Author: Andrew Fletcher

Tonybet has been granted an iGaming licence by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission, clearing the operator to compete in Alberta’s newly regulated online market. The licence adds Alberta to Tonybet’s existing Canadian presence, with the company already holding active licences in Ontario and Kahnawake. Alberta becomes Canada’s second province to introduce a competitive, multi-operator iGaming framework, following Ontario’s landmark launch back in 2022. The province presents a substantial commercial opportunity, with an estimated population of nearly 5 million people and a well-established sports culture driving strong demand. Alberta’s regulatory model is designed to redirect existing online gaming activity…

Alberta’s online sports betting and iGaming market officially opened on 13 July 2026, with Kaizen Gaming’s Betano brand earning a last-minute addition to the list of licensed platforms. A late update to the registrant list confirmed that Betano is authorised to operate in the newly regulated jurisdiction from day one of the market opening. Betano is already a major player in Brazil and Portugal, but had not made a significant impact in North America until receiving its Ontario licence in late 2022. Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) had been working through dozens of applications from operators and suppliers since…

Gibraltar has made global regulatory history by launching the world’s first standalone framework designed exclusively for the prediction markets sector. The new rules, known as the Prediction Market Regulations 2026, came into force on July 13, 2026, carving out prediction market operators from elements of the Gambling Act 2025. Rather than folding predictions activity into its existing gambling framework, Gibraltar has chosen to treat the sector as its own distinct category requiring dedicated oversight. A standalone supervisory authority will oversee the framework, fulfilling a role comparable to that of the Gambling Commissioner who oversees Gibraltar’s regulated gambling market. Gibraltar has…

Playtech shares surged close to 18% on July 9, 2026, following a trading update confirming the business is significantly exceeding analyst expectations for H1. The supplier’s trading update estimates its adjusted EBITDA for H1 will land at over €155m, with full-year guidance set at a minimum of €270m. That full-year figure would represent a 37% year-on-year increase, surpassing Peel Hunt’s previous upper range forecast for the period by €45m. Analysts at Peel Hunt, Ivor Jones and Douglas Jack, attributed the 20% over-performance to Playtech’s “strong foundations” and flagged significant remaining upside for investors. Before the update was published, Playtech closed…

NetWin.it, the regulated Italian online casino and sports betting operator, has chosen Fast Track’s CRM, Rewards and Greco suite to drive its player engagement strategy. The partnership brings all three Fast Track products together in a single deployment, deepening the technology company’s footprint in the competitive Italian market. NetWin is part of RB Holding, a gaming group with more than 70 years of industry experience, and holds an ADM licence covering online casino and sportsbook products. The operator’s catalogue spans slots, live casino, sports betting and Italian card games, giving it broad appeal across the regulated Italian player base. By…

Carl Icahn is reportedly preparing a fresh takeover bid for Caesars Entertainment, threatening to upend an already agreed deal worth billions. According to a Bloomberg report, Jefferies Financial Group has been gauging investor interest in roughly $5 billion of debt financing to support a possible Icahn acquisition offer. The move arrives at a critical moment, as Caesars has already struck an all-cash agreement to sell to Fertitta Entertainment in a transaction valued at approximately $17.6 billion including assumed debt. Under the existing Fertitta deal, Caesars shareholders would receive $31 per share, but Icahn’s rumoured offer is said to value the…

Ian Bradley, the newly appointed co-CEO of FIRST.Bet, has positioned artificial intelligence as the defining force separating future sportsbook platforms from their competitors. Bradley joined the company in June and now works alongside founder Tom Light, bringing significant executive experience from his previous role at DraftKings. Despite being with FIRST.Bet for only a matter of weeks, Bradley has already identified AI investment as a central pillar of the company’s development strategy going forward. He noted that AI’s potential in sports betting extends well beyond the more obvious applications such as modelling, pricing, and risk management. “AI is changing the whole…

The explosive growth of prediction markets has generated plenty of regulatory debate, but the more revealing story is actually about product design and user experience. Kalshi and Polymarket combined for nearly $45 billion in volume last month, a figure that demands serious attention from the broader iGaming industry. Much of their success stems from a deliberate borrowing of design language from fintech and retail investing rather than from traditional sportsbooks and bookmakers. Retail investing platforms have reshaped the digital expectations of millions of ordinary consumers through commission-free trading, live pricing, and portfolio management tools. Robinhood, for example, reported 27.4 million…

Alberta’s regulated iGaming market officially opens its doors on 13 July 2026, marking a significant milestone for one of Canada’s largest provinces. Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) has spent months laying groundwork for the launch, processing dozens of licence applications from operators across the industry. Of the 49 approved iGaming and sports betting operators, Super Group and Apollo Entertainment entities together account for just under a quarter of all licensed platforms, with 12 between them. When Alberta updated its register on 12 June, Super Group held six entries: Grizzly’s Quest, Jackpot City, Royal Vegas, Ruby Fortune, Spin Casino, and…

The Hundred cricket tournament will allow gambling logos on team shirts this season after multiple franchises failed to secure commercial partners in time. The England and Wales Cricket Board had previously opposed betting sponsorship because the tournament was designed for a family audience. That stance has now been softened under pressure from the eight competing teams, with the relaxation approved for a single year only. Three teams remained without front-of-shirt sponsors less than two weeks before the competition was due to begin, with others also close to missing out. The Hundred Board approved betting partnerships for 2026 subject to a…