All Articles

The Dutch gambling regulator, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening player protection in 2026, closing out January with the publication of its supervisory agenda for the coming 12 months. After a challenging and politically charged year for both the gambling sector and the Netherlands more broadly, the authority has struck an optimistic tone as it looks ahead to a period of intensified oversight and reform. In the agenda, KSA Chair Michel Gr

South Africa’s National Treasury has extended the deadline for public submissions on its proposal to introduce a 20% national tax on online and interactive gambling revenue, granting stakeholders an additional month to comment before Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana presents the 2026 Budget.   The move follows requests from interested parties for more time to assess and respond to the proposal.   Treasury initially invited public comment after releasing a draft discussion pa

The Colombian government has revised its taxation strategy for the online gambling sector, replacing the 19% value-added tax previously applied to player deposits with a levy based on gross gaming revenue. The updated framework came into force on January 1, redirecting the tax burden toward the actual income earned by operators rather than the total amount of money deposited by customers. The deposit-based 19% VAT was first introduced in February 2025 as a temporary response

The National Treasury of South Africa is preparing to introduce a new tax targeting online gambling, a move that would see gambling operators pay an additional 20% on the revenue they generate from online betting activities. As part of the consultation process, the Treasury has extended the deadline for public submissions on the proposal, shifting it from 30 January to 27 February 2026 to allow for broader engagement and feedback. The department has described the proposed lev

Paraguay’s gambling sector recorded its strongest year on record in 2025, generating PYG215.9 billion ($32.6 million), according to figures released this week by the country’s regulator, the National Gaming Commission (Conajzar). The milestone year followed the liberalisation of the market under Law No 7348/2025, which fundamentally reshaped the country’s regulatory framework.   The revenue total represents the highest annual figure ever reported in Paraguay’s gambling indust

Federal authorities have charged 20 former Division I college basketball players in what prosecutors describe as the largest point-shaving scandal in college hoops in 75 years, alleging a far-reaching scheme in which players were bribed to manipulate games so gambling syndicates could profit.   Prosecutors in Pennsylvania announced the charges on Thursday, revealing a sprawling indictment unsealed by a Philadelphia grand jury. The case spans more than a dozen mid-major colleg

More than ten illegal Chinese-made coin-slot gambling machines were seized and destroyed on Friday at the Nyando Deputy County Commissioner’s offices, as authorities stepped up efforts to eliminate unlawful gambling activities in the area.   Nyando Deputy County Commissioner Elijah Maranga said the machines were recovered during coordinated security operations carried out in Ahero and Awasi towns. He stressed that the operation of coin-slot gambling machines is prohibited und

Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority (OJK) has directed the country’s banks to block and shut down 31,382 accounts suspected of being connected to illegal online gambling activities, an increase from the 30,392 accounts previously flagged by regulators.   Authorities have repeatedly warned that online gambling poses serious risks to financial stability, disrupts household finances and undermines the wider economy. Although many gambling platforms are operated from outside

Ukrainian authorities have ordered internet providers to block access to Polymarket, a decentralised prediction market platform, after concluding that its services amount to unlicensed gambling under the country’s laws. The decision was issued in December 2025 by the National Commission for the Regulation of Electronic Communications, which instructed internet service providers to restrict access to online platforms that facilitate wagering without holding a Ukrainian licence

Austria’s Ministry of Finance is drawing up a draft law to underpin a new casino tender process in the coming months, pledging “uniform player protection standards” even as gambling operators renew their calls for the country’s long-standing monopoly model to be scrapped. The ministry has confirmed it is preparing the legislative framework ahead of the renewal of the current monopoly tender in 2027, a moment many in the sector see as pivotal for the future of Austria’s gambli

Denmark has formally submitted proposed new controls on gambling advertising to the European Commission for scrutiny, as part of an effort to expand the regulatory and enforcement powers of the country’s gambling watchdog.   On 13 January, Spillemyndigheden, Denmark’s Gambling Authority, filed a notification with the European Commission’s Technical Regulation Information System (TRIS), triggering the EU’s mandatory review procedure for draft technical regulations. The process

The Finnish Parliament has approved the Government’s proposal for a new Gambling Act, marking a significant shift in the country’s gaming landscape. Under the reform, Veikkaus’ exclusive right to offer gambling services will end for betting games as well as online slot machine and casino games in the summer of 2027. The company will, however, retain its monopoly on lottery games, scratch cards, and physical slot machines and casino games. Gambling companies will be able to ap

Cyprus’ betting market continued its expansion in the third quarter of 2025, with total gross revenue from Class A and Class B operators rising 7 per cent year-on-year to €312.5 million, according to data released by the National Betting Authority (NBA). The figure also marks a 20 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2023. The authority reported that online betting maintained its dominant role during the July to September period. Class B operators generated €235

Arena Racing Company (ARC) has obtained official authorization to operate as a gaming-related vendor in the United Arab Emirates, marking a significant milestone for the company’s international expansion. The approval, granted by the General Commercial Gaming Authority (GCGRA), permits ARC to provide its racing-focused solutions to operators who are themselves licensed by the UAE regulator, opening the door for the company to establish a presence in a newly regulated market.

For much of the past year, Europe’s gambling watchdogs have been fixated on two familiar adversaries: rising taxes and the black market. The higher levies introduced across several jurisdictions in 2025 were designed to raise public revenues and curb excessive gambling, while tougher enforcement was meant to drive illegal operators out of the shadows. Yet the headlines that followed painted a far more complicated picture. Licensed companies complained that their margins were

The Colombian government has revised its taxation framework for online gambling, changing the application of the 19 per cent value-added tax (VAT) from player deposits to gross gaming revenue (GGR).   The revised policy came into force on January 1, marking a significant shift in how the sector is taxed by focusing on the actual income generated by operators rather than the total amounts deposited by players.   The original deposit-based 19 per cent VAT was introduced in Febr

Opap shareholders have approved the company’s split and cross-border transformation plan in January 2026, clearing the path for the merger between Allwyn and Opap during the group’s 13th extraordinary general meeting, which saw participation from shareholders representing 80.12 per cent of the company’s paid-up share capital. All agenda items presented at the meeting were approved, with the required majorities secured, according to information provided to shareholders during

The Colombian government has revamped its approach to taxing online gambling, moving the 19% value-added tax from player deposits to gross gaming revenue (GGR). The new policy, which came into effect on January 1, focuses on the actual revenue generated by operators rather than taxing all funds deposited by players. The deposit-based 19% VAT was initially introduced in February 2025 as a temporary measure amid internal unrest. Throughout 2025, this tax structure faced widespr

Prosecutors in Taipei have concluded one of the most sweeping financial crime indictments in recent regional history, charging thirty-five people for their roles in an elaborate underground banking and gambling operation that funneled more than 30.6 billion New Taiwan dollars, roughly equivalent to $970 million USD, through sophisticated digital channels. At the center of the case is a man who publicly appeared to be running a well-known Hong Kong–style restaurant while cover

Sri Lanka has moved swiftly to tighten its regulatory and fiscal approach to casino gaming, introducing higher costs for both players and operators effective from the start of 2026. From January 1, the government doubled the entry fee for Sri Lankan citizens at casinos from US$50 to US$100. In addition, the betting and gaming gross collection levy was raised from 15% to 18%, according to a notice issued by the Inland Revenue Department. These changes apply to all licensed bet