Author: Maisie Morrison

TLDR Enschede identified nearly 12,000 cases of extreme financial distress among residents, with over 1,000 families facing eviction or electricity cutoffs Local officials want to raise the online gambling age from 18 to 24 to protect young adults from digital betting platforms Despite a ban on gambling ads targeting under-24s, over 11% of Meta gambling ads still reached users aged 18-23 Regulators warn that stricter age limits could push young gamblers toward unregulated black-market sites with no consumer protections The debate has stalled in parliament while municipal budgets continue to absorb the financial fallout of youth gambling debt The Dutch…

TLDR Super Group launched its ZAR Supercoin stablecoin in a beta rollout for Betway South Africa clients in mid-April, aiming to cut high processing fees across the continent. The stablecoin is pegged 1-1 to the South African rand, listed on the Luno exchange, built on the Solana blockchain, and backed by reserves held at ABSA Group with a 134.54% reserve coverage ratio. Super Group reported $2.2 billion in revenue for the year, with Africa driving a 27% jump in gross gaming revenue and South Africa accounting for 30%–39% of total group revenue. Illegal offshore gambling platforms make up about 62%…

TLDR Spain’s DGOJ is offering €950,620 in competitive grants to fund research on gambling harm, prevention and risks Universities, health institutions and non-profits can apply for projects running through June 2027 Research must cover one of six themes including early detection of problem gambling, links between video games and gambling, and gender impacts The DGOJ also opened a public consultation on banning influencers and celebrities from gambling ads New online gambling accounts in Spain dropped 55% between 2020 and 2023 following earlier ad restrictions Spain’s gambling regulator has committed nearly €1 million to study the harms caused by gambling. The…

TLDR The European Parliament’s Budget Committee will discuss a proposed 1% levy on gambling operators across all 27 EU member states on May 27 The levy could generate between €2 billion and €4 billion per year, potentially reaching €28 billion over a seven-year budget cycle Industry groups warn the tax would push customers toward illegal gambling sites, which they say already make up 71% of Europe’s betting market The EU is searching for new revenue streams ahead of its 2028–2034 budget framework, expected to approach €2 trillion The proposal is still in early stages and faces resistance from both gambling…

TLDR Irish Finance Minister Simon Harris called prediction markets a “wild, wild west” and ordered a probe into suspicious betting on Polymarket tied to a Dublin by-election India warned users are bypassing domestic bans to access Polymarket and Kalshi using VPNs, and said platforms could face legal action A New York Times investigation found over 11,000 Polymarket accounts with suspicious betting patterns linked to possible insider trading An Israeli Air Force officer was charged with using classified military information to profit on Polymarket bets France opened an investigation into possible tampering with airport temperature sensors connected to Polymarket betting contracts…

TLDR Republican senators grilled prediction market advocate Patrick McHenry at a Senate subcommittee hearing on sports integrity Sen. Ted Cruz compared prediction markets to sports betting, questioning their regulatory justification The American Gaming Association piled on, calling out prediction markets for infringing on the gambling industry Senators and witnesses agreed that prop bets and micro bets pose the biggest threat to sports integrity Bipartisan pressure is mounting on Capitol Hill against prediction markets despite the Trump administration’s pro-market stance The Senate Consumer Protection Subcommittee held a hearing Wednesday that was supposed to focus on sports integrity but quickly turned into…

TLDR Betr has completed its acquisition of Ascent Capital Management, gaining CFTC and NFA registration The deal makes Betr a CFTC-registered introducing broker, enabling prediction market offerings Betr plans to integrate prediction markets into its super app alongside Picks, Sportsbook, Casino, and Arcade The company enters a crowded space with Kalshi, Polymarket, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics already active Regulatory pressure is mounting nationwide, with lawsuits in over a dozen states and Minnesota criminalizing event contracts Betr has completed its purchase of Ascent Capital Management. The deal gives the company registration with both the National Futures Association and the Commodity Futures…

TLDR New Jersey Senate Bill 4280 would require casinos and sportsbooks to send monthly push notifications showing player winnings and losses Senator John F. McKeon sponsored the bill, which amends existing casino and sports wagering laws The Division of Gaming Enforcement would oversee implementation and set notification formats New York is advancing a similar but broader bill requiring detailed monthly betting statements New Jersey has already pushed several gambling bills this year, including proposals to ban microbetting and tax World Cup wagers New Jersey Proposes Mandatory Monthly Betting Statements New Jersey lawmakers have introduced a bill that would force casinos…

TLDR The UK Gambling Commission confirmed no final decision has been made on Financial Risk Assessments, delaying the expected rollout of affordability measures The Commission’s board met on May 21 but said it has not finished reviewing the “extensive evidence” submitted by industry groups and stakeholders The Betting and Gaming Council welcomed the delay and had previously warned it would pursue legal action if full implementation went ahead FRAs were first proposed in the April 2023 Gambling Act review White Paper and would apply when customers lose large sums in short periods Critics including Nigel Farage, several MPs, and industry…

TLDR Benin’s National Lottery (LNB) reported a 36% drop in profit for 2025, blaming unlicensed slot machines and illegal betting sites. Revenue fell 4% to 98.6 billion West African CFA francs (€150.4 million), while tax charges more than doubled. Online gaming was a bright spot, making up 68% of total revenue and growing 18% year-over-year. LNB is preparing to launch a unified digital platform combining sports betting, casino games, and mobile money services. The operator expects stronger results in 2026 despite ongoing pressure from unlicensed competitors across West Africa. The National Lottery of Benin closed out 2025 with a 36%…