Today’s roundup covers landmark EU court decisions on platform liability for gambling ads, Germany’s shift to a tiered stake system for online slots, and a slight decline in UK gambling participation. Also featured are US facial recognition proposals, Google’s prediction market ad ban expansion, and regulatory developments across Africa and Georgia.
Regulation & Policy
- EU Court of Justice concludes that Google may be liable for YouTube gambling ads — The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has ruled that Google may be held liable for gambling advertisements appearing on its YouTube platform, in a decision that could…
- German gaming sector welcomes rise in minimum stake limit for online slots — The German gambling regulator has replaced the previous flat stake limit for online slots with a new tiered system, a move welcomed by the licensed gambling sector in Germany.
- UK gambling participation dips slightly, according to latest survey — The UK Gambling Commission has released data from the latest Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), indicating a slight decline in overall gambling participation.
- US bill proposes facial recognition for sportsbooks and prediction markets — US Representative Josh Gottheimer has introduced bipartisan legislation that would mandate the use of facial recognition technology by online sportsbooks and prediction markets to…
- Google Expands Prediction Market Ad Ban to Michigan and New York — Google has expanded its ban on advertisements for prediction market contracts and related products to include Michigan and New York, bringing the total number of restricted states…
- Unlicensed Gambling Sponsors Could Face UK Ban From 2027 — The UK government has proposed a ban on sponsorships and advertising by gambling operators that do not hold a license from the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), with the measure…
- BGC backs DCMS consultation but agrees with Entain’s calls for immediate action — The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has welcomed the launch of a consultation by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on proposals to ban sponsorship and…
- Lawmakers Introduce Facial Recognition Bill for Sportsbooks and Prediction Markets With Kalshi’s Support — U.S.
- Winners’ taxes struggle to stick across Africa — Taxes on gambling winnings are proving difficult to enforce across multiple African markets, according to a new analysis by iGB.
- Georgia to reveal its iGaming export regime in August — Georgia is set to unveil its iGaming export regime in August, marking a significant step in its ambition to become a trusted international licensing hub.
- How Kenya’s new gambling regulation is creating calm out of chaos — Kenya’s gambling sector is undergoing a significant transformation following the introduction of the Gambling Control Act, which came into effect in July.
Fines & Penalties
- French gambling regulator hands out €500,000 fine for duty-of-care breaches — France’s gambling regulator, L’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), has imposed a €500,000 fine on an operator for serious breaches of its duty-of-care obligations.
Partnerships
- LSports to bring Play Insurance to sportsbooks worldwide — Sports data solutions provider LSports has partnered with gripAI to launch Play Insurance, an AI-powered product that enables sportsbook operators to offer bettors the ability to…
Product Launches
- 1spin4win names Book of Money its top-performing H1 2026 release — 1spin4win has named Book of Money as its top-performing online slot for the first half of 2026, according to a press release covered by Focus Gaming News.
- Booming Games releases Tasty Bonanza Max Scatter — Booming Games has released Tasty Bonanza Max Scatter, the second title in its Max Scatter series.
- Slotegrator now provides native app experience for igaming platforms with PWA function — Slotegrator has upgraded its platform solution with a new Progressive Web Application (PWA) feature, enabling operators to deliver native app-like experiences without requiring…
Market Launches
- Play’n GO strengthens Canadian footprint with Alberta igaming market entry — Play’n GO has entered the newly regulated Alberta igaming market, marking its third regulated Canadian province.
Across the Industry
- Commission publishes third annual Gambling Survey for Great Britain — The UK Gambling Commission has released the third annual report from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), providing updated data on gambling participation and behaviour…
- How the Biggest Bet in Super Bowl History (at the time) Came to Be in Las Vegas — A historic wager placed on Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002, believed to be the largest single bet on a Super Bowl at the time, originated in Las Vegas.
- Polymarket questioned over alleged influencer deals with election deniers — Polymarket, the prediction market platform, is facing scrutiny from a US congressman over its paid partnerships with influencers who have reportedly promoted election denial…
- Courts: Online Gambling Addiction Still Driving Indonesian Divorce Rate Rise, Despite Legal Shift — Online gambling addiction is continuing to drive a rise in divorce rates in Indonesia, according to civil law courts, despite recent legal shifts aimed at curbing the problem.
- Spain vs. Argentina World Cup Final Odds, Picks & Predictions — CasinoBeats has published a preview of the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, including odds and predictions.
- MelBet’s ambassador Kamaru Usman to headline one of this summer’s biggest fights — MelBet, the online betting operator, has announced that its brand ambassador and former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman will headline a major MMA event on July 18.
- 1xCare names Advisory Committee expert line-up — 1xCare, the non-profit responsible gambling initiative founded by the owner of operator brand 1xBet, has announced the formation of an independent Advisory Committee to enhance…
- Macao Casino Tax Revenues Rise By 13% Despite Share Price Slowdown — Macao’s casino tax revenues have climbed 13% in the first half of the year, reaching 59.542588 billion patacas ($7.4 billion), according to data from the Macau Treasury Bureau.
- Beyond integration: what operators really expect from providers in 2026, according to Onlyplay — Anna Sergeieva, Head of Partnerships at Onlyplay, has outlined the shifting expectations operators hold for game providers as the industry moves toward 2026, arguing that…
- Young People in UK Gambling Less Than Previous Generations, Survey Shows — The UK Gambling Commission has published the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), revealing that overall gambling participation has remained stable in recent years, but young…
- Target Payment Platforms to Defeat Prediction Markets, Says Light & Wonder Exec Glaser — Howard Glaser, Head of Government Affairs and Legislative Counsel at Light & Wonder, has proposed targeting payment platforms as a strategy to combat prediction markets.
- Woman Can Keep $112K Ex-Boyfriend Won on Her Online Casino Account, Rules BC Judge — A judge in the Supreme Court of British Columbia has ruled that a woman can keep $112,235 that her ex-boyfriend won while using her online casino account.
- Kambi delivers record-breaking World Cup with more than 100 million bets — Kambi, the sports betting technology provider, has announced that its global network of Turnkey Sportsbook partners placed more than 100 million bets during the ongoing FIFA World…
- Nigel Eccles’ FanDuel Lawsuit Clears Major Hurdle as Judge Lets Core Claims Proceed — A New York Supreme Court judge has largely denied efforts to dismiss a lawsuit brought by FanDuel co-founder Nigel Eccles and more than 100 former employees and investors,…
- Harmony Predictstreet by BetConstruct AI comes to life in Yerevan — BetConstruct AI hosted the eighth edition of its Harmony Predictstreet event on July 8–9 in Yerevan, Armenia, bringing together C-level leaders, innovators, operators, and…
- Heavily-criticised GSGB reveals problem gambling rate in UK for 2025 was 2.4% — The Gambling Commission’s Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) has reported a problem gambling rate of 2.4% for 2025, a figure that has drawn significant criticism from…
- Austria sees World Cup exacerbate problem gambling rates — Austria’s Anton Proksch Institute has reported that approximately 300,000 adults in the country are experiencing problem gambling behaviour, with major global sporting events such…
- Greece saw a modest revenue rise with land-based dominance in 2025, EEEP reports — Greece’s gambling market recorded a modest revenue increase in 2025, with land-based operations maintaining their dominant position, according to a report from the Hellenic Gaming…
- Africa, the Far East and other emerging markets take centre stage at SBC Summit — SBC Summit will feature a dedicated Emerging Markets track on Tuesday, 29 September 2026 at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa, focusing on Africa, Eastern Europe, Eurasia and the…
- REPORT: what’s changing in B2B marketing? — The B2B marketing landscape in the iGaming sector is undergoing significant transformation, driven by evolving media buying trends, emerging technologies, and shifting approaches…
- Affigates: end-to-end affiliate management designed for greater trust — Affigates, an affiliate management software provider, is marking its first year in operation with a focus on building trust between affiliates and operators.
- Harmony Predictstreet shows what supercharged networking is — BetConstruct AI hosted the eighth edition of its flagship networking event, now rebranded as Harmony Predictstreet, on 8 and 9 July in Yerevan, Armenia.
- No vote taken on Las Vegas NBA expansion, but Silver ‘optimistic’ about future — NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed optimism about the league’s future expansion into Las Vegas, though no formal vote was taken during the latest owners’ meetings.