Author: Maisie Morrison

TLDR Malaysian police are open to working with Interpol and ASEANAPOL if illegal World Cup gambling crosses borders Operation Op Soga XI has arrested 58 people since launching on June 11 Authorities seized over RM488,000 in betting proceeds and RM25,684 in cash 42 websites promoting illegal gambling were detected during the operation Police say syndicates are increasingly using apps, digital platforms, and smart devices to avoid detection Malaysia Police Launch Crackdown on Illegal World Cup Gambling Malaysian police are targeting illegal gambling and match-fixing tied to the FIFA World Cup 2026. The Royal Malaysia Police say they are focused on…

TLDR Brazil’s State Lottery of Paraíba (LOTEP) held a meeting with TikTok Brazil to discuss gaming regulation and digital advertising TikTok presented its content control, user safety, and advertising guidelines to LOTEP officials The meeting explored how digital platforms and regulators can work together on legal compliance LOTEP outlined its licensing, auditing, and monitoring framework during the talks The meeting is part of a broader push by LOTEP to build relationships with digital platforms and industry stakeholders Brazil’s State Lottery of Paraíba, known as LOTEP, met with representatives from TikTok Brazil to talk about gaming regulation and digital advertising. The…

TLDR 44% of Americans think betting on election outcomes should be illegal, vs. 30% who say it should be legal Sports prediction markets have majority support at 53%, while political markets face strong opposition War and terrorism contracts face the most resistance, with 57–64% saying they should be illegal Nearly $700 million has already traded on 2028 presidential election markets across Kalshi and Polymarket Over 25 prediction market bills have been introduced in the U.S. this year, with Minnesota passing the first state ban Most Americans Oppose Election Betting, Even as Industry Eyes Political Markets for Growth Prediction market companies…

TLDR Egypt’s parliament is drafting amendments to its Cybercrime Law to explicitly ban online betting apps Penalties could reach life imprisonment in the most serious cases involving organised crime Around 80% of online betting apps are already being blocked, including 1xBet and MelBet A three-tier penalty structure proposed by MP Martha Mahrous targets operators, agents, and payment facilitators VPN access and liability for payment providers remain unresolved in current drafts Egypt is preparing some of the toughest online betting laws in the Middle East. Parliament is drafting amendments to the Cybercrime Law that would explicitly criminalise online betting apps and…

TLDR Licensed operators in Eswatini want the government to define how long self-exclusion periods should last A validation workshop was held at Sibane Sami Hotel in Ezulwini to review new draft gambling regulations The Gaming Board will manage a central self-exclusion register and notify operators when players apply Excluded players who enter gambling premises face fines up to E2,000 or up to two years in prison New fee schedules are proposed to speed up licence applications and renewals Eswatini’s licensed gambling operators are calling on the government to set clear rules around self-exclusion periods, after gaps in the country’s new…

TLDR Australia banned online casino games under the 2001 Interactive Gambling Act, but offshore operators continue serving Australian players The law targets providers, not users, making it hard to stop determined gamblers Offshore casinos mimic local sites with AUD payments and Australian-themed content Crypto payments are widely used by offshore casinos, bypassing traditional financial controls Over 54,000 Australians enrolled in the BetStop self-exclusion register by end of 2025, but it has no power over offshore sites Australia banned online casino gambling over 20 years ago. Yet thousands of Australians are still playing on offshore casino websites every day. The 2001…

TLDR Georgia’s Parliament is reviewing a bill to create a new licensing regime for international gambling operators The new licenses would only allow services to foreign citizens — Georgian residents would be blocked International operators would pay a 5% tax on gross gaming revenue, compared to 20% for domestic-facing operators Licenses would last five years, cost GEL 100,000 annually, and operators would be limited to one domain per permit The bill aims to attract foreign investment in tech sectors like software, cybersecurity, and digital marketing Georgia is trying to turn its gambling sector into an export industry — welcoming foreign…

TLDR Brazil’s Federal Revenue Service launched Operation Conto da Sorte, targeting an illegal betting scheme worth BRL50 billion ($9.7 billion) 37 companies were investigated across multiple states, with 14 search and seizure warrants executed Up to BRL145 million in assets were frozen by court order The scheme used shell companies and “front men” to hide financial control and launder money The fraud originated from irregular betting licenses issued by a small municipality in Rio Grande do Norte Brazil’s government has launched one of its biggest crackdowns on illegal betting, uncovering a scheme that moved an estimated BRL50 billion ($9.7 billion)…

TLDR Dutch trade group VNLOK is suing Meta and filing an EU complaint over illegal gambling ads on Facebook and Instagram Research found around 70,000 gambling ads per quarter targeted Dutch users, with over 95% from unlicensed operators Meta removed fewer than 5% of flagged ads, according to VNLOK The illegal Dutch gambling market is now estimated at over €1 billion annually, roughly equal to the legal market Meta faces similar legal challenges in California, Australia, the UK, Brazil, and Malaysia Dutch gambling trade association VNLOK has taken legal action against Meta, alleging the tech giant has failed to stop…

TLDR Egypt is amending its Cybercrime Law to explicitly criminalise online betting apps for the first time Life sentences are possible in cases involving organised crime or large-scale fraud Authorities previously tried to block around 80% of betting apps, targeting platforms like 1xBet and MelBet The law would target not just operators but also payment facilitators and local agents VPN usage and user-level penalties remain unresolved in the draft legislation Egypt is moving toward one of the strictest online gambling crackdowns in the Middle East. Lawmakers are drafting amendments to the country’s Cybercrime Law that would, for the first time,…