TLDR Eden Hazard signed as a global ambassador for online gambling platform Stake He promoted the deal to his 27 million Instagram followers via a promotional video The Belgian Gaming Commission is now examining whether the content targets Belgian audiences Stake does not hold a Belgian licence and is on the country’s blacklist of gambling websites Hazard could be ordered to end the partnership if regulators find the campaign violates Belgian advertising laws Eden Hazard, the former Chelsea and Real Madrid forward, is facing regulatory attention in Belgium after announcing a new ambassador deal with online gambling platform Stake. The…
Author: Maisie Morrison
TLDR Colombia introduced a 16% consumption tax on all deposits made to online gambling platforms through Decrees 0240 and 0241 The tax applies every time a player deposits funds into a betting account, not on winnings Deposits made via cash, bank transfers, and crypto assets are all subject to the tax The tax covers both domestic deposits and those made from abroad into Colombian betting accounts Online gambling operators are responsible for collecting the tax and paying it to the government Colombia has rolled out a new tax targeting online gambling deposits. The government published Decrees 0240 and 0241, which…
TLDR Prediction markets work like exchanges where users trade contracts with each other, while sportsbooks take the other side of your bet Sportsbook odds include a built-in house edge called the vig, while prediction market platforms earn revenue through trading fees Prediction markets let users sell positions early for profit, unlike traditional sports bets which are locked in until the event ends Prices in prediction markets shift based on trader activity, while sportsbook odds are controlled and adjusted by the operator Regulation remains unclear for prediction markets, which sit between gambling and financial products depending on the jurisdiction Prediction markets…
TLDR The BGC estimates £60 million was wagered illegally during the four-day Cheltenham Festival, roughly £2 million per race Cheltenham attracted close to £1 billion in total betting stakes, part of Britain’s £11 billion annual horse racing turnover Around 6% of all betting in Britain now flows through illegal operators outside the regulated market Remote gaming duty rises from 21% to 40% in April, with sports betting duty climbing from 15% to 25% in 2027 The Jockey Club has warned affordability checks could drain £250 million from horse racing over five years The Betting and Gaming Council has said that…
TLDR Tilman Fertitta has raised his bid for Caesars Entertainment to $34 per share, valuing the casino operator at roughly $7 billion in equity Rival bidder Carl Icahn is offering $33 per share, setting up a competitive takeover battle Caesars owns over 55 gaming properties across 16 U.S. states, including the iconic Caesars Palace in Las Vegas The company carries more than $11 billion in debt and over $20 billion in total liabilities If a deal happens, the earliest realistic closing date is likely 2027, and Caesars has not commented on the bids Two billionaires are now competing to buy…
TLDR Unlicensed offshore gambling platforms generated 74% of US online gross gambling revenue last year, with the total digital market valued at roughly $90 billion The illegal gambling market grew 64% year-over-year compared to just 26% growth for the regulated market Over 900 active illegal platforms were identified operating in the US, versus fewer than 100 fully licensed operators Regulated platforms capture only 12% of total audience exposure, while offshore operators leverage major sporting events and media channels for promotion In Ohio, unlicensed platforms captured 85% of the market, representing over $5 billion in gross gaming revenue The US online…
TLDR National gambling participation in Canada dropped from 76% in 2002 to 64.5% in 2018, yet the industry keeps expanding Ontario’s regulated online gambling market revenue surged from CAD 1.3 billion in 2022–23 to CAD 2.9 billion in 2024–25 Online casino games, not sports betting, drive roughly 75% of Ontario’s regulated online revenue Growth is fueled by deeper engagement from existing players rather than new players joining Sports betting partnerships with leagues like the NHL, CFL, and CEBL have made gambling far more visible in Canadian culture Fewer Canadians are gambling today than two decades ago. But the country’s gambling…
TLDR Kalshi recession odds for 2026 jumped above 34%, the highest level since November, up from under 25% late last week U.S. oil prices rallied above $100 per barrel for the first time since the 2022 Russia-Ukraine war aftermath Middle Eastern output cuts and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the U.S.-Iran war drove the oil spike West Texas Intermediate crude posted its biggest weekly gain on record as the conflict escalated Kalshi bettors see a 60% chance U.S. gas prices exceed $4 this month, with the national average at $3.48 Prediction market bettors are growing more worried…
TLDR Kevin O’Leary bet $1,000 on prediction market app Kalshi that his “Marty Supreme” costar Timothée Chalamet would win the best actor Oscar O’Leary plays tycoon Milton Rockwell in “Marty Supreme” alongside Chalamet Chalamet had been the frontrunner for best actor but lost momentum after controversial comments about ballet and opera Michael B. Jordan won the best actor Oscar for “Sinners,” beating Chalamet O’Leary noted that Oscar voting closed before the Chalamet controversy, but it didn’t matter in the end Kevin O’Leary showed up to the Oscars red carpet with more than just a tuxedo. The “Shark Tank” star had…
TLDR Brazil’s Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) opposes Bill 3563/2024, which would ban all betting advertising and sponsorship in the country. The regulator argues that licensed betting ads help consumers tell legal operators apart from illegal ones. Over 25,000 illegal online betting sites have already been blocked in Brazil since regulation began. Brazil’s Central Bank has been asked to cut off payment processing for unauthorized betting platforms. The SPA is ramping up digital monitoring of betting ads and influencers ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Brazil’s betting regulator has come out against a proposed law that would ban…