Author: Andrew Fletcher

Belarus is preparing a sweeping crackdown on gambling advertising, with a draft law that would eliminate most online promotion of casinos, betting, and gambling products. The proposal has been put forward by Belarus’ Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade and is currently awaiting formal government approval before it can become law. The draft law covers a wide range of gambling categories, including lotteries, interactive electronic games, promotional games, and virtual gambling establishments, with only limited exceptions permitted. Alongside the internet advertising restrictions, the draft law also prohibits gambling and lottery advertising on means of transportation, broadening the scope of the…

GiG Software has announced it will acquire an 80% shareholding in 888Africa from an evoke plc subsidiary for a total consideration of €16.4 million. The deal marks a significant strategic shift for GiG Software, which has operated exclusively as a B2B platform provider since its spinoff in 2023. The €16.4 million price tag is structured as an initial payment of €6 million, followed by a deferred consideration of €10.4 million payable at a later stage. GiG Software will purchase the 80% shareholding specifically from Virtual Emerging Entertainment Limited, which is a subsidiary of evoke plc. The remaining 20% of shares…

Altenar has announced it will actively oppose any attempt by Sportradar to move an ongoing data rights lawsuit away from US jurisdiction. The sportsbook technology provider confirmed to SBC that it intends to block all efforts to relocate the case from the US District Court for the District of New Jersey. Sportradar, the Nasdaq-listed sports technology group, is reportedly attempting to force private arbitration in Zurich to settle the dispute outside American courts. The conflict centres on data rights and controls tied to US professional sports leagues, making the New Jersey federal court a highly relevant venue for the proceedings.…

Polish bookmakers are set to face a new wave of consumer policy assessments led by the Office of Competition and Consumer Protections, known as UOKiK. The government-announced reviews will affect seven local market operators: STS, Fortuna, Superbet, Bukmachers, E-toto Bukmachers, LV Bet, and Totalbets. Authorities have confirmed these are routine checks and not a response to any signals raised about potential breaches of operator obligations. A central focus of the assessments will be the identification of so-called “dark patterns,” which are practices designed to manipulate consumer behaviour through user interface design, messaging, or player incentives. Regulators will examine bookmaker activity…

In the 19th century, British Prime Minister Lord Palmerston championed the legalisation of the Limited Liability Company, defying fierce resistance from Parliament, the Palace, and the Church. That bold financial innovation is now being invoked by a modern-day executive who believes prediction markets are standing at a similarly defining crossroads in their history. Dimitrios Psarrakis, Chief Executive Officer of ADI Predictstreet, has drawn a direct parallel between Palmerston’s push and the current regulatory battle facing prediction markets worldwide. ADI Predictstreet holds the distinction of being an official partner of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a landmark deal that thrust the…

Nottingham Forest has partnered with Ireland-headquartered bookmaker BOYLE Sports, making the operator an official betting partner of the club. The deal represents another example of a Premier League side securing a commercial arrangement with a gambling firm despite tightening restrictions on shirt sponsorship. BOYLE Sports re-established its Premier League presence just a month ago when it became Leeds United’s official betting partner across the UK and Ireland. The bookmaker previously served as front-of-shirt sponsor for West Ham United during the 2025/26 Premier League season, and continues to hold that arrangement with the club. West Ham’s relegation to the Championship has…

SS Lazio has secured a new commercial partner after being forced to abandon its high-profile arrangement with prediction markets platform Polymarket earlier this season. The Serie A club has penned a two-season agreement with Kaiyun Sports, an Asia-focused betting and gaming company, to replace the partnership that fell apart under regulatory scrutiny. The new deal sees the kaiyunsports.news logo placed on the sleeve of SS Lazio’s men’s first team jersey during official Serie A matches for the 2026/27 and 2027/28 seasons. Polymarket’s sponsorship arrangement with Lazio was declared illegal gambling by the ADM, Italy’s Customs and Monopolies Agency, forcing both…

Bulgaria has introduced a formal licensing regime for gambling affiliates operating within its borders, marking a significant regulatory shift for the industry. The new framework has been active since 1 August 2026, requiring all gambling affiliates conducting business in Bulgaria to hold an active licence. Affiliates that were already in commercial partnerships when the framework launched were granted a short transition period, with a deadline of 15 August 2026 to submit their licence applications. The licence application process is detailed, requiring affiliates to provide a full description of their web pages, mobile app offerings, connected social media pages, and related…

Midnite has hired former FanDuel executive Dale Tang as its General Manager in Canada, signalling a major push into the North American market. Tang brings considerable experience to the role, having spent five years at FanDuel across a series of increasingly senior commercial positions in Canada. He first joined FanDuel as director of its Canadian commercial arm, where he was directly responsible for leading the operator’s entry into the country. His most recent position at FanDuel was Senior Director of Canada Commercial, Analytics and Retention, a role he held for seven months before making the move to Midnite. Before his…

Scottish Borders Council’s official government website was temporarily hijacked to display advertisements directing visitors toward illegal gambling websites. The BBC reported on the incident, revealing that the council’s website had been showing the unauthorised gambling ads due to an outdated backlog system. The exploitation of government websites for illegal gambling advertising is a serious concern for regulators and authorities across the United Kingdom. Government websites carry an implicit level of trust with the public, making them particularly attractive targets for bad actors seeking to distribute unlicensed gambling content. An outdated backlog system was identified as the technical vulnerability that allowed…