Author: Maisie Morrison

TLDR Kalshi blocked Indian users on June 17, 2026, reversing its October 2025 expansion into 140+ countries India’s Online Gaming Act 2025, which took effect May 1, treats prediction markets as illegal gambling Polymarket was blocked by Indian authorities around May 21, with Kalshi following weeks later Nine European countries signed a joint declaration on June 17 targeting unlicensed prediction market platforms Kalshi now lists 55 restricted jurisdictions, with European ISP blocking already in place in several countries Kalshi has quietly blocked users in India from trading on its platform, reversing a major international expansion it announced just eight months…

TLDR North Carolina lawmakers raised the online sports betting tax rate from 18% to 23% Bettors placed over $561 million in wagers in May 2026 alone — the ninth straight month above $500 million Since launch in March 2024, the state has collected over $299 million in tax revenue The Sports Betting Alliance warned the hike penalizes regulated operators who already contribute hundreds of millions in taxes North Carolina now sits above New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Ohio in tax rates, but well below New York’s 51% North Carolina has raised its online sports betting tax rate from 18% to 23%,…

TLDR Pzena Investment Management spent US$112.22 million buying Galaxy Entertainment shares in two separate transactions The first purchase on May 14 raised Pzena’s stake from 4.89% to 5.01%; the second on June 16 pushed it to 6.27% Galaxy Entertainment shares closed at a year-to-date low of HKD29.82 following the purchases Morgan Stanley cut its 2026 growth forecasts for Macau gaming revenue and EBITDA Macau casino stocks have underperformed the Hang Seng Index this year, with weak revenue outlook for June and July Pzena Buys US$112M in Galaxy Entertainment Shares as Macau Casino Stocks Slide US-based Pzena Investment Management LLC has…

TLDR Illegal offshore platforms are undercutting licensed operators in Peru by avoiding taxes and regulations Licensed operators pay a 12% sector tax on gross gaming profit plus a 1% tax on every bet placed A sports integrity bill passed by Congress was vetoed by the Executive branch and awaits action Regulators are urged to focus on redirecting consumers to legal platforms, not just enforcement Peru is considering a tourism law amendment to formally register casinos as tourism service providers Peru’s regulated betting market is growing, but two problems keep standing in the way: illegal operators and sports integrity risks. That’s…

TLDR India blocked Kalshi on June 17, 2026, after classifying event-based trading as illegal online gambling under new 2025 gaming laws. Kalshi updated its member agreement to ban users located in India following a formal warning from India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. India had been a high-value market — one domestic cricket match alone generated over $27 million in trading volume. Kalshi now lists 55 restricted jurisdictions, including Brazil, Spain, Indonesia, Argentina, and Portugal. The core dispute is whether prediction markets are financial instruments or gambling platforms — a debate regulators outside the US are largely settling against…

TLDR Malaysian police are ready to contact ASEANAPOL and Interpol if illegal gambling investigations cross borders 58 people have been arrested under Op Soga XI, a nationwide operation that started June 11 Authorities seized RM25,684 in cash and RM488,582 in betting proceeds 42 websites promoting illegal gambling were detected during the operation Police say syndicates are shifting to apps and digital platforms to avoid detection Malaysia’s Royal Police have launched a major crackdown on illegal gambling tied to the FIFA World Cup 2026, arresting dozens and seizing hundreds of thousands in cash and betting proceeds. Inspector General of Police Tan…

TLDR Brazil’s State Lottery of Paraíba (LOTEP) held a meeting with TikTok Brazil to discuss gaming regulation and digital advertising Talks covered content control, user safety, and advertising guidelines on digital platforms LOTEP outlined its licensing, auditing, and monitoring systems during the meeting Both sides explored how digital tools can help users identify legitimate operators The meeting is part of LOTEP’s broader effort to engage digital platforms and industry stakeholders Brazil’s gambling regulator in Paraíba has met with TikTok to talk about how digital platforms can support legal gaming oversight. The State Lottery of Paraíba, known as LOTEP, held an…

TLDR The SEC has proposed letting public companies report semi-annually instead of quarterly, replacing three 10-Q filings with one new Form 10-S. Gaming stocks like Flutter, DraftKings, and Sportradar are all down sharply over the past year. Semi-annual reporting could reduce pressure on companies to hit short-term targets each quarter. The SEC’s chair says the change could make going public more attractive — part of his “Make IPOs Great Again” push. The public comment period closes July 6, and the proposal faced similar pushback when it was floated in 2018. The US Securities and Exchange Commission proposed in early May…

TLDR Police in China have shut down multiple illegal gambling networks in several provinces linked to the 2026 FIFA World Cup In Xi’an, 7 suspects were arrested after running an online betting platform with transactions exceeding 100,000 yuan ($14,770) A gang in Guangxi was dismantled for flooding social media with gambling ads since May 2026 In Liaoning, a suspect used illegal apps and WeChat to take bets on match outcomes and scores China’s Ministry of Public Security warned citizens before the tournament that no online platform is authorized to sell lottery tickets China’s police have broken up several illegal gambling…

TLDR Brazil’s Finance Minister Dario Durigan defended new tax measures targeting sports betting operators, offshore investments, and exclusive investment funds Betting companies paid zero tax from 2018 to 2022; the Lula government proposed 18%, Congress approved 12% Annual tax revenue from licensed betting operators is around BRL 9 billion Brazil created 5.1 million jobs in 2026, with inflation described as under control Public spending was cut by BRL 23 billion, even in an electoral year Brazil’s Finance Minister Dario Durigan appeared before the Finance and Taxation Committee of the Chamber of Deputies to defend a series of tax changes targeting…