A Washington state judge has ordered Kalshi, a platform for event contract trading, to block access for users to a wide range of markets, including sports, by August 19. This ruling comes amidst the CFTC's opposition to such state court orders and a separate lawsuit against the company in Baltimore. The implications for Kalshi's operations and the regulatory landscape for prediction markets are significant.
Cayman Islands-registered investment firm Candle Lake, owned by billionaire Kenneth Dart, has made an offer to acquire live-dealer giant Evolution for $13.8 billion. This bid follows Candle Lake passing a key share threshold, initiating a potential major acquisition in the iGaming sector.
BetConstruct is offering free access and discounts to its new "The Purest Sportsbook" platform and other services for a limited time. This initiative aims to attract new partners and expand its B2B client base, leveraging its position as a major international supplier.
Candle Lake, an investment entity, has triggered a mandatory takeover offer for Evolution shares after increasing its stake to nearly 32%. If the offer is accepted, Candle Lake intends to delist Evolution from Nasdaq Stockholm. This move could significantly alter the ownership and public status of a major iGaming supplier.
A Rokker white paper reveals that only 20% of UK prize draw operators have adopted a voluntary code of conduct, highlighting a significant lack of self-regulation in the sector. This comes amidst broader regulatory uncertainty, particularly after HMRC confirmed that prize draws will not be exempt from VAT.
Kenneth Dart's investment vehicle, Candle Lake, has made a mandatory cash offer of SEK695 per share to acquire all outstanding shares in Evolution. This offer was triggered after Candle Lake's stake in Evolution exceeded 30%, valuing the company at approximately SEK131.7bn (£10.21bn). Candle Lake now holds or controls 31.56% of Evolution.
Hennadii Novikov, appointed Head of Ukraine's new gambling and lottery oversight agency, PlayCity, is spearheading a data-driven regulatory overhaul. This initiative aims to transform the country's stalled gambling sector, which was previously deemed an economic and security threat by the Council of Ministers.
Grandstand (formerly Gambling.com Group) has reaffirmed its full-year revenue guidance of $165m–$170m, aligning with its new commercial model aimed at diversifying beyond traditional affiliate marketing. This announcement coincides with the company's first financial results release under its new identity on Nasdaq (GRSD).
Q2 financial results show mixed performance for major iGaming operators in Latin America, with Flutter and Entain reporting varying fortunes in Brazil. While RSI saw strong growth in monthly active users, Entain indicated it would not overspend in the competitive Brazilian market.
Light & Wonder has secured a multi-property agreement with Delaware North to replace existing table games technology across its casino and gaming properties in the United States. This deal will see Light & Wonder's portfolio of table games solutions implemented as an upgrade for Delaware North's gaming division, recently rebranded as Ember.
Aristocrat has entered into a royalty-bearing patent license agreement with Ainsworth Game Technology in Australia. This arrangement includes Aristocrat's gameplay patents, specifically the popular Hold & Spin patent family. The deal signifies a strategic sharing of intellectual property within the gaming machine sector.
Bragg Gaming reported a 12% decrease in second-quarter revenues to €22.9m, primarily due to a 14% decline in the Netherlands following the conclusion of legacy platform contracts. While Brazil revenue remained flat, growth was observed in Canada and the US markets, partially offsetting the declines.
The Saratoga Conference discussed significant industry topics, including potential reforms for horse racing's Triple Crown, a lawsuit filed against prediction market Kalshi, and an investigation into betting activities at Far Hills. NBC's Steve Kornacki was a prominent speaker at the three-day event.
Pennsylvania is exploring the regulation of prediction markets through House Bill 2711, introduced by Rep. Tarik Khan, rather than imposing an outright ban. This legislative effort could establish a legal framework similar to those for DFS and sports betting, according to attorney Doug Mishkin. If passed, it would create a new, regulated gambling vertical in the state.
Fliff, a prominent sweepstakes sports platform, has applied to become a Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) to transition into the prediction market sector. This strategic move signals a broader trend among sweepstakes operators pivoting from their current models towards event contracts. If approved, Fliff could partner with a Designated Contract Market (DCM) to offer new betting products.
Awager, an Aristocrat company, has partnered with BetMGM to bring live-streamed land-based slot machines to BetMGM and Borgata Online players in New Jersey. This collaboration offers players the authentic experience of real casino slots directly online from regulated studio environments, merging convenience with traditional gaming.
Chile's Chamber of Deputies has questioned the Internal Revenue Service's (SII) decision to allow foreign online betting platforms to register and pay VAT, expressing concerns despite the SII viewing it as a step towards fair competition. This development highlights ongoing legislative debate regarding the taxation and regulation of the online gambling market in Chile.
Oddschecker, a prominent betting odds comparison site, has confirmed a data breach. The company stated the situation has been contained, though details regarding the extent or type of data compromised were not immediately specified.
ITV has launched its OddsFinder odds-comparison platform and app in the UK, initially targeting horse racing audiences during Glorious Goodwood. Developed with Funteron, the service aims to expand into multiple verticals, signaling a significant move by the major broadcaster into the affiliate betting space.
Entain's H1 growth was significantly driven by its Australian operations, while CEO Stella David and Michael Snape emphasized the strategic decision to exit the Central and Eastern European (CEE) market. This exit aims to de-lever the company and return capital to shareholders, indicating a major financial restructuring and strategic focus shift.
Germany's Joint Gaming Authority (GGL) has launched a new FAQ section clarifying that social bets (Gesellschaftswetten) and prediction markets are not permissible under German gambling law. The GGL states that participation in such activities from Germany is illegal. This update reinforces the regulatory stance on these types of offerings.
The UK Gambling Commission reported that a pilot scheme testing financial risk assessments was hindered by operators' poor identity verification processes. This issue emerged as the Commission prepares to publish the full data from the pilot in September, indicating a potential need for stronger ID checks in future regulatory frameworks.
Rank Group reported higher underlying profits in FY'26, driven by strong digital growth, despite facing increased tax and regulatory pressures in the UK. The CEO highlighted that anti-gambling campaigns are negatively impacting the UK casino sector, suggesting broader industry concerns beyond their financial performance.
Rank Group reported a 21% increase in underlying profit and a 6% rise in net gaming revenue year-on-year for FY2025/26, reaching £834.1m. The London-listed operator, behind brands like Grosvenor and Mecca, demonstrated significant growth despite facing tax rises, differentiating its performance from other UK gambling firms.
RubyPlay, a content and platform provider, has entered the Swiss iGaming market through a partnership with mycasino by Grand Casino Luzern. This marks RubyPlay's first foray into Switzerland, expanding its regulated European market footprint. The agreement will see RubyPlay's portfolio integrated into mycasino's offering.