All Articles

The Cypriot economy sustained a strong and steady course through December 29, 2025, with the government managing to steer through a challenging international environment while advancing far-reaching domestic reforms. Globally, uncertainty intensified early in the year as renewed trade frictions surfaced following tariff announcements by US President Donald Trump, reigniting concerns over rising inflation and a potential deceleration in global economic growth. These developmen

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

Hong Kong’s Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, together with the Securities and Futures Commission, have concluded consultations on the introduction of new licensing regimes for virtual asset dealers and custodians, confirming that operating such businesses without a licence will constitute a criminal offence. Under the proposed framework, unlicensed activity will be punishable by a fine of HK$5 million and up to seven years’ imprisonment, marking a major expansion o

Italian law enforcement authorities have concluded a major counterterrorism financing operation that led to the arrest of nine people and the confiscation of assets worth approximately €8 million, following the uncovering of a fake charity network linked to Hamas. Investigators say the structure was responsible for channeling around €7 million to the militant organisation while presenting itself as a humanitarian aid initiative. The coordinated action was led by the District

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

Eurobank announced this week that it has repurchased 682,000 of its own shares on the Athens Stock Exchange during the period from December 22 to December 26, 2025, as part of its authorised share buyback programme, a move intended to implement decisions taken by both its shareholders and its board of directors. According to the bank, the shares were acquired at an average price of €3.5172 per share, with the total value of the transactions amounting to €2.4 million. As a res

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

Vietnamese authorities have stepped up supervision of the country’s financial system after suspicious transaction reports filed with the State Bank of Vietnam recorded a sharp year-on-year increase of around 30 per cent. The tougher approach includes the enforcement of Decree No. 329/2025/ND-CP, which is designed to closely monitor capital movements within the newly created international financial centre and curb illicit financial activity. Particular attention is being paid

South Korea has established a high-level task force aimed at overhauling the nation’s financial transaction regulations and reinforcing the domestic framework against illicit capital flows. Authorities confirmed that entities failing to comply with reporting obligations under current legal statutes may face administrative fines of up to 100 million won for non-compliance. Officials stated that the initiative directly responds to the growing complexity of transborder financial

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

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has dismantled the infrastructure behind E-Note, a long-running digital laundering platform that investigators say was responsible for processing approximately seventy million dollars in criminal proceeds. The enforcement action targeted a Russian national accused of operating the service and now facing a potential sentence of up to twenty years in federal prison. Through coordinated efforts with international law enforcement partners, auth

Instacart has agreed to issue $60 million in refunds to consumers as part of a settlement resolving a Federal Trade Commission investigation into what the agency characterized as “numerous unlawful tactics” employed by the grocery delivery platform. The settlement stems from allegations that the company engaged in deceptive marketing and subscription practices that misled customers about delivery costs and enrolment terms. In parallel, the FTC has requested additional informa

FINRA has issued a $100,000 fine against Mundial Financial Group after identifying serious and long-running breakdowns in the firm’s anti-money laundering controls. The enforcement action follows years of deficiencies spanning customer identification, transaction surveillance, and internal governance, which regulators concluded left the firm highly exposed to illicit trading and money laundering risks. Investigators also found that these weaknesses were exacerbated by the inv

The United States Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has released a major alert highlighting approximately $7.1 billion in financial transactions deemed suspicious and potentially tied to Chinese underground money movement networks, representing one of the most extensive coordinated financial crime warnings issued in recent years. The alert, reported by AML Intelligence, signals an intensified focus by United States authorities on illicit capital flows connected to

The Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KEBE) has welcomed parliament’s approval of Cyprus’ long-anticipated tax reform, describing it as a decisive step towards modernising the country’s fiscal framework and reinforcing its competitiveness.   In a statement issued on Monday, the chamber said the reform “marks a historic step” in upgrading the tax system at a time when the Cypriot economy is seeking sustainable growth and increased investment. KEBE said the adoption of t

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.

Rank Group has reported a €7.1 million ($8.2 million) payment fraud affecting its Spanish operations to the authorities, while also initiating an internal investigation to determine how the incident occurred.   The company confirmed that the fraud is connected to its Spanish-facing brands Yo and Enracha, which operate across bingo, electronic casino and slots, sports betting and entertainment. Given the size of the loss, Rank said the impact will be treated as an exceptional

Police in eastern China’s Zhejiang province have taken Yu Faxiang, the chairman of Hong Kong-listed Haichang Ocean Park, into custody as authorities investigate alleged mismanagement following defaults on multibillion-yuan wealth management products issued by a firm under his control. The move represents the latest crackdown on mainland China’s shadow banking sector, continuing years of government efforts to regulate and clean up the industry. Haichang, mainland China’s large

The Dubai Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department has approved a new regulatory structure permitting charitable and humanitarian organizations to receive digital contributions, a move that introduces notable anti-money laundering risks into the philanthropic landscape. Under the new framework, approved and verified entities within the emirate are now allowed to accept virtual assets as a legitimate form of humanitarian donation, reflecting Dubai’s broader push to

Cyprus has once again increased the proportion of renewable energy in its gross final energy consumption, according to the latest data released by Eurostat, underscoring steady progress in the country’s energy transition at a time when the European Union as a whole continues to lag behind its long-term climate objectives.   Eurostat data show that renewable sources accounted for 25.2 per cent of gross final energy consumption across the EU in 2024. This represents a rise of 0

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