Author: Andrew Fletcher

The gambling industry’s rapid adoption of artificial intelligence for compliance functions is raising serious questions about whether governance structures are keeping pace. Research from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas found that only one in five companies has a dedicated AI governance role within their organisation. Neil Dillon, founder of Solas Compliance, told NEXT.io this figure aligned with his own anecdotal experience after observing only one of seven top operators at a recent roundtable had integrated such a position. John Pierce, head of enforcement at the Gambling Commission, has urged caution, warning operators that AI tools deployed for AML purposes…

A single number is driving most of the current fight between the Gambling Commission and Britain’s biggest operators: £150. That is the net deposit threshold, checked over a rolling 30-day period, that triggers a financial risk assessment under the Commission’s affordability check framework, according to reporting by geekygambler.com. The checks target the top 3 percent of highest-spending accounts, not the general betting population, but the industry reaction has reached well beyond that narrow group. Operators describe a drift in betting volume toward destinations outside the regulated market, and one visible destination inside that drift is a crypto casino, a platform settled in…

Betano and Aston Villa have agreed to a three-year extension of their existing partnership, originally signed in 2024, running through to the end of the 2028/29 season. The renewed deal comes with a significant structural change, as Betano’s branding will move from the front of Aston Villa’s shirts to the left sleeve of the club’s kits. The shift follows the Premier League’s 2026/27 front-of-shirt gambling ban, which has reshaped how betting brands engage with top-flight English football clubs. Betano’s status within the partnership has also been adjusted, moving from principal partner to official partner under the terms of the new…

The SBC Awards 2026 shortlist has been officially announced, marking the 13th edition of one of the betting and gaming industry’s most prestigious annual ceremonies. The event will take place at Lisbon’s MEO Arena on Thursday, 1 October, closing out SBC Summit 2026 in style. Around 1,200 industry professionals are expected to attend the ceremony, which will distribute 38 awards across a wide range of categories. Those categories span operators, suppliers, payments, compliance, marketing, platforms and data, reflecting the full breadth of the global betting and gaming sector. Kanggiten leads all nominees with nine shortlist appearances, making it the most…

DATA.BET has highlighted the continued strength of bet builder products throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup, noting consistent performance across trading operations during the tournament. Bet builders have become one of the most discussed product formats in the sports betting industry, allowing customers to combine multiple selections from a single match into one wager. The 2026 World Cup presented a unique commercial opportunity for sportsbook operators, with the expanded 48-team format generating a significantly larger volume of matches than previous tournaments. More games across a longer schedule meant more markets, more trading hours, and more opportunities for players to construct…

An international betting integrity watchdog has flagged several matches from the 2026 World Cup for unusual gambling patterns detected across global sports betting markets. The Copenhagen Group, an international advisory network linked to the Council of Europe, issued seven yellow alerts in a preliminary assessment of the tournament. The Group specialises in sports integrity and described the alerts as relating to anomalies and atypical financial flows detected on global betting markets during the competition. In total, the Copenhagen Group monitored all 104 World Cup matches, placing 15 fixtures under enhanced surveillance, particularly during the final day of the group stage.…

Polymarket, the decentralised prediction market platform, is facing regulatory pressure in France while also drawing attention in the United Kingdom over politically themed betting activity. France has moved to block access to Polymarket, with the platform indicating it intends to challenge the action through legal or regulatory channels. The dispute marks one of the more significant confrontations between a major prediction market operator and a European regulator in recent memory. Polymarket has grown rapidly as a platform allowing users to place bets on real-world outcomes ranging from elections and economic events to cultural and political developments. French authorities have taken…

The UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has outlined plans to use gambling revenues to provide financial relief for what he describes as “good businesses” on British high streets. Burnham has long been a vocal critic of Adult Gaming Centres, arguing that these venues disproportionately harm the most vulnerable people in local communities across the country. The proposals reflect a broader push to reshape how gambling is regulated at a local level, with Burnham seeking to shift power away from central government and toward councils. Previously, Burnham stated: “These are high-stakes gambling venues, often open around the clock, targeting some of…

SBC Summit and Affiliate Leaders Summit have officially received CPD accreditation, allowing delegates to earn recognised Continuing Professional Development credits across both events this September. The CPD Certification Service has formally accredited the conference programmes for both summits, marking a significant step in the professional recognition of iGaming industry education. Every conference session, academy, and masterclass across both events will now contribute towards recognised Continuing Professional Development for attending professionals. Delegates travelling to Lisbon this September will leave with formal professional development credentials in addition to the industry knowledge and networking opportunities the events are known for. The accreditation reflects…

The UK Gambling Commission revealed it had seriously considered suspending Evolution’s UK operating licence following the discovery of significant anti-money laundering failings. The regulator’s announcement came alongside Evolution’s previously confirmed £4.75 million settlement, adding important new context to the scale of the enforcement action taken. Investigators found that Evolution’s live casino games were being offered through six websites accessible to British consumers that did not hold the relevant UK gambling licence. Those six unlicensed websites were operated by two undisclosed operators who were supplying Evolution’s content to UK players without the required authorisation. The Commission’s central criticism focused on Evolution’s…