Author: Charles Shephardson

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…

The Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has publicly criticised TOTO Online for breaching the country’s ban on using role models in gambling advertisements. The offending advert appeared across the social media channels of eight professional football clubs, promoting a competition tied to a €5 bet at TOTO Online. The prize on offer was a football shirt signed by players from those clubs, which the KSA determined was sufficient to constitute a role model violation. Dutch law defines role models as famous or well-known individuals, including footballers, influencers, and celebrities, and prohibits their use in gambling promotions. “During the promotional campaign, TOTO…

BurraPay has gone live at Circa Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, facilitating what it describes as the first legal crypto-funded sports wager ever placed in Nevada history. The cryptocurrency payments provider is now the first crypto payments processor to operate within Nevada’s regulated gaming market, marking a significant milestone for the industry. The launch was celebrated with social media personality Bryce Hall placing wagers using cryptocurrency at the property’s sportsbook, drawing considerable attention to the moment. BurraPay CTO and co-founder Luke Millanta confirmed that Hall deposited $350,000 in the platform’s very first transaction following approval from the Nevada Gaming…