Author: Andrew Fletcher

Industry sources suggest Vicky Foxcroft MP is considered a frontrunner to take on the UK government’s gambling brief, with a final decision expected this week. The MP for Lewisham North was among six junior ministers named for roles at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport during the latest reshuffle, alongside current gambling minister Baroness Fiona Twycross. The actual portfolio assignments for each minister of state and parliamentary under-secretary position have not yet been formally announced, a situation understood to be common across government departments following reshuffles. The news arrives during a turbulent period for the gambling sector, which has…

SOFTSWISS has marked its 17th anniversary by hosting two Formula 4 Racing Experience events at Tor Poznań, one for employees and one for company partners. Participants at both events had the opportunity to drive a genuine F4 racing car under professional supervision throughout the day. The programme kicked off with technical driver briefings and track familiarisation sessions before racing instructors guided drivers through multiple laps on the circuit. Teams also competed in additional challenges alongside the main driving sessions, including a blind driving test, a precision driving exercise, and a reaction test. These supplementary activities added a collaborative team element…

BetMGM LLC has released its Q2 and first-half 2026 performance update, revealing that full-year guidance will land towards the lower end of existing ranges. The joint venture, owned by MGM Resorts International and Entain plc, reported iGaming Net Revenue of $483 million for Q2, representing an 8% year-on-year increase. Online Sports Net Revenue came in at $228 million for the quarter, which was flat compared to the same period in the previous year. Both Net Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA for the full year are now expected to track towards the lower end of the company’s previously communicated guidance ranges. CEO…

Lottomatica has reaffirmed its position as one of Italy’s leading betting operators, citing a clear pattern of sustained commercial and operational growth across its business. The Italian gambling giant has pointed to what it describes as “consistency in growth” as a defining characteristic of its recent performance in the highly competitive domestic market. Italy remains one of the largest regulated gambling markets in Europe, making Lottomatica’s continued strong standing there a significant achievement for the company. The operator has long been a dominant force in Italian betting, with a broad portfolio spanning retail, online casino, and sports wagering products that…

Reading FC has announced a record front-of-shirt sponsorship deal with Mr Vegas, signalling the club’s ambition to grow its commercial value heading into the 2026/27 season. The agreement places responsible gambling at the heart of all commercial activations, with player safety reminders and support tools for at-risk customers central to the partnership’s public-facing output. The timing of the deal is significant, given that front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships will be banned from the Premier League from next season onwards. Reading FC competes in Football League One, meaning the club remains unaffected by the top-flight restriction and free to pursue such deals with…

Coral has been announced as Birmingham City FC’s new principal partner, marking a historic first front-of-shirt sponsorship deal in the betting brand’s century-long history. The Entain-owned bookmaker had already served as Birmingham City’s official betting partner for two seasons prior to this expanded agreement taking effect. Coral’s logo will now feature on the men’s and women’s home, away, and third kits throughout the 2026/27 season, representing a landmark moment for the brand. The Championship club is widely tipped to challenge for promotion during the coming campaign, as they look to end a 15-year absence from the Premier League. Birmingham City…

Norway continues to expand one of Europe’s toughest anti-gambling enforcement systems, blocking dozens of unlicensed betting and casino platforms through internet providers. The Norwegian Gambling Authority, known locally as Lotteritilsynet, now relies on DNS blocking to cut off offshore operators targeting Norwegian players without a license. The system works by ordering internet service providers to redirect users away from blacklisted domains. Anyone trying to reach a blocked site lands instead on an informational page explaining why the platform is illegal in Norway. Lotteritilsynet issued its first blocking order in April 2025, targeting 57 websites tied to 23 companies. The regulator…

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…