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New York gambling regulators have advanced proposed rules that would restrict the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and other automated technologies to personalise gambling promotions and recommend wagers, as part of a wider effort to strengthen protections for customers who may be experiencing gambling-related harm. The New York State Gaming Commission unanimously advanced revised proposals covering AI, machine learning, algorithmic profiling and automated decision-making

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) government has introduced legislation to strengthen controls on electronic gaming machines, including mandatory account-based cashless gambling, restrictions on access to cash inside gambling venues and a long-term reduction in the number of authorised gaming machines. The Gaming Machine (Harm Prevention and Reduction) Amendment Bill 2026 was introduced on 20 October 2026 as part of a wider government programme aimed at reducing gambling

New rules targeting athletes, celebrities and social media influencers will take effect on 1 January 2027, requiring wagering operators and their marketing partners to reassess advertising campaigns, sponsorship agreements and promotional contracts. Australia’s communications regulator has issued its first industry guidance on a forthcoming prohibition against the use of notable people in gambling advertising, providing greater clarity on how the new restrictions will be in

Macau’s Prosecutor General, Tong Hio Fong, has called for changes to the legal framework governing illegal currency exchange linked to gambling, warning that difficulties in proving suspects are operating a business are undermining the effectiveness of enforcement. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2026/2027 judicial year on Thursday, Tong said prosecutors and police face a significant evidentiary hurdle under the current law. Authorities must establish not only that

Brazil’s suspension of online betting has triggered a refund process involving approximately BRL 1.325 billion (US$245 million) owed to around 26.5 million bettors, while the gambling industry has reported thousands of job losses following the government’s decision to halt licensed betting operations. The shutdown followed the introduction of Provisional Measure No. 1,394/2026, signed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on 25 September 2026. The measure prohibited the oper

Spain’s Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) has reopened public consultation on a proposed standardised mechanism to identify online gambling customers displaying patterns of potentially risky behaviour. Interested individuals, companies and organisations have until 22 October 2026 to submit comments on the revised draft resolution. The second consultation follows an earlier public consultation conducted between 28 August and 25 September 2025. The DGOJ

Philippine gaming operator DigiPlus Interactive Corp. has withdrawn from the final rounds of New Zealand’s online casino licensing auction after reassessing the market and the potential value of obtaining a licence. The decision adds another obstacle to the company’s overseas expansion plans following regulatory disruption in Brazil. In a regulatory filing dated 14 October 2026, DigiPlus said that further market analysis and an assessment of market values had led it to withdr

Federal court grants temporary protection to Stake's operating licence, marking the first successful legal challenge by a licensed betting operator against Brazil's sweeping online gambling prohibition. Online betting operator Stake has secured a significant legal victory in Brazil after the Federal Court of São Paulo granted a partial preliminary injunction allowing the company to resume operations until 25 October 2026. The ruling represents the first favourable judicial

Brazil’s sweeping prohibition on fixed-odds betting has forced licensed operators to shut down their platforms, leaving more than BRL1.3 billion (approximately US$266 million) awaiting repayment to millions of customers and triggering widespread job losses across the country’s gambling industry. The shutdown, which took effect on 6 October 2026, represents a dramatic reversal for a market that had attracted substantial investment following the introduction of regulated onli

South Africa is preparing to strengthen oversight of gambling conducted through mobile phones and digital networks, with government ministers examining regulatory gaps, consumer protection measures and advertising restrictions amid growing concerns about gambling addiction and financial harm. South Africa's government is considering additional measures to regulate gambling activities accessed through mobile phones, as authorities face increasing pressure to address the soci

Brazil’s regulated online gambling market has effectively closed, marking a dramatic reversal for a sector that only recently moved into a nationwide licensing framework. Licensed sports-betting and online-casino platforms were taken offline on October 6 after the government’s deadline for ending operations passed without an intervention from the Supreme Federal Court. Major operators, including Betano, Sportingbet, Betnacional, Esportes da Sorte and Superbet, withdrew their

Britain is taking a closer look at the rapidly expanding prediction-market sector, with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) holding discussions with major operators including Kalshi and Polymarket as the companies explore potential entry into the UK market. Simon Walls, the FCA’s executive director for markets, confirmed the regulator’s engagement with the companies during its annual public meeting on 6 October, signalling that British authorities are prepared to examine ho

Macau recorded approximately 1.14 million visitor arrivals during mainland China's seven-day National Day Golden Week holiday from October 1 to October 7, with daily arrivals averaging around 163,000. The total represents a strong increase in visitor traffic compared with the corresponding period last year. The daily average was approximately 15.5% higher year on year, according to provisional immigration data released by Macau authorities. Visitor arrivals reached their high

A federal judge in Illinois has dealt a significant setback to the state’s attempt to regulate prediction markets as a form of sports wagering, ruling that much of Illinois’ regulatory framework is likely preempted by federal law. U.S. District Judge Martha M. Pacold of the Northern District of Illinois granted preliminary injunction relief sought by Kalshi, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and Coinbase, concluding that the sports-related contracts at issue are

Cambodian authorities are preparing nationwide inspections of licensed casinos as part of an intensified campaign against unauthorised online gambling and cyber scam activities operating from casino premises. The inspections will begin during October 2026 and will focus on ensuring that land-based casinos comply with the conditions of their licences and do not secretly operate or provide facilities for online gambling. The inspection programme was agreed at a meeting on Octob

Thailand blocked 945,075 URLs linked to illegal online gambling during the 2026 fiscal year, according to the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society. The figure covers the period from October 2025 through September 2026. Of the total, 835,207 URLs were blocked under court orders, while a further 109,868 were removed through cooperation with digital platforms. The ministry stressed that the figures represent individual gambling-related URLs rather than separate websites or op

Georgia has moved its new International iGaming Licence regime from a pilot phase to full rollout, creating a licensing framework for operators targeting customers outside the country. The framework was introduced through amendments to Georgia’s gambling legislation adopted by Parliament in June 2026. The amendments established new permit categories for the international organisation of online casino games, slot games and sports betting. Georgian citizens are prohibited from

A growing dispute over illegal gambling advertising in the Netherlands has put the country’s gambling regulator under increasing pressure, after lawyer Justin Franssen accused the Dutch Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit, or KSA) of failing to use enforcement powers that are already available to it. Speaking at the SBC Summit during a panel examining the Netherlands’ regulatory challenges, Franssen argued that the regulator has the legal means to take action against Met

A significant UK tax ruling has overturned a £13.2m Remote Gaming Duty (RGD) assessment imposed on online casino supplier Jumpman Gaming, delivering the Guernsey-based company a major legal victory while potentially establishing an important precedent for the treatment of promotional free spins. The Upper Tribunal ruled in Jumpman’s favour last week, reversing key findings made by the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) in 2025. The decision means that, for the periods covered by the

Brazil’s National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) and the Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR) have asked the country’s Supreme Federal Court (STF) to immediately suspend Provisional Measure 1.394, which prohibits the operation of online betting platforms in Brazil. The organisations submitted a “Statement on Supervening Fact” to Supreme Court Justice Luiz Fux in connection with three direct actions of unconstitutionality concerning Brazil’s regulated