Author: Maisie Morrison

TLDR The BHA says the Gambling Commission’s account of Financial Risk Assessment talks left out two months of earlier outreach. Acting Chief Officer Sarah Gardner told a parliamentary committee that talks were offered before the July 7 announcement. The Racing Post reports the BHA tried to open dialogue two months before that, without a real exchange taking place. A BHA spokesperson says the Commission’s reply to the committee failed to acknowledge concerns about due process. Evidence backing the new affordability checks will not be published until autumn. The British Horseracing Authority has questioned how the Gambling Commission handled talks over…

TLDR S&P Global Ratings ranked eight Asia-Pacific casino markets by business resilience and credit appeal. Macau and Singapore took the top two spots, while Cambodia and the Philippines landed in the lower half. The report warns that sudden policy changes remain a lasting risk across the region. Gaming revenue in the region is expected to grow 3%-5% per year over the next two to three years. Cultural attitudes toward gambling in countries like South Korea and India were cited as a factor behind regulatory unpredictability. S&P Global Ratings released a new report ranking casino markets across Asia-Pacific. The report looks…

TLDR India now requires esports games to be assessed and registered with the Online Gaming Authority of India before use of that label. The rule comes from a written reply by Minister Jitin Prasada in the Lok Sabha on July 29. Esports must first be recognised under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, before registration can happen. Non-real-money social games are not automatically required to register, but the authority can still bring them into the process. The framework, active since May 1, separates esports, social games, and banned money games into distinct categories. India has set a clear rule for…

TLDR SEGG Media’s board approved a plan to reposition Lottery.com as a global master affiliate platform The company is moving away from direct operations toward an affiliate-only business model The initial rollout will focus on North and Latin America, starting with Mexico Lottery.com’s exact-match domain name is seen as a key advantage in the digital lottery space The global lottery market is projected to reach $596 billion by 2033 SEGG Media has approved a plan to turn Lottery.com into its global master affiliate platform. The move shifts the brand away from running its own lottery operations. Instead, Lottery.com will now…

TLDR A federal judge halted Minnesota’s SF 3432, the first state law to criminalize prediction markets. The ruling grants Kalshi, Polymarket, and the CFTC a preliminary injunction. Judge Katherine Menendez said the plaintiffs are likely to win on preemption grounds. The law was set to take effect August 1 before the block. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison disagrees with the ruling and may continue the fight. A federal judge has stopped Minnesota from enforcing a state law that would have banned prediction markets. The ruling came on Monday, just days before the law was set to take effect on August…

TLDR Cambodia closed 72 casinos after inspecting 195 licensed venues nationwide. 19 casinos lost their licenses over alleged links to online scams. Officials investigated 737 illegal scam operations across 28,512 locations since June 2025. More than 21,000 foreigners from 38 countries have been deported. 268 cases involving 2,773 suspects were sent to the court system. Cambodia has closed 72 casinos as part of a year-long crackdown on online scam centers. The move follows inspections across the country’s licensed gambling sector. China’s state news agency Xinhua reported the findings this week. Investigators checked 195 licensed casinos and found 72 operating illegally…

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…