You are about to read some of the most intriguing news from the gambling industry worldwide. The team at Nostrabet.com has scanned the internet once again and found that some of the news was more interesting than others. That’s why we are about to look at all of them.
The Finnish Committee Is Not Happy About the Gambling Reform Proposal
The Finnish government had an idea to reform the country’s gambling industry. Originally, the idea was for the gambling market to open to competition in 2027, ending the monopoly of the state operator Veikkaus.
It seems that this idea will not come to life because the Finnish Parliamentary Committee on Social Affairs and Health expressed its concerns over the matter. According to them, such a draft increases the risk of different gambling-related issues. Moreover, they also believe that the minimum gambling age in the country should be set to 20.
It will be interesting to see what will change in Finland and whether locals can finally access many licensed operators. Aside from that, the changes aim to include ID verification, different responsible gambling tools, and advertising restrictions.
The Thai Senate Wants a Referendum Over the Casino Bill
We have reported that Thailand’s government is interested in opening casinos to attract even more tourists. Sadly, many groups within the country are not on board with this decision. This led to protests and many other activities, and it seems like the Senate wants to hold a referendum over the casino bill.
The request was made following a committee session where Thailand’s Prime Minister had to attend and explain the government’s position. Sadly, this did not happen due to an official visit to Vietnam.
According to one senator, the casino proposal is alarming because it could legalise full-scale casino operations. We will have to wait and see if the people in Thailand will have a referendum about it.
A Thai Buddhist Monk has Been Accused of Embezzling Temple Funds for Gambling-Related Activities
The next interesting weekly news also comes from Thailand, but it is different than the previous one. According to the police, a senior Buddhist monk has been accused of embezzling temple funds that equal a total of THB300M or $8.2M. He used the money to fund different gambling-related activities.
After the investigation started, the monk turned himself in to the police. What’s shocking about this situation is that there is information that he has been transferring funds to his personal account for more than five years. Moreover, these funds were then funneled into an account belonging to another person with some connection to iGaming sites.
The entire situation came to light after a complaint and a subsequent 8-month-long investigation by the police. Alongside the monk, the authorities also arrested another person who was also involved in gambling-related activities before.
Japan will tighten Online Casino Regulations
Japan is one of the countries where online gambling has gained a lot of traction in the last couple of years. Due to the growing number of illegal bets, however, both the ruling party and the opposition agreed to introduce a bill that regulated online casinos. According to the information, the illegal bets in the country exceed $7.4B.
The new bill bans the opening or operation of online casino platforms. Moreover, it will be illegal for people to use social media or other channels to direct users to these kinds of platforms.
Japanese people will also have access to a campaign that will inform them that online casinos are illegal.
Wynn Las Vegas Made a $5.5M Settlement with the Nevada Gaming Regulators
Las Vegas is a place where big scandals often occur, and this one is no exception. According to the news, Wynn Las Vegas reached a settlement with the Nevada Gaming Control Board and will pay $5.5M. The amount is related to violating different anti-money laundering rules. Alongside the hefty payment, the staff at Wynn Las Vegas will have to go through special training.
All of this happened after it became clear that the casino allowed people from outside the US to gamble with money that the authorities were suspicious of. This became clear following an investigation that concluded there was proxy betting and unverified money transfers. In other words, Wynn failed to follow the AML compliance procedures.
Another interesting piece of news about Wynn is that Wynn Resorts withdrew its application for a gambling license in New York. This happened despite gaining approval from the City Planning Commission. According to the operator, it considered the ups and downs and decided “not to lodge an application” for a license in New York City.
The original idea was for Wynn to open a massive 80-story building and a hotel near the Hudson River. Who knows, we might see it in action in the next couple of years.
The Swedish Gambling Authority Adds Additional Supervision for Operators
Sweden’s gambling regulator decided to initiate a new supervisory process. Its goal is to evaluate whether the companies with an existing license comply with the regulations and are in a position they offer their services. This comes just a few days after the Swedish Gambling Authority decided to ban 3 companies for targeting local clients without having the needed permit.
Another reason for these actions is the report from early 2025. Based on the information from the Swedish National Audit Office, the gambling regulator has fallen short of the standards and expectations in terms of regulating the market.
People in Bulgaria, Romania, and Portugal can see the UEFA Europa League and Conference League Trophies
Kaizen Gaming, the company behind Betano, continues to impress fans from around the worlds. Alongside the new sponsorship deals that allows the brand to operate in new regions, Kaizen Gaming is also looking to strengthen its positions in some of its best European markets. As a result, the company decided to bring the UEFA Europa League and Conference League trophies to Bulgaria, Romania and Portugal.
The most recent showcase took place on 29 April in Sofia, Bulgaria. The event featured Gianluigi Buffon, as well as several other Bulgarian celebrities. Prior to arriving in Bulgaria, people in Romania and Portugal also got to see the trophies. This became possible following Betano’s sponsorship deal with two of the most prestigious football competitions in Europe.
Macau Collected $37B in Gaming Taxes Between January and April 2025
Macau is one of the world’s biggest gambling hubs, attracting people from around the world. The most recent news from Macau revealed that the local authorities collected close to $37B in gaming-related taxes for the first four months of the year. An interesting fact is that this amount is more or less the same as last year.
Even though these numbers seem impressive, Macau is experiencing a revenue decline. The stats reveal a 4.8% fall compared to last year, so it will be interesting to see if the numbers remain the same later this year.
Speaking of interesting numbers, the stats for Macau show that the local government gets 86.6% of its revenue from the gambling tax. These numbers are insanely high, so every small change in the revenue has a huge effect on the overall results.
The Gambling Revenue in Pennsylvania Is 10.7% Up Compared to Last Year
Pennsylvania is one of the many places in the US where people have access to different gambling options. Following the most recent statistics for April 2025, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board revealed that its gaming revenue reached $558.7M. This means there is a 10.7% increase from April last year.
These stats surprised many experts because Pennsylvania experienced a small decrease in revenue in February. Things improved in March, and now the April stats reveal that it is heading in the right direction.
The iGaming revenue for April marks a 31.1% increase, and online slots are the go-to option because they account for $169.5M of the revenue. Table games are also popular in the state, with their $55.9M share.
Bet9ja Renews its Sponsorship Deal with Super Eagles
Bet9ja is one of Africa’s biggest sportsbooks and attracts people from all over the continent. As such, it sponsors many different teams and events, including Nigeria’s national football team (also known as the Super Eagles).
As expected, Bet9ja decided to continue supporting the team as it prepares for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The event will take place in Morocco in December and feature all of Africa’s best football teams.
Bet9ja calls its sponsorship with Nigeria’s national “Let’s Do It Again”, and it started during AFCON 2023. Speaking of the country’s football team, Nigeria has several upcoming games for the Unity Cup event in London. The country will go up against Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Ghana.
As for AFCON 2025, Nigeria is in a group with Tanzania, Tunisia, and Uganda.
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