Today’s roundup highlights a turbulent period for prediction markets, with legal actions in Washington, Baltimore, and New York, while the UK and Ireland advance new regulatory measures. Meanwhile, major operators like Entain navigate tax changes and market shifts, and the industry continues to expand with new products and partnerships.
Regulation & Policy
- Industry group pledges to defend UK gaming hall sector’s reputation — The UK gaming hall trade body Bacta has pledged to defend the sector’s reputation and challenge government proposals that would make it easier for local authorities to reject…
- Kalshi ordered to restrict operations in Washington state — A Washington state judge has ordered Kalshi, a prediction market platform, to stop offering most of its event contracts in the state, ruling that the company is likely violating…
- Credenciais de acesso às API da Reforma Tributária serão atualizadas em 28/8 — Brazil’s tax reform is set to update the access credentials for its API systems on August 28, according to a notice from the country’s tax authority.
- Receita Federal alerta para o fim do prazo de adesão ao PEM 2025, dentro de 15 dias — A Receita Federal, órgão regulador do setor de apostas no Brasil, emitiu um alerta sobre o encerramento do prazo para adesão ao PEM 2025, que ocorrerá dentro de 15 dias.
- Ireland to introduce new anti‑money laundering rules for gambling and crypto — Ireland is set to introduce new anti-money laundering rules that will affect gambling operators and crypto-related transactions.
- Prediction Markets Weekly Roundup: CFTC Escalates New York Fight as State Challenges Mount — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has escalated its involvement in the legal battle over prediction markets, with New York emerging as the epicenter of litigation…
- Washington Judge Orders Kalshi to Block Access as Baltimore Also Sues Company — A judge in Washington state has ordered Kalshi, a prediction market platform, to block users from a wide range of markets, including sports, by August 19.
- PlayCity: Ukraine moves on vision of data-driven regulation of gambling — Ukraine is moving forward with a new vision for data-driven regulation of its gambling sector, under the leadership of Hennadii Novikov, who was appointed Head of PlayCity, the…
Deals & Acquisitions
- Candle Lake eyes Evolution delisting if takeover offer is accepted — Candle Lake, a Cayman Islands-based investment entity, is considering a delisting of Evolution if its takeover offer is accepted.
- Dart’s Candle Lake makes modest Evolution mandatory takeover offer — Kenneth Dart’s investment vehicle Candle Lake has launched a mandatory cash offer to acquire all outstanding shares in Evolution, the live casino technology provider, at SEK695…
Product Launches
- BetConstruct to offer free sportsbook access in push for new partners — BetConstruct AI, a major international B2B betting supplier based in Armenia, has announced a limited-time offer of free access and discounts to several of its platforms as part…
- BetConstruct AI unveils its new commercial offer: The Purest Sportsbook — BetConstruct AI has launched a new commercial offer called "The Purest Sportsbook," designed to attract operators with significant setup discounts and extended free access to its…
- EGT marks a significant milestone in El Salvador — EGT, a leading gaming equipment supplier, has expanded its presence in El Salvador by installing its premier cabinet models and progressive jackpots, including Bell Link, at the…
Across the Industry
- Tesouro Nacional e Tribunal de Contas da União tratam de nova abordagem para auditoria do Balanço Geral da União — Brazil’s National Treasury and the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) are discussing a new approach to auditing the country’s General Balance Sheet, according to a report from the…
- Próximo módulo do curso sobre a Reforma Tributária do Consumo, o 13º, abordará bens imóveis — O 13º módulo do curso sobre a Reforma Tributária do Consumo será dedicado ao tratamento de bens imóveis, conforme anunciado pela publicação especializada.
- Relatório do Prisma Fiscal de agosto atualiza projeções para o Resultado Primário do Governo Central em 2026 — O Relatório do Prisma Fiscal de agosto, divulgado pela Secretaria de Política Econômica do Ministério da Fazenda, atualizou as projeções para o Resultado Primário do Governo…
- More than 540 high-street betting shops have closed since last UK budget, gambling sector says — More than 540 high-street betting shops have closed across the UK since the government’s Autumn Budget last November, according to the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC).
- Opinion: Kalshi Shelves Mention Markets for Sports Until Further Notice. Why Stop There? — Kalshi, a prediction market platform, has stopped offering mention markets for sports, according to an opinion piece on CasinoBeats.
- Entain Says UK Gambling Tax Hike Is Helping It Gain Market Share — Entain, the owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, says the United Kingdom’s higher online gambling taxes are actually helping it gain market share, even as the tax increase costs the…
- CFTC Looking Into Mention Markets, Horse Racing Controversy, Vegas Dave Highlight This Week’s Gambling Industry Bingos & Busts — The U.S.
- Scotts Valley tribe challenges federal ruling blocking $700m Vallejo Casino — The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians has filed a federal lawsuit against the US Department of the Interior, challenging the agency’s decision to block a proposed $700 million…
- Kalshi and Polymarket already flagged more than 100 potential insider trading cases this year — Kalshi and Polymarket, two of the largest prediction market platforms, have flagged more than 100 potential insider trading cases so far in 2026, according to a report from Focus…
- Tech Race Summit expands global line-up with Tesla and PandaDoc leaders — SOFTSWISS Tech Race Summit, scheduled for 10 September in Warsaw, Poland, has added two high-profile speakers to its lineup: Javier Verdura, Global Director of Product Design at…
- Rivers Casino Philadelphia launches paid dealer training programme — Rivers Casino Philadelphia has launched a paid dealer training programme designed to attract new employees by covering the cost of dealer school and paying participants $15 per…
- Scam Syndicates Moved Into $100B Malaysian Ghost City — Authorities have uncovered alleged scam syndicates operating out of a massive ghost city in Johor, Malaysia, a development that highlights the dark side of unregulated gambling…
- Baltimore Sues Kalshi, Polymarket After Sportsbook, Sweepstakes Cases — The city of Baltimore has filed lawsuits against prediction market platforms Kalshi and Polymarket, alleging they misled city residents in violation of its Consumer Protection…
- Sponsor Spotlight: Gambling firms flock to EFL Championship — The English Football League (EFL) Championship season kicks off tonight with Wolverhampton Wanderers facing Blackburn Rovers, and the league is increasingly becoming a key…
- Baltimore sues Kalshi and Polymarket over illegal sports betting — Baltimore has filed lawsuits against prediction market operators Kalshi and Polymarket, accusing them of running illegal sports betting in the city.
- Addicted To Gambling By 15, Sal Guarino is Now Helping Others Recover at Evive — Sal Guarino, who says he was addicted to gambling by the age of 15, is now helping others recover from similar struggles at Evive, a recovery-focused organization.
- Weekend Conversation Corner – August, 14 — Focus Gaming News has published its latest Weekend Conversation Corner, a weekly roundup that condenses the top headlines from the global gambling industry into a single summary.
- Remote gambling accounted for 78% of total revenue in H1 says Lithuanian regulator — Remote gambling accounted for 78% of total revenue in the first half of the year, according to the Lithuanian regulator.
- Rokker white paper: Only 20% of UK prize draw operators have signed voluntary code — A new white paper from Rokker reveals that only 20% of UK prize draw operators have signed up to a voluntary code of conduct, highlighting a significant gap in industry…
- SiGMA brings global reach to SOFTSWISS-backed Tech Race Summit — SiGMA, a major iGaming industry event organizer, has been named the media partner for the inaugural Tech Race Summit, an event backed by SOFTSWISS.
- Grandstand stands by 2026 targets to end Gambling.com profile — Grandstand, the company formerly known as Gambling.com Group, has reaffirmed its full-year revenue guidance of $165 million to $170 million, signaling confidence in its 2026…
- Q2 LatAm round-up: Mixed fortunes in Brazil for Flutter and Entain — Flutter and Entain reported contrasting second-quarter results in Latin America, with Brazil emerging as a key battleground.
- 2026 World Cup showed a fandom trend bookmakers should keep an eye on — The 2026 World Cup delivered a major boost for bookmakers, with several publicly listed operators reporting strong Q2 financials.
- Blask Index falls across every major US brand category in H1 2026 — New data from the Blask Index, shared exclusively with Focus Gaming News, shows that demand for major US gambling brands fell across every category in the first half of 2026.
- Saratoga Conference: NBC’s Kornacki addresses Triple Crown reforms amid major changes — The Saratoga Conference, a three-day industry gathering, featured NBC’s Steve Kornacki addressing proposed reforms to the Triple Crown horse racing series.
- Australia powers Entain H1 growth as David and Snape double down on CEE exit — Entain, the global gambling group behind brands such as Ladbrokes and Coral, has credited Australia with powering its growth in the first half of the year, while its leadership…