Author: Maisie Morrison

TLDR Ukraine’s gambling regulator PlayCity launched an online tool for citizens to report illegal gambling ads directly through its website The platform accepts links, screenshots, and videos across media types including social networks, TV, radio, and outdoor ads The system auto-saves disappearing content like social media stories so regulators can review them after they expire Violators face fines up to ₴5,188,200 ($120,000), and PlayCity is working with Meta, Google, TikTok, YouTube, and others to block illegal ads PlayCity replaced Ukraine’s former gambling authority KRAIL in June 2025 and has since issued nearly ₴80 million ($1.8 million) in fines Ukraine’s gambling…

TLDR Kazakhstan’s Financial Monitoring Agency has ordered mobile carriers to block payments linked to illegal online casinos Tests on 10 casino websites confirmed players were using mobile balances from Tele2, Beeline, Kcell, and Activ to fund gambling accounts Mobile operators must now upgrade monitoring systems and build tools to detect and stop suspicious gambling transactions The government is pushing to criminalize influencer promotion of illegal casinos New rules starting May 17 will restrict physical access to betting venues and slot parlors, limiting entry to foreign nationals only Kazakhstan is moving to cut off a key funding channel for illegal online…

TLDR Alianza FC beat San Miguelito 3-2 in a match now under investigation for alleged match-fixing in Panama San Miguelito goalkeeper José Calderón scored a suspicious own goal in the final minutes of the game Teammate Gustavo Herrera publicly accused Calderón of being a match-fixer in a video message Calderón denied the allegations and called the own goal an unintentional sporting error The Liga Panameña de Fútbol has opened a formal investigation and reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy on match-fixing Football in Panama is facing a corruption crisis after a league match between Alianza FC and San Miguelito ended in controversy.…

TLDR Brazil’s Central Bank issued Resolution No. 561/2026, assigning code “34045” to all international online betting transactions starting October 1, 2026 eFX payments without e-commerce platform integration are now capped at $10,000 USD Virtual assets (crypto) are banned from use in eFX operator transactions with foreign counterparties Financial institutions must store transaction records for at least 10 years and submit monthly reports to the Central Bank eFX service providers must register by October 30, 2026, or obtain permits by May 2027 or shut down Brazil’s Central Bank has released Resolution No. 561/2026, introducing new rules for international payment services known…

TLDR Louisiana’s House Bill 53 would classify illegal gambling operations, including sweepstakes casinos, as racketeering crimes with penalties up to 50 years in prison and $1 million in fines The bill passed the House 86–11 and the Senate 27–9, and now awaits Governor Jeff Landry’s decision Governor Landry vetoed a similar anti-sweepstakes bill in 2025, calling it “a solution in search of a problem” A second bill, House Bill 883, targets online sweepstakes gaming specifically and passed the House 99–0 HB 883 would fine anyone knowingly facilitating illegal sweepstakes games up to $40,000 and impose up to five years in…

TLDR Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court heard oral arguments on May 4 over whether Kalshi can offer sports-event contracts without a state gaming license Justices questioned how Kalshi’s products differ from traditional sports betting Kalshi argues only the federal CFTC has authority over its business under the Dodd-Frank Act Attorney General Andrea Campbell won a preliminary injunction in February to block Kalshi’s sports contracts in the state If the injunction holds, Massachusetts would become the second state after Nevada to block Kalshi through the courts The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court heard oral arguments on Monday over whether prediction market platform Kalshi…

TLDR The NCAA is suing DraftKings for using “March Madness,” “Final Four,” and other trademarked terms on its sports betting app without permission A federal judge denied the NCAA’s request for a preliminary injunction but said the organization may still prove its case The NCAA wants the trial fast-tracked to February 2027 before the next tournament season begins DraftKings called the proposed timeline “unrealistic” and says it needs more time for discovery The NCAA fired back, accusing DraftKings of stalling, with a pretrial conference currently set for June 1 The NCAA and DraftKings are locked in a legal fight over…

TLDR Betfred owner Fred Done moved his property group to Jersey in March, ahead of the UK’s inheritance tax changes on family businesses Done and his brother paid £400 million in tax last year, making them the biggest individual UK taxpayers in 2025 Sky Bet already moved commercial operations to Malta, reportedly saving around £55 million in UK tax per year Remote Gaming Duty on online casino games jumps from 21% to 40% in April 2026, with sports betting duty rising from 15% to 25% in 2027 Betfred warns that 300 of its 1,273 UK betting shops were already loss-making…

TLDR MGM Resorts says construction on MGM Osaka is progressing on schedule, with over 40% of foundation piles installed and the first steel structure in place. The $10 billion integrated resort on Osaka’s Yumeshima Island is expected to open in 2030 as Japan’s first legal casino resort. MGM and Orix Corporation each hold 40% of the project, with MGM serving as the sole licensing operator. The company plans to spend $200 million to $225 million on the Japan project this year, largely funded through a yen-denominated credit facility. Texas Capital analyst David Bain values MGM’s Japan resort at $9 per…

TLDR Betr Entertainment hit a 10% net win margin in Q3 FY2026, with net win reaching €23.3 million on €233.6 million in turnover Turnover grew only 2% year-on-year, suggesting margin gains came from cost control rather than customer growth The company pulled back on marketing, shifting to data-driven promotions targeting higher-value customers Cash flow remains negative, with €5.4 million in operating outflows during the quarter Betr kept its guidance unchanged and expects to approach break-even cash flow next quarter Betr Entertainment posted a 10% net win margin in its third quarter of fiscal year 2026, marking a return to double-digit…