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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

Brazil is introducing a new safeguard for cryptocurrency transactions that will require regulated institutions to delay certain outbound virtual asset transfers for 24 hours before allowing them to proceed. The measure, adopted by the Central Bank of Brazil, is designed to give financial institutions additional time to identify potentially fraudulent or illicit transactions before digital assets leave their control and are transferred to foreign platforms or privately control

A network of companies based in the United Arab Emirates has been identified as playing a central role in financial structures used to move money connected to Iran, highlighting the continuing challenges posed by sophisticated shadow banking and sanctions-evasion arrangements. The networks have been used to facilitate payments linked to Iranian oil and other commercial activities while attempting to conceal the origin and destination of the funds. The structures identified by

Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority has issued a formal warning against a former managing director of a financial services institution over serious and persistent deficiencies in measures intended to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. The regulatory action, issued on 3 July 2026 and becoming final on 9 August, highlights an increasingly important principle in financial crime supervision: responsibility for ineffective AML controls can extend direc

Denmark’s gambling regulator, Spillemyndigheden (the Danish Gambling Authority), has launched a new application round for land-based casino licences, with successful operators eligible to receive licences for periods of up to 10 years. Operators interested in entering or expanding within Denmark’s land-based casino market must submit their completed applications, together with all required supporting documentation, no later than November 3. The authority has made clear that a

Sri Lanka has ordered the immediate blocking of 24 online gambling and betting websites that are operating without the licenses required under the country’s legal framework. The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) has instructed all telecommunications service providers to restrict access to the identified platforms with immediate effect. The websites covered by the directive are 1xbet.com, betway.com/en-lk, 22bet.com, melbet.com, unibet.com, betfair.

The Cypriot passport has strengthened its position in the latest international passport rankings for 2026, rising one place to 13th position in the Henley Passport Index. Cypriot citizens can now travel to 175 destinations without having to obtain a visa in advance, either through visa-free entry or by obtaining a visa upon arrival. The improvement marks a step forward from 2025, when Cyprus ranked 14th globally. Nevertheless, the country remains one position below its highes

World Liberty Financial is facing increased scrutiny after a $100 million purchase of its governance tokens was linked to a businessman who is the subject of an ongoing money laundering investigation in the United Kingdom. The investment, made through an entity connected to the UAE-based Aqua1 Foundation, has raised questions about the source of the funds and the due diligence applied to investors in the Trump-linked cryptocurrency venture. The investment represents the large

The United Kingdom has expanded its sanctions regime against Russia, targeting banks, financial businesses, vessels and companies connected to the country's energy sector and sanctions-evasion networks. The latest measures are intended to restrict Russia's ability to generate revenue from oil exports and access international financial services, while increasing pressure on the networks used to circumvent restrictions imposed since the invasion of Ukraine. The measures include

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order introducing a 15% tariff on imported polysilicon and products made from the material, escalating Washington's efforts to protect strategically important industries and reduce China's influence over critical technology supply chains. Polysilicon is a key raw material used in the manufacture of semiconductors and solar panels. Under the order signed on Thursday, the United States will impose a 15% tariff on polysilicon and

Malta is preparing to challenge plans for a potential European Union-wide levy on online gambling, arguing that imposing a common tax at EU level could undermine national regulatory systems, distort competition and place additional pressure on an industry that is already subject to significant taxation and compliance obligations in individual Member States. The proposal has emerged as part of wider discussions about new sources of revenue for the EU's next long-term budget. T

Cryptocurrency exchange HTX has come under renewed scrutiny over changes to its on-chain wallet infrastructure, with blockchain intelligence analysis indicating that the platform has repeatedly rotated wallets across several major networks. The activity has raised concerns among compliance professionals because frequent changes to the addresses used to hold and transfer exchange assets can make it more difficult to identify and monitor the financial flows associated with a la

A former Goldman Sachs investment banker has been convicted in the United States for his role in a bribery and money laundering scheme connected to the development and financing of a major power plant in Ghana. The conviction follows a federal trial in which prosecutors presented evidence that the banker used his position, financial expertise and international connections to facilitate payments to Ghanaian public officials while concealing the movement and purpose of the fund

The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) has introduced a new Financial Crime Compliance Strategy for 2026, setting out a more risk-focused and outcomes-driven approach to combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other forms of financial crime across Malta's financial services sector. The strategy is intended to strengthen supervisory effectiveness while preparing regulated businesses for major changes to the European Union's anti-money laundering framework an

Prosecutors in Curaçao have asked the court to acquit a businessman of money laundering charges in the long-running Avior investigation, concluding that although significant suspicions remain, the evidence gathered during the decade-long investigation is insufficient to secure a criminal conviction. The development marks a notable turn in one of the Caribbean's most prominent financial crime cases, highlighting the challenges prosecutors face in complex cross-border money lau

The Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) has announced the results of its latest review of listed companies' compliance with minimum market capitalisation requirements, confirming changes to the warning status of several issuers. The review forms part of the exchange's ongoing supervisory framework aimed at promoting market transparency and ensuring that listed companies continue to meet the standards required for admission and continued trading on the regulated market. One of the mos