Category Archives: Betting

British horse racing denies links to anti-gambling lobby

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has defended its ‘Axe the Racing Tax’ campaign, an initiative which is driving a wedge between its traditional ally in the regulated betting industry. On 10 September the BHA took the unprecedented action of holding a strike, cancelling scheduled meetings across the country with the support of other horse racing …

UKGC legal fees surge ahead of Desmond lawsuit

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is beefing up its legal defence ahead of a looming lawsuit from billionaire Richard Desmond. Scheduled to be viewed by the High Court in October, the case has been in the making for almost two years. In it, Desmond – owner of the New Lottery Company and Northern & Shell …

Allwyn seals $2.5bn PrizePicks deal in landmark US move

Allwyn International continues its M&A run announcing that it has agreed terms to acquire PrizePicks, the largest daily fantasy sports (“DFS”) operator in North America. Deal terms see Allwyn front a $2.5bn to acquire a majority 62.3% stake in PrizePicks for an initial cash consideration of $1.6bn. Total rewards for PrizePicks are capped at $4.15bn …

Latvia redesigns gambling supervision ahead of 2026/2027 tax raid

Latvia will restructure its gambling oversight and introduce sharp tax increases across the sector as part of the 2026 state budget, in measures designed to boost revenues and streamline regulation. Finance Minister Arvils Ašeradens confirmed this afternoon that the Izložu un azartspēļu uzraudzības inspekcija (IAUI), the Lottery and Gambling Supervision Inspectorate, will be integrated into …

Irish banks unite on new commitment to tackle problem gambling

Ireland’s leading banks have pledged to take stronger action on gambling-related harm with the launch of a new framework designed to standardise support for vulnerable customers. The Irish Banking Culture Board (IBCB), in partnership with its member banks AIB, Bank of Ireland and PTSB, has unveiled the Common Commitment of Care for Problem Gambling. The …

Latvia changes gambling supervision ahead of 2026/2027 tax raid

CMA conclusively rules against SpreadEx-Sporting Index deal

The SpreadEx purchase of spread betting rival Sporting Index has been deemed a threat to the integrity of the free UK market. This was clearly outlined in the final report of the UK’s Competition and Market Authority (CMA), after almost a year of investigations by the watchdog into the case. SpreadEx first announced that it …

Lib Dems view 42% online gambling tax to fill NHS gaps

The Liberal Democrats have pledged to back tougher reforms on the UK gambling sector at the party’s annual conference in Bournemouth. Led by Sir Ed Davey, the conference sees the Lib Dems focus on its business policies to ‘“reawaken a stagnant UK economy”. On the media front, leadership wants to underline the party as the third-largest …

BetConstruct: harnessing the industry’s major breakthrough

A constant battle for supremacy encompasses the industry on a constant basis, centred around the necessity to cleverly and effectively utilise new technologies to remain an appealing prospect in the eyes of players. As preferences differ from country to country, and tastes and expectations continue to alter at speed, artificial intelligence represents that greatest prospect …

Lula orders Brazil Bets to follow civic duties of Child Protections Statute

Brazil is set to implement sweeping digital reforms to enforce new online protections and safeguard children’s rights in online environments. On Friday 19 September, President Luiz Inácio ‘Lula’ da Silva signed off on the federal approval of the “Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente Digital” (ECA Digital) – the new Statute for Children and Adolescents …