Author: Andrew Fletcher

Ian Bradley, the newly appointed co-CEO of FIRST.Bet, has positioned artificial intelligence as the defining force separating future sportsbook platforms from their competitors. Bradley joined the company in June and now works alongside founder Tom Light, bringing significant executive experience from his previous role at DraftKings. Despite being with FIRST.Bet for only a matter of weeks, Bradley has already identified AI investment as a central pillar of the company’s development strategy going forward. He noted that AI’s potential in sports betting extends well beyond the more obvious applications such as modelling, pricing, and risk management. “AI is changing the whole…

The explosive growth of prediction markets has generated plenty of regulatory debate, but the more revealing story is actually about product design and user experience. Kalshi and Polymarket combined for nearly $45 billion in volume last month, a figure that demands serious attention from the broader iGaming industry. Much of their success stems from a deliberate borrowing of design language from fintech and retail investing rather than from traditional sportsbooks and bookmakers. Retail investing platforms have reshaped the digital expectations of millions of ordinary consumers through commission-free trading, live pricing, and portfolio management tools. Robinhood, for example, reported 27.4 million…

Alberta’s regulated iGaming market officially opens its doors on 13 July 2026, marking a significant milestone for one of Canada’s largest provinces. Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) has spent months laying groundwork for the launch, processing dozens of licence applications from operators across the industry. Of the 49 approved iGaming and sports betting operators, Super Group and Apollo Entertainment entities together account for just under a quarter of all licensed platforms, with 12 between them. When Alberta updated its register on 12 June, Super Group held six entries: Grizzly’s Quest, Jackpot City, Royal Vegas, Ruby Fortune, Spin Casino, and…

The Hundred cricket tournament will allow gambling logos on team shirts this season after multiple franchises failed to secure commercial partners in time. The England and Wales Cricket Board had previously opposed betting sponsorship because the tournament was designed for a family audience. That stance has now been softened under pressure from the eight competing teams, with the relaxation approved for a single year only. Three teams remained without front-of-shirt sponsors less than two weeks before the competition was due to begin, with others also close to missing out. The Hundred Board approved betting partnerships for 2026 subject to a…

A Las Vegas woman has pleaded guilty to bigamy and fraud after allegedly marrying 14 men she met online and collecting over $100,000 in cash from them. Jiaying Chen, 33, reportedly used a consistent playbook: marry quickly, claim a sick relative in China, collect a five-figure loan, and disappear before anyone asked questions. One man reportedly handed over $23,000 immediately after their wedding, while another gave around $30,000 after the pair discussed saving for a house together. Authorities say Chen lost more than $300,000 at Wynn Las Vegas over the past year, with police believing the money obtained from her…

Italy’s gambling regulator, the Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM), has added prediction market platform Polymarket back to its list of blocked websites. The ADM ordered internet service providers to block access to 293 unauthorised gambling websites as part of its ongoing crackdown on illegal online gaming. Polymarket.com is among the newly blocked domains, returning to Italy’s blacklist despite previously winning a favorable ruling before the Regional Administrative Court. Internet service providers have been instructed to complete the blocking process by July 27, 2026, under Article 102 of Decree-Law No. 104/2020. This is not the first time Polymarket has faced a…

Bragg Gaming Group has announced a second major round of layoffs in 2026, reducing its global workforce by a further 19% to drive cost efficiencies. The latest cuts are expected to deliver approximately €6 million in annualised cost savings for the struggling iGaming technology company. This follows an earlier round of redundancies in January, which targeted a 12% reduction in the company’s global headcount. Combined, the two restructuring efforts are estimated to generate annualised savings of €10.5 million, though Bragg has acknowledged related costs of around €0.6 million are now expected. CEO Matevž Mazij commented: “We believe that the steps…

Germany has increased the maximum stake limit for licensed online slot machines for the first time since regulating the market, with changes taking effect from 1 July 2026. The previous flat €1-per-spin limit has been replaced with a tiered system that takes into account factors including player age and gambling history. Gamblers under the age of 21 will remain subject to the existing €1 maximum stake, preserving stricter protections for younger players. Adults aged 21 and over can now wager up to €3 per spin under the new framework introduced by the Joint Gambling Authority of the Federal States (GGL).…

EveryMatrix has significantly deepened its relationship with the Merkur Group by agreeing a major new omnichannel sportsbook deal covering Belgium and Denmark. The agreement with Belgian operator Betcenter will see EveryMatrix replace the operator’s existing in-house sportsbook platform with its full technology stack. The deal covers both Betcenter’s online sportsbook and its extensive retail estate, with EveryMatrix also handling customer operations migration. A new front-end will be introduced as part of the agreement, designed to deliver a more seamless betting experience across all channels. Betcenter is one of Belgium’s leading sports betting operators, running more than 50 betting shops alongside…

UK Tote Group has strengthened its senior leadership structure by promoting Paddy Desmond to Chief Operating Officer and bringing in a new B2B Chief Commercial Officer. Eugene Delaney has joined the pool betting operator in the newly defined B2B CCO role, adding significant commercial experience to the group’s leadership bench. Delaney arrives with a strong industry background, having previously served as B2B Director at Spotlight Sports Group before taking on that position. He also held the role of Commercial Manager at Paddy Power earlier in his career, giving him broad experience across both media and bookmaking sectors. Desmond’s journey within…