Author: Maisie Morrison

TLDR São Paulo football clubs and the FPF oppose two city bills that would limit betting advertising The letter went to Mayor Ricardo Nunes on July 24, signed by São Paulo FC, Palmeiras, Corinthians, Portuguesa, Juventus and Nacional The FPF estimates losses of more than BRL 1 billion if the bills pass Clubs warn the rules could affect kits worn in national and continental competitions The federation is asking for talks and a grace period for existing sponsorship deals Football clubs in São Paulo are speaking out against two city bills that would limit betting advertising. The bills, numbered 553/2025…

TLDR VGW will permanently close LuckyLand Slots by September 14, 2026. Gold Coin purchases stop on August 3, and games stop running on August 24. Sweeps Coin redemptions will close entirely on September 14. Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Casino, and Global Poker will all keep operating. The closure comes weeks after founder Laurence Escalante resigned as CEO on July 3. VGW has confirmed that it will shut down LuckyLand Slots for good this September. The company shared the news with players in a Tuesday announcement. The shutdown will happen in stages rather than all at once. VGW has laid out specific…

TLDR Shane Hennen pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy in the Eastern District of New York “rigged poker” case Hennen did not plead guilty to illegal gambling charges connected to former coach Chauncey Billups Hennen is scheduled for sentencing on December 8 Nineteen of 31 original defendants in the poker case have pleaded guilty or agreed to do so Former NBA player Terry Rozier still faces trial on February 8, 2027, and has a motion to dismiss pending Shane Hennen pleaded guilty on Tuesday to one federal charge in an ongoing gambling corruption case. The plea was entered in the…

TLDR South Korea’s casino reform ideas remain informal, with no official rate or license terms set by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. A proposed hike in the Tourism Promotion and Development Fund contribution, from 10% to 15%, has only appeared in media reports so far. Talks include periodic license renewals and government approval for ownership changes, but no fixed timeline exists. Kangwon Land could face new anti-money laundering reporting rules that the company says may cut revenue by 20%. MGM Osaka’s upcoming opening in Japan adds competitive pressure on South Korea’s casino and tourism sector. South Korea’s government…

TLDR Odditt, a sports betting content company, announced a partnership with Optimove, a bettor engagement platform for iGaming operators. The deal aims to offer personalized bets built around each bettor’s interests, both before and during games. Odditt’s product, Betflow, has generated more than 1.5 million unique wagers since launching in 2025. The companies plan to roll out the joint product later this year, possibly before the NFL season starts. Odditt’s CEO says the company will likely need new investors later this year to support growth. Odditt, a company that describes itself as a content engine for sports betting, has partnered…

TLDR Goa’s draft casino gambling rules have been finalized by the state home department, but they are not yet in force. A senior official says the state may not have enough legislative time to approve the rules before the February 2027 election. The Goa assembly is expected to meet starting August 31, though the length of that session has not been set. The gaming commissioner role, created in 2019, still lacks defined powers because implementing rules were never approved. Goa has more than a dozen land-based casinos and six offshore casinos currently operating under the older rules. Goa’s casino industry…

TLDR Flutter Entertainment will stop trading on the London Stock Exchange on August 3, ending a listing that began in 2000. The company will trade only in New York, where its primary listing has been since May 2024. Flutter shares have fallen nearly 50% this year and about 60% over the past 12 months. Analysts say the delisting is not the main cause of the stock drop; competition from prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket is a bigger factor. Legalization of sports betting in new US states has slowed, and some states have raised taxes instead. Flutter Entertainment will stop…

TLDR A Lviv court ordered Oleksandr Markin to pay UAH 1.27 million in back taxes and penalties. His bank accounts received UAH 5.22 million in 2023 tied to alleged online casino payment activity. National Bank of Ukraine monitoring led to an unscheduled tax audit of the accounts. The defense said Markin, who has a disability, was exploited, but the court rejected that argument. The judge said any fraud claims must be handled through a separate criminal case, not the tax case. A court in Lviv, Ukraine has ordered a man to pay more than UAH 1.27 million in unpaid taxes…

TLDR Africa’s online betting revenue reached $23 billion in 2025. Unregulated operators controlled 77% of the entire market. Regulated betting brought in $5.2 billion, while unregulated platforms made $17.8 billion. Africa missed out on roughly $3.55 billion in tax revenue because of unregulated betting. North Africa’s betting market was almost entirely unregulated, at 99.7%. Africa’s online gambling industry grew fast in 2025. Gross gaming revenue across the continent reached $23 billion for the year. Most of that money did not flow through licensed channels. New data from Gaming Compliance International shows unregulated operators controlled 77% of the market. Regulated betting…

TLDR Italian authorities shut down two illegal betting centres in Sicily Fines exceeding €20,000 issued after a joint inspection operation Two unregistered computer terminals seized in Porto Empedocle Business owner referred to prosecutors on suspicion of illegal betting Action comes as Italy debates a new football betting tax and licensing reforms Italian regulators have shut down two illegal betting centres in Sicily. The move followed inspections that found gambling operations running outside the country’s regulated network. The enforcement action led to fines of more than €20,000. Officials also seized computer terminals believed to have avoided Italy’s gaming tax system. The…