Author: Charles Shephardson

Sunbet and BetPawa are making significant moves across the African continent, targeting fresh markets as local operators grow in ambition and scale. The African gaming industry has experienced a notably active period recently, with both local and international companies pursuing new opportunities across the region. International firms have taken a strong interest in Africa, recognising its potential as a major growth frontier for the global gambling industry. Super Group, Kaizen Gaming, and Virgin Bet are among the prominent international names that have been eyeing African markets for potential expansion. While global operators circle the continent, homegrown companies like Sunbet and…

Blueprint Gaming has reinforced its long-term partnership with bet365 through a major new open account offer featuring some of the supplier’s most recognisable slot titles. Eligible bet365 customers can now access free spins across four of Blueprint’s standout releases upon signup, including Fishin’ Frenzy: Lure Em’ In and King Kong Splash. The four featured titles also include Fishin’ Frenzy: Big Catch Gold Spins and Triple Action Cash Strike, representing some of Blueprint’s most consistent performers across regulated markets. The collaboration highlights the enduring strength of the relationship between the two companies, as well as the continued popularity of Blueprint’s flagship…

Sports betting companies are increasingly eyeing market-making as a natural extension of their existing financial modelling and risk management capabilities. The prediction markets space has blurred the lines between traditional wagering and financial trading, creating fresh opportunities for established bookmaking operators worldwide. Unlike traditional sportsbooks, prediction markets are categorised as derivative exchanges, meaning they rely partly on market-making to ensure liquidity between buyers and sellers. Earlier prediction products like Betfair struggled significantly due to a lack of liquidity, a problem that bookmakers believe their existing infrastructure can help solve. On DraftKings’ Q1 earnings call, CEO Jason Robins said his company…

DragonBet has secured a locally focused partnership deal in Wales, marking a significant move into regional rugby as betting brands continue exploring new sponsorship channels. The Welsh betting operator’s latest agreement reflects a broader industry shift away from traditional front-of-shirt arrangements toward deeper, community-rooted associations with sport. Meanwhile, the anticipated partnership between Betway and Manchester United continues to build momentum, with the deal described as one to watch in the coming weeks. Industry observers are treating the potential Betway and Manchester United agreement as a significant marker for how Premier League clubs will approach commercial deals following the incoming front-of-shirt…

Per Widerström, Chief Executive Officer of Evoke plc, is facing mounting internal pressure over the company’s performance and could resign from his role, sources close to the matter have told GamblingNews.uk. The development comes as the William Hill and 888 parent company grapples with a deepening financial crisis and an increasingly sceptical investor base. Widerström has been at the helm of the Gibraltar-headquartered gambling group since October 2023, appointed following an extensive search process by the board, with the company at that point still operating as 888 Holdings. He arrived with credentials that looked strong on paper. He had previously…

Two of the most significant iGaming regulatory developments currently awaiting resolution sit at opposite ends of the policy spectrum but are arriving simultaneously, illustrating how divided American lawmakers remain on the question of whether online gambling should be legalised and regulated or simply prohibited with increasing force. Louisiana House Bill 53 is arguably the most extreme anti-sweepstakes measure enacted anywhere in the United States to date. The bill passed the state House by 86-11 and cleared the Senate 27-9 before being enrolled and sent to Governor Jeff Landry, who has ten days to act before it becomes law automatically. The…

Genius Sports (NYSE: GENI) has finalised its acquisition of Legend, the global digital sports and gaming media network, completing a 1.2 billion dollar deal that positions the London-based, NYSE-listed data company as the only business in the world operating simultaneously across official sports data, media, and advertising at scale. The deal, first announced in February 2026, closed this week ahead of the company’s earnings call scheduled for Thursday. The transaction structure involved 900 million dollars paid at closing, comprising 800 million in cash and 100 million in stock, with an additional earn-out of up to 300 million dollars spread across…

India’s government has brought into force a comprehensive new regulatory framework for online gaming, with the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025 and its accompanying Regulation of Online Gambling Rules 2026 both taking effect on May 1. The framework establishes a centralised regulatory body, the Online Gaming Authority, and creates a formal classification system designed to separate permissible social and skill-based games from prohibited online money games. The introduction of the rules comes less than a year after India enacted a broad ban on real-money online gambling in August 2025, making this one of the most dramatic regulatory…

Brazil’s regulated online gambling industry, which only opened to licensed operators on January 1, 2025, faces an existential political threat after the legislative caucus of President Lula da Silva’s own Workers’ Party formally introduced a bill to repeal the entire legal framework and criminalise the operation of digital betting platforms across the country. Bill PL-1808/2026, submitted by PT deputy Pedro Uczai and backed by 68 members of the governing party, would repeal all laws and provisions governing online betting introduced under the Bets Law — the regulatory regime that launched Brazil’s licensed market last year — and would mandate internet…

The rise of prediction market platforms including Kalshi and Polymarket is triggering a fundamental restructuring of valuations across the US online gaming sector, with sports betting giants DraftKings and Flutter Entertainment losing significant market capitalisation as investors price in the threat of cannibalisation while iGaming-focused operators command a growing premium for their insulation from the disruption. DraftKings has already launched its own prediction market product, DraftKings Predictions, which is available across 38 states and offers event contracts on sports, economic indicators, and global benchmarks through a partnership with CME Group. CEO Jason Robins described prediction markets as the most exciting…