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Malta’s overhauled tax framework for the gaming sector came into force on 1 October 2026, introducing a new structure for gaming taxes alongside significant changes to the VAT treatment of gambling services. The reforms are intended to make the system more predictable while reshaping how different forms of gaming are taxed. The changes were enacted through Legal Notices 84 and 86 of 2026, covering gaming tax and VAT respectively. The government and Malta Gaming Authority (M

New Zealand is set to begin auctioning the right to apply for its first regulated online casino licences on Tuesday, September 29, marking the second phase of the country’s newly established online gambling licensing framework. The Department of Internal Affairs has confirmed that operators that successfully completed the expression-of-interest process have been invited to take part in the auction. A maximum of 15 operators will be able to secure the right to proceed to the

Hundreds of additional unauthorised betting domains have emerged in Brazil within just two days of the government announcing a ban on online betting, highlighting the scale of the challenge authorities face as they move to curb the country’s illegal gambling market. Monitoring conducted by Bet Legal in collaboration with cybersecurity company Iron Security identified 710 unauthorised betting domains by Sunday evening, a sharp increase from the 295 domains recorded at 18:00

Tighter Chinese capital controls are unlikely to have a direct impact on Macau's gross gaming revenue, although they could weigh on high-roller sentiment, according to CreditSights. In a September 28 report, analysts Nicholas Chen and David Bussey said recently introduced restrictions on outbound investments by Chinese individuals, including investments involving Hong Kong and Macau, may have affected gambling sentiment in August. The analysts said tighter regulatory scrutiny

The UK House of Lords Liaison Committee has called for a comprehensive ban on gambling advertising, marketing and sponsorship, arguing that stronger restrictions should form part of a public health approach to reducing gambling-related harm. The recommendation was included in the committee's 173-page report, *Gambling Harm—Time for Action: Follow-up report*, published on 17 September 2026. The report follows up on the House of Lords' 2020 examination of the social and economi

France’s National Sanctions Commission has imposed a combined €45,000 in financial penalties on an anonymised licensed online betting operator and two individuals following breaches of obligations relating to asset freezing and anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist-financing controls. The case was referred to the National Sanctions Commission by France’s gambling regulator, the Autorité nationale des jeux (ANJ), following an inspection of the operator. It represents the

Spain’s regulated online gambling market generated €993.6 million in gross gaming revenue (GGR) during the first half of 2026, representing a 23% increase compared with the same period of 2025. The figures were reported by Spain’s Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) and show continued growth across the country’s regulated online gambling sector. The second quarter was particularly strong, with online gambling GGR reaching €539.18 million between April an

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a provisional measure on September 25, 2026, prohibiting the operation, offering, intermediation and advertising of fixed-odds betting across the country. The measure covers both online sports betting and online casino games, and also applies to authorisations granted by states and the Federal District. It took effect upon publication, but must be approved by the National Congress within 120 days to remain in force. The dec

Binance withdrew its application for authorisation as a crypto-asset service provider in Greece in June 2026 after the licensing process stalled before the end of the transitional period under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). Subsequent reporting has alleged that European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde intervened with Greek authorities to prevent the application from being approved. The application was submitted to the Hellenic Capita

Zambia has introduced a temporary tax relief programme allowing eligible taxpayers, including gaming and betting businesses, to settle qualifying historical tax liabilities without paying accrued penalties and interest. The Extended Voluntary Disclosure Scheme (EVDS), launched by the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) on September 17, 2026, will remain open until December 31, 2026. The scheme applies to outstanding principal tax liabilities, penalties and interest relating to per

Tabcorp VIC Pty Ltd has been fined AU$350,000 by the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) for failing to implement mandatory multi-factor authentication controls on customer wagering accounts within the required timeframe. The disciplinary action relates to breaches of four security requirements between January 30 and June 23, 2025. The fine was imposed following a decision dated September 21, 2026. The VGCCC found that Tabcorp had contravened technical st

The Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) has confirmed that its online gaming licensing portal was accessed without authorisation for approximately nine months through an account registered using a false identity. The regulator said the unauthorised access began in December 2025 and continued until it was identified and terminated in September 2026. The access was obtained through the customer-facing section of the CGA's licensing portal. According to the regulator, the account was

The Dutch Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit, KSA) has issued the first eight follow-up licences to online gambling operators, allowing them to continue operating in the Netherlands for another five years. The licences will run from October 1, 2026 until September 30, 2031, following the expiry of the first licences issued when the Dutch online gambling market was opened in 2021. The eight operators receiving follow-up licences are TOTO Online B.V., operating TOTO and Win

Cambodian authorities have stated that major online scam compounds across the country have been dismantled following a nationwide enforcement campaign launched in mid-2025, while acknowledging that criminal networks continue to operate through smaller and more dispersed locations. The campaign has targeted large-scale facilities associated with online fraud, including compounds used by transnational criminal groups. Cambodian officials said the enforcement campaign continued

The UK Gambling Commission has suspended the combined remote operating licence of Targetlocal Ltd, which trades as Ken Howell’s Sports Betting and operates the website kenhowells.com, following regulatory enquiries that identified anti-money laundering failings. The suspension took effect immediately on 21 September 2026 and applies to operating licence number 000422-R-336567-002. The affected licence covers Targetlocal’s online casino, sports betting and virtual event bettin

Brazil’s regulated betting market generated R$20.07 billion in gross gaming revenue (GGR) during the first six months of 2026, according to data obtained from Brazil’s Ministry of Finance Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA/MF) through an Access to Information request. The figure represents a 15.3% increase compared with the R$17.4 billion recorded during the first half of 2025. During the same period, approximately R$377.86 billion was returned to bettors in prizes. The d

The US Senate failed to advance the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act on 15 September 2026, leaving provisions affecting prediction markets unresolved as the legislation did not obtain the votes required to proceed. The cloture motion on the motion to proceed to H.R. 3633 failed by a vote of 49-50, with 60 votes required. Senator Thom Tillis subsequently entered a motion to reconsider the vote. The CLARITY Act was designed to establish a federal regulatory framework for digita

The customer-facing gambling industry in Great Britain generated £17.5 billion in gross gambling yield (GGY) during the financial year from April 2025 to March 2026, representing a 4.4% increase compared with the previous financial year. The figures were published on 17 September 2026 in the Gambling Commission’s annual industry statistics. Excluding reported lotteries, gambling GGY reached £13.2 billion, an increase of 4.7% compared with the previous year. The statistics cov

Spain’s 17 autonomous communities have jointly defended their regulatory responsibilities over land-based gambling and called for greater regional participation in national decisions affecting the sector. The position was set out in a joint document submitted on 7 September 2026 to the Directorate-General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) and the Gambling Policy Council. The document concerns the division of responsibilities between Spain’s central government and its auto

The U.S. House Ways and Means Committee is set to consider legislation Wednesday that would restore the ability of taxpayers to deduct 100% of their gambling losses against gambling winnings for federal tax purposes. The proposal would repeal the current 90% cap on deductions for wagering losses. It would apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025, effectively providing retroactive relief for 2026. The gambling-loss provision has been incorporated into House Res