Author: Maisie Morrison

TLDR Ohio Sen. Bill DeMora filed SB 430 to regulate prediction markets offering sports contracts under the state’s existing sports betting laws The bill would require prediction market operators to obtain state licenses and pay the same taxes as sportsbooks Federal courts have issued conflicting rulings on whether states can regulate prediction markets like Kalshi The Ohio Casino Control Commission recently moved to fine Kalshi $5 million for taking unlicensed sports bets Several other gambling-related bills are active in Ohio, including one that would ban online sports betting entirely An Ohio state senator introduced a bill Monday that would force…

Read More

TLDR A new study estimates legal online sports betting in Nebraska could bring in nearly $87 million in tax revenue over five years About 70% of that revenue, roughly $61 million, would be directed toward property tax credits for residents Tax Relief Nebraska is collecting signatures to put the issue on the 2026 ballot, with the effort moving faster than expected Supporters argue the state is losing revenue as residents already bet in neighboring states or through unregulated platforms Opponents warn that expanded access could increase gambling participation and create social risks that are harder to quantify A new study…

Read More

TLDR The CFTC filed a lawsuit against New York state officials, including AG Letitia James and Governor Kathy Hochul, over prediction market regulation The suit argues federal authority over event contracts should override state gaming laws New York had previously issued cease-and-desist orders to Kalshi and sued Coinbase and Gemini over sports and election contracts The CFTC also filed a brief in a Massachusetts court case involving Kalshi New York officials fired back, saying their gambling laws protect consumers and they will keep enforcing them The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is taking its fight over prediction markets to new fronts.…

Read More

TLDR Argentina’s National Communications Agency blocked 251 illegal gambling websites operating without licenses in Buenos Aires province The crackdown was led by cybercrime prosecutors in San Isidro after complaints from the regulated gambling industry Many sites had no fair play controls and users reported being unable to withdraw funds Investigators found minors could easily sign up and some were recruited as money-moving intermediaries Officials warn illegal operators adapt quickly and new sites can replace blocked ones almost immediately Argentina is cracking down on illegal online gambling after authorities blocked 251 unlicensed betting websites in Buenos Aires province this week. The…

Read More

TLDR A 30-day iGaming pilot processed over 237,000 Lightning Network transactions, moving around 88 BTC with payments settling in under two seconds About 80% of the traffic came from Cash App users, suggesting mainstream adoption beyond crypto-native audiences Lightning payments are final and irreversible, eliminating chargebacks and reducing the need for operators to hold idle funds Players consistently rank payout speed as a top concern, with many leaving platforms over slow withdrawals Stablecoins like Tether can now run on Lightning, offering instant payouts without Bitcoin price volatility A new report from Voltage has put numbers behind what some iGaming operators…

Read More

TLDR Zimbabwe lawmakers want to raise the levy on licensed bookmakers from 2% to 4% to fund public projects like clinics and schools. The proposal follows a parliamentary review of community projects funded by the Lotteries and Gaming Board in several districts. Zimbabwe already raised bookmaker tax from 3% to 20% and tax on bettors’ winnings from 10% to 25% in January 2026. The new bookmaker tax acts as a final tax, replacing Corporate Income Tax for betting companies and casinos. Zimbabwe’s betting industry generated about $120 million in 2023, with over 300,000 active online bettors by 2024. Zimbabwe’s Parliament…

Read More

TLDR SportyBet Nigeria blocked customer accounts in 2024 and accused users of manipulating its system to secure large payouts Affected customers claimed SportyBet owed them over N900 million in winnings and denied any wrongdoing SportyBet took customers to court seeking N50 million in damages and an order to stop them from posting about the dispute online The court dismissed the case entirely, ruling SportyBet failed to prove its claims The original N900 million winnings dispute between SportyBet and its customers remains unsettled SportyBet Nigeria has lost its court case against a group of customers whose accounts were blocked in 2024.…

Read More

TLDR Hacksaw Gaming posted Q1 2026 revenue of €57.6 million, up 28% year-over-year, with profit hitting €45.5 million The company released 27 new game titles and signed 79 commercial deals in the quarter Hacksaw secured an Online Gaming Service Provider license in Connecticut as part of its US expansion Nine partner studios are now active on its OpenRGS platform, with the total game portfolio reaching 320 titles Hacksaw Ventures continues investing in early-stage companies like Kitsune Studios and Jinx Gaming Hacksaw Gaming kicked off 2026 with a strong first quarter, reporting revenue of €57.6 million. That figure represents a 28%…

Read More

TLDR Brazil collected R$3.397 billion in sports betting tax in Q1 2026, a 123.7% increase from Q1 2025. The growth is largely driven by the regulatory framework that took effect on January 1, 2025, including a 12% tax on Gross Gaming Revenue. Monthly figures show a declining trend: January brought in R$1.49 billion, February R$1.04 billion, and March R$859 million. New fiscal policies approved in late 2025 raised tax rates on betting operators and cut tax benefits by 10%. Complementary Law 224/2025 will gradually increase the betting tax rate from 12% to 15% by 2028. Brazil’s sports betting industry generated…

Read More

TLDR BetHog closed a $10 million Series A round, bringing its total funding to $16 million, to build out AI-powered live casino dealers. The company launched Sentient Studios, a B2B platform that lets casino operators add AI dealers with no upfront costs through a revenue-share model. BetHog’s AI blackjack dealer, Sunny, launched in October 2025 and is now available in 12 languages, with baccarat and roulette coming later this year. The company says its AI dealer is 10x more popular than traditional live dealers, with better player retention and satisfaction. AI dealers still face regulatory hurdles and player trust concerns,…

Read More