Author: Maisie Morrison

TLDR The CFTC fined former Rep. George Santos about $35,000 for manipulating a Kalshi prediction market on his State of the Union attendance. Santos must give up $17,569.98 in trading profits and pay a $17,500 penalty. He also agreed to a three-year ban from trading on CFTC-regulated markets. The CFTC said Santos made misleading public statements about his travel plans while trading both “Yes” and “No” contracts. Santos settled without admitting or denying wrongdoing and later criticized Kalshi, calling it a gambling platform. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has fined former Congressman George Santos roughly $35,000. The agency said he…

TLDR Betfred will close 132 betting shops in the UK, putting around 600 jobs at risk. The closures mark more than 10% of Betfred’s total estate, leaving about 1,100 shops open. Betfred blames higher National Insurance costs, wage inflation, and rising gambling taxes for the decision. The UK government raised remote gaming duty from 21% to 40%, with online sports betting duty set to rise to 25% in 2027. Rivals William Hill, Paddy Power, and Ladbrokes have also announced shop closures in recent months. Betfred has confirmed it will close 132 betting shops across the United Kingdom. The closures will…

TLDR WSOP’s new owner, NSUS Group Inc., introduced a secret approval process for sponsor patches at the 2026 series. Crypto poker sites CoinPoker and Phenom Poker were denied patches, while offshore site Americas Cardroom was approved. Players say no reasons were given for denials, and the rules allow instant disqualification for unapproved logos. The company that owns WSOP traces back to a British Virgin Islands shell company with no public ownership records. Solana Foundation became WSOP’s presenting sponsor in June, even as competing crypto poker brands were shut out. The World Series of Poker changed its sponsor patch rules this…

TLDR Romania introduced a three-tier tax system on gambling winnings starting August 1, 2026. The new rules raise the state’s cut of payouts at every level, from small wins to large prizes. The tax change is part of Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan’s plan to cut Romania’s budget deficit. Romania’s gambling regulator faces a corruption case involving a deputy director accused of taking bribes. A 2025 audit found nearly €1 billion in unpaid gambling tax revenue. Romania has a new tax rule on gambling winnings. It took effect on August 1, 2026. The change is part of a fiscal plan led…

TLDR Top operators launched the Responsible iGaming Association (AGR) in Chile. The group wants to help build clear rules for the country’s online gambling industry. Attorney Sandra Kemp will lead the association as its president. Founding members include Betano, Juegalo, Novibet, Betsala, and Estelarbet. Chile’s Senate is still reviewing a bill to create a licensing system for online betting. A group of leading online gambling companies has launched a new industry association in Chile. The group is called the Responsible iGaming Association, or AGR. Its main goal is to help build a clear regulatory framework for online gambling in the…

TLDR Flutter Entertainment completed its delisting from the London Stock Exchange on August 3. The company’s last day of trading in London was July 31. The New York Stock Exchange is now Flutter’s only primary listing. Flutter cited low trading volumes, high costs, and regulatory demands for the exit. The company will keep running UK brands like Paddy Power, Betfair, and Sky Betting and Gaming. Flutter Entertainment has completed its delisting from the London Stock Exchange. The move became official at 8 am UK time on August 3. The gambling company first announced plans to leave the London exchange back…

TLDR Macau’s July casino revenue fell 8.4% year-on-year to $2.51 billion because of World Cup disruption. Seaport Research Partners expects August revenue to grow 4.5% year-on-year. September revenue could rise 11% year-on-year, according to Seaport. Typhoon Noul also added pressure on demand in late July. Seaport flagged risks including China’s economy and possible travel restrictions to Macau. Macau’s casino industry had a weak July. Analysts at Seaport Research Partners now expect that to change soon. The firm believes business will pick up in August and grow even faster in September. It says the slowdown was tied to the FIFA World…

TLDR Jeju Dream Tower casino revenue hit KRW51.59 billion ($36.06 million) in July, its best month of 2026. Table games brought in KRW48.91 billion, up 17.7% from a year earlier. Machine game sales jumped 76.8% from June to KRW2.69 billion. Visitor numbers reached 62,706, the second highest monthly count on record. Hotel revenue climbed to KRW8.78 billion, up 11.3% year-on-year. Lotte Tour Development reported its strongest casino sales month of 2026 in July. The revenue came from its foreigner-only casino at Jeju Dream Tower. Casino sales for the month reached KRW51.59 billion, or about $36.06 million. The company shared the…

TLDR Sportradar lowered its full-year 2026 revenue and adjusted EBITDA guidance. Q2 revenue rose 19% year-on-year to €377.8 million. The company posted a net loss of €3.5 million, reversing a €49.1 million profit from a year earlier. A foreign-exchange loss and rising costs weighed on quarterly results. Betting Technology & Solutions and Betting & Gaming Content both posted double-digit growth. Sportradar has lowered its full-year 2026 guidance for revenue and adjusted EBITDA. The change follows a second quarter with mixed results. The company now expects adjusted EBITDA between €360 million and €368 million. That is down from a prior range…

TLDR Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court will hear a case challenging the constitutionality of the country’s online betting laws The Prosecutor General’s office argues the current betting model is predatory and violates fundamental rights Justice Luiz Fux is the rapporteur assigned to lead the case Judges are reviewing data on gambling debt and consumer harm ahead of the hearing The ruling could change how Brazil’s regulated betting market operates going forward Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court will hear a case that could change the future of online betting in the country. The case questions whether the current betting laws follow the constitution.…