Author: Maisie Morrison

TLDR PAGCOR is considering a rule that would require smart gaming tables at casinos and integrated resorts in the Philippines. The mandate is now likely to start no earlier than the second half of 2027, after first being expected this year. Large integrated resorts may be required to adopt the technology first, with smaller casinos added later. Only a few operators use smart tables today, including the two Solaire properties and Newport World Resorts. The plan is similar to a 2024 Macau recommendation, after which all six Macau concessionaires installed smart table systems. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR)…

TLDR Australian bookmaker Palmerbet accepted 312 bets from a customer registered on the BetStop self-exclusion register. The customer joined BetStop in September 2023, but his account was not closed until February 2025. Palmerbet has signed an 18-month court-enforceable undertaking with the ACMA and repaid the customer’s deposits. The bookmaker must commission an independent review of its compliance systems and act on the findings. Tougher penalties for BetStop breaches will take effect on January 1, 2027. Australian bookmaker Palmerbet has signed an 18-month court-enforceable undertaking with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The agreement follows the company taking 312 bets…

TLDR All 11 Democrats on the Senate Banking Committee asked Chair Tim Scott to hold a public hearing on prediction markets. The request followed a private meeting between Republican committee members and Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour on Sept. 23. Kalshi and Polymarket recorded about $53 billion in combined trading volume in July, according to Pew Research Center. A group of state lawmakers filed a brief urging the Supreme Court to hear New Jersey’s case against Kalshi. Kalshi has until Nov. 9 to respond to New Jersey’s Supreme Court petition. All 11 Democrats on the Senate Banking Committee have asked Chair…

TLDR Kalshi says the CFTC has not contacted it about unusual trading in its Ether perpetual futures market. The Wall Street Journal reported more than $5 billion in trades of about $5,500 each over the past month. The pattern has led to allegations of wash trading, which Kalshi denies. The Journal said Kalshi offered some traders equity, fee waivers, and cash payments tied to trading activity. Kalshi says the trades come from market maker programs and involve hundreds of distinct traders. Prediction markets operator Kalshi said it has not been contacted by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission over a burst…

TLDR The CFTC issued a staff advisory on September 22 about “mention markets.” These contracts settle based on whether a person says, attends or does something. The regulator says they carry higher manipulation risk when outcomes cannot be independently verified. Exchanges must provide contract-specific analysis showing each listing resists manipulation. The advisory is staff guidance, not a new federal law. The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission has issued new guidance on a type of prediction market contract. These contracts settle based on whether a person says a certain word, shows up at an event or takes a specific action. The…

TLDR Barry Diller’s People Inc. withdrew its $18 billion offer to take MGM Resorts private. MGM shares fell 8.11% in after-hours trading to around $34.80. People Inc. owns 26.1% of MGM and had offered $48.30 per share on June 1. MGM stock had already slipped nearly 14% over the past month before the news. Diller says he is still “open to and interested in” a “strategic transaction” with MGM. Shares of MGM Resorts International fell in after-hours trading on Wednesday. The drop came after Barry Diller’s People Inc. withdrew its $18 billion offer to take the casino company private. People…

TLDR A searchable archive of more than 40,000 leaked documents from Curaçao’s gambling regulator went public on Wednesday. Berlin researcher Lilith Wittmann says she spent nine months inside the Curaçao Gaming Authority’s licensing portal. The files identify about 800 owners of nearly 650 licensed gambling companies, including those behind Stake and 1xBet. Software supplier Softswiss says it runs no casinos and compares its role to that of Microsoft Office. The regulator says the casino “network” described by reporters was “fabricated.” A searchable archive of leaked documents from Curaçao’s gambling regulator opened to the public on Wednesday. It went live a…

TLDR An analyst flagged $539 million in 24-hour Ethereum perpetual volume on Kalshi against just $3.1 million in open interest. Kalshi’s crypto lead IcoBeast disputed the claims, saying one cited chart measured prediction market activity, not perpetual futures. Prediction markets recorded $7.64 billion in weekend volume on Sept. 19-20, up 20% from the prior weekend. Missouri’s attorney general sent cease-and-desist letters to six operators, including Kalshi, Polymarket and Robinhood. Senate Banking Republicans will hold a prediction market roundtable this week with Kalshi taking part. Kalshi is facing questions about its reported crypto trading volume. A quantitative analyst claims some activity…

TLDR The NFL suspended Cardinals scouting director Ryan Gold in July over an alleged draft leak and parlay bets. Jeremiyah Love’s odds to go third in the 2026 NFL draft fell from 30-1 to about 2-1 before Arizona picked him. Massachusetts regulators said they received no suspicious betting or integrity reports on the draft in March or April. Arizona gaming officials declined to say whether they received any report on the Love market. Gold denies wrongdoing, and his appeal is scheduled for Sept. 23. Suspended Arizona Cardinals scouting director Ryan Gold is set to have his appeal heard on Sept.…

TLDR Interblock plans to launch Free Fall Roulette in Macau during October Golden Week, which runs from October 1 to 7. The game will debut at three Sands China properties: The Londoner Macao, The Parisian Macao and The Venetian Macao. Each venue is expected to install four units, for a total of up to 12. This will be the product’s first appearance in Asia, following regulatory approval in Macau. The game drops a physical ball from above the wheel using a Plinko-style mechanism. Electronic table games maker Interblock plans to launch its Free Fall Roulette product in Macau during the…