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Macau generated approximately 58.34 billion patacas (US$7.22 billion) in gaming revenue between January and July 2026, marking a 9.3% increase compared with the same period last year. According to figures from the city’s Department of Financial Services, gaming taxes continue to represent one of the Macau government’s most important sources of current revenue. By July 31, the government had recorded 67.85 billion patacas in current revenue, with gaming-related taxes accountin

The Bank of Lithuania has temporarily prohibited UAB Lux International Payment System from providing financial services to both new and existing customers after identifying what it described as serious deficiencies and possible breaches of money laundering and terrorist financing prevention requirements. The intervention was imposed while the central bank conducts an ongoing inspection into the electronic money institution's activities. The restriction was announced on 4 Augu

A Cuban national has pleaded guilty in the United States to participating in an international migrant-smuggling operation that allegedly helped thousands of Cuban nationals enter the country through illegal and fraudulent means while generating substantial criminal proceeds. The case also involved asylum fraud and an extensive money laundering component, highlighting the close financial links between organised migrant smuggling and the movement and concealment of illicit fund

KPMG Australia has confirmed that it reached a settlement with a former employee who had raised allegations of wrongdoing within the firm's tax division, adding another layer to the growing scrutiny surrounding the professional services firm's governance, whistleblower processes and treatment of misconduct allegations. The settlement relates to historical allegations concerning KPMG Australia's tax practice and comes as the firm faces a separate parliamentary inquiry into all

Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have shifted another major Asia–Europe container service back through the Suez Canal, providing another indication that some shipping lines are cautiously reassessing their reliance on the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope. However, the latest move remains a targeted decision rather than evidence of a broad return to the Red Sea and Suez Canal. The two shipping companies announced that their AE19 service, operated as part of the Gemini Cooperati

Britain's regulated betting-shop sector is facing mounting financial pressure as higher gambling taxes and increasing operating costs contribute to a continuing wave of closures across the country's high streets. Industry representatives have warned that further increases in taxation could accelerate the decline of physical betting outlets, putting additional jobs and investment at risk while potentially strengthening the position of unlicensed gambling operators. The warning

South Korean police have referred eight people to prosecutors in connection with a payment fraud case involving Gmarket customer accounts, alleging that the individuals helped launder criminal proceeds by providing bank accounts used to receive and move funds generated through unauthorised transactions. Investigators have yet to identify the hacker believed to have organised the original scheme and are continuing to trace the movement of the proceeds. The case relates to unau

The United States Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has rejected Dutch digital bank bunq’s application for a national banking charter, citing significant concerns about the proposed institution’s capitalisation, management experience, business strategy and ability to operate safely and profitably in the U.S. market. The decision represents a setback for bunq’s plans to establish a full banking presence in the United States and highlights the demanding regulatory expec

Austrian authorities have uncovered an international sanctions-evasion network that allegedly diverted more than €3.3 million worth of specialised European industrial equipment to Russian defence manufacturers, exposing the increasingly sophisticated methods being used to circumvent restrictions on trade with Russia. The investigation centred on a Vienna-based company that allegedly arranged the procurement and onward delivery of controlled machinery and specialist metalworki

The UK Government is preparing to strengthen its powers to tackle businesses and premises suspected of being connected to organised crime, money laundering and other forms of illicit activity on the country's high streets. The proposed measures would significantly extend the period for which certain premises can remain closed while investigations are carried out and would give local authorities greater control over the expansion of gambling venues. At the centre of the propos

The share of Brazil’s online betting activity taking place through illegal operators declined during the first half of 2026, although unlicensed platforms continue to represent a substantial portion of the country’s betting market. A new study, “Sizing and Combating the Illegal Betting Market in Brazil,” estimates that between 38% and 44% of online bets were placed with illegal operators during the first six months of 2026. This represents a decline from the 41% to 51% range

Ireland's financial sector is facing a growing money laundering threat, with new industry research indicating that illicit financial activity has increased significantly over the past two years and that criminal networks are increasingly turning to digital channels to move and conceal their proceeds. The findings highlight the growing challenge for financial institutions as criminals move away from traditional cash-based methods and increasingly exploit digital payments, fint

The United States has significantly narrowed its beneficial ownership reporting requirements, removing the obligation for companies created under U.S. law to disclose their beneficial ownership information to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. The change represents a major reduction in the scope of the Corporate Transparency Act's reporting regime and shifts the focus of the remaining requirements towards certain foreign companies operating in the United States. Under

Five online gambling operators have secured new five-year licences in the Netherlands, marking the beginning of the country’s first major relicensing cycle since its regulated online gambling market opened in 2021. Fair Play Online and Kansino have joined TOTO Online, Holland Casino Online and Bingoal in confirming that they have received new licences. The permits will take effect on October 1 and remain valid until 2031. The first licences granted when the Dutch regulated on

Romania’s National Office for Gambling (ONJN) has added approximately 800 illegal gambling websites to the country’s national blacklist, marking the largest single blacklist expansion under the regulator’s current leadership. The decision was announced on 31 July 2026 by ONJN, whose Supervisory Committee approved the addition of the new domains. The latest action more than doubles the previous record established during the same mandate, when approximately 370 illegal gambling

Europe’s prolonged spell of extreme summer heat is expected to inflict an economic cost of around €180 billion in 2026, equivalent to roughly 1% of the European Union’s GDP, according to research published by Triodos Bank. The estimated loss is almost as large as the 1.1% growth that the EU had been expected to achieve this year, raising the prospect that the bloc could end the year close to stagnation. The analysis attributes the losses to a combination of extreme temperatur

A federal jury has convicted a Georgia man for his role in laundering more than $2.7 million obtained through romance scams and other online fraud schemes that targeted victims, including elderly individuals who were persuaded to hand over substantial portions of their savings. The case demonstrates how online fraud networks can rely on financial intermediaries, business accounts and international transfers to convert stolen funds into proceeds that are more difficult to trac

Ireland is introducing new anti-money laundering requirements aimed at strengthening controls within the gambling industry and preventing criminal organisations and terrorist groups from using gambling businesses to disguise and legitimise illicit funds. The measures form part of a broader effort to strengthen Ireland's financial crime framework and bring greater scrutiny to transactions and customers in a sector considered vulnerable to money laundering risks. The new rules

Austria has uncovered a sanctions-evasion operation in which a Vienna-based company allegedly supplied specialised industrial equipment to businesses connected to Russia's military-industrial sector. The investigation has resulted in arrests and the seizure of machinery and tools, while authorities continue examining a complex network of companies allegedly used to conceal the ultimate destination and end users of the exported goods. The investigation centres on a company bas

Brazilian lawmakers are stepping up scrutiny of the country's illegal betting market as concerns grow over the financial, social and regulatory consequences of unlicensed gambling activity. A House committee recently held a workshop focused on the impact of illegal betting and the challenges involved in monitoring and controlling websites that operate outside the country's regulated framework. The discussion comes as Brazil continues to build out its newly regulated betting m

Uganda has removed a tax exemption previously available to land-based casinos, bringing physical casinos into the same 15% withholding tax regime that applies to winnings from online betting and gaming. The change follows a proposal by President Yoweri Museveni to amend the country's tax legislation and is intended to create a more uniform approach to the taxation of gambling winnings while reducing opportunities for tax avoidance and revenue leakage. The amendment addresses