Author: Charles Shephardson

The UK Gambling Commission has firmly rejected suggestions it failed to properly engage with the racing industry over the planned rollout of financial risk assessments (FRAs). Acting UKGC CEO Sarah Gardner responded to concerns raised by Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, who wrote seeking clarity on the decision. Dinenage expressed concern that there “may be no representation from the racing industry” within the implementation groups being formed over the summer to support the rollout of FRAs. Gardner pushed back strongly, stating that stakeholders across the gambling industry were consulted during the process of…

Atlaslive has entered a strategic partnership with FIRST.bet, integrating the sportsbook provider’s technology directly into its platform ecosystem for operators. The agreement builds on Atlaslive’s ongoing strategy of equipping its platform environment with sportsbook technology built specifically for regulated market demands. FIRST.bet was founded by former SBTech leaders and operates as a fully managed, high-performance sportsbook engineered for speed, scale, and precision across LatAm, Europe, and Africa. The company holds licences from the Malta Gaming Authority and the Swedish Gambling Authority, and is also GLI-33 certified and ISO-audited, underlining its compliance credentials. FIRST.bet’s recent industry recognition is extensive, having been…

HMRC has directly contacted several UK prize draw businesses to clarify the correct VAT treatment of their paid ticket entries. B2B prize draw platform DrawHouse confirmed the outreach, stating that HMRC has raised questions over both future and historic VAT treatment of operators in the sector. The increased scrutiny follows a Parliamentary Question earlier in 2026, during which the UK Treasury confirmed HMRC’s position on the matter. The Treasury confirmed that paid entries into prize draws operating under the DCMS Voluntary Code are subject to VAT at the standard rate. Tax advisors, however, continue to argue that existing legislation does…

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has signed Senate Bill 2749 into law, significantly expanding the state’s approach to addressing gambling-related harm. The legislation amends the Substance Use Disorder Act to more fully integrate gambling disorders into Illinois’ broader public health framework. Key provisions include expanding prevention and education initiatives, alongside improving support services for residents experiencing gambling-related harm. The Illinois Department of Human Services will now collaborate with the State Board of Education to develop gambling disorder prevention and awareness resources for schools. The Department of Human Services will also support programmes designed to help parents speak openly with their children…

Star Entertainment Group has reported a significantly reduced EBITDA loss for Q4 FY26, as cost-cutting measures helped offset continued weakness at its Sydney casino. For the three months to the end of June, Star posted reported revenue of A$265m, broadly in line with the previous year’s comparable period. The operator’s EBITDA loss narrowed from A$27m to A$8m, marking a notable improvement despite persistent trading difficulties at its flagship Sydney venue. Star described trading levels at its Sydney casino as sitting at “historical lows,” a situation driven largely by the introduction of mandatory carded play and A$5,000 daily cash limits. Those…

The Gambling Commission has clarified its position after GamblingNews.uk asked whether operators are permitted to trigger financial and mental health checks specifically once a customer requests to withdraw winnings, rather than earlier in the customer relationship. A Gambling Commission spokesperson has told GamblingNews.uk that additional checks on withdrawal requests can be legitimate in certain circumstances, particularly where anti money laundering concerns arise. However, the regulator draws a clear line on timing. “There can be legitimate reasons why some withdrawal requests require additional checks, such as Anti Money Laundering checks,” the spokesperson told GamblingNews.uk. “But we are clear that operators that…

Lottoland employees based at the company’s Gibraltar head office are currently being consulted on a proposed round of redundancies affecting the site. Nigel Birrell, group CEO, confirmed the development, describing the process as a proposed “organisational restructure.” The potential job cuts have been linked to what the company calls “significant regulatory and commercial developments” that are having a “material impact on the company’s profitability.” No timeline has been established for when the consultation process is expected to conclude, leaving staff in a state of uncertainty. Lottoland operates offices across multiple locations worldwide, but its primary markets are concentrated in Europe,…

The Campaign for Fairer Gambling has published a new paper urging New Jersey lawmakers to ban online micro-betting, calling it an “urgent public health threat.” The paper, titled Why New Jersey Must Ban Online Microbetting, argues that compressed betting cycles strip away reflection time and encourage repeated staking during a single match. The CFG draws a clear distinction between micro-bets and broader in-play wagers that are tied to a match’s eventual result. The Lancet Public Health Commission in 2024 classed micro-betting among the highest-risk sports betting formats, citing its near-instantaneous resolution as a key concern. A 2023 Journal of Behavioral…

The accumulator has defined modern sports betting for decades, offering punters the chance to turn small stakes into massive returns across multiple events. Despite their enduring popularity, accumulators have faced remarkably little competitive pressure since they were first introduced, remaining largely unchanged in structure and concept. That could now be changing, as prediction markets rapidly evolve beyond single-event contracts into multi-event trading products that bear a striking resemblance to the parlay format. Prediction markets have surged in popularity since 2024, initially driven by a large US audience in markets where traditional legal sports betting remains only partially available. Multi-event trading…

Bragg Gaming has a new chair in Matt Davey, the Tekkorp Capital figurehead who believes the market has fundamentally misjudged the Slovenian B2B supplier’s potential. Davey’s firm Tekkorp Capital now owns 10.09% of Bragg following its all-stock acquisition of US B2B business Drayton International, making him a significant force in the company’s direction. Speaking from his ranch in Montana, the Darwin-trained electrical engineer argued that Bragg’s technology and product offering are of very high quality, despite persistent negative market sentiment. Bragg has endured 11 consecutive quarters of losses, and a 2024 strategic review aimed at improving the company’s low share…