Author: Charles Shephardson
Charles Shephardson
Charles Shephardson is passionate about tech and iGaming. His work mainly covers the latest developments in the iGaming and blockchain space, with a focus on news stories, reviews and guides.
Allwyn UK has launched Powerball in the United Kingdom, marking the first time the iconic American lottery game has been made available outside the United States. The company is selling £4 Powerball tickets through the National Lottery’s retail network, website, and app, subject to final regulatory approval. UK players became eligible to enter the first draw on 23 July, linking them directly to the same jackpot available to American participants. The expansion was first announced in April through an agreement between the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) and Allwyn UK, formalising the international partnership. This marks the first time a non-US…
Latin America has emerged as a frontrunner in artificial intelligence adoption for player safety, according to a new industry report. SBC and 1xBet have collaborated on a series of International Player Safety Index Reports examining AI deployment across key global jurisdictions. 1xCare Advisory Committee Member Quirino Mancini provides the analysis in the conclusion of a two-part special focused on LatAm, Africa, and Europe. The report labels Latin America as “positioned as the global leader in AI adoption for player safety,” a notable distinction in a rapidly evolving global landscape. Mancini attributes this to the open-minded nature of regulators across the…
Allwyn, the operator behind the UK National Lottery, has made digital transformation a central pillar of its broader business strategy heading into 2026. The company launched a dedicated Digital department as recently as 2025, signalling its intent to build a more structured and scalable approach to online gambling products. Kresimir Spajic, Chief Executive Officer of Allwyn Digital, has spoken publicly about the group’s ambitions, offering a preview of what he plans to discuss at SBC Summit Lisbon this September. Spajic described the purpose of Allwyn Digital as bringing together technology, data, product, iGaming and sportsbook capabilities into a more connected…
ADI Predictstreet and FIRST.bet have announced a strategic partnership aimed at expanding regulated prediction markets across Latin America. The deal combines ADI Predictstreet’s proprietary prediction market infrastructure with FIRST.bet’s established B2B sportsbook platform and regional operator network. FIRST.bet operates across Latin America, Europe, and Africa, bringing regulated market distribution, localisation, and trading expertise to the arrangement. The partnership effectively broadens FIRST.bet’s B2B offering beyond its core sportsbook product to include prediction markets, one of the fastest-growing categories in fan engagement. ADI Predictstreet holds the status of Official Prediction Market Partner of the FIFA World Cup 2026, giving the collaboration a…
Spain’s narrow 1-0 extra-time victory over Lionel Messi’s Argentina brought a difficult 2026 World Cup to a close for British bookmakers. The final ended goalless after 90 minutes, providing crucial late relief for operators who had endured a punter-friendly tournament throughout. Argentina failed to register a single shot on target until extra time, making the match one of the most forgettable finals in World Cup history. Odds comparison site Oddschecker described the 2026 competition as “a bit of a bloodbath” for operators, with popular selections repeatedly delivering for punters. Eventual winners Spain were the fourth most popular outright selection on…
The eighth edition of Harmony, rebranded as Harmony Predictstreet by BetConstruct AI, took place on July 8 and 9, 2026 in Yerevan, Armenia. Over 300 guests attended the two-day event, including C-level leaders, innovators, operators and decision-makers drawn from across industries worldwide. The new name reflects BetConstruct AI’s major strategic collaboration with ADI Predictstreet, the official Prediction Market Partner of FIFA. Through this partnership, BetConstruct AI has integrated ADI Predictstreet’s prediction market solutions and official match streaming rights directly into its platform. The timing was deliberate, arriving at a commercially critical moment in the sports calendar with the FIFA World…
The Council of Europe has launched a sharp public attack on FIFA, demanding stronger integrity measures following a deeply controversial 2026 World Cup in the United States. Alain Berset, the Swiss politician heading the 46-nation Council of Europe, wrote an open letter to FIFA just hours before the final between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The letter warned that the tournament had raised “question after question” and that the governing body must urgently address a growing crisis threatening football’s credibility. Berset declared bluntly in the letter: “The next crisis has already begun. It has two names: money…
The UK’s problem gambling rate has dipped to 2.4% in the third edition of the Gambling Survey for Great Britain, released on 16 July 2026 by the Gambling Commission. The figure represents a reduction from the 2.7% recorded in last year’s survey, continuing a broadly stable trend across the three years of data collected so far. The commission noted the rate has remained stable over the past three years, with the inaugural 2024 survey recording a figure of 2.5% based on the Problem Gambling Severity Index scoring system. Tim Miller, the soon-to-depart executive director for research and policy at the…
Betsson Group recorded its highest-ever quarterly revenue in Q2 2026, driven by exceptional growth across Latin America and a major boost from the FIFA World Cup. Revenue rose 2.1% to €310.2m for the three months ending 30 June, compared with €303.7m in Q2 2025, representing a sixth consecutive record for the Stockholm-listed operator. On an organic basis, stripping out currency movements and acquisitions, revenue growth came in at a stronger 6.1%, reflecting genuine underlying momentum across the business. Despite the record topline result, profitability took a significant hit, with operating income falling 38.9% year-on-year from €69m to €42.2m, as costs…
Evolution has moved to reassure investors after its proposed acquisition of Galaxy Gaming reached its contractual outside date, triggering termination rights for either party. The merger agreement’s agreed closing period expired on 17 July 2026, meaning both Evolution and Galaxy Gaming are now entitled to walk away from the deal. The transaction was first announced in July 2024 but has been held up by a prolonged and unresolved regulatory review process spanning multiple jurisdictions. The deal had originally been expected to close in 2025 before being extended in November of that year to give regulators additional time to analyse the…