All Articles

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

Japan’s governing coalition has once again confirmed its intention to exempt overseas casino patrons from paying taxes on gambling winnings, reinforcing a long-standing policy designed to boost inbound tourism and attract international investment.   The commitment was reiterated in December during fiscal policy discussions between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Innovation Party, reviving measures that were first put forward several years ago.   The exemption for non-res

Spain’s online gambling sector maintained its strong upward trajectory in 2025, with online casino activity once again acting as the primary engine of growth, alongside rising betting revenues and increased marketing spend.   According to figures released by the General Directorate for Gambling Regulation (DGOJ) covering the three months ending 30 September 2025, gross gaming revenue (GGR) across Spain’s regulated online gambling market reached €405.36 million. This represent

Turkey’s sweeping investigation into illegal betting and alleged match-fixing within professional football has intensified further, with authorities expanding the scope of enforcement to include additional players, referees and football officials.   On Friday, prosecutors issued detention orders for 29 more individuals as part of the widening probe into unlicensed gambling activities and integrity breaches. Turkish media outlets, including broadcaster NTV, reported that those

The Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) has stepped up its enforcement of anti-money laundering rules in the online gambling sector, issuing a formal warning to TOTO Online after identifying multiple shortcomings in the operator’s compliance with national AML legislation.   The regulator said TOTO Online failed to fully comply with obligations under the Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing (Prevention) Act, particularly in relation to the ongoing monitoring of customer r

Poland’s president has vetoed legislation that would have increased the tax on gambling winnings, a move that has been welcomed by industry stakeholders who argue it preserves competitiveness and stability in the regulated market.   President Karol Nawrocki rejected amendments to the Public Health Act and the Personal Income Tax Act that had been approved by Parliament earlier this month. The changes would have raised the tax on winnings from competitions, games and mutual be

Finland’s Parliament has approved a new Gambling Act that will fundamentally reshape the country’s gambling framework, bringing an end to Veikkaus’ long-standing monopoly over betting and online casino games and opening the market to licensed competition.   Under the new legislation, which represents one of the most significant regulatory shifts in Finland’s gambling history, Veikkaus will lose its exclusive rights to offer betting and online casino products from summer 2027.

Legislation intended to overhaul and modernise South Africa’s gambling regulatory framework has reached a critical impasse, caught in a web of procedural delays and escalating tensions between national and provincial authorities.   The National Gambling Amendment Bill, first tabled in 2018, has now lapsed on two occasions and is once again facing firm resistance from provinces, which argue that the proposed reforms threaten constitutional powers, undermine provincial revenues