Gambling industry news
Regulation, licensing, operators, game providers and payments — the stories that matter to the gaming business.
Photo: © iGaming Business
Nevada Gaming Control Board eyes 1 October 2027 start for consolidated technical standards
The Nevada Gaming Control Board reviewed ten revised technical standards for gaming equipment and systems and reposted them for comment until 15 November. The proposed adoption date remains 1 October 2027.GamblingiGaming BusinessPhoto: © GamblingNews
Hacksaw Gaming brings Smokey back as a vampire in Halloween-timed slot Le Vampire
Hacksaw Gaming released Le Vampire on October 1, a cluster-pay slot starring its recurring raccoon character Smokey. It offers a 15,000x maximum win and three free spins variants.GamblingGamblingNewsPhoto: © GamblingNews
Brazil's Attorney General tells Supreme Court operators have no right to compensation over gambling ban
Attorney General Jorge Messias has urged the Supreme Court to reject operator challenges to Provisional Measure 1,394/2026, arguing licence holders are owed no compensation or refund of their 30 million reais fees.GamblingGamblingNewsPhoto: © GamblingNews
ProPublica Reporter Tests DraftKings' Problem Gambling Safeguards and Finds Limited Intervention
A ProPublica reporter opened a DraftKings account and mimicked problem gambling behavior, finding few safeguards were triggered and VIP offers continued. The report adds to scrutiny of how US operators handle at-risk customers.GamblingGamblingNewsPhoto: © GamblingNews
Finland bans Estonian operator MagicPoro from targeting local players, with a EUR 1.2m conditional fine
Finland's National Police Board has prohibited Estonia-licensed MagicPoro from marketing to Finnish players and set a EUR 1.2 million conditional fine. It is the first such order since the country's new gaming law was passed.GamblingGamblingNewsPhoto: © SBC News
Kaizen Gaming renews Betano's UEFA partnership to cover Euro 2028
Kaizen Gaming has extended Betano's sponsorship with UEFA so the sportsbook brand will be an official sponsor of UEFA Euro 2028, to be held in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland from 9 June to 9 July 2028.GamblingSBC NewsPhoto: © iGaming Business
New Zealand online casino policy could direct up to NZ$20m a year to community funding
New Zealand's Online Casino Gambling Bill would ring-fence 4% of operator GGR for grassroots groups via the Lottery Grants Board, with officials estimating NZ$10m to NZ$20m annually from 1 January 2027.GamblingiGaming BusinessPhoto: © iGaming Business
Flutter's Richard Clarke: scale favours big UK operators, but the black market is the bigger risk
At SBC Summit in Lisbon, Flutter's Richard Clarke said the UK remote gaming tax rise to 40% will cost around £500m from next year. He warned that growth of the unlicensed market is a greater threat than the tax itself.GamblingiGaming BusinessNorthern Ireland to review 2022 gambling reform in 2027, minister says
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has confirmed a comprehensive review of the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements Amendment Act 2022 next year. He made no promise of new reforms, leaving that to a future Minister.GamblingSBC NewsPhoto: © GamblingNews
Macquarie lifts 2026 prediction market taker volume forecast to $190bn, citing regulation as main risk
Macquarie has raised its 2026 forecast for prediction market taker volume to $190 billion from $169 billion, against $22 billion in 2025. The firm sees sports contracts at about 80% of activity and regulation as the biggest threat.GamblingGamblingNewsPhoto: © GamblingNews
Skillz challenges Papaya Gaming's Chapter 15 bankruptcy bid in Delaware over $719m judgment
Skillz, now Firy Inc, has asked a Delaware court to refuse recognition of Papaya Gaming's Israeli insolvency proceedings. Papaya was ordered to pay about $719 million over automated opponents in games marketed as player-versus-player.GamblingGamblingNewsPhoto: © SBC News
Racing Post analysis: UK bookmaker horse racing sponsorship down 17% as gambling taxes rise
A Racing Post analysis shows bookmaker sponsorship of British horse racing fell 17% year on year in 2026, with the sharpest cuts in lower-value races and all-weather fixtures, following UK gambling duty increases.GamblingSBC NewsPhoto: © GamblingNews
Rank Group to pay GBP 5m to settle UKGC case over AML and safer gambling failures at Grosvenor casinos
The UK Gambling Commission said Rank Group will pay GBP 5 million ($6.6 million) after finding anti-money laundering and social responsibility failures across its Grosvenor land-based casino divisions.GamblingGamblingNewsPhoto: © iGaming Business
Play'n GO schedules Beasts of Fire Inferno, a US-facing 1,024-way slot, for 29 October
Play'n GO's Beasts of Fire Inferno is a US-facing slot built on the mechanics of Colt Lightning Inferno, with a buffalo-style theme. It is expected to go live on 29 October.GamblingiGaming BusinessPhoto: © iGaming Business
Play'n GO sets 22 October go-live for Ancient Egypt slot Wrappin More Gold
Play'n GO's Wrappin More Gold is a 5-reel, 20-payline Ancient Egypt slot with Collect & Win pots and a growing mummy. It is expected to go live on 22 October with medium volatility and a top Instant Bonus of 2,000x bet.GamblingiGaming BusinessPhoto: © GamblingNews
Mega Millions: two Match 5 winners in NJ and Florida as jackpot rises to $364 million
No one won the top prize in Tuesday's Mega Millions draw, but players in New Jersey and Florida won $2 million and $3 million Match 5 prizes. The jackpot grows to $364 million for Friday's draw.GamblingGamblingNewsPhoto: © GamblingNews
Advocates call for more support for women affected by problem gambling in the US
Podcast host Christina Cook and Better Institute of Pittsburgh CEO Jody Bechtold say women are overlooked in problem gambling services and research, and that helpline data may understate the harm women experience.GamblingGamblingNewsPhoto: © iGaming Business
Play'n GO schedules Tower Run Treasure Steps, a 5x5 cascading slot, for 15 October
Play'n GO has Tower Run Treasure Steps lined up for an expected 15 October go-live. The high-volatility 5x5 slot pairs an in-spin charge meter with a cross-spin progress track and a Hold & Spin round.GamblingiGaming BusinessPhoto: © GamblingNews
Massachusetts Gaming Commission hears research on gambling harm among veterans
Research funded by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission points to elevated rates of gambling problems among veterans. Researchers say peer-to-peer support could be an effective way to reach them.GamblingGamblingNewsPhoto: © iGaming Business
Play'n GO sets 8 October go-live for Redtail Robber Cash Vault Heist, a 5x4 coin-prize slot
Play'n GO is expected to release Redtail Robber Cash Vault Heist on 8 October. The 5x4 slot with 20 paylines centres on coin prizes, mystery cashpots and a bonus game, and has medium volatility.GamblingiGaming BusinessPhoto: © iGaming Business
Play'n GO lists Ghost Booster! GO Guaranteed, a 5x3 haunted-theme slot with a guaranteed Hold & Spin minimum
Play'n GO's Ghost Booster! GO Guaranteed is a 5x3, 20-payline medium-volatility slot with a Hold & Spin bonus, a jackpot wheel and a meter that sets a guaranteed minimum for the bonus round.GamblingiGaming BusinessMerkur Bets completes Danish migration to EveryMatrix platform, with Austria, Belgium and Germany to follow
Merkur Bets has moved its Danish retail and online operations onto EveryMatrix's omnichannel platform. Austria, Belgium and Germany are planned next as the Merkur Group moves toward a single technology platform across Europe.GamblingSBC NewsPhoto: © GamblingNews
Philippine authorities arrest 244 foreign nationals in raids on two illegal offshore gambling sites
Joint operations backed by the military led to the arrest of 244 foreign nationals at two locations on 2 October 2026, according to the Philippine Immigration Bureau. The raids come as authorities keep pressing against illegal offshore gambling.GamblingGamblingNewsFormer Entain general counsel Simon Zinger launches two London consultancies, Calibri Law and Bluestar Partners
Simon Zinger, who fronted Entain's campaign against unlicensed gambling advertising in football, has set up a legal advisory firm and a strategic advisory firm in London, serving as Managing Partner at both.GamblingSBC News