Author: Andrew Fletcher

GamCare has issued a stark warning that this summer’s FIFA World Cup poses a significant risk of increasing gambling-related harm across the United Kingdom. The tournament kicks off on 11 June and runs through 19 July, with matches spread across host nations the United States, Canada and Mexico. This edition of the World Cup is the largest in history, featuring 48 competing nations rather than the previous field of 32, meaning more matches are available to bet on than ever before. GamCare pointed to the 2022 World Cup as a clear indicator of what could follow, noting that tournament led…

Finland’s regulated gambling market is generating significant industry interest, with the country’s National Police Board confirming that 50 licence applications have now been filed. The applications have been submitted ahead of the market’s scheduled launch on 1 July 2027, which will bring an end to the long-standing Veikkaus monopoly in the country. The National Police Board is currently serving as a temporary regulator until the new market officially opens, overseeing the entire licensing and application process in the interim. Licence applications first opened in March 2026, and analysts at the Global Markets Hub at NEXT Summit Valletta 2026 estimated around…

New Zealand has published its completed regulatory framework for online casino gambling, giving the industry its first clear picture of how the new licensed market will operate. The Online Casino Gambling Regulations 2026 were made by Order in Council on 2 June and are scheduled to come into force on 3 July this year. The regulations sit beneath the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 and establish the operating rules covering harm prevention, consumer protection, advertising, reporting, audits, fees and levies. The framework marks a significant departure from New Zealand’s long-standing position, as domestic operators have historically been unable to obtain…

DraftKings shares climbed 7.59% to $26.66 on June 9, 2026, following a strong update on the company’s growing prediction markets platform. The US sports betting operator revealed that annualised total volume traded on its predictions platform reached $3.1bn in May, a 34% increase month-on-month. Consumer volume on the predictions platform specifically hit $1.3bn on an annualised basis in May, representing a 24% month-on-month rise. The company attributed part of that growth to recent app improvements made ahead of the NBA Finals, which helped streamline access to its unified sports platform. These figures reinforce DraftKings’ broader ambition to construct a single…

GamScore is a new startup positioning itself as the first consumer-facing tool to give bettors full visibility over their own gambling health and spending. The company was founded by a team of industry veterans including racing veteran and chair Josh Apiafi, CEO Phill Adams, responsible gambling expert Mark Potter, and specialists in banking and technology. The product uses open banking data fed through an AI engine to produce a simple traffic light score, giving users a cross-operator view of their deposits, spending, and budgeting habits. The concept draws a direct parallel to ClearScore, the financial platform that gave consumers easy…

Wager Games has grown from a consumer-facing startup into a recognised B2B force within the North American sports betting and iGaming industry. Founded in 2020, the company was built by a trio of executives including CEO Kelson Quan, CTO Anuj Tomar, and a third co-founder identified as Levitt in company materials. The business originally launched as a B2C platform before pivoting its entire strategic focus toward serving operators and sportsbook providers directly. Today, Wager Games operates as a social sports betting software provider, supplying clients with content designed to boost engagement and long-term customer retention. Its products are built to…

France’s World Cup preparations have been disrupted by a fresh dispute over gambling advertising, with senior players raising objections to the use of their images by a licensed bookmaker. French sports daily l’Équipe reported this weekend that players including Kylian Mbappé and Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki are unhappy with how Betclic has used their likenesses in promotional material. The controversy centres on a “collective image rights package” that Betclic acquired in 2023, granting the operator the right to use images of French national team players. Tensions came to a head on Thursday, ahead of France’s 2-1 defeat to the Ivory…

Sportradar has signed a multi-year extension to its data and audiovisual betting rights agreement with the All England Club for Wimbledon. The deal entered Sportradar’s portfolio following its acquisition of IMG ARENA in 2025, giving the company exclusive global distribution rights for official Wimbledon data and live betting streams. The agreement covers both The Championships and the Qualifying Competition, meaning Sportradar holds a comprehensive grip on one of tennis’s most prestigious events. Sportradar confirmed the extension will support development of new betting products, including expanded micro-betting and player markets powered by real-time data and odds. The partnership further strengthens Sportradar’s…

1xBet has confirmed its participation in the Responsible Gaming Symposium, an industry forum organised by Nigerian non-profit Gamble Alert in Lagos. The event is scheduled for Thursday, 11 June at D’Podium International Event Centre in Ikeja, and is now entering its second edition. The symposium brings together state regulators, operators, public health specialists, mental health practitioners, gaming agents, affiliates, and researchers. Its core focus is advancing evidence-based player protection standards across African markets, with a programme built around four distinct themes. Those themes cover regulatory frameworks suited to local conditions, safety by design in product development, clinical responses to gambling…

SOFTSWISS, a global iGaming software provider with over 15 years of industry experience, has collected two major awards at separate international iGaming events. The company’s Game Aggregator was named Best Game Aggregator at the SiGMA Europe Awards 2026, adding another prestigious accolade to an already impressive year for the product. This SiGMA Europe win marks the fourth award the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator has received in 2026 alone, reflecting sustained industry confidence in the platform. The recognition follows the product’s Game Aggregator of the Year win at the SBC Awards Europe 2026, which took place just weeks prior to this latest…