Author: Charles Shephardson

SOFTSWISS has announced a strategic partnership with WorldGaming, formerly known as Clarion Gaming, for the fifth edition of its iGaming Trends Report. The collaboration brings together SOFTSWISS research capabilities and WorldGaming’s well-established industry brands, including ICE, iGB, and GGB. The alliance is designed to position the 2027 iGaming Trends Report as the definitive benchmark for understanding developments across the global iGaming landscape. SOFTSWISS launched the iGaming Trends Report five years ago, recognising early that data-driven insights are fundamental to navigating ongoing market evolution. The publication has since grown into the most widely read annual research report in the iGaming industry,…

Polymarket has been officially banned from the Czech Republic after authorities classified the prediction market platform as an unlicensed gambling operation. The country’s Ministry of Finance has issued an access blocking order, giving internet service providers a 15-day window to comply with the directive. Czech authorities argue that platforms like Polymarket disguise betting products using financial terminology, replacing the word “bet” with “contract” and calling winnings a “return on investment.” The Czech Republic now joins a substantial list of European nations that have moved against prediction market platforms, including France, Germany, Romania, Spain, and Belgium. Outside of Europe, New Zealand,…

Golf’s relationship with sports betting is under renewed scrutiny after English golfer Matt Fitzpatrick publicly blamed gambling for a sharp rise in player abuse. Fitzpatrick made the remarks at a press conference ahead of The Open Championship, which was set to tee off at Royal Birkdale on Thursday 16 July. The major winner did not hold back, stating that virtually every professional golfer has received gambling-related abuse at some point in their career. “I would say every golfer that’s played a professional tournament has had a message of abuse from someone that is related to gambling,” Fitzpatrick said during the…

BoyleSports is significantly deepening its commitment to its Serbia-based technology hub, describing the centre as offering exceptional opportunities for the company’s continued growth. Over the past 12 months, the omni-channel operator has welcomed 65 new employees into its Belgrade office, making a strong statement about its international expansion ambitions. The latest hiring push forms part of a broader strategic goal to grow the Belgrade-based workforce by 30% over the coming months, underlining the importance of the hub to the business. BoyleSports noted that Belgrade has established itself as a significant centre for the wider gambling industry, combining strong technical infrastructure…

Google has updated its Gambling and Games Policy to crack down on repeat advertising violators, with the changes taking effect from 14 September 2026. The search engine giant now requires prospective advertisers to demonstrate “good policy health” as part of an expanded certification process for gambling-related ads. Manager Accounts flagged for repeated misconduct will be barred from applying for new certifications, and any existing certifications they hold may also be revoked. This policy shift could make it significantly harder for black market gambling operators to continue placing online ads after previous campaigns have been taken down. If an operator has…

Infingame, a B2B game aggregator operating across the iGaming sector, has published new insights examining the commercial consequences of platform instability for operators in 2026. The company argues that infrastructure reliability, uptime consistency, and gameplay responsiveness have become critical competitive factors as acquisition costs rise across regulated and emerging markets. Infingame states that even brief periods of instability during peak traffic or major promotional campaigns can trigger immediate revenue loss and long-term damage to player trust. Performance metrics including spin time stability, latency consistency, and uptime resilience during traffic spikes are now among the most closely monitored operational KPIs across…

Spanish gaming giant Cirsa has secured a majority stake in Paraguayan omni-channel operator Slots del Sol for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition covers Slots del Sol’s iGaming platform at slotsdelsolonline.com, along with two casinos and two gaming halls across the landlocked South American country. Slots del Sol operates across both land-based and digital channels, a structure that aligns closely with Cirsa’s own established omni-channel strategy across multiple markets. The deal marks Cirsa’s formal entry into Paraguay, a market considered linguistically and culturally similar to other Latin American territories where the company already has a significant presence. Cirsa CEO Antonio Hostench…

Brazil’s gambling regulator and industry figures have moved to defend existing betting advertising rules after health experts raised serious concerns about societal harm. A public hearing convened by Brazil’s Sports Committee saw competing voices clash over whether the current marketing framework adequately protects the public from gambling-related harm. The hearing was chaired by Federal Deputy Saulo Pedroso, a vocal advocate for stricter advertising restrictions and sponsor of Bill No. 1,212/2025, which aims to severely limit gambling marketing in Brazil. Pedroso argued that the regulatory regime, first enforced on 1 January 2025 to officially regulate online betting and gambling, has failed…

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has confirmed that a ban on unlicensed operators sponsoring British sport will not arrive until the 2027/28 season at the very earliest. The DCMS revealed to SBC News that a consultation on the matter “will go live soon,” signalling that meaningful regulatory action remains some distance away. The announcement has drawn attention to the growing frustration felt by licensed operators, who are subject to a voluntary front-of-shirt sponsorship ban that their unlicensed rivals effectively ignore. Ladbrokes Coral owner Entain is among the licensed firms reportedly growing more and more frustrated about unlicensed bookmakers…

Gentoo Media has confirmed the appointment of Måns Svalborn as its new Chief Financial Officer, with the executive expected to join the company in early October 2026. Svalborn arrives at Gentoo Media following more than six and a half years serving as Group CFO at Raketech Group Holding Plc, a Nasdaq First North-listed iGaming affiliate business. He replaces Mads Haugegaard Albrechtsen, who submitted his resignation at the end of May, leaving the CFO position vacant ahead of the search process. Svalborn brings over 20 years of financial leadership experience spanning capital markets, corporate governance, cross-border acquisitions and investor relations. During…