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The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is placing increased emphasis on its fit-and-proper or probity assessments as the Philippines seeks to preserve the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) reforms that led to its removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list. The heightened focus also comes as the country prepares for its next international evaluation in 2027. According to a legal analysis published on July 10

The Hellenic Gambling Supervision and Control Commission (EEEP) has opened a tender process to appoint a “specialist legal and technical partner” that will help reinforce player monitoring and security measures across Greece’s regulated online gambling market. The initiative is part of the Greek government’s wider effort to strengthen supervision of the online gambling industry by improving player identification systems, enhancing anti-money laundering (AML) protections and

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) significantly reduced its enforcement activity in 2025, issuing administrative fines totaling €162,520—almost 50% lower than the €306,250 recorded in 2024. According to the regulator’s latest annual report, enforcement actions declined across multiple areas despite continued growth in the number of licensed operators under its supervision. During 2025, the MGA imposed 30 administrative penalties, cancelled only two gaming licences, and iss

Vietnam is setting an ambitious target of welcoming 25 million international visitors in 2026 as the country seeks to build on strong tourism growth recorded during the first half of the year. Authorities are focusing on a combination of supportive visa policies, expanded overseas marketing initiatives, and the diversification of international source markets to maintain momentum. According to VnEconomy, Vietnam received an estimated 1.68 million international visitors in

The illegal online gambling market targeting consumers across the European Union expanded to an estimated €91.6 billion in 2025, representing an increase of approximately 14% compared with the previous year, according to figures unveiled during a European Parliament roundtable held on 6 July. The findings, presented by the European Casino Association (ECA), indicate that EU member states collectively missed out on around €22.9 billion in tax revenue as gamblers increasingly

Suspicious transaction reports (STRs) submitted by Macau's casino industry increased by 8.7 percent during the first half of 2026, contributing to a broader rise in the total number of reports received by the Financial Intelligence Office of the Unitary Police Service. According to official data released on July 7, the office received 2,018 STRs from Games of Fortune Operators—the official classification for casino operators—between January and June 2026. This compares with

The UK Gambling Commission’s latest action against Petfre (Gibraltar) Limited, operator of Betfred’s online business, is another reminder that safer gambling controls are no longer a soft compliance category. The operator agreed to pay £900,000 after the regulator identified social responsibility failures following a compliance assessment carried out in 2024. The settlement was announced at the end of June 2026 and has been covered across gambling trade media as part of the U

The Philippine online gaming sector is facing a more expensive and uneven operating environment after tighter rules changed the way players access digital gambling platforms. Recent industry analysis highlighted how listed operators including DigiPlus Interactive, Bloomberry Resorts, PhilWeb and DFNN have reported different outcomes as compliance requirements rise and online gaming platforms adjust to the delinking of in-app e-wallet access points. The issue goes back to the

Australia’s financial crime regulator has escalated its scrutiny of the online wagering sector again, requiring bet365 to overhaul its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing controls under a legally binding enforceable undertaking. The action, announced by AUSTRAC on 6 July 2026, follows an investigation into Hillside (Australia New Media) Pty Ltd, trading as bet365, after the regulator identified serious weaknesses in the company’s approach to money laundering

Europe’s illegal online gambling market is no longer a side issue for regulators. New figures presented at the European Parliament suggest that unlicensed operators targeting EU consumers generated €91.6 billion in activity in 2025, costing Member States an estimated €22.9 billion in lost tax revenue. The figures, revealed during a European Casino Association roundtable on illegal online gambling, show a market that is growing faster than enforcement systems can contain it. T

AUSTRAC has formally closed its enforceable undertaking with Sportsbet after confirming the company completed all required remediation work to fix significant weaknesses in its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) systems. The enforceable undertaking, which was accepted in May 2024, followed concerns raised by AUSTRAC during a review of the corporate bookmaker industry. Those concerns related to compliance gaps in Sportsbet’s AML/CTF obligations.

South Korean authorities have extradited two individuals, referred to as suspect A and suspect B, from the United Arab Emirates after both were implicated in separate large-scale illegal online gambling operations. The extraditions conclude a prolonged international pursuit coordinated through multiple agencies across countries. The two suspects were flown into Incheon International Airport on July 4 following their arrest in the UAE, which was made possible through joint

Bangladesh has introduced a comprehensive new legal framework aimed at combating gambling in both physical and digital environments, with offenders facing prison sentences of up to 10 years for serious violations. According to BSS News, the country's official state news agency, the newly enacted Gambling Prevention Act, 2026 officially came into force on July 1 following its publication in the official gazette, replacing the long-standing Public Gambling Act of 1867 that ha

Malaysia’s latest illegal betting crackdown shows how major sporting events continue to create immediate opportunities for unlicensed gambling networks. Police announced that 331 people had been arrested in a nationwide operation linked to World Cup betting, with local reporting putting the value of uncovered illegal transactions at approximately RM2.63 million. The operation, known as Ops Soga XI, was launched in anticipation of a surge in football-related betting activity a

Austria is moving closer to one of the most important online gambling reforms in Europe, but the transition may be just as important as the final framework. Industry reporting in late June said the country’s online market is expected to open in 2027, with a planned cooling-off period before new licences become available. That structure could create a temporary gap in which existing operators are forced out before the regulated market is ready to absorb players. The reform is

A new proposal to sharply increase taxes on high-street slot machines has reopened the UK debate over gambling harm, public revenue and the future of land-based betting venues. The proposal, advanced by the Social Market Foundation, would raise Machine Games Duty on higher-risk Category B machines, including many electronic gaming machines found in adult gaming centres, casinos, bingo halls and betting shops. The think tank argues that the measure could raise between £275 mil

Kalshi has added India to its restricted jurisdictions, marking another setback for prediction markets as governments increasingly treat event-contract platforms as gambling rather than purely financial products. The U.S.-based prediction market platform updated its member agreement on 17 June 2026 to prohibit users located in, domiciled in or organised in India from trading event contracts. The move followed action by India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technolog

The UK Gambling Commission has imposed a £122,835 regulatory settlement on gambling software provider Stakelogic BV after finding that several of its online slot games operated faster than permitted under the regulator’s responsible product design rules. The case highlights a growing area of gambling compliance risk: the mechanics of the product itself. For years, enforcement attention in the UK gambling sector has focused heavily on anti-money laundering, affordability check

SkyCity Adelaide has accepted a AU$21 million fine as part of a settlement with South Australia’s gambling regulator, marking another major development in Australia’s long-running enforcement campaign against casino compliance failures. The settlement follows years of scrutiny over the casino’s anti-money laundering controls, governance standards and gambling harm minimisation obligations. It also comes after separate federal AML/CTF proceedings brought by AUSTRAC, which resu

The Dutch gambling regulator has imposed a €3.082 million fine on Chestoption Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada for offering online gambling to players in the Netherlands without the required licence. The decision, published by the Kansspelautoriteit, adds to a wider enforcement campaign against offshore gambling operators that continue to target Dutch consumers despite not being licensed under the country’s regulated online gambling framework. The case is particularly sig