other co-conspirators. The scheme ran from December 2023 through April 2024 and reportedly netted bettors thousands of dollars in some games. Each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison on the most serious counts. Federal prosecutors have indicted six people, including former NBA players Malik Beasley and Edward Davis, in…

TLDR Baguio City councilors passed a second-reading ordinance to ban online gambling operations in the city. No new permits or renewals will be issued for online casinos, e-games, online sabong, e-bingo, and related services. Existing operators get one year to shut down after the ordinance takes effect. Gambling ads will be banned in public spaces, schools, parks, and churches, and sponsorships of public events are restricted. People under 25 will be barred from gambling venues, and a new council will be created to enforce the rules. Baguio City has taken a step toward shutting down online gambling within its borders.…

TLDR Jay Chun raised his stake in Paradise Entertainment to 65.36%, up from 60.00% in March. He made 54 share purchases between late March and last week. Total spending on the shares came to about HK$32.88 million (US$4.2 million). The stock hit a yearly low of HK$0.435 on March 24 before recovering to HK$0.770 by June 26. Paradise Entertainment’s 2025 profit fell 63.5% due to the closure of its Macau satellite casino. Jay Chun, chairman and managing director of Paradise Entertainment, has increased his ownership stake in the Hong Kong-listed company. Disclosure records filed with the Hong Kong stock exchange…

TLDR Brazil’s Senate may vote on a casino legalization bill before the July 18 recess Rapporteur Senator Irajá is seeking support from party leaders to add the bill to the agenda The bill would legalize casinos, bingo halls, jogo do bicho, and horse race betting The Constitution and Justice Committee approved it in June 2024 by a narrow 14 to 12 vote Senator Eduardo Girão opposes the bill, citing high household debt tied to betting companies Brazil’s Federal Senate may vote on a long-debated casino bill before lawmakers leave for recess on July 18. The bill would legalize land-based casinos…

TLDR Momentum Group and Fanatics formed a joint venture to run commercial gaming in the UAE. The deal folds in Momentum’s existing licenses, including the UAE Lottery and Play971. UAE regulators have already approved the change in control for the licensed entities. This marks Fanatics’ first gaming expansion outside the United States. Both companies plan new player protection measures as part of the partnership. Momentum Group and Fanatics have agreed to form a joint venture in the United Arab Emirates. The deal will combine commercial gaming operations under one structure. Momentum was the UAE’s first gaming licensee. It will bring…