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The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) has imposed an administrative monetary penalty of $212,025 against Atlantic Lottery Corporation Inc. after identifying multiple violations of Canada's federal anti-money laundering requirements. The sanction followed a comprehensive compliance examination that uncovered significant weaknesses in the corporation's operational controls and compliance framework. Federal regulators concluded that the gamin

Norway’s gambling regulator has begun contacting private Facebook users it believes may be promoting unlicensed gambling operators, marking a notable shift in its enforcement strategy by focusing on individuals rather than the offshore companies behind the advertisements. The Norwegian Gambling Authority (Lotteritilsynet) has issued more than 10 informational letters to individuals who allegedly shared promotional content for unlicensed gambling operators within Facebook gr

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is placing increased emphasis on its fit-and-proper or probity assessments as the Philippines seeks to preserve the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) reforms that led to its removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list. The heightened focus also comes as the country prepares for its next international evaluation in 2027. According to a legal analysis published on July 10

A federal grand jury has indicted Joshua Shore, a 41-year-old resident of Woodinville, Washington, on allegations that he orchestrated a years-long scheme to steal approximately $440,000 from financial institutions where he was employed before laundering the proceeds through multiple banks. According to the indictment, Shore faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted on the most serious charge. The federal case consists of 30 felony counts describing an extensive pattern of

Recent developments within the French judicial system have brought renewed attention to the significant legal and financial risks that can confront former elite athletes, particularly when their business interests intersect with sectors vulnerable to financial crime. The ongoing criminal investigation involving former international footballer Samir Nasri and allegations connected to organized gang money laundering illustrates how professional athletes may become entangled in

The Federal Reserve Board has unveiled an extensive notice of proposed rulemaking that would significantly reshape anti-money laundering requirements for financial institutions under its supervision. The proposal marks a major departure from traditional compliance approaches by replacing static regulatory models with dynamic, risk-focused management frameworks. Under the revised approach, countering the financing of terrorism would become an integrated component of existing a

The Federal Reserve Board has launched a public consultation on a proposed regulatory overhaul designed to modernize the way banking institutions establish and maintain safeguards against illicit financial activity. The proposal marks a significant shift in regulatory philosophy, moving away from rigid compliance frameworks centered on administrative checklists and toward a more flexible, risk-based approach tailored to the unique threat profile of each financial institution.

The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) has called on regulated financial institutions to strengthen their anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing frameworks following the conclusion of the European Union's transition period under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) on July 1, 2026. In a circular issued this week, the regulator highlighted newly published guidance from the Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing

The Central Bank of Cyprus has drawn attention to a new warning issued by the European Systemic Risk Board regarding the growing cybersecurity risks associated with advanced artificial intelligence technologies, stating that it will continue to monitor developments closely and expects financial institutions under its supervision to take proactive measures to strengthen their resilience against emerging threats. The warning focuses on frontier artificial intelligence models, w

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) significantly reduced its enforcement activity in 2025, issuing administrative fines totaling €162,520—almost 50% lower than the €306,250 recorded in 2024. According to the regulator’s latest annual report, enforcement actions declined across multiple areas despite continued growth in the number of licensed operators under its supervision. During 2025, the MGA imposed 30 administrative penalties, cancelled only two gaming licences, and iss

The illegal online gambling market targeting consumers across the European Union expanded to an estimated €91.6 billion in 2025, representing an increase of approximately 14% compared with the previous year, according to figures unveiled during a European Parliament roundtable held on 6 July. The findings, presented by the European Casino Association (ECA), indicate that EU member states collectively missed out on around €22.9 billion in tax revenue as gamblers increasingly

Suspicious transaction reports (STRs) submitted by Macau's casino industry increased by 8.7 percent during the first half of 2026, contributing to a broader rise in the total number of reports received by the Financial Intelligence Office of the Unitary Police Service. According to official data released on July 7, the office received 2,018 STRs from Games of Fortune Operators—the official classification for casino operators—between January and June 2026. This compares with

The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) has levied an administrative fine of €2,000 against Topsmart Investments AIFLNP V.C.I.C. Limited after determining that the company failed to comply with regulatory obligations under Cyprus' investment fund legislation. The sanction was imposed following the regulator's assessment of the firm's compliance with the applicable legal framework governing alternative investment funds. The decision was formally adopted by the Cy

A 64-year-old Chinese national who is also a lawful permanent resident of the United States has been sentenced to 70 months in federal prison after being convicted at trial for his involvement in a sophisticated money laundering conspiracy centered on compromised retail gift cards. In addition to the prison sentence, the federal court ordered him to forfeit $2,285,039.81 and pay $275,634.27 in restitution to identified victims. The sentence reflects the judiciary’s response t

Serbia has made meaningful progress in strengthening its defenses against financial crime, but significant risks and institutional shortcomings continue to leave parts of its financial system exposed, according to the latest regional evaluation conducted by international experts. The comprehensive assessment acknowledges the structural reforms already implemented by Serbian authorities while identifying a range of operational weaknesses that still require urgent attention. As

Banca d’Italia is playing a central role in implementing the European Union’s new anti-money laundering supervisory framework, a far-reaching regulatory reform designed to harmonize oversight across member states while strengthening the resilience and stability of the regional financial system. The institutional transformation seeks to reduce systemic weaknesses by replacing fragmented national approaches with a coordinated European supervisory model that integrates domestic

A major international enforcement operation coordinated by Eurojust has resulted in the confiscation of an additional €1 million in criminal assets as part of an ongoing investigation into a sophisticated transnational money laundering organization that relied on illicit gold smuggling to conceal the proceeds of drug trafficking. The latest enforcement action builds upon an earlier phase of the investigation that had already led to the seizure of more than €30 million in asse

Europe’s new Anti-Money Laundering Authority is moving from institution-building to rule-making, with new reporting standards designed to make suspicious financial intelligence move faster and more consistently across the EU. On 2 July 2026, AMLA opened a public consultation on draft Implementing Technical Standards (ITS — detailed EU technical rules that explain how legal obligations must be applied in practice, including the required format, templates and reporting instruct

Russia’s banking sector has so far survived years of Western sanctions, capital restrictions and wartime pressure. But the longer the war continues, the more the pressure appears to be moving from the sanctions list into the balance sheets of the country’s own banks. A European intelligence assessment reported by Reuters warns that Russia could face a potentially serious banking crisis in 2026, as the cost of the war in Ukraine forces the state to lean more heavily on banks t

The Philippine online gaming sector is facing a more expensive and uneven operating environment after tighter rules changed the way players access digital gambling platforms. Recent industry analysis highlighted how listed operators including DigiPlus Interactive, Bloomberry Resorts, PhilWeb and DFNN have reported different outcomes as compliance requirements rise and online gaming platforms adjust to the delinking of in-app e-wallet access points. The issue goes back to the