Gambling

Brazil’s suspension of online betting has triggered a refund process involving approximately BRL 1.325 billion (US$245 million) owed to around 26.5 million bettors, while the gambling industry has reported thousands of job losses following the government’s decision to halt licensed betting operations. The shutdown followed the introduction of Provisional Measure No. 1,394/2026, signed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on 25 September 2026. The measure prohibited the oper

Spain’s Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) has reopened public consultation on a proposed standardised mechanism to identify online gambling customers displaying patterns of potentially risky behaviour. Interested individuals, companies and organisations have until 22 October 2026 to submit comments on the revised draft resolution. The second consultation follows an earlier public consultation conducted between 28 August and 25 September 2025. The DGOJ

Philippine gaming operator DigiPlus Interactive Corp. has withdrawn from the final rounds of New Zealand’s online casino licensing auction after reassessing the market and the potential value of obtaining a licence. The decision adds another obstacle to the company’s overseas expansion plans following regulatory disruption in Brazil. In a regulatory filing dated 14 October 2026, DigiPlus said that further market analysis and an assessment of market values had led it to withdr

Federal court grants temporary protection to Stake's operating licence, marking the first successful legal challenge by a licensed betting operator against Brazil's sweeping online gambling prohibition. Online betting operator Stake has secured a significant legal victory in Brazil after the Federal Court of São Paulo granted a partial preliminary injunction allowing the company to resume operations until 25 October 2026. The ruling represents the first favourable judicial

Brazil’s sweeping prohibition on fixed-odds betting has forced licensed operators to shut down their platforms, leaving more than BRL1.3 billion (approximately US$266 million) awaiting repayment to millions of customers and triggering widespread job losses across the country’s gambling industry. The shutdown, which took effect on 6 October 2026, represents a dramatic reversal for a market that had attracted substantial investment following the introduction of regulated onli

South Africa is preparing to strengthen oversight of gambling conducted through mobile phones and digital networks, with government ministers examining regulatory gaps, consumer protection measures and advertising restrictions amid growing concerns about gambling addiction and financial harm. South Africa's government is considering additional measures to regulate gambling activities accessed through mobile phones, as authorities face increasing pressure to address the soci

Brazil’s regulated online gambling market has effectively closed, marking a dramatic reversal for a sector that only recently moved into a nationwide licensing framework. Licensed sports-betting and online-casino platforms were taken offline on October 6 after the government’s deadline for ending operations passed without an intervention from the Supreme Federal Court. Major operators, including Betano, Sportingbet, Betnacional, Esportes da Sorte and Superbet, withdrew their

Britain is taking a closer look at the rapidly expanding prediction-market sector, with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) holding discussions with major operators including Kalshi and Polymarket as the companies explore potential entry into the UK market. Simon Walls, the FCA’s executive director for markets, confirmed the regulator’s engagement with the companies during its annual public meeting on 6 October, signalling that British authorities are prepared to examine ho