Machine Games Duty Rise: Healey's Budget Lifts UK Rate to 25%, Short of Feared 40%
Chancellor John Healey's 28 October Budget lifts Machine Games Duty from 20% to 25% on higher-stake machines from 1 April 2027. The industry warns of closures.
ASA Optival Ruling: Betting Affiliate's Search Ad Shown to Self-Exclusion Searcher Breached UK Code
The ASA upheld a complaint against affiliate Optival after its betting search ad appeared for "self exclusion bookies", breaching CAP Code rule 1.3.
MGA Sports Betting Integrity Review Finds Low Suspicious Betting Reports Reflect Tight Risk Controls
The Malta Gaming Authority's review of licensees filing few suspicious betting reports found tight risk controls but gaps in written escalation policies.
GiG Software Q3 2026 Results: Loss Widens to €4.5 Million as 888AFRICA Deal Closes
GiG Software's Q3 2026 revenue fell 12% to €8.5 million and its loss widened to €4.5 million, as the 80% 888AFRICA purchase closed and 2027 targets rose.
Cyprus Illegal Gambling Push: NBA Eyes AI Player Protection as Blocking List Passes 22,600
Cyprus's betting regulator wants tougher action on illegal gambling and smarter player protection. What is concrete: 22,660 blocked sites and a 2026 plan.
Dutch Regulator Fines SkyHills and Instantcasino Operator a Record €37 Million
The Dutch KSA fined EOD Code SRL, operator of Instantcasino, SkyHills and 10 other sites, a record €37 million for illegal gambling aimed at Dutch players.
Greece Hires 40 Gambling Inspectors as Its Illegal-Market Crackdown Turns From Blocking Sites to Prosecuting People
Greece's regulator is hiring 40 inspectors under Law 5313/2026 to pursue a €1.8bn black market, the influencers who promote it and the networks behind it.
Dealer Change at the ONJN Table: Lucky Lou Watches the House Reshuffle Its Own Pit Boss
Vlad-Cristian Soare is out and Valentin-Ioan Tomescu takes over ONJN amid scrutiny of Romania’s gambling regulator.
Italy Delays Land-Based Gambling Reform Once Again
Italy delays land-based gambling reform after the government rejects the latest proposal, extending uncertainty for operators and investors.
Raked to the Bone: Romania Wants 40% of Your Jackpot — While Its Own Regulators Get Pinched Taking Bribes
Romania's new gambling tax can take up to 40% of large jackpot winnings while the country's gambling regulator faces corruption allegations.
Sunshine, Software, and Suits: Lucky Lou Cracks Open Cyprus's Grand Gambling Blueprint
Cyprus generated €1.33 billion in regulated betting turnover in 2025. Lucky Lou examines country's gambling taxes, B2B licensing, EU tax.
Financial Risk Assessments Are Coming to UK Gambling
Financial Risk Assessments are coming to UK gambling. Here's what the Gambling Commission revealed—and why critics remain unconvinced.
Europe's Gambling Industry Faces a New AML Compliance Era
The EU's AMLA proposes new AML standards for gambling operators, introducing risk-based supervision across Europe's gaming industry.
Europe's Black Market Gambling Boom Hits €91.6 Billion
Illegal online gambling in Europe reached €91.6 billion in 2025, costing EU governments €22.9 billion in lost tax revenue.
Austria's New Gambling License Sets a €10 Million Barrier
Austria unveils new online gambling license rules with a €10M capital requirement ahead of its 2027 regulated market launch.
Georgia's New Gambling License Could Turn It into the Next Malta
Discover how Georgia's new online gambling license could attract global operators with a 5% GGR tax and foreign-only gaming model.
EU Eyes €13.3 Billion Gambling Levy as Budget Pressure Mounts
The European Commission believes an EU gambling tax could generate €13.3 billion, but major industry resistance is already emerging.
ONJN Spent the Last Year Cleaning Up Romania’s Gambling Industry
Romania’s ONJN blacklisted 300 gambling sites, launched new player protections, and expanded enforcement powers in 2025-26.
Romania’s Class II License: The Compliance Backbone Powering Europe’s iGaming Supply Chain
Romania Class II license explained: costs, process, & why B2B iGaming suppliers need it in 2026. Full compliance guide and strategy insights.
Latvia Moves Gambling Supervision to Tax Authority
Latvia folds its gambling regulator into the State Revenue Service from April 2026, unifying licensing, compliance and tax oversight.
Lithuania’s 2029 Player Card: Cashless Gambling, Total Tracking, New Compliance Era
Lithuania plans mandatory player cards for all gambling by 2029, phasing out cash and enabling cross-operator monitoring.
MGA Cancels Winzon Licence: Because “Tier 1” Still Requires… Compliance
Malta Gaming Authority cancels Winzon licence, issues €147K penalty and refunds. What went wrong—and why Tier 1 licences still fail.
France Switches On JONUM
France activates JONUM: a 3-year ANJ-supervised regime for Web3 games with digital items—strict KYC, limits, warnings, and no cash winnings.
Spain’s iGaming “Reset” in 2026
Spain is gearing up for stricter iGaming controls: cross-operator limits, tougher ad warnings, and public-health-led risk detection.