Author: Andrew Fletcher

The debate over gambling sponsorship in British sport has intensified, with Liberal Democrat politicians pressing the government to go further on restrictions. Lib Dem peers and MPs have long campaigned to restrict or ban gambling-related sponsorship, particularly within professional football, where such deals are highly visible. Among those leading the charge are Lord Addington, MP Max Wilkinson, and MP Lee Dillon, all of whom have consistently argued that gambling sponsorship normalises betting among fans and young people. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport recently launched a formal consultation examining sponsorship and advertising arrangements involving unlicensed gambling operators. The consultation…

Lionel Messi is the overwhelming favourite among Betano users heading into Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain, with 82% backing Argentina to retain the trophy. Argentina reached the final after a dramatic comeback victory over England in the semifinal, keeping Messi and his teammates on course for historic consecutive World Cup glory. Spain enter the match as favourites with many bookmakers, priced at -164 to lift the trophy, while Argentina are listed as +134 underdogs heading into the championship clash. Prediction market platform Kalshi gives Spain a 58.1% chance of winning the final, with Argentina sitting at 42.7% as the…

The European Gaming and Betting Association has announced that Super has joined its Board of Directors, marking a new chapter for the organisation. The EGBA represents many of Europe’s leading online gambling and betting operators, working to promote fair and transparent regulation across the continent. Super’s addition to the board signals growing industry recognition of the company’s standing within the regulated European online gambling market. The EGBA board plays a central role in shaping the association’s strategic direction, advocating for responsible gambling standards and sound regulatory frameworks. Membership on the board grants Super a direct voice in conversations that influence…

SBC Summit is set to give delegates a comprehensive look at gaming’s fastest-growing regions through its dedicated Emerging Markets track in Lisbon this September. The track takes place on Tuesday, 29 September 2026 at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa, bringing together operators, regulators and regional experts under one roof. Sessions will cover market entry strategies, player behaviour trends, regulatory change and the commercial conditions currently shaping growth across these promising territories. The Emerging Markets track will open the Global & Emerging Markets Stage, one of six dedicated conference stages running throughout the summit. Other stages include Regulation & Compliance, Technology,…

Georgia is preparing to formally present its international iGaming jurisdiction ambitions in August 2026, following a major reveal at SBC Summit Tbilisi held on 15 and 16 July. Government officials and policy advisers are working toward establishing Georgia as a recognised export regime for gambling services, solutions, and technologies across international markets. The country’s stated goal is to position itself as the regulatory gatekeeper bridging Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East, attracting long-term institutional investment rather than simply expanding domestic gambling activity. Vakhtang Katamadze, Supervisory Board Member of RSG and a key policy stakeholder, addressed audiences at the summit…

Austria has seen a notable increase in problem gambling activity, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup identified as a key contributing factor to the trend. Major international sporting tournaments have long been associated with spikes in betting behaviour, and Austria appears to be experiencing this pattern acutely this year. The World Cup, one of the most watched and wagered-upon events in global sport, draws in casual bettors alongside seasoned gamblers, expanding the overall pool of people at risk. Regulators and public health advocates in Austria have grown increasingly concerned as gambling participation rates climb during the tournament period. Problem gambling…

1xCare, the responsible gambling initiative affiliated with global operator 1xBet, has formally unveiled the expert members of its new Advisory Committee at iGB Live. Chair Simon Westbury confirmed that the organisation had been more than a year in development before its public launch, describing its emergence as an organic process rather than a rushed announcement. The non-profit initiative is built around four core pillars — research, education, technology and well-being — which 1xCare says are all deeply interconnected and mutually reinforcing. Westbury stated that long-term sustainability should sit at the heart of everything the industry does, arguing that player protection…

LSports, a leading provider of real-time sports data solutions, has partnered with artificial intelligence company gripAI to bring a new Play Insurance product to sportsbook operators globally. Play Insurance allows bettors to protect their wagers for a small, AI-calculated premium, giving players a payout regardless of the final outcome of their bet. The amount paid back to insured players is scaled according to how close the bet came to winning, calculated using live match statistics and real-time data. For sportsbook operators, the product is designed to open an entirely new revenue stream on top of existing handle without sacrificing margin…

The Gambling Survey Great Britain has published its latest findings, reporting a problem gambling rate of 2.4% among adults across the UK for 2025. This marks the third edition of the GSGB, following the inaugural publication in July 2024 and a second release the year after. The survey is based on responses from around 20,000 adults each year, giving it one of the largest sample sizes of any gambling prevalence study in Britain. Despite its scale, the GSGB has attracted sustained criticism over its methodological approach, with claims of sampling bias levelled at the regulator repeatedly since the survey launched.…

The Betting and Gaming Council has backed the UK government’s DCMS consultation on gambling sponsorship while aligning with Entain’s calls for faster, more immediate action. The DCMS consultation, which runs until 9 September, is focused specifically on sports sponsorships and will inform the creation of a wider legislative framework before being presented to Parliament. Meaningful regulatory change is not expected until at least the end of the year, given the lengthy consultation and parliamentary process that must follow. Entain has urged sports and gambling stakeholders to act urgently rather than wait to be compelled by regulation, pushing the industry to…