Author: Andrew Fletcher

Bulgaria has put forward a significant reform to its Gambling Act that would cap the net fees payment facilitators can retain from gambling transactions at 1.5%. The proposed rule targets banks, payment institutions, and e-money companies that process gambling-related payments within the country’s financial infrastructure. Under the draft provisions, any fees, commissions, or other forms of remuneration charged above the 1.5% threshold would be redirected directly into the state budget. The measure applies specifically to two categories of gambling-related payments: deposits made by players and payouts of winnings processed by financial providers. Analysts have noted this represents a novel fiscal…

The market has responded with clear enthusiasm to the proposed merger between Italy’s Lottomatica Group and Spain-based CIRSA Enterprises since it was first revealed. On 2 September, Lottomatica formally informed the Borsa Milan of its intention to combine with CIRSA through an all-share transaction that analysts have widely welcomed. Analysts have placed CIRSA’s implied value somewhere between €2.8bn and €3bn, reflecting the significant scale of what is being described as a landmark European gaming consolidation. The combined entity is expected to become “global gambling’s second-largest listed betting and gaming operator” behind Flutter Entertainment, positioning it as a major force in…

Flutter Entertainment has opened its Cash4Clubs initiative to grassroots sports clubs across the UK, offering a share of £500,000 in community funding. Applications for the 2026 programme open on October 1, with clubs and eligible sports charities given until January 1 to submit their bids through the Cash4Clubs website. Former England captain Alan Shearer and ex-Liverpool and Scotland defender Graeme Souness are fronting this year’s campaign, which is delivered in partnership with the charity Sported. A total of 225 clubs will receive £2,000 grants, while five organisations will receive larger awards of £10,000 each from the overall funding pool. Clubs…

The Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (Ygam) has declared its inaugural Prevention Delivery Network meeting a notable success following the event’s completion. The gathering brought together organisations commissioned through the Gambling Harms Prevention and Resilience Fund, managed by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID). This funding was awarded under the UK’s new statutory levy system, with the allocations confirmed earlier in April of this year. The statutory levy represents a significant policy shift, moving the UK away from a voluntary model of industry contributions toward a mandatory system imposed directly on gambling operators. Under the new framework,…

Gaming1, the Belgian betting and gaming firm based in Liège, has agreed to acquire Pac-Man NV, the holding company behind Carousel Group, for an undisclosed sum. The deal sees Gaming1 take full ownership of 100% of Pac-Man NV’s shares, bringing Carousel Group firmly into its expanding portfolio of digital casino operations. The acquisition builds on a long-running partnership between Gaming1 and Carousel Group that stretches back to 2012, making the deal a natural progression of an established commercial relationship. Once completed, Gaming1 will gain Pac-Man NV’s licence and digital operations in Belgium, significantly expanding its reach within the country’s online…

Manchester City’s relegation odds for the 2026/27 Premier League season have been dramatically cut following the club’s guilty verdicts on charges that have gripped English football. Betfair slashed Manchester City’s price to be relegated from 11/1 down to 9/2, now giving the club an 18% chance of dropping into the Championship according to Betfair Predicts. The shift in odds reflects the enormous uncertainty now surrounding the club’s immediate future in the top flight of English football. Manchester City had started the 2026/27 season in strong form, sitting unbeaten and top of the Premier League before the verdicts landed and changed…

Fast Track has released a native iPhone application for its Fast Track AI platform, making it available now through the Apple App Store. The new app extends Fast Track AI capabilities beyond desktop environments, allowing users to stay connected to their business operations from wherever they happen to be working. Fast Track AI has seen strong adoption since its launch in 2025, and this native release builds on that momentum by deepening the platform’s accessibility across devices. Going fully native means the experience is designed to feel at home on a phone rather than simply mirroring the desktop product, delivering…

Voltplay has officially announced it will showcase its brand-new crash game, WTF: What’s That Flying?, at SBC Summit 2026 in Lisbon. The game blends classic crash mechanics with a comedic UFO theme, placing players in control of a flying saucer navigating New York City during Independence Day celebrations. As the multiplier climbs with every passing second, players must decide when to cash out before a firework, street hazard, or unexpected obstacle ends their alien heist in disaster. The tension-driven format demands a decision every single second, forcing players to weigh an early safe exit against the temptation of chasing a…

B1 CEO Alex Iaroshenko has outlined the company’s growing shift toward building its own products, marking a significant departure from its origins as a sales house. Speaking ahead of SBC Lisbon, Iaroshenko explained that B1’s evolving portfolio reflects a broader transformation in how the company thinks about its business and future opportunities. “We started as a sales house, but today we’re becoming a much more product-driven company, increasingly focused on building and developing our own solutions,” he said. B1 currently has three games in its portfolio, with the company confirming that further titles are in development and set to follow…

Building on their 2026 FIFA World Cup collaboration, Mindway AI and DraftKings are expanding their responsible engagement partnership with a new American football-themed tool. Mindway AI, a neuroscience-based responsible gaming company and part of Better Collective, officially announced the launch of Gamalyze American Football for DraftKings customers. The tool is a custom-built, gamified responsible engagement experience designed specifically for American football fans ahead of the upcoming NFL season. The partnership between the two companies first took shape in January 2026, when DraftKings integrated Mindway AI’s flagship self-assessment tool, Gamalyze Casino, into DraftKings’ My Budget and Controls feature. DraftKings became the…