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Ireland’s newly established gambling regulator is preparing to start issuing licences following formal authorisation from a senior government minister. Jim O’Callaghan, Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, has granted the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) permission to begin the licensing process. The minister confirmed that the authority can begin granting licences “for new entrants as soon as is feasible.” Under the rollout timeline, the GRAI will

The large-scale confiscation of illegal gaming machines in Cape Town has been welcomed by the Eastern Cape Gambling Board, which has praised the operation as a sign of a more robust approach to combating unlawful gambling activity. Authorities believe the machines were intended for distribution throughout the Eastern Cape before investigators intervened. South Africa, and the Eastern Cape in particular, operates under stringent rules governing the supply and placement of

Several international gambling operators have voiced strong concerns over proposed player protection rules in Finland, warning that overly restrictive measures could undermine the country’s newly forming regulated market by pushing players toward illegal operators. SkillOnNet and Wildz Group both argue that the proposals risk weakening channelisation by making licensed gambling less attractive than unregulated alternatives. The concerns were raised in response to a consultati

A criminal court in Kuwait has imposed seven-year prison sentences on nine individuals convicted of running an online gambling platform and laundering the proceeds of illegal activity, in what authorities characterised as an organised criminal enterprise. In addition to the custodial sentences, the court ordered each of the nine defendants to pay a fine of KD1m (approximately $3.3m). This brings the combined personal fines to KD9m (around $29.7m). The court also levied a

Italy is preparing to introduce a far-reaching overhaul of its land-based gambling sector, with the aim of harmonising regulations across the country’s 20 regions and more than 110 municipalities. The government is expected to publish a draft decree setting out a single national framework for slot machines, bingo halls and video lottery terminal (VLT) systems, which would apply uniformly to all franchise operators. The draft decree has been drawn up following almost two y

UK-based sportsbook and casino operator Midnite has reached a major funding milestone after securing $35m in a Series C investment round led by Raine Partners IV. The latest financing also attracted continued backing from existing investors Play Ventures, Discerning Capital, Makers Fund and Big Bets, underscoring strong confidence in the company’s long-term vision and growth strategy. With this round, Midnite’s total equity funding now exceeds $75m. The fresh capital foll

A bloc of 23 members of Tunisia’s parliament has put forward a draft law designed to impose far stricter controls on gambling and betting activities, with a strong emphasis on the online environment, as the country looks to rein in illegal platforms and shield vulnerable segments of society. The proposal, formally submitted on 19 January 2026, would amend Decree-Law No. 74-20 of 1974, the legislation that currently regulates fairs, gaming rooms and lotteries. The MPs behind

The UK government is weighing a possible increase in gambling operator licence fees, as part of a consultation aimed at securing additional funding for the Gambling Commission’s enforcement work and its efforts to combat illegal gambling. The consultation, launched by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on 27 January, will remain open until 30 March and seeks input from operators, industry trade bodies, consumer organisations, local authorities and members of

Brazilian authorities dramatically increased their campaign against unlawful gambling activity throughout 2025, blocking more than 25,000 illegal betting platforms as the country completed its first full year operating under a regulated sports betting regime. Figures released by the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA), which operates under the Ministry of Finance, show that enforcement actions were carried out in close collaboration with the National Telecommunications

A criminal court in Kuwait has imposed seven-year prison sentences on nine individuals convicted of running an online gambling platform and laundering the proceeds through a complex financial network, in a case described by authorities as an organised criminal scheme. In addition to the custodial sentences, the court ordered each defendant to pay a fine of KD1m (approximately $3.3m). The combined personal fines total KD9m (around $29.7m). The court also levied a separate

British gambling group Evoke said on Tuesday that its full-year 2025 revenue is expected to fall short of market expectations and declined to issue any guidance for 2026, pointing to an ongoing strategic review that could ultimately lead to a sale of the business. The update rattled investors, sending the company’s shares down by as much as 12% during the trading session. The owner of William Hill and 888 said it now expects revenue for 2025 to be about £1.79 billion ($2.47 b

A senior advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly urged the Kremlin to consider legalizing online casino gambling as a way to generate much-needed state revenue. According to Kommersant, a leading Russian newspaper covering politics and business, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov has proposed that Putin authorize iGaming as part of broader efforts to strengthen government finances. The recommendation comes as Russia’s economy faces mounting strain from prolong

The Oxford Casino Hotel filed a lawsuit against the state of Maine last week in U.S. District Court, seeking to block enforcement of LD 1164, a bill passed by state legislators last year and allowed to become law by Gov. Janet Mills without her signature on January 11. Officially titled “An Act to Create Economic Opportunity for the Wabanaki Nations,” the law permits each of the state’s four recognized tribes to offer online gaming. In its 19-page complaint, Oxford Casino ref

Chinese prosecutors have seized close to $17 million in Bitcoin from a man accused of stealing funds from an overseas online sports betting platform, in a case that has drawn attention to the legal treatment of cryptocurrency and data-related crimes in China. According to Chinese media outlet The Paper , the suspect is a Shenzhen-based IT network security engineer. For legal reasons, media reports have identified him under the alias Li Dong. Li was first detained in 2024 by p

The Curacao Gaming Authority (CGA) has confirmed that operators licensed under the updated Landsverordening op de Kansspelen (LOK) will receive additional time to meet the law’s local substance requirements, extending the effective deadline by more than a year. In a notice dated January 23, 2026, the regulator stated that the Minister of Justice had exercised the discretion provided under Article 5.12, paragraph 6 of the LOK to grant a general extension for all affected opera

The Netherlands Gambling Authority has issued a binding instruction to bet365’s Dutch operator, Hillside New Media Malta, after concluding that the company failed to properly assess player affordability and intervene when signs of financial harm emerged. The regulator noted that these deficiencies persisted for several months despite repeated warnings. The authority stated that the shortcomings occurred between at least December 2024 and June 2025, during which bet365 did not

Indian authorities have stepped up their crackdown on illegal online gambling by blocking a further 242 betting and wagering websites, bringing the total number of restricted platforms to more than 7,800 nationwide. The latest move underscores a marked intensification of enforcement efforts following the introduction of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming (PROG) Act, which bans online money gaming throughout the country. According to government officials, the on

Finland has moved further along the path of overhauling its gambling framework by granting expanded powers to its newly created gambling regulator, reinforcing enforcement as the country prepares to transition to a licensing-based market in 2027. The changes mark another significant milestone in the dismantling of the long-standing monopoly model. Under the new arrangements, Finland’s Permit and Supervision Agency will take responsibility for overseeing enforcement in the fut

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