Author: Maisie Morrison

TLDR Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier warned Google, Meta, and TikTok to stop hosting ads for online sweepstakes casinos. The companies have until October 23 to confirm in writing that the ads have been removed. In August, Florida sued Stake, VGW’s Chumba Casino, LuckyLand, Global Poker, and their payment processors. The state says the sites’ dual-currency systems let players redeem winnings for cash, crypto, or gift cards. Florida seeks permanent injunctions, restitution, forfeiture of proceeds, and civil penalties. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has warned major tech companies to stop running ads for online sweepstakes casinos. The warning covers Google,…

TLDR Former Stoke City player Tony Kelly lost more than £500,000 to gambling during his football career. He founded Red Card Gambling, a charity that teaches young footballers about gambling risks. Kelly says the UK’s new gambling levy, set to raise about £100 million a year, spends too much on research. He says bet365’s owners, the Coates family, have not replied to his requests, and Stoke told him he was not welcome at a match. Kelly says Tranmere and Coventry show clubs can survive without gambling sponsors. Former Stoke City player Tony Kelly lost more than £500,000 to gambling during…

TLDR Brazil’s government issued a provisional measure on Sept. 25 banning online betting, and Flutter Entertainment stopped operations in the country. Flutter estimates staying out of Brazil through the end of 2026 would cut revenue by about $70 million and adjusted EBITDA by around $20 million. SOFTSWISS released its 2027 iGaming Trends Report near Lisbon, putting global online gambling revenue at $349 billion in 2026. The report says 85% of betting and gaming companies use AI, but the industry’s AI maturity score is only 45 out of 100. Brazil’s Congress must approve or amend the ban within 120 days, and…

TLDR Michael Jordan joined DraftKings CEO Jason Robins and Sportradar CEO Carsten Koerl for the opening keynote at SBC Summit Lisbon on Sept. 29. Jordan said athletes should focus on winning, not betting lines, stats or spreads. Robins said fans yelled at athletes long before legal betting existed. Koerl said detailed player data and AI agents will drive the next phase of sports betting. Robins said the future of US prediction markets depends on regulators, and DraftKings is preparing for either outcome. Michael Jordan spoke about sports betting at SBC Summit Lisbon on Tuesday, Sept. 29. He joined DraftKings CEO…

TLDR Armenia will bar companies without a gambling licence from using words like “casino” and “lottery” in their branding. The rule takes effect on February 8, 2027, with fines of 500,000 AMD, or about $1,400. The ban covers company names, trademarks, website domains, and physical signs. Telecom operators will be required to block unlicensed gambling sites listed on a daily blacklist. Unlicensed gambling firms will also be banned from advertising their services in Armenia. Armenia has passed new rules that stop companies without a gambling licence from using betting and casino terms in their branding. The law takes effect on…

TLDR Casino Plus has expanded its partnership with actor Alden Richards to include CSR programs and responsible-gaming campaigns. Richards first joined as the company’s first male brand ambassador in 2024. The deal adds “Hero For All,” a community recognition program run with the AR Foundation. Casino Plus did not disclose the agreement’s length, financial terms, or budget. The PAGCOR-regulated company launched a P1 billion player fund protection program in December 2025. Casino Plus has expanded its partnership with actor Alden Richards. The deal now covers corporate social responsibility programs and responsible-gaming campaigns, in addition to promotional work. Richards first joined…

TLDR SJM Holdings outlined a plan in its 2026 Interim Report to raise asset productivity and grow premium gaming in Macau. The strategy follows the Macau government’s required closure of satellite casinos last year, which led SJM to a direct management model. SJM opened the second phase of Hotel Lisboa’s Crystal Palace gaming area in August and refurbished 400 hotel rooms. At Grand Lisboa Palace in Cotai, the company added table capacity and opened the Sky Phoenix West Tower VIP area. SJM reported a net loss of HK$295 million for the first half of 2026 and has cut staff by…

TLDR Polymarket held the largest share of U.S. branded prediction market search demand from January to August 2026, according to Blask. Polymarket’s search share fell from 74.3% to 57.8%, while Kalshi’s rose from 23.1% to 35.8%. Kalshi recorded $37.17 billion in August trading volume, compared with $8.16 billion for Polymarket and Polymarket US combined. The year’s biggest search spike came on March 2, the day before the first midterm primaries, not during the World Cup. Blask has not yet tested whether search share predicts prediction market trading volume. Polymarket is still the most searched prediction market brand in the U.S.,…

TLDR Visualize Group has completed its purchase of eCOGRA, a UK-based testing and compliance provider for the regulated iGaming sector. The deal brings eCOGRA under the same owner as BMM Testlabs, which Visualize bought in March. The combined platform now holds licenses or accreditations in more than 800 jurisdictions. The deal was announced June 30 and closed after regulatory approvals. Financial terms were not disclosed. Leaders from BMM and eCOGRA will attend G2E in Las Vegas this week. The Visualize Group has completed its acquisition of eCOGRA, a United Kingdom-based company that tests and certifies products for the regulated iGaming…

TLDR Macau casino gross gaming revenue fell 1.2% year over year in August to about MOP21.89 billion (US$2.71 billion). The result missed the consensus forecast, which expected a 1% gain. CreditSights said Chinese capital-control rules may have hurt VIP gambler sentiment. Visitor arrivals hit a record for August, but GGR per visitor fell 7% to MOP4,888. Year-to-date GGR is up 4%, with 72% of the MOP236 billion 2026 target already reached. Macau’s casino revenue slipped in August, and a research firm says new Chinese rules on moving money abroad may be part of the reason. CreditSights Inc. said the rules…