Author: Andrew Fletcher

The UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport has formally launched its consultation on illegal gambling in sports, marking a significant moment for British sports integrity. The consultation centres specifically on unlicensed gambling operators and their ability to enter into sponsorship agreements with sports clubs across Britain. DCMS first made its intention to ban unlicensed operators from sponsoring British sport public back in February 2026, signalling the direction of travel early in the year. Following that announcement, the department also engaged directly with the Premier League as part of its efforts to understand how such a ban could be implemented…

Infingame, a leading iGaming aggregator, has outlined how recommendation systems and real-time AI personalization are becoming central competitive tools for modern operators. The company says acquisition costs are rising, player behavior is growing less predictable, and retention cycles are shortening across mobile-first markets worldwide. Infingame argues that operators can no longer rely solely on historical reporting or static segmentation models to sustain meaningful player engagement over time. Instead, platforms are investing in systems that adapt the player experience in real time, serving personalized game recommendations and building dynamic lobbies around individual behavior. One of the biggest challenges operators face today…

Infingame, a leading aggregator in the iGaming industry, has revealed operational insights into player engagement behavior across sweepstakes platforms in 2026. The company identified which mechanics are currently generating the strongest retention, longest session duration, and highest repeat activity among modern sweepstakes audiences. According to Infingame, operators entering the sweepstakes space are discovering that traditional casino retention strategies do not automatically translate into successful sweepstakes ecosystems. The most effective platforms are instead built around progression-driven engagement, social-style competition, lightweight onboarding experiences, and highly dynamic promotional systems. “Sweepstakes players behave very differently from traditional casino audiences,” said Jana Filagina, head of…

DraftKings has expanded its poker offering to players across Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania following regulatory approval from the Michigan Gaming Control Board. The Michigan Gaming Control Board confirmed it has agreed to allow the multi-state poker product, with DraftKings’ own site also confirming the development. Players across all three participating states have already been able to access the shared-pool poker product since 8 July 2026. The approval was facilitated through DraftKings’ existing partnership in Michigan with the Bay Mills Indian Community, which has been central to the operator’s presence in the state. Henry Williams, the MGCB’s executive director, said:…

Malta has long served as Europe’s gold standard for online gaming regulation, built on decades of carefully constructed tax advantages that attracted operators from across the globe. The Mediterranean island’s appeal rested on three core pillars: a broad VAT exemption for betting and gaming, a flat 5% gaming tax on gross revenue, and an effective 5% corporate rate achieved through shareholder refunds. That foundation is now shifting significantly, as Legal Notice 86/2026 introduces sweeping changes to Maltese VAT and gaming tax taking effect on 1 October 2026. The Malta Tax and Customs Administration has published clarifying guidelines to support the…

Setanta Bet, a locally licensed online betting operator in Georgia, has integrated GR8_TECH’s GREAT_SPORTSBOOK iFrame solution as part of a new partnership. The Georgian operator forms part of the wider Setanta Sports ecosystem, giving it strong roots in one of the region’s most recognised sports media brands. The deal marks another significant step in GR8_TECH’s ongoing expansion across regulated markets around the world. As part of the agreement, Setanta Bet joins GR8_TECH’s Champions Club, an exclusive network of operators powered by the provider’s high-performance technology platform. Membership of the Champions Club gives Setanta Bet access to tools designed to accelerate…

Spain-based gaming operator CIRSA has acquired a majority stake in Paraguayan casino company Slots del Sol, marking its entry into a seventh Latin American market. Slots del Sol currently operates two casinos and two gaming halls across Paraguay, alongside an online casino offering through Slotsdelsolonline.com. CIRSA described the deal as fitting closely with its international diversification strategy and its broader push to strengthen its omnichannel presence in growing regulated markets. The acquisition adds Paraguay to a Latin American portfolio that already includes Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic. CIRSA executive chairman Joaquim Agut said: “This acquisition…

Denmark is moving toward stricter gambling advertising rules, with proposed legislation that would reshape how operators market their products during live sports coverage. The reforms, sponsored by Danish Minister of Taxation Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen, would introduce a whistle-to-whistle ban on gambling advertisements shown within 10 minutes before and after live sporting events. The deadline for implementing these restrictions is set for January 2027 at the latest, putting pressure on broadcasters, streaming platforms, and operators to prepare for significant changes. Television broadcasters and mainstream streaming services would be the primary targets of the ban, but betting operators running their own sports streams…

Richard Harris has been officially confirmed as the permanent chief executive of Rank Group following six months in the role on an interim basis. Harris had been serving as temporary CEO since 30 January 2026, stepping up after the retirement of former chief executive John O’Reilly. He originally joined the Rank executive board as chief financial officer in May 2022, bringing with him senior experience from outside the gambling sector. Before entering the gaming industry, Harris held senior positions at well-known British businesses including Marks and Spencer, Foxtons, and Laird. Rank informed investors through a regulatory news update on 13…

Bluepear’s founding team has opened up about the industry problem that drove them to build a dedicated brand protection and search monitoring platform for iGaming operators. Industry research suggests that brands lose around 17% of affiliate commissions to various forms of fraud and non-compliant activity every single year. For large iGaming operators, that figure can translate into tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars disappearing from budgets every month. The challenge is that affiliate marketing losses rarely present themselves as losses in standard reporting dashboards used by compliance teams. A player registers, an FTD is recorded, the affiliate collects…