We are back with our weekly iGaming news roundup! As expected, the team at Nostrabet found many exciting updates, major announcements, and loads of other things that you may want to know. You are probably interested in learning additional details about them, so let’s dive in.
BetBlocker is now available in Italian
Since online sports betting and casinos are becoming more popular all over the world, more and more people have developed different kinds of gambling-related problems. There are various kinds of tools that can assist users in need, and BetBlocker is one of them.
BetBlocker offers innovative, responsible gambling software whose primary focus is the UK. However, it seems that many people in Italy are also struggling with gambling problems, so BetBlocker decided to expand and offer a version in Italian.
Before offering this version, BetBlocker also made some significant changes to the African market. People interested in using the effective self-exclusion service there will find the options in Tonga, Nyanja, and Bemba (all 3 are popular in Zambia).
Malta Gaming Authority Updates its Regulatory Oversight
Everyone involved in online gambling knows that the Malta Gaming Authority is one of the most popular regulators. The MGA gives licenses to all kinds of iGaming operators and will continue to do so. With that said, the regulator decided to update its regulatory policy for 2025.
According to the information, the MGA will try to focus on the following aspects:
- Collaboration
- Proactive risk management
- Risk-based resource allocation
Overall, these changes are part of a much broader strategy whose goal is to make it more effective. The MGA believes that the new approach will better address issues like responsible gambling and sports betting integrity.
The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission in Australia takes action against underage gambling
Australia is one of the world’s largest gambling markets and a place where locals can find all kinds of iGaming operators. The country has several regulators, one of which is the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission. Following a complaint from a mother that her 17-year-old son was at risk, the commission conducted one of the most extensive investigations in the country.
Based on the information, the VGCCC spent more than 2000 hours checking variations aspects. Following the end of the investigation, the commission made 98 charges against 10 entities and fined them with a total of AU$ 499,999.
Some of the fines relate to the failure of gambling entities to supervise users of their platforms and allow minors to take part in gambling activities. Hopefully, these actions will “scare” other gambling companies and cause them to step up their games.
Betting on Basketball may become legal in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of the largest financial hubs in Asia, but it’s definitely not the first place that people consider when talking about sports betting. This may soon change, however, because the local authorities are considering allowing users to bet on basketball.
The main reason behind such an action is to increase the local government’s revenue. If Hong Kong decides to do that, the local Hong Kong Jockey Club will be able to allow locals to bet on basketball. Currently, this is the entity that has a full monopoly over the local betting market. People can wager on horse racing and football, as well as take part in a lottery.
It is worth mentioning that this is not the first time the local authorities proposed to legalize basketball betting. The same happened last year, so we’ll have to wait and see if the changes will take place this year.
Push Gaming partners with Betano in Bulgaria
Bulgaria may be one of the smaller countries in Europe, but it is at the forefront of the iGaming industry. There are tons of different operators that offer casino and sports betting services to locals, and Betano is among them. It seems like the latter will become even more popular because it has a partnership deal with Push Gaming.
Based on the information, Betano has an exclusive 12-week partnership deal with Push Gaming to offer its casino games in Bulgaria. This is important because none of Push Gaming’s products were available in the country before that. In other words, local gamblers can expect to find things like Wild Swarm, Razor Shark, Jammin’ Jars, and much more.
It’s worth noting that Push Gaming has an ongoing partnership with Betano’s parent brand (Kaizen Gaming) in other countries, including Brazil, Denmark, and even Greece.
Sweden’s National Audit Office criticizes the country’s Gambling Authority
Sweden is one of those places that made significant changes in its gambling policies in the last couple of years. Some of them took place in 2019 and resulted in the arrival of many new operators. Sadly, the Swedish Gambling Authority does not seem to be doing enough to monitor this process, at least according to the Swedish National Audit Office.
Following an investigation, it became clear that the country’s gambling regulator does not effectively oversee gambling. According to the report, there are not enough inspections, and the gambling regulator does not have a proper risk-analysis procedure. Furthermore, the commission’s overall structure makes it ineffective when it comes to fighting illegal gambling.
iGC Africa 2025
Africa has slowly become one of the most promising markets for online gambling. Many countries decided to open their doors to foreign and domestic online bookmakers and casinos. It seems like the trend will continue in the future, which is why it’s not surprising that there will be an event called iGC Africa 2025.
Based on what we know, the summit will take place between May 26 and 29 in Marrakesh, Morocco. More than 12,000 people from all over the world are expected to attend, as well as numerous speakers and 20+ networking events. IGC Africa 2025 will be possible because of a partnership between the latter and the SCCG.
Betsson secured a license in Brazil
Following our recent analysis, in which we concluded that Brazil is among the most promising gambling markets in 2025, one of the world’s largest operators got the green light to operate there. Betsson AB is one of Europe’s largest gambling companies and is available all over the continent. Following Brazil’s gambling regulation changes, the Betsson AP Group got an official gaming license and will operate in this South American country.
It is worth knowing that Betsson was actually active in Brazil around 10 years ago, before the country’s strict regulations. The company is also available in several other South American states, including Colombia and Argentina. Speaking of Argentina, Betsson even renewed its partnership deal with Boca Juniors, one of the largest football clubs on the continent.
GamCare has a new CEO
As mentioned earlier, responsible gambling is more important now than ever. Regulators and top-tier iGaming platforms do everything possible to implement new features to ensure clients’ safety. GamCare is one of the portals that many brands rely on, and the latter has a new CEO – Victoria Corbishley.
Victoria Corbishley took over the CEO spot from D’Arcy Myers. Prior to taking this role, Corbishley worked for the British Red Cross as a Senior Director of Health and Care, and she has also been a part of the NHS.
The number of match-fixing reports in the Netherlands is 2x more than before
According to recent stats, the Dutch Gambling Authority recorded more than 13 match-fixing reports in 2024. Although this number may not seem that high, it is two times higher than in 2023.
When people think of match-fixing, they usually associate it with football because this is the most popular sport in the world. In this case, however, most of the match-fixing reports are from tennis matches. This became clear following the KSA’s decision to establish a Sports betting Intelligence Unit to monitor different sports betting reports.
Based on the stats, 10 of the 13 match-fixing reports come from tennis, and 8 different operators submitted them. One of the reports was related to basketball, whereas the remaining two come from football.
Greyhound racing will not be banned in the rest of the UK
Last week, we reported that Wales plans to ban greyhound racing in the country. Needless to say, this raised a lot of questions about what could happen in the rest of the UK. Fortunately for people who like this sport, it is highly unlikely to see a complete UK ban following Losa Nandy’s comment.
According to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sports, there are no plans to ban greyhound racing. She even mentioned that the sport brings a lot of joy to people and it has a substantial financial contribution.
No comments added yet. Be the first!