A legislator in Argentina's Tucumán province, Alfredo Toscano, has introduced a bill to ban all online gambling and sports betting across the region. Citing concerns about accessibility and its impact on young people and families, the proposal has garnered support from other local legislators.
Buenos Aires City has passed a new law that prohibits individuals registered as delinquent child-support payers from opening or maintaining accounts with licensed online gambling and betting platforms. Approved by the city's Legislature, this measure aims to restrict access to betting for those owing child support.
Brazil's Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) has blocked over 60,000 illegal betting websites since implementing its regulated fixed-odds betting regime. The SPA is actively targeting unauthorized operators through website blocking, financial restrictions, and other measures to enforce the new regulations. This demonstrates a strong commitment from Brazilian authorities to combat the black market as the regulated industry develops.
Brazil's advertising self-regulatory body, CONAR, has implemented stricter rules for betting advertising. These changes focus on enhanced protections for minors and increased compliance obligations for influencers, affiliates, and betting operators.
A recent Ninth Circuit ruling against Kalshi on prediction markets has created a Circuit split, potentially leading the case to the Supreme Court. Polymarket is now offering a market on whether the Supreme Court will hear this influential case. This development could significantly impact the legal landscape for prediction markets in the US.
Polymarket has ceased offering markets on NFL player availability after a request from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which considers such markets to go against its policy on trading player injuries. However, rival platform Kalshi continues to offer similar markets, highlighting an ongoing regulatory discrepancy. Polymarket had previously self-certified these markets in an attempt to comply with regulations.
Kalshi's recent loss against Nevada in the Ninth Circuit significantly increases the likelihood of the Supreme Court reviewing event contracts. This legal battle could set a major precedent for the regulation and legality of prediction markets across the US. The odds for SCOTUS review reportedly spiked above 60% following the decision.
The Brazilian betting industry is facing a "political storm" despite generating a significant £1.2 billion in tax revenue for 2026 so far. Both the President and a major opposition party are scrutinizing the sector, highlighting ongoing regulatory challenges and potential instability in this key emerging market.
Ukraine has launched a national strategy to combat gambling addiction, recognizing that the ongoing war is worsening the problem. Key measures include systematically blocking illegal gambling websites and advertisements to protect consumers.
The Swedish licensed gambling market reported a 5% year-on-year increase in turnover for Q2, reaching SEK7.16 billion. While state-run lotteries and slot games remained stable, the overall growth indicates continued health and activity in the regulated market.
The New South Wales government plans to implement mandatory facial recognition technology at the entry of gaming rooms by 2028. This measure aims to bolster the enforcement of its statewide exclusion register as part of comprehensive gaming reforms.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal has ordered a review of the reduction in income from online gambling, citing concerns over fiscal and budgetary shortfalls. The Riigikogu (parliament) is tasked with re-evaluating the tax reduction that was sanctioned in December 2025 as part of the Reform-Eesti 200 budget. This move signals a potential reversal or modification of tax policies affecting licensed online operators in Estonia.
An ongoing investigation into illegal gambling in Eswatini has expanded to uncover alleged connections to politicians, government officials, cryptocurrency transactions, and an international fraud network. Police are probing these links as part of the broader crackdown on illicit activities.
Political opposition to Brazil's newly regulated sports betting market is intensifying, with legislators reportedly planning measures that could halt its operation within 180 days. This indicates a significant threat to the burgeoning legal market, despite recent legislation establishing it.
Brazilian lawmaker Rodrigo Rollemberg has introduced Bill 2,972/26, which proposes a complete ban on fixed-odds betting across all forms, including online and land-based operations, and would revoke the recently established regulatory framework (Law 14.790/23). The legislation seeks to prohibit the exploitation, offering, advertising, and transaction processing related to fixed-odds betting. This move represents a significant challenge to the country's nascent regulated betting market.
Ukraine's gambling regulator, PlayCity, has launched a tender to develop an automated system to enforce a gambling ban for military personnel. This initiative aims to streamline the verification process and restrict military members' access to gambling activities across the country. The move is part of broader efforts to enhance player protection and responsible gambling measures.
GamCare has secured a £16 million reserve to safeguard its frontline services during the transition to the UK's statutory levy on gambling harms. This buffer aims to ensure continuous support for the gambling harm treatment sector, as detailed in the charity's Trustee Report 2025/2026.
Connecticut has initiated a new lawsuit against Kalshi, aiming to prohibit its sports markets within the state. Attorney General William Tong asserts that Kalshi's sports-event contracts are effectively illegal sports betting and are not exempt from Connecticut's consumer protection laws under federal regulation. This legal action highlights the ongoing debate about the classification of prediction markets versus traditional sports betting.
Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has proposed increasing Machine Gaming Duty (MGD) to help address the winter fuel crisis. This suggestion, made during a BBC interview, highlights a potential political move that could impact the iGaming and betting industry's retail sector, specifically affecting revenue from gaming machines.
Malaysia's government has affirmed that no new gambling permits have been issued since the 1990s, clarifying its long-standing policy. This statement comes after a court rejected an attempt to challenge the government's refusal to renew gambling licenses, reinforcing the strict regulatory stance.
Nebraska's Secretary of State has confirmed that petitions for both a constitutional amendment and an initiative to authorize and regulate online sports wagering have met the signature thresholds to appear on the 2026 general election ballot. This development moves Nebraska closer to allowing voters to decide on the launch of online sports betting in the state.
PAGCOR is developing an app to help players identify licensed online casinos, aiming to combat illegal gambling and protect consumers. This initiative comes as the Philippine regulator reported a 20.33% year-on-year decline in Q2 gross gaming revenue, highlighting the challenge posed by unlicensed operators.
A University of Nottingham study revealed significant differences in gambling sponsorship visibility between the Premier League and the World Cup. Gambling brands appeared in 32.6% of Premier League YouTube highlights compared to only 1.5% for the World Cup, likely due to FIFA's stricter stance on betting sponsorship. This highlights contrasting approaches to gambling advertising in major football events.
Gene Johnson, EVP of Victor Strategies, has vehemently criticized prediction markets, labeling them the 'biggest scam' he has ever encountered. He argues that these federally regulated markets closely mimic sports betting offerings, despite being treated differently by regulators.
A former US Surgeon General, Jerome Adams, sparked debate by comparing sports betting to the opioid crisis, highlighting growing concerns about problem gambling. The article explores the psychological aspects of gambling addiction, questioning why some individuals develop addiction while others do not. This raises significant public health and regulatory considerations for the iGaming industry.