Author: Charles Shephardson

Australia’s stunning 2-0 victory over Turkey in Group D has sent World Cup excitement surging across the country, with bookmaker betr reporting significant betting engagement. The result came as a genuine shock to many, given that Turkey had been considered dark horses heading into the tournament and Australia’s historically modest World Cup record. Australia have only ever won five games at the World Cup in their history, making this opening victory a genuinely significant moment for the Socceroos and their fans. Bill Richmond, Chief Operating Officer at betr, confirmed the scale of interest the tournament is generating for the Australian-focused…

Kambi’s Head of Soccer Danny Skelton has outlined how the unpredictable start to FIFA World Cup 2026 is creating major opportunities for the live sports betting industry. The opening group stage has already produced a series of stunning results, with Spain held to a 0-0 draw by Cape Verde and Belgium dropping points against Egypt. These outcomes have reinforced just how compelling and unpredictable the World Cup can be, capturing audiences and bettors across the globe in equal measure. For Kambi, that unpredictability presents both a challenge and a significant commercial opportunity, placing a premium on delivering a responsive and…

Entain is reportedly considering selling its stake in its Central and Eastern Europe business to joint venture partner EMMA Capital, according to Reuters. The potential sale would significantly affect major brands operating under the Entain CEE banner, including Croatian sportsbook SuperSport and Polish market leader STS. SuperSport formed the foundation of the joint venture when Entain purchased EMMA Capital’s 75% stake in the Croatian operator four years ago in 2022. STS was acquired by Entain in 2023, with EMMA Capital funding 25% of the PLN 24.80 per share takeover, which valued the Warsaw-based firm at around £750 million at the…

Ireland’s gambling industry has shown a significant improvement in its financial crime risk rating compared to the assessment carried out in 2018 and 2019. The earlier assessment rated gambling at medium risk for all types of criminal financing, with several categories left only partially evaluated at the time. The latest national risk assessment was presented on 18 June by Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris, alongside the Ministries of Finance and Justice. As with previous assessments, the review examined money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing risks across multiple sectors of the Irish economy. The Irish government divides gambling service providers…

Pascal Chevremont has been nominated by French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to lead the Autorité Nationale des Jeux, France’s National Gambling Authority. The veteran civil servant made his case for the presidency before a committee of the National Assembly on 17 June 2026, laying out a firm vision for the role. Chevremont has identified what he sees as deep-rooted contradictions running through French betting laws and regulations, and views stronger oversight as the only viable solution. “The gambling sector is rife with contradictions,” Chevremont told the committee during his confirmation hearing, setting a combative tone from the outset. He pointed…

Operation “Conto da Sorte” has been launched by Brazilian authorities in a sweeping cross-state crackdown on an alleged illegal gambling network. The Federal Revenue Service sanctioned the investigation, which involves three Public Prosecutor Offices and local police forces across the states of Pernambuco, São Paulo, and Ceará. Authorities have so far executed 14 search warrants across the three states, targeting six individuals and seven properties allegedly linked to a network of 37 companies. Those companies are accused of processing billions of reals through illicit gambling operations, raising serious concerns about the scale of financial crime in Brazil’s betting sector. Seizures…

Brazilian football icon Ronaldinho has been unveiled as a brand ambassador for casino games developer CreedRoomz, marking a major sports and iGaming crossover. The partnership coincides with the World Cup, with CreedRoomz using the global tournament’s momentum to push a new series of football-themed casino titles. CreedRoomz is owned by SoftConstruct, and the company has been building its profile within the live casino space through innovative game concepts and studio productions. Ronaldinho, a 2002 World Cup winner with Brazil, is one of the most recognisable footballers of his generation, making him a high-profile choice for this kind of campaign. The…

1win Partners has announced a major affiliate tournament running alongside the FIFA World Cup, with $100,000 in cash prizes up for grabs. The competition runs from June 11 through July 19, 2026, covering the full duration of the tournament and targeting peak iGaming traffic periods. The affiliate programme is inviting both active and new partners to compete for a share of the prize pool by driving as many first-time depositors as possible. To keep competition fair and structured, affiliates will be divided into two separate leaderboards based on their chosen payment model, either RS or CPA. Each leaderboard carries identical…

Soft2Bet chief product officer Yoel Zuckerberg argues the iGaming industry is undergoing a fundamental structural shift away from acquisition-led growth models. For years, affiliates, SEO, and paid media formed the backbone of how operators expanded into new markets and competed for player spend. Zuckerberg acknowledges these channels remain relevant but says their efficiency has declined significantly as acquisition costs rise across most digital channels. “SEO and affiliates have been foundational to iGaming growth for many years. They helped operators scale efficiently, especially in highly competitive markets. That reality hasn’t disappeared overnight,” he said. He identifies three structural forces reshaping the…

BoyleSports, Ireland’s largest private bookmaker, is once again actively seeking a buyer after years of failed attempts to complete a sale. Sources familiar with the process told NEXT.io that JP Morgan is the bank currently shopping the company around to potential suitors in the market. The sale process has reportedly been ongoing for several years, with at least one bid coming extremely close to completing before ultimately falling through. That near-miss involved an offer from a major regulated European operator that almost concluded a deal worth hundreds of millions of euros for BoyleSports’ retail and online operations. Names raised as…