Gambling industry news
Regulation, licensing, operators, game providers and payments — the stories that matter to the gaming business.
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Betfred's Fred Done warns of shop closures over machine tax plan while family receives £30m dividend
Betfred owner Fred Done has joined an industry letter opposing a possible doubling of machine games duty, even as the company paid a £30m interim dividend. Betfred reported record UK revenue of £996m for the year to March 2026.GamblingGamblingNewsPhoto: © GamblingNews
Bryn Kenney sues GGPoker parent NSUS over withheld commissions and a promised 5% equity stake
Poker player Bryn Kenney, a former GGPoker ambassador, has filed a lawsuit against NSUS Group, NSUS Limited and CEO Mansoo Kim alleging breach of contract and fraud. The case is at an early stage.GamblingGamblingNewsPhoto: © GamblingNews
UK National Audit Office to examine how UKGC and DCMS handled fourth National Lottery licence
The National Audit Office will investigate whether the fourth National Lottery licence was designed, implemented and overseen effectively, focusing on the UK Gambling Commission and DCMS rather than operator Allwyn. It aims to finish by the end of next spring.GamblingGamblingNewsUK bookmakers urge Chancellor to pause General Betting Duty rise and rule out Machine Games Duty increase
Chiefs of Entain, Flutter UK & Ireland, bet365, Bally's, evoke and Betfred have written to the Chancellor asking him to delay the General Betting Duty increase to 25% and to rule out higher Machine Games Duty at the coming Budget.GamblingSBC NewsPhoto: © GamblingNews
Minnesota player wins $2M Powerball Match 5 prize as jackpot climbs to $600 million
A Minnesota ticket matched all five white numbers with Power Play active in the 14 October Powerball drawing, winning $2 million. No one took the jackpot, which has risen to $600 million for Saturday's drawing.GamblingGamblingNewsEveryMatrix CTO Pablo Jansen: local AI models can give iGaming clients data sovereignty
EveryMatrix CTO Pablo Jansen says the company is studying local AI models that let clients keep control of their data. He expects stronger guardrails between datasets as the technology develops.GamblingSBC NewsDutch regulator KSA keeps legal action against Big Tech open over illegal gambling ads
KSA chairman Michel Groothuizen says all options are on the table to hold Big Tech accountable for illegal gambling ads aimed at Dutch players, though the regulator will first pursue collaboration, including a white-list project with Google.GamblingSBC NewsPhoto: © iGaming Business
Entain CEO Stella David expects Brazil to reopen in some form after betting ban, warns against UK MGD hike
On the Q3 earnings call, Entain CEO Stella David said she expects Brazil's regulated market to reopen in some form and that Sportingbet is prepared. She also warned that a UK machine games duty rise could cost shops and jobs.GamblingiGaming BusinessSpelinspektionen fines bet365 operator Hillside SEK 44m over deposit limit failings but spares its Swedish licence
Sweden's gambling regulator issued a warning and penalty fees totalling SEK 44m to Hillside, the entity behind bet365, over a "no limit" deposit option offered between 2019 and 2022. The licences were not revoked because of corrective action.GamblingSBC NewsPhoto: © iGaming Business
Swedish appeals court upholds SEK 44m in penalties against Bet365 operator Hillside over player protection
The Administrative Court of Appeal rejected Hillside's challenge to Spelinspektionen's sanctions, confirming warnings and fines of SEK 4m and SEK 40m for duty of care failures and non-compliant deposit limit settings.GamblingiGaming BusinessIBIA warns Brazil's betting ban will cut sports integrity monitoring, sponsorship and tax income
The International Betting Integrity Association says President Lula's online betting ban will push much of the market offshore and weaken integrity oversight. It also points to losses in club sponsorship and government tax revenue.GamblingSBC NewsEntain Q3: group NGR up 2% as Brazil shutdown weighs on International, while UK and Ireland grows 8%
Entain reported a 2% rise in group net gaming revenue for Q3, with online NGR up 3%. Brazil's betting ban and a 36% fall in Brazilian NGR hit International, while the UK and Ireland business grew 8%.GamblingSBC NewsRank Group Q1 net revenue up 5% to £216.1m as digital grows despite higher UK tax
Rank Group reported first-quarter net revenue of £216.1m, up 5% year on year, with digital and Grosvenor casinos growing. CEO Richard Harris again warned that a Machine Games Duty rise to 40% would hit venues and jobs.GamblingSBC NewsPhoto: © iGaming Business
UK high-street gambling urged to avoid infighting as machine games duty doubling threat looms
With a possible doubling of UK machine games duty to 40%, former BHA chief Nick Rust warns that bookmakers pitting themselves against adult gaming centres will not help the sector's case. Regulus Partners projects about 4,000 shop closures.GamblingiGaming BusinessPhoto: © GamblingNews
NSUS Group says Ontario online poker is struggling after Supreme Court of Canada rejects cross-province liquidity sharing
NSUS Group's Sarne Lightman says thin player pools are hurting Ontario's regulated online poker market after the Supreme Court of Canada ruled against sharing liquidity across provincial borders.GamblingGamblingNewsPhoto: © GamblingNews
Malta Media confirms videos under journalist Michael Schmitt's name use an AI avatar
Malta Media has confirmed that videos bearing the name of investigative journalist Michael Schmitt feature an AI-generated avatar. Tribuna says it has not been able to independently verify who sent the confirmation.GamblingGamblingNewsPhoto: © GamblingNews
Altenar files EU and UK competition complaints against Sportradar over official sports data access
Sportsbook software supplier Altenar Technologies has asked the European Commission and the UK CMA to examine Sportradar's exclusive deals for official league data. Sportradar calls the move unnecessary and says it complies with competition law.GamblingGamblingNewsPhoto: © GamblingNews
Rabona owner Medier Ltd sues Mike Tyson and wife for $2m over missed iGB Live 2024 appearance
Medier Ltd, owner of the Rabona online gaming brand, has reportedly filed a $2 million claim in London's High Court against Mike Tyson and Lakiha Spicer. It alleges they breached a deal to appear at iGB Live 2024 in Amsterdam.GamblingGamblingNewsPhoto: © iGaming Business
Pennsylvania skill games now illegal as 120-day legislative window closes without a regulatory bill
Pennsylvania's 120-day stay following the Supreme Court's June ruling expired without legislation, making tens of thousands of skill games illegal. State police have warned of seizures and criminal charges for businesses that keep them.GamblingiGaming BusinessPhoto: © GamblingNews
The Venetian Las Vegas opens Milano, a hotel-within-a-hotel of about 275 suites inside The Palazzo
The Venetian Resort Las Vegas has opened Milano, a luxury hotel-within-a-hotel inside The Palazzo. It offers around 275 suites, a Dolce&Gabbana-branded private pool and dedicated concierge and butler service.GamblingGamblingNewsPhoto: © GamblingNews
BGaming to release Halloween slot Spider Circus Hold and Win on 19 October
BGaming will launch Spider Circus Hold and Win on 19 October, a circus-themed seasonal slot with a 97% RTP, medium volatility and a maximum win of 5,000x the stake.GamblingGamblingNewsPhoto: © iGaming Business
Match fixer Jalen Smith gets 72 months in US college basketball point-shaving case
A Philadelphia federal judge sentenced Jalen Smith to 72 months in prison and about $1.1m in restitution over a point-shaving scheme that has ensnared at least 20 players. More match-fixing trials are due by the end of March.GamblingiGaming BusinessPhoto: © GamblingNews
US Treasury sanctions Mexican racetrack Club La Molienda over alleged Cartel del Noreste links
OFAC has sanctioned four individuals and 11 entities tied to Cartel del Noreste, including the Nuevo Laredo racetrack Club La Molienda, which Treasury says generates proceeds for the cartel through entrance fees.GamblingGamblingNewsPhoto: © GamblingNews
NBA and WNBA launch responsible gambling campaign with NCPG covering sports betting and prediction markets
The NBA and WNBA have announced a responsible gambling campaign developed with the National Council on Problem Gambling. It addresses the risks of sports betting and prediction markets and promotes safer gambling tools.GamblingGamblingNews