Author: Andrew Fletcher

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has secured enough political support to push his government’s landmark gambling reform bill through parliament’s lower house. The bill, which centres on marketing and advertising restrictions, has been a long time coming and required support from either the Liberal-National Coalition or the Greens to become law. Opposition parties and independents had lobbied the government to strengthen the measures before the bill reached its recent approval stage. Prolonged negotiations with Coalition leader Angus Taylor ultimately delivered Albanese the support his bill required to progress. One of the significant additions to emerge from those negotiations is a…

The Affiliate Leaders Summit will take direct aim at the mounting pressures reshaping the affiliate marketing industry when it convenes later this year. The event will feature a dedicated Future of Affiliate Strategy track, designed to address rising advertising regulation and the rapidly shifting affiliate model. Scheduled for Wednesday, 30 September 2026, the track will gather affiliate executives, operators, media leaders, and performance marketing specialists under one roof. Together, attendees will examine how regulation, technology, changing audience behaviour, and international expansion are fundamentally reshaping affiliate strategy across the industry. The summit arrives at a critical moment, as affiliates face simultaneous…

BETBY has unveiled its new Watch & Bet feature, an integrated experience combining live sports streaming and betting directly within its sportsbook event page. The product places selected live markets, odds, and key betting actions inside the video interface whenever a supported official stream is opened by a player. BETBY described the feature as designed to reduce friction during live events, allowing players to engage with betting at the exact moment their attention is highest. Players can browse available markets, select odds, and place bets directly alongside the stream, with relevant options presented as the live action unfolds. For operators,…

The Dutch gambling regulator, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), is developing new youth protection strategies by compiling findings from three major national gambling behaviour studies. The studies focus on young people between the ages of 16 and 24, examining the full gambling journey from initial exposure to active participation at legal age. While the research does not capture the entire Dutch youth population, it provides a detailed picture of how gambling is introduced, why it appeals, and how prevalent it becomes within that age group. The most recent study was conducted by Youngworks, commissioned directly by the KSA, and surveyed 50 individuals aged…

Betway has officially unveiled its new global sports activation platform, the Betway Clubhouse, marking a significant step in the brand’s international marketing strategy. The Clubhouse opened its doors on 20 August, following a carefully orchestrated teaser campaign that generated considerable buzz across social media channels worldwide. Football legend Thierry Henry was enlisted by Betway to tease the launch, lending his iconic status to help build anticipation ahead of the official opening. Betway had previously taken to social media with a cryptic message, posting: “Something 𝐁𝐈𝐆 is coming…”, before confirming that “The Betway Clubhouse opens its doors on the 20th August.”…

Romania’s gambling regulator, ONJN, has made significant strides in modernising its internal control systems, according to a new report from the country’s Court of Auditors. The same Court of Auditors triggered a major scandal at the start of 2025 when it revealed that more than €900m in taxes were missing from ONJN’s financial records. That discovery caused immediate upheaval at the top of the regulator, with the then-President resigning and opening the door for new leadership to take charge. Vlad-Cristian Soare stepped in as the new head of ONJN in May 2025, pledging to overhaul the authority’s transparency and operational…

Kenneth Dart has made another major move in the gambling sector, acquiring a significant stake in US sports betting giant DraftKings through his Candle Lake investment vehicle. An SEC filing released on 14 August confirmed that Dart, via Candle Lake Investment, acquired 28,581,386 shares in DraftKings, representing 5.8% of the company’s total stock. Under SEC regulations, an initial Schedule 13G filing is required whenever an investor crosses the 5% ownership threshold in a publicly listed company. It remains unclear exactly when Dart first began purchasing DraftKings shares ahead of triggering the mandatory disclosure requirement. DraftKings’ share price has fallen more…

The Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) has officially adopted a comprehensive marketing code establishing common standards across its eight major US online gambling members. The voluntary code applies to member companies and all third parties that market their services, including affiliates, agencies, influencers and brand ambassadors operating on their behalf. ROGA members covered by the new framework include bet365, BetMGM, Bally’s, DraftKings, Fanatics Betting and Gaming, FanDuel, Hard Rock Digital and Penn Entertainment. The association confirmed that every member has adopted the code, with the group collectively representing approximately 90% of legal US sports betting handle. The code takes effect…

The National Football League has finally replaced its sportsbook sponsorship arrangements after operating without a betting partner since March 2026. The near five-month gap marked the first time the NFL had been without a sportsbook sponsor since 2021, leaving a significant commercial void at the heart of American sport. Fanatics Sportsbook has now been named the NFL’s official sports betting partner, with Fanatics Casino simultaneously confirmed as its official online casino partner. The deal fills the space vacated by FanDuel, DraftKings and Caesars, whose contracts all expired without renewal earlier this year. Caesars had long been expected to walk away,…

Playnetic has officially gone live with Light & Wonder, extending its growing portfolio to operators across the aggregator’s established content marketplace. The agreement marks another significant step in the studio’s ongoing international expansion, building on a period of sustained commercial momentum for the B2B games developer. A range of Playnetic titles are now available through Light & Wonder following the signing, with new releases rolling out across the network immediately. Games now live through the partnership include Sun vs Moon: Hold n’ Win, Assassin of Rome, Bubble or Broom, and Farmageddon, showcasing the studio’s range. The rollout reflects the considerable…