Author: Andrew Fletcher

Stake has pushed back hard against rival operator Entain after the latter questioned the crypto gambling giant’s decision to hold a Curaçao licence. Entain’s general counsel Simon Zinger used Curaçao’s surprise appearance at the 2026 World Cup to raise scrutiny over operators licensed in the Caribbean island jurisdiction. Zinger argued the island’s status as a gambling hub should prompt closer examination of companies operating under its relatively light-touch regulatory framework. He suggested the tournament had exposed deeper questions about where Stake’s allegiances truly lie, claiming the company was effectively backing Curaçao over its home country of Australia. Stake responded by…

Unregulated gambling advertisements using Jude Bellingham’s name appear to share technical infrastructure with a major Premier League football sponsor, according to a new investigation. The ads, which surfaced on Meta-owned Instagram, falsely claimed the England and Real Madrid midfielder had launched a new betting app ahead of the World Cup. The fake promotion included an AI-generated BBC article describing the fictitious platform as “Britain’s most honest betting app,” alongside a range of generous sign-up bonuses. Entain’s PR director Simon Clare first drew wider attention to the campaign by posting about it on X, calling out Meta’s continued acceptance of advertising…

New research funded by the statutory levy reveals that existing safer gambling tools are structurally ill-equipped to support people harmed by someone else’s gambling behaviour. The Gambling Commission conducted the study by gathering testimony from 25 adults across Great Britain who had all experienced adverse effects from another person’s gambling within the past 12 months. A central finding is that affected others tend to recognise the damage being done to them only at a very late stage, often once harms have already escalated significantly. Interviews found that safer gambling tools are “encountered almost exclusively at crisis point by the affected…

DATA.BET, a B2B sportsbook solution supplier that originated as an esports-first company, has unveiled its first-year performance results for its sports betting vertical. The company launched the vertical twelve months ago and has now released a detailed breakdown of metrics drawn from data provided by newly acquired clients. The headline numbers point to sustained revenue momentum, with turnover up 30.7% quarter-on-quarter delivered consistently across all core commercial benchmarks. Betting activity accelerated significantly over the period, with the number of bets and stake volume rising 83.5% and combo bets increasing by an impressive 160.5%. Player base expansion accompanied this surge in…

CoinBox Studio has signed a new partnership agreement with Yggdrasil, joining both the YGG Masters program and the Game in a Box™ technology framework. The independent game development provider is known for creating easy-to-play, visually engaging casino games across slots, scratch cards, and lottery content. Through the agreement, CoinBox Studio will be able to accelerate development, streamline market entry, and bring its creative vision to more players and operators globally. The partnership also grants CoinBox Studio access to Yggdrasil’s extensive network of tier-one operators and brands, supporting its long-term growth ambitions. That access is expected to help the studio reach…

Flows SVP of Client Success and Growth Malou Neguembor says orchestration is no longer just a technical conversation — it is an operational one. Speaking in an interview with NEXT.io, Neguembor outlined the core challenge most operators face: not a shortage of technology, but an inability to make existing systems work together. For most clients arriving at Flows, the frustration centres on disconnected data sources, manual handoffs between teams, and processes that were built around limitations that no longer exist. Neguembor noted that operators frequently arrive asking to automate an existing process, only for the Client Success team to discover…

Entain has publicly criticised Easygo’s Stake operation over its base in Curaçao, escalating an ongoing war of words between the two gambling companies. The small Caribbean island nation has attracted unusual mainstream attention recently following its surprising performances at the 2026 World Cup, but the gambling industry has long been familiar with its significance. Curaçao has become a major hub for online gambling operators and suppliers, largely due to its attractive tax environment and relatively flexible regulatory framework. The jurisdiction offers a 0% tax on gross gaming revenue, with operators instead paying a 2% corporate income tax on net profits,…

Entain plc has agreed to sell a 20% stake in Entain CEE to joint venture partner EMMA Capital for approximately €425 million. The deal implies an enterprise value for Entain CEE of €2.1 billion, equivalent to £1.9 billion, representing approximately a 10x EBITDA multiple. The transaction is expected to complete in Q4 2026, with net proceeds of around £366 million earmarked to reduce the group’s outstanding debt. The consideration comprises €395 million payable at completion, with an additional payment in early 2027 based on fiscal 2026 financial performance. Upon completion, Entain’s shareholding in Entain CEE will decrease from 67.5% to…

Predictive intelligence company Ibex.ai has officially rebranded as Axom following a $2.4m funding commitment from existing investor Capricorn Group. The company specialises in predictive intelligence technology designed to help gambling operators identify player behaviours and forecast future outcomes through AI-powered decision-making. Axom’s platform is also built to optimise customer engagement, giving operators sharper tools for managing commercial performance across their player bases. The newly secured funding will support the next stage of the company’s growth strategy, with a particular focus on advancing towards a more autonomous product offering. Investment will also be directed at expanding technical capabilities across both Axom…

BetWarrior has come under fierce criticism after airing an advertisement featuring an AI-generated video of the late football icon Diego Maradona. The advert has reportedly been televised multiple times on Argentine broadcasts during hydration breaks in 2026 World Cup matches, drawing widespread condemnation. Some of Maradona’s eight children are said to have authorised the advertisement, with lawyer Fernando Burlando confirming it was approved by “the family”. However, not all family members agreed with the decision, with Jana, Diego Jr., and Diego Fernando among those who did not give their blessing to the campaign. In the advert, the AI-generated version of…