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Commercial gaming revenue in the United States declined by 0.6% year on year in August 2026 to $6.48 billion, as a sharp fall in sports betting revenue outweighed growth in land-based casinos and online gaming, according to the American Gaming Association (AGA). The figures, published in the AGA’s Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker on 21 October, show diverging performance across the country’s main regulated gambling sectors. Traditional casino gaming and iGaming both recorded

The European Commission has issued statements addressing United States sanctions measures adopted in October 2026, expressing concern over their implications for international pressure on Russia and the continued operation of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The statements concern a US executive order waiving sanctions and tariffs required under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, and US sanctions against the ICC under Executive Order 14203.

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released the names and photographs of 24 Nigerian nationals arrested by immigration authorities over alleged criminal offences, including fraud, money laundering, drug-related crimes, identity theft, assault and weapons violations. The announcement comes as President Donald Trump’s administration intensifies its immigration enforcement campaign, with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carrying out arres

Spain has allowed a US request to extradite American national James Cox Chambers to proceed to judicial review, following his arrest in Ibiza in July 2026. The decision does not constitute approval of his extradition. The case will now be considered by Spain’s Audiencia Nacional before the Spanish government makes a final determination. Chambers, 41, was arrested on 10 July while visiting Ibiza and remains in pre-trial detention in Madrid. He is a US citizen and has been desc

The United States has imposed sanctions on Iranian cryptocurrency exchange BitBank, its software developer and three individuals linked to Iranian financier Babak Zanjani, alleging that the network facilitated the movement of hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The designations were announced by the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on 17 September 2026 under Executive Order 13902, w

US interest rates have been increased for the first time in more than three years, with the Federal Reserve indicating that further rises could follow as it seeks to bring persistent inflation under control. The Federal Reserve unanimously voted to raise its benchmark interest-rate range from 3.5%-3.75% to 3.75%-4%. The decision came despite strong opposition from President Donald Trump, who had repeatedly urged the central bank to reduce borrowing costs. Fed Chair Kevin Wars

The United States Department of Justice has filed a civil forfeiture complaint seeking approximately $61 million in cryptocurrency that prosecutors allege represents proceeds from the black-market sale of sanctioned Iranian crude oil and petroleum products. The complaint, filed in the Southern District of New York, targets cryptocurrency held across a network of addresses and alleges that the funds were ultimately intended to benefit the Government of Iran and Iranian militar

Five individuals allegedly linked to Russian intelligence services have been charged in the United States with conspiring to finance terrorism and, in three cases, with conspiring to commit murder for hire, following an investigation into a network accused of arranging payments for attacks, surveillance and targeted killings. The charges were unsealed on 15 September 2026 in the Southern District of New York. According to the indictment, the network operated from at least 202

The United States has imposed new sanctions on Russia’s VTB Bank over its alleged involvement in Iranian financial activities and efforts to circumvent US sanctions. The action was taken by the Office of Foreign Assets Control under Executive Order 13902, which authorises sanctions against persons operating in specified sectors of the Iranian economy, including the financial sector. The designation concerns VTB Bank Public Joint Stock Company, one of Russia’s largest financia

Huawei Technologies has gone on trial in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, in a long-running criminal case involving allegations of sanctions violations, bank fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, racketeering and theft of trade secrets. Jury selection began on September 8, 2026, almost eight years after US authorities initially brought charges against the Chinese telecommunications company. Prosecutors allege that Huawei used a network of corporate relationships and intern

US authorities have seized more than $560,000 in cryptocurrency allegedly intended to support Hamas, while simultaneously dismantling websites, servers and online communication infrastructure used to solicit digital-asset donations and recruit supporters. The operation represents another significant intervention against the use of cryptocurrency as a channel for terrorist financing and demonstrates the increasingly sophisticated methods being used by law enforcement to identi

The United States, under President Donald Trump’s second administration, is increasingly embracing prediction markets and the expanding trade in event-based contracts linked to everything from sports and politics to pop culture. While Washington moves to support the industry, several of the world’s largest economies are taking the opposite approach, introducing restrictions or outright bans on the controversial platforms. Speaking at the White House this week alongside Commod

An Australian businessman alleged to have played a central role in the creation of thousands of shell companies has been arrested in Queensland after United States authorities formally requested his extradition on a series of serious financial crime allegations connected to international money laundering activities. The Australian Attorney General Department confirmed that federal officers detained the man on April 29, 2026, following the processing of a mutual legal assistan

The United States Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on four of Iran's most significant cryptocurrency trading platforms, accusing them of enabling illicit financial activity, supporting terrorism-related financing, and assisting in the circumvention of international economic restrictions. The action specifically names Nobitex, the country's largest digital asset exchange by market share, along with Wallex, Bitpin, and R

Oil prices climbed sharply after the United States launched fresh attacks on Iran, striking a military installation in Bandar Abbas, a strategically important port city on Iran’s southern coast. The US Central Command (Centcom) said American forces also intercepted and destroyed four Iranian drones “that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz”. Following the attacks, the global benchmark for oil prices, Brent crude, jumped 3.75% to $97.83 (£73.15) per barrel. Meanwhile, U

Former Venezuelan Industry Minister Alex Saab appeared before a federal court in Miami on Monday, where US authorities formally reinstated money laundering charges against the Colombian-born businessman and former Venezuelan government envoy. The allegations stem from accusations that Saab participated in the misappropriation of funds tied to Venezuelan government contracts, including the CLAP subsidized food distribution program established to assist the country’s most vulne

Federal authorities have carried out coordinated enforcement actions disrupting two major financial and narcotics trafficking networks linked to the Sinaloa Cartel, with regulatory measures including strict blacklisting designations and potential enforcement penalties exceeding 1,000,000 dollars. The Office of Foreign Assets Control led the sanctions effort, moving to freeze assets and disrupt cryptocurrency-based systems used to transfer illicit proceeds across international

The United States government has intensified its counterterrorism enforcement efforts by freezing the financial infrastructure connected to transnational procurement networks allegedly supporting a Hamas-backed flotilla attempting to reach Gaza. Through coordinated sanctions enforcement, the Office of Foreign Assets Control implemented broad asset freezes targeting international organizers and political operatives associated with maritime delivery initiatives and religious co

The United States commercial gaming industry generated $78.62 billion in revenue in 2025, reflecting a 9.1% increase year on year and extending the sector’s run to a sixth straight record-breaking annual performance, according to the American Gaming Association State of the States 2026 report. The figures illustrate the continued expansion of a regulatory environment that now spans 38 states along with the District of Columbia, with 37 jurisdictions reporting revenue growth a

Consumer prices in the United States rose sharply again in April, with the latest data from the United States Department of Labor showing the Consumer Price Index increased 3.8% compared with April 2025. The monthly reading also showed prices climbing 0.6% from March to April, a slowdown from the 0.9% increase recorded between February and March. Energy costs were a major driver of the increase, with petrol prices rising 5.4% over the month. On a year-over-year basis, petrol