News

Key Moments: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has signaled potential support for scrapping the two-child benefit cap in the Autumn Budget. A proposal backed by over 100 Labour MPs and the Liberal Democrat Party seeks to lift remote gaming duty and slot machine duty to 50%, and general betting duty on non-racing bets to 25%. The gambling sector has expressed concerns that higher taxes may channel revenue toward unlicensed operators, citing the Netherlands as an example. Child Poverty and the Gambling Tax Debate Proposals from the Social Market Foundation and…

Key Moments: Total gross gaming revenue (GGR) for Q3 2025 stood at PHP 94.51 billion (€1.56 billion), representing a slight year-on-year decrease E-Games segment surged 17.4 percent year-on-year to PHP 41.95 billion (€693 million), making up nearly half of Q3 GGR Revenue declines were noted across PAGCOR-operated casinos, licenced private casinos, and bingo operations Revenue Performance and Regulatory Impact The Philippine gaming industry experienced a modest slowdown in the third quarter of 2025, coming off a robust first half that saw record-breaking revenues fueled by digital growth. Data from the…

Key Moments: ONJN committed €5 million to the new ‘Conscious and Free’ social program Draft regulations for the initiative are due within 30 days, open to agencies and NGOs Regulator continues digital overhaul with data systems, self-exclusion, and a modern operator portal ONJN Shifts Focus to Community Projects Vlad-Cristian Soare, head of Romania’s National Gambling Regulatory Authority (ONJN), provided an overview of the organization’s first six months under its current direction. After fulfilling mandatory legal duties, ONJN is moving forward with social initiatives, starting with the impending launch of the…

Key Moments: The Department of Internal Affairs has formally ordered 20Bet to suspend all advertising targeting New Zealanders. Regulators stressed that both direct and indirect marketing efforts by offshore operators are prohibited under the Gambling Act 2003. Authorities are considering closer cooperation with global tech firms to prevent non-compliant gambling ads from reaching New Zealand audiences. Regulator Moves to Block Overseas Gambling Promotion The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has taken decisive action against 20Bet, an offshore betting operator based in Cyprus, instructing the company to stop advertising its sportsbook…

Key Moments: Booming Games’ slot portfolio has been fully incorporated into SportPesa’s platform SportPesa’s customers can now play popular titles including ‘Burning Classic’, ‘Gold Gold Gold’, and ‘Cash Pig’ The partnership marks a major step for Booming Games as it expands within the African gaming market Strategic Collaboration Expands Gaming Options Booming Games has achieved a significant expansion milestone by partnering with SportPesa, a prominent operator in Africa. This collaboration has established seamless access to Booming Games’ portfolio for players on the SportPesa platform across the continent. Diverse Range of…

Key Moments: DraftKings reported a 4% year-over-year revenue increase in the third quarter, reaching $1.14 billion Monthly unique payers climbed to 3.6 million, up 2% overall and 6% excluding Jackpocket DraftKings signed an exclusive multi-year partnership to become ESPN’s “Official Sportsbook and Odds Provider” from December 2025 Revenue Continues Upward Trend Amid Investment in Growth DraftKings posted a 4% increase in third-quarter revenue, generating $1.14 billion compared to $1.09 billion in the same period last year. The company stated that this performance was the result of ongoing healthy customer engagement,…

Key Moments: The UK Gambling Commission has introduced “customer-led tools” requiring deposit limits to be set before a player’s first deposit by October 31. Discussions have taken place about merging various betting duties into a single Remote Betting & Gaming Duty in the UK, with implications for market stability and operator margins. Estimated figures show that 9% of the UK’s gambling market currently operates illegally. Tighter Controls Amid Growing Innovation Concerns Regulatory standards shaping online gambling in 2025 have become more precise and closely aligned with player experiences. These enhanced…

Key Moments: The Association Française du Jeu en Ligne (AFJEL) has renewed its advocacy for online casino regulation, meeting strong opposition from Casinos de France (CdF). AFJEL’s latest study reported a 35% rise in French users of unlicensed gambling sites over the past two years, now totaling 5.4 million players. CdF maintains that online casino regulation would harm local economies, reduce tax revenues, and threaten jobs, disputing AFJEL’s projection of €1.2 billion in additional annual tax revenue. Pressure to Overhaul Online Gambling Laws France’s two main gambling sectors are increasingly…

Key Moments: PWC analysts project the global gaming market will surpass US$312 billion by 2027 In-game transactions and digital payments are capturing an increasing portion of industry revenue, according to Statista Experts highlight the necessity for transparency, ethical standards, and collaborative governance as gaming, fintech, and social entertainment converge Industry Transformation Through Convergence The boundaries between gaming, fintech, and social entertainment are rapidly fading, leading to the emergence of a new digital economic ecosystem. Virtual assets now hold tangible value, challenging distinctions between entertainment and finance as players interact, transact,…

Key Moments: Confidential financial information surfaced in documents the bookmaker submitted to the Gambling Commission Regulators are examining possible connections to offshore partners and VIP customer activity Parliament has initiated an inquiry into the adequacy of current gambling laws and consumer protections Discovery of Concealed Transactions Triggers Investigation Regulators are now scrutinizing one of the UK’s leading bookmakers after it accidentally revealed confidential financial data in correspondence with the Gambling Commission, raising concerns about offshore activities and compliance issues. According to The Guardian, the incident began when the bookmaker, which…