Global gambling regulation tightens as industry adapts

Today’s roundup sees regulators in Cyprus, Bulgaria, and Armenia move to tighten oversight, while the industry responds with new products, partnerships, and market entries. From welfare gambling bans to sportsbook innovations, the sector continues to evolve amid heightened scrutiny.

Regulation & Policy

• Cyprus eyes gambling ban for welfare recipients — Cypriot lawmakers and regulators have held talks on a proposal that would stop recipients of the country’s Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI) from using their welfare payments to…
• Calls for further gambling advertising restrictions in Bulgaria to close loopholes — Lawmakers in Bulgaria are pushing for stricter rules on gambling advertising, saying that current loopholes let operators sidestep the existing ban.
• Armenia tightens gambling oversight with telecoms block — Armenia is preparing to tighten its oversight of online gambling with a new reform package that would allow authorities to block unlicensed gambling websites through…
• Cyprus explores options to ban wefare recipients from gambling — Lawmakers in Cyprus are exploring new measures that could prevent welfare recipients from using their benefits to gamble.

Deals & Acquisitions

• Sun International considers M&A and expansion outside of SA in SunBet growth drive — Sun International, the parent company of the SunBet sportsbook and casino brand, is weighing mergers and acquisitions as well as expansion beyond its home market of South Africa…

Partnerships

• Alea partners with FIRST to add sportsbook to its growing product offering — Alea, a company known for game aggregation, has entered into a partnership with sportsbook technology provider FIRST to add sportsbook capabilities to its product offering.

Product Launches

• BETBY gamifies sportsbook experience — B2B sportsbook supplier BETBY has launched a new product called SlotBets, which blends sports betting with slot-style gameplay.
• PopOK Gaming invites players into the wild with new high-volatility slot, “King Lemur 500” — PopOK Gaming has released a new online slot called King Lemur 500, a high-volatility game set in the wild.
• September spins into action with Amusnet — Amusnet has expanded its online casino portfolio for September, adding new Coin Boost titles, individual slots such as Porko Wins, and the instant game Crystal Dice.
• BETBY slotifies the sports betting experience — BETBY, a major B2B sportsbook supplier, has launched BETBY SlotBets, a new product that blends sports betting with slot-style gameplay.
• TaDa Gaming brings tropical coin action to Brazil with Lucky Tamarin — TaDa Gaming has launched a new slot game, Lucky Tamarin, in Brazil today (September 8).
• ICONIC21 opens its Mythic Link series with the release of Monkey King — ICONIC21, an igaming content provider, has launched Mythic Link: Monkey King, the first game in its new Mythic Link slot series.

Market Launches

• bet365 announces Washington D.C. launch — British gambling operator bet365 has officially launched its sportsbook in Washington D.C., marking its entry into the U.S.

People Moves

• Gambling Commission names fraud specialist as new full-time chair — The UK Gambling Commission has appointed Ruth Evans as its new full-time chair, according to an announcement from the regulator.

Across the Industry

• Receita Federal amplia em todo o Brasil o atendimento em Libras, a Língua Brasileira de Sinais — A Receita Federal, o órgão tributário do Brasil, anunciou a ampliação do atendimento em Libras, a Língua Brasileira de Sinais, para todo o país.
• Action promised after new online video platform finds casinos accepting excluded players in the Netherlands — The Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has said it will take action against several casinos and arcades after a media investigation found that excluded players were…
• British gambling hall sector pushes back against “extraordinary” government stance — Bacta, the trade body representing Britain’s gaming centres and amusement arcades, has publicly pushed back against the government’s characterisation of the sector as “dodgy”.
• Springfield Massachusetts sues MGM — The City of Springfield, Massachusetts, has filed a lawsuit against MGM Resorts International and Blue Tarp Redevelopment, alleging violations of the 2013 Host Community Agreement…
• Evolution Was Sued By California in 2025. Not One Earnings Report Names the Case. Why? — In August 2025, the City of Los Angeles named Evolution AB, the Nasdaq Stockholm-listed supplier behind many live casino games, as a defendant in its lawsuit against Stake.us, a…
• Entain calls on 10 Premier League clubs to end affiliation with unlicensed gambling sponsors — Entain, the owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, has for the second time in a few months urged Premier League clubs to cut ties with gambling sponsors that operate without proper…
• Gaming Realms pre-tax profit falls 21 per cent in first half — Gaming Realms, the company behind popular online slots like Slingo, saw its pre-tax profit fall by 21 per cent in the first half of the year, dropping to £3.4m for the six months…
• AGA forecasts $29.5bn in legal NFL wagering — The American Gaming Association (AGA) projects that US bettors will legally wager $29.5bn on the 2026 NFL season through regulated commercial sportsbooks, according to a new…
• KVA flags Google search autocomplete link to illegal online casinos — Dutch affiliate watchdog KVA has warned that Google’s search autocomplete suggestions are directing consumers towards unlicensed online casinos.
• Winning through product agility: Pronet Gaming — Pronet Gaming’s Sportsbook Product Owner Barry McCann argues that in today’s crowded sportsbook market, the key to winning is not piling on features but staying agile.
• SBC Summit’s digital marketing & CRM academy to tackle AI, brand and platform strategy — SBC Summit is adding a Digital Marketing & CRM Academy to its Education+ programme, with sessions focused on AI-ready advertising strategy and agentic CRM campaigns.
• Why does the UK gambling industry keep shooting itself in the foot? — The collapse of two UK-facing gambling brands, Bresbet and Bet St George, following what appear to have been serious anti-money laundering (AML) and safer gambling failures, has…
• Robinhood under scrutiny from French regulator for headline sponsorship of OGC Nice — France’s gambling regulator, the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), is examining a sponsorship deal between Ligue 1 football club OGC Nice and fintech company Robinhood, according…
• Industry stakeholders join forces for first Africa Safer Gambling Week — Africa’s gambling industry is coming together for the first Africa Safer Gambling Week, a continent-wide initiative aimed at boosting player protection.
• Seconds for award, years for history: what’s behind 1xPartners’ win in Best Affiliate Program 2026 category — 1xPartners, the affiliate program behind the 1xBet brand, has been named Best Affiliate Program 2026 at the SiGMA North America awards ceremony held on September 2.
• Marketing Leaders: what are some of the biggest threats to B2B marketing? — The B2B marketing landscape is evolving rapidly, and marketers must adapt quickly to industry trends, regulatory changes, and new technologies.
• Gaming in Germany set for November with high-profile figures booked for key discussions — Gaming in Germany, the annual conference dedicated to the country’s gambling market, is set to return on 10 November at the DoubleTree Hilton Ku’damm in Berlin.

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