The UK land-based gaming sector faces fresh fiscal strain as new business rate hikes target gaming halls, while the Gambling Commission finalizes settlement fund allocation. Meanwhile, World Cup betting records are tempered by integrity disputes, and prediction markets face mounting legal challenges in the US.
Regulation & Policy
- UK gaming halls brace for higher business rates — The UK’s newly appointed Prime Minister Andy Burnham has unveiled a series of economic measures that are set to increase business rates for gaming halls, including licensed Adult…
- Gambling Commission makes final decision on where regulatory settlements should be spent — The UK Gambling Commission has reached a final decision on the allocation of regulatory settlement funds, following a consultation that drew pushback from respondents.
- Colombia government makes another attempt to implement online gambling VAT — Colombia’s government under President Gustavo Petro is making a renewed effort to implement a 19% value-added tax (VAT) on online gambling before the administration leaves office.
- Burnham plans for gambling to fund high-street relief for “good businesses” — Plans by UK Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham to use gambling taxation to fund high-street relief for “good businesses” have raised questions about the potential…
- Brazil regulator opens public consultation on new betting licensing regulations — Brazil’s Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) has launched a public consultation to gather input for a new regulation that will revise the licensing procedure for betting…
Fines & Penalties
- UKGC Details AML, Third-Party Failures Behind Evolution Settlement — The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has published the findings of its license review into Evolution’s £4.75 million regulatory settlement, detailing failures in anti-money…
Partnerships
- Betano extends Aston Villa deal as Premier League remains top marketing real estate — Betano has extended its partnership with Aston Villa FC for a further three years, taking the deal through to the 2028/29 season.
Market Launches
- Alberta Online Gambling Launch Reflects Strong Start Ahead of Fall Sports: GeoComply — Alberta’s regulated online gambling market has launched with strong early engagement, according to data from GeoComply.
- Hard Rock Bet launches sportsbook and online casino in Ontario — Hard Rock Digital has launched its Hard Rock Bet sportsbook and online casino in Ontario, marking the company’s first online gaming expansion outside the United States.
People Moves
- Jim Townsend named chair of the Michigan Gaming Control Board — Jim Townsend has been appointed as the new chair of the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB), effective August 1.
- British Horseracing Authority names new non-executive chair — The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has appointed a new non-executive chair, with Simon Cox set to take on the role.
- Netflix makes first Real Money Gaming advertising hire — Netflix has made its first dedicated hire focused on real-money gaming (RMG) advertising, signaling a strategic push into the betting and gaming sector.
Across the Industry
- World Cup betting set new record, French regulator reports — The French gambling regulator L’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) has confirmed that the 2026 FIFA World Cup delivered unprecedented betting activity in France, setting multiple…
- FIFA taskforce member contradicts claim of no suspicious World Cup betting — A member of FIFA’s Integrity Task Force has contradicted the organization’s claim that there were no reports of suspicious betting during the 2026 World Cup.
- Svenska Spel rejects claims of weaker responsible gambling focus — Svenska Spel, the Swedish state-owned gambling operator, has pushed back against allegations that it has weakened its responsible gambling commitments.
- Kalshi’s NBA Title Odds on 76ers Tighten After LeBron James Signs With Philadelphia — Kalshi, the event contracts platform, has updated its NBA championship odds for the 2027 season following the news that LeBron James has signed a two-year deal with the…
- Nuanced Testimony, Terry Duffy’s Misgivings, Netflix Prediction Market Documentary Highlight This Week’s Gambling Industry Bingos & Busts — This week’s gambling industry news cycle was dominated by nuanced congressional testimony, concerns voiced by CME Group Chairman Terry Duffy, and a Netflix documentary on…
- Live & Microbetting’s Rise Represents Real Growth for Sportsbooks, Increased Health Concerns for Users — The rapid expansion of live betting and microbetting is driving significant revenue growth for sportsbooks but also raising new health concerns for users, according to a report…
- Polymarket to fight France blocks amid UK ‘Posh George’ bets scrutiny — Polymarket, the New York-based prediction market platform, has vowed to fight a block imposed by French gambling regulator Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) on its platform in…
- Rob Gorodetsky: Gambler That Allegedly Bribed Malik Beasley Has Long History of Crime & Betting — Rob Gorodetsky, the gambler accused of bribing NBA player Malik Beasley, has a long history of crime and betting, according to a report by CasinoBeats.
- Another Indonesian Instagram Star Faces Two-Year Jail Term for Endorsing Online Casino — Prosecutors in Indonesia have requested a two-year jail sentence for Rahmawati, a young female Instagram star, for allegedly promoting an online casino on her social media pages.
- Vietnamese Casino Blames World Cup, Winning Payouts for 30% Year-on-Year Revenue Drop — Royal International Corporation, the operator of the Royal Ha Long casino in Vietnam, has reported a 30% year-on-year decline in revenue for the second quarter, attributing the…
- Massachusetts Gaming Commission Resolves PHAI Lawsuit, Begins Sharing Casino Player Data With Researchers — The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) has resolved a lawsuit brought by the Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) by beginning to share anonymized casino player data with…
- Discrepancies emerge around FIFA’s World Cup integrity claims — FIFA’s assertion that no match-fixing alerts were raised during the World Cup has been contradicted by a member of its own Integrity Task Force, the Council of Europe.
- Kalshi Accused of Using Child Protection Bill to Push Gaming Contracts — Kalshi, a US-based prediction market platform, has been accused of leveraging child protection legislation to advance its expansion into sports and gaming contracts.
- Seven World Cup Markets Flagged for Suspicious Betting Activity, Including Balogun Red Card — The Group of Copenhagen has identified seven instances of betting irregularities during the World Cup, including a controversial red card involving Folarin Balogun, Spain’s draw…
- Ticker Tracker Shows Prediction Markets’ Exponential Growth With Forecasts for Trillions of Dollars By 2030 — Prediction markets have experienced exponential growth since they began offering sports-event contracts last year, with forecasts projecting the sector could reach trillions of…
- Boyd Gaming Q2 Earnings Navigates Las Vegas Softness with Midwest Muscle — Boyd Gaming reported its second-quarter 2026 financial results after the closing bell on Thursday, delivering a mixed but stable performance.
- Australian Pension Funds are Knee-Deep in Gambling Stocks, but the Iceberg Goes Deeper Still — Australian anti-gambling advocates have released a report revealing that the country’s 20 largest superannuation funds collectively hold US $10.3 billion in gambling stocks,…
- The hidden cost of connection lost: How single-provider dependency drags down marketing ROI, according to Comms Hub — Comms Hub has introduced a multi-provider orchestration service designed to help iGaming and FinTech enterprises reduce the risks associated with relying on a single communication…
- DATA.BET: Bet builders stand yet again in World Cup trading — DATA.BET, a Cyprus-based betting supplier, has highlighted the enduring popularity of Bet Builder products during the recent FIFA World Cup, with the feature once again proving to…
- Weekend Conversation Corner – July, 24 — Focus Gaming News has published its latest Weekend Conversation Corner, a weekly roundup of the most significant headlines in the global iGaming industry.
- Meet the nominees: SBC Awards 2026 shortlist revealed — SBC has unveiled the shortlist of nominees for the 13th edition of the SBC Awards, which will take place at Lisbon’s MEO Arena on Thursday, 1 October, concluding the SBC Summit…
- SBC brings CPD-accredited learning to SBC Summit and Affiliate Leaders Summit — SBC has secured official Continuing Professional Development (CPD) accreditation for the conference programmes at its upcoming SBC Summit and Affiliate Leaders Summit, enabling…
- DATA.BET reviews betting activity during FIFA World Cup 2026 — DATA.BET, a B2B provider of sports betting data and solutions, has released a review of betting activity during the FIFA World Cup 2026.
- Milko Grmuša, UPIS RS: “I believe that, within five years, BGF can become one of the strongest examples of constructive regional cooperation in Southeast Europe” — Milko Grmuša, Executive Director of UPIS RS, has expressed optimism about the potential for the Balkan Gaming Forum (BGF) to become a leading example of regional cooperation in…
- How football content can drive post-World Cup player retention — The post-World Cup period presents a critical retention challenge for operators, according to Alex Quigley, head of commercial at 1X2 Network.
- Prediction Markets Weekly Roundup: Washington Court Fight, Congressional Scrutiny and World Cup Records — Prediction markets faced mounting legal and political pressure this week, even as operators reported record activity tied to the World Cup and continued expanding into new…
- How market makers are helping prediction markets compete — The role of market makers in the prediction market space is coming under increased scrutiny as operators seek to compete with traditional sportsbooks.
- Crypto.com’s OG sues Washington state after Kalshi injunction — OG, the prediction market platform operated by Crypto.com subsidiary North American Derivatives Exchange, has filed a federal lawsuit against Washington state’s attorney general…