TLDR Dutch lawmakers raised concerns about gambling companies re-entering the regulated market through takeovers and complex corporate structures The 888 Holdings case drew attention, operating under a licence held by Godwits LTD (ComeOn Group) while owned by evoke plc State Secretary Claudia van Bruggen said existing rules and the Kansspelautoriteit regulator are sufficient A reliability test and nearly three-year cooling-off period are already in place for licence applicants The government has no plans to introduce new restrictions despite ongoing parliamentary pressure The Dutch government has decided against introducing new rules to stop gambling companies from re-entering the regulated market through…
Author: Maisie Morrison
TLDR AIBM policy lead Jonathan Cohen says prediction markets and sports betting lack adequate consumer protections, especially for young men About 40% of Americans believe sports are rigged, reflecting a broader collapse in institutional trust Cohen warns prediction markets blur the line between gambling and investing, especially when offered on brokerage apps The insider trading controversy around Polymarket and the Maduro capture case has accelerated political scrutiny of prediction markets AIBM is pushing for age-based restrictions, default spending limits for under-25s, and data-driven guardrails across all gambling platforms The American Institute for Boys and Men is pushing for stronger regulation…
TLDR A new bill in Argentina’s Buenos Aires province would ban all betting advertising in sports environments, including team jerseys and stadiums Nine of 30 Primera División football clubs currently carry betting or casino sponsorships on their jerseys The ban would extend to advertising within 100 meters of sports venues and prohibit naming stadiums after gambling brands The legislation focuses on protecting minors and families from gambling normalization in community sports settings Penalties for violations could reach 50,000 fine units, and authorities could revoke or suspend operator licenses A provincial senator in Argentina has introduced a bill that would ban…
TLDR Brazil’s betting platforms saw 98.64% of all visits come from smartphones in Q1 2026, with desktops accounting for just 1.36% The Brazilian iGaming market recorded 6.28 billion total visits in the first three months of 2026 Mobile platforms alone generated 6.19 billion visits, while desktops received only 85.4 million Neighboring countries like Peru (85% mobile), Chile (81%), and Ecuador (72%) still rely far more on desktop access Brazil’s mobile dominance is driven by smartphone adoption, social media habits, and mobile-friendly betting platforms Brazil’s online betting market has become almost entirely mobile, with smartphone usage accounting for nearly 99% of…
TLDR Andrew Rhodes has left his role as CEO of the UK Gambling Commission after nearly five years, announcing his departure on LinkedIn on April 30. His tenure was defined by the push for affordability checks on gamblers, which faced strong opposition from bookmakers, horse racing bodies, and politicians. Rhodes oversaw new online slot stake caps of £5 for over-25s and £2 for 18-to-24-year-olds, along with bans on autoplay features. He managed the first-ever transfer of the National Lottery license, moving it from Camelot to Allwyn in February 2024. Rhodes leaves as the industry faces a Remote Gaming Duty increase…
TLDR UK online casinos are increasingly running slot games at lower RTP settings, sometimes near 92% instead of the expected 96% Game providers build multiple RTP versions into each slot, letting operators choose which payout rate to deploy Rising taxes and compliance costs are pushing operators toward lower RTP variants to protect profit margins Most players have no idea the same slot game can have different payout rates at different casinos Some operators are bucking the trend, keeping higher RTPs as a trust-building strategy to stand out in the market The online casino industry in the UK is going through…
TLDR Ukraine’s gambling regulator PlayCity launched an online tool for citizens to report illegal gambling ads directly through its website The platform accepts links, screenshots, and videos across media types including social networks, TV, radio, and outdoor ads The system auto-saves disappearing content like social media stories so regulators can review them after they expire Violators face fines up to ₴5,188,200 ($120,000), and PlayCity is working with Meta, Google, TikTok, YouTube, and others to block illegal ads PlayCity replaced Ukraine’s former gambling authority KRAIL in June 2025 and has since issued nearly ₴80 million ($1.8 million) in fines Ukraine’s gambling…
TLDR Kazakhstan’s Financial Monitoring Agency has ordered mobile carriers to block payments linked to illegal online casinos Tests on 10 casino websites confirmed players were using mobile balances from Tele2, Beeline, Kcell, and Activ to fund gambling accounts Mobile operators must now upgrade monitoring systems and build tools to detect and stop suspicious gambling transactions The government is pushing to criminalize influencer promotion of illegal casinos New rules starting May 17 will restrict physical access to betting venues and slot parlors, limiting entry to foreign nationals only Kazakhstan is moving to cut off a key funding channel for illegal online…
TLDR Alianza FC beat San Miguelito 3-2 in a match now under investigation for alleged match-fixing in Panama San Miguelito goalkeeper José Calderón scored a suspicious own goal in the final minutes of the game Teammate Gustavo Herrera publicly accused Calderón of being a match-fixer in a video message Calderón denied the allegations and called the own goal an unintentional sporting error The Liga Panameña de Fútbol has opened a formal investigation and reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy on match-fixing Football in Panama is facing a corruption crisis after a league match between Alianza FC and San Miguelito ended in controversy.…
TLDR Brazil’s Central Bank issued Resolution No. 561/2026, assigning code “34045” to all international online betting transactions starting October 1, 2026 eFX payments without e-commerce platform integration are now capped at $10,000 USD Virtual assets (crypto) are banned from use in eFX operator transactions with foreign counterparties Financial institutions must store transaction records for at least 10 years and submit monthly reports to the Central Bank eFX service providers must register by October 30, 2026, or obtain permits by May 2027 or shut down Brazil’s Central Bank has released Resolution No. 561/2026, introducing new rules for international payment services known…