Author: Maisie Morrison

TLDR Brazil’s Finance Minister Dario Durigan defended new taxes on sports betting operators, offshore investments, and exclusive investment funds Sports betting companies paid zero tax from 2018 to 2022 despite the industry being legal The Lula government proposed an 18% tax on betting operators; Congress approved 12% Annual tax revenue from licensed betting operators now stands at around BRL 9 billion Brazil created 5.1 million jobs in 2026, with inflation described as under control Brazil’s Finance Minister Dario Durigan appeared before the Finance and Taxation Committee of the Chamber of Deputies this week to defend a series of tax measures…

TLDR Ireland has launched a national risk assessment and 30-point action plan to tighten gambling oversight Remote bookmakers and private members’ clubs are flagged as high-risk for money laundering Cash use at land-based venues and the speed of digital transfers are listed as key vulnerabilities Cryptocurrency is under fresh scrutiny, with new industry-wide standards expected from the regulator Closed-loop payment systems will require customers to withdraw funds to the same account used for deposits Ireland’s gambling regulator is rolling out a sweeping new anti-money laundering plan that targets cash, crypto, and private clubs that have long operated outside formal oversight.…

TLDR Estonia cut its online gambling tax from 6% to 4% to attract foreign operators, but results have been slow Only 2 license applications have been submitted, both still being processed One operator withdrew its application entirely Tax revenue from the reform is still modest, with a €220,000 shortfall bridged by a budget transfer Finland’s upcoming regulated market could pull operators away from Estonia if conditions don’t improve Estonia lowered its online gambling tax rate to attract foreign casinos, but the early results have been underwhelming. Officials say the reform is taking longer to gain traction than expected. The tax…

TLDR CIDG arrested 13 people, including one fugitive, during a June 15 raid in Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa The operation began with a warrant for violations of the Access Devices Regulation Act and Cybercrime Prevention Act Police seized computers, laptops, phones, hard drives, and other electronic devices PAGCOR confirmed the online gaming platforms were unauthorized and violated the POGO ban Investigation is ongoing, with more suspects potentially to be identified from seized equipment Philippine Police Arrest 13 in Muntinlupa Illegal Online Gambling Raid Philippine law enforcement arrested 13 people at a private home in Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa on June 15, after…

TLDR Brazil’s Ministry of Finance released Ordinance No. 17.66, targeting financial institutions that process payments for illegal betting operators. Banks and payment providers must block transactions within 24 hours of receiving formal notice or face joint tax liability. The rules also apply to advertisers and promoters of unauthorized betting platforms. Over 50,000 illegal domains have been blocked since a 2024 agreement with Brazil’s telecoms regulator. A centralized self-exclusion platform launched in December 2025 has received over 650,000 requests. Brazil Moves to Cut Off Illegal Betting Operators from Financial System Brazil’s Ministry of Finance published Ordinance No. 17.66 on June 17,…

TLDR Platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket are expanding fast across the US, including in states where gambling is illegal Public health experts warn that addiction support resources are not keeping up with the growth of online betting Kalshi and Polymarket classify themselves as event derivatives sellers under federal CFTC oversight, not gambling operators California spends just $9m a year on problem gambling — far less than it spends on tobacco and alcohol harms The Points Act, introduced in Congress in March, would create the first federal funding for gambling addiction treatment Prediction markets are growing fast in the United States.…

TLDR Xiaohongshu (RedNote) removed over 65,000 gambling posts linked to the 2026 FIFA World Cup More than 40,000 user accounts were suspended during the crackdown Over 450,000 comments directing users to betting sites were also deleted The platform ran 12 separate campaigns targeting organized traffic diversion efforts RedNote shared intelligence with law enforcement in Guangxi, Beijing, and Zhejiang, leading to action against 5 betting organizations RedNote Removes 65,000 Gambling Posts in FIFA World Cup Betting Crackdown China’s popular social media platform Xiaohongshu, known internationally as RedNote, has removed more than 65,000 gambling-related posts and suspended over 40,000 accounts as part…

TLDR Casino City Center Rosario launched phase two of its responsible gambling campaign ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 Argentine football legends Angel Di María and Maxi Rodríguez are the faces of the campaign The initiative targets underage gambling prevention and promotes safe, regulated play Both players are from Rosario and have deep ties to the Argentine national team City Center Online is also running responsible gambling measures on its digital platform Casino City Center Rosario has relaunched its responsible gambling campaign, timed to coincide with the FIFA World Cup 2026. The casino is using two of Argentina’s most recognized…

TLDR PAGCOR has directed all gaming operators to replace current responsible gambling ads with materials promoting the National Problem Gambling Helpline The helpline launched May 26 and operates 24 hours a day All advertising replacements must be completed by July 15 and remain in place until September 15 Operators must submit a compliance status report by July 16 Non-compliance may result in regulatory action, though specific penalties were not disclosed The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation has ordered all licensed gaming operators and industry stakeholders to replace their existing responsible gambling advertisements with new materials promoting the National Problem Gambling…

TLDR The BGC denied claims that its members supplied games to unlicensed offshore gambling sites Donbet and Mystake A campaign group raised the allegations during a House of Lords hearing on June 17 SBC News could not independently verify the claims during testing The BGC says piracy, not supplier complicity, is the more likely explanation for familiar games appearing on black market sites The Gambling Commission is set to gain new powers to block unlicensed domains in the coming months The UK’s Betting and Gaming Council pushed back hard this week against allegations that some of its members were supplying…