Author: Daniel Williams

Key Moments: Since 2021, gambling firms have invested nearly £5 million in advertising across Transport for London assets. This year has already recorded 223 gambling ad campaigns on TfL, surpassing last year’s total more than twofold. Seven London boroughs have officially called on the mayor to impose a ban on gambling ads, increasing political pressure for independent action. Ongoing Surge in Gambling Promotions Across TfL Despite a pledge made during the 2021 mayoral election to remove gambling advertisements from Transport for London (TfL) properties, betting and casino branding remains prominent…

Key Moments: Nevada lawmakers and casino operators have ramped up efforts to overturn a federal tax change limiting gambling loss deductions to 90 percent from 2026. The FAIR BET and FULL HOUSE bills have been introduced to restore the full 100 percent deduction for gamblers’ losses. Uncertainty remains on when the reversal might occur, with the deduction cap scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026. Legislative Initiatives Seek to Restore Full Deductions In response to recent federal tax reforms, stakeholders across Nevada’s gaming sector are pursuing measures to counter…

Key Moments: The Digital Payments Report 2025 shows that deposits and withdrawals have evolved into major drivers of profit and customer retention. Agentic AI is emerging as a powerful enabler, allowing payment systems to react in real time to risk and user behavior. Localized payment options, such as Pix in Brazil, directly improve retention and transaction approval rates. Strategic Value of Payments in Online Betting The Digital Payments Report 2025 from Payment Expert highlights a major shift in online sports betting. Today, operators no longer treat payments as simple back-end…

Key Moments: QTech Games and AbraCadabra have signed a content aggregation agreement AbraCadabra’s portfolio includes the popular crash game Crazy Rocket, as well as Mayan Plinko, Narco Mines, Lucky Fish, and Football Keno The partnership increases AbraCadabra’s access to new markets in Africa and Latin America Strategic Content Integration QTech Games has strengthened its content provision in emerging markets by forming a new distribution agreement with AbraCadabra, a supplier known for creating engaging crash games and customized casino products. This move underscores QTech Games’ ongoing commitment to expanding its portfolio…

Key Moments: New Zealand’s Government will ban credit card deposits at licensed online casinos under new regulations. The Online Casino Bill, now in Parliament, could legalize up to 15 online casinos and require a share of gross gambling revenue for charities. This move mirrors Australia, which banned credit card gambling in mid-2024. New Credit Card Restrictions Revealed The New Zealand Government announced that licensed online casinos can no longer accept credit card deposits. Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden highlighted this restriction as a key part of the Online Casino…

Key Moments: Congressman Abe Hamadeh formally questioned the CFTC about the partnership between Kalshi and CNN. Hamadeh raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest and risks to market integrity and national security. The CFTC has 30 days to respond and clarify its regulatory stance. Legislative Scrutiny of Media and Prediction Markets US Congressman Abe Hamadeh asked the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to explain how it is reviewing the new partnership between Kalshi and CNN. He cited concerns about regulatory compliance and broader risks. On December 16, Hamadeh, a Republican…

Key Moments: Caesars Entertainment has announced a partnership with Rampart Casino to open a Caesars Sportsbook. The launch is targeted for early 2026, pending regulatory approval. As part of the plan, the new sportsbook will offer in-person registration for the Caesars Sportsbook mobile app, mobile cash services, and 20 betting kiosks across the property. Currently, Caesars Sportsbook operates in 34 states and jurisdictions. The mobile app launched in 2021, while a digital wallet feature is scheduled for June 2025. Strategic Partnership and Planned Launch Caesars Entertainment has revealed plans to…

Key Moments: DCMS revised the Gambling Levy Programme Board’s Terms of Reference to define roles, monitoring, and accountability The Programme Board, chaired by Ben Dean, is role-based and composed of ten institutional members GambleAware will be dissolved in March next year, concluding over twenty years of commissioning initiatives Revised Oversight for Gambling Levy Implementation The UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has issued a detailed update to the Terms of Reference for the Gambling Levy Programme Board, outlining specific mechanisms for how the new statutory levy on gambling…

Key Moments: Kalshi has withdrawn its plan to launch markets tied to NCAA athlete transfer decisions, following strong backlash. NCAA President Charlie Baker called these markets “absolutely unacceptable” due to concerns over pressure on student-athletes. Kalshi emphasized its federally regulated status and outlined safeguards against insider trading and misuse. Pushback Halts Kalshi’s NCAA Transfer Portal Contracts Prediction market platform Kalshi has decided to retract its proposed event contracts allowing trades on whether individual college athletes would enter or leave the NCAA transfer portal. This action came swiftly after significant resistance…

Key Moments: Hub88 has integrated Solidicon’s portfolio, featuring games like Navigator, Supershoot Crash, and Quackinator. Solidicon’s offerings are accessible via Hub88’s API, providing operators with visually impressive titles. This collaboration further strengthens Hub88’s commitment to unique and innovative casino content. Strategic Partnership Enhances Hub88’s Content Platform Hub88 has entered into a partnership with Solidicon, a Swedish game developer known for producing creative and visually distinctive casino games. This move brings a new collection of games to Hub88’s platform, each characterized by bold artistic flair and engaging player experiences. Solidicon’s Game…