Global Gambling Industry News

Nepal lawmakers are pushing major changes to the Tourism Bill, including creating an independent casino regulator, tightening beneficial ownership and AML rules, and limiting foreign casino investment, in a bid to improve oversight and tax collection ggrasia.com.

Meanwhile, regulators and courts are moving against unlicensed or disputed gambling products elsewhere: France has ordered Polymarket blocked as illegal gambling, Washington state won a preliminary injunction against Kalshi, and Peru’s Mincetur blocked 36 unauthorized remote gaming and sports betting platforms casinonieuws.nl geekwire.com tudiariohuanuco.pe.

In Romania, Iași County became the first in the country to ban all gambling halls, while U.S. lawmakers and senators continue debating whether prediction markets should be treated as gambling and brought under state, tribal, or tighter federal oversight romania-insider.com readwrite.com readwrite.com yellowhammernews.com.

France and Turkey have moved to block access to Polymarket after their gambling authorities concluded the prediction platform was offering unauthorized betting, with France also ordering ISPs to enforce the block amid concerns that earlier geoblocking failed and that users lacked proper identity checks readwrite.com diken.com.tr cumhuriyet.com.tr takvim.com.tr baskagazete.com borsagundem.com.tr techstory.in.

Separately, UK ministers opened a consultation to criminalize sponsorship and advertising deals between British sports organizations and gambling firms not licensed in Great Britain, while Illinois is fighting a federal effort to halt state enforcement against prediction markets and tribal leaders in the US are pressing Congress to protect tribal gaming from similar products readwrite.com readwrite.com nmpoliticalreport.com.

France has ordered ISPs to block access to Polymarket, saying the prediction market is operating as unauthorized gambling and warning that anyone advertising such sites could face fines of up to 100,000 euros; the regulator also said earlier transaction restrictions had been bypassed, and it cited concerns over addiction, lack of KYC checks, and possible market manipulation yro.slashdot.org zerohedge.com mashable.com pymnts.com.

Elsewhere, Brazil has tightened online betting ad rules with mandatory harm warnings, while Irish authorities are reportedly threatening High Court action unless a major prediction market geoblocks access from Ireland, reflecting a broader European crackdown on gambling-style platforms gestion.pe carlowlive.ie dundalkdemocrat.ie longfordleader.ie leinsterleader.ie limerickleader.ie kilkennypeople.ie leinsterexpress.ie tipperarylive.ie offalyexpress.ie leitrimobserver.ie.

Authorities in Buenos Aires ordered the blocking of 537 illegal gambling and betting websites as part of a cybercrime investigation, while Czech and French regulators also moved against Polymarket by blacklisting or blocking the prediction platform over concerns it offers unlicensed gambling and could be manipulated eldia.com casinonieuws.nl bnldata.com.br coincentral.com eleco.com.ar.

In Romania and Albania, local and national officials are tightening gambling controls through new public consultations, possible referendums, and a completed legal framework to relaunch online sports betting under licensing rules dobrogeaonline.ro ziuadevest.ro expressdebanat.ro observatorconstanta.ro alpenews.al fax.al timesofalbania.al.

Brazil has also brought in stricter betting-advertising warnings, while the U.S. continues to see a widening legal fight over prediction markets as Kalshi faces state challenges and federal intervention sinalnews.com.br clubenoticia.com.br krdo.com kesq.com.

Brazil has begun enforcing new advertising rules requiring sports betting companies to display clear risk warnings in all campaigns, saying gambling can cause addiction, lead to financial loss and should not be treated as an investment burburinhonews.com.br agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br lanacion.com.ar brasilemfolhas.com.br.

In France, the National Gambling Authority ordered internet providers to block access to Polymarket, calling it an illegal gambling offering that could expose users to losses and manipulation, while Brazil’s courts also continued to block illegal betting sites and boost enforcement against unlicensed operators latribune.fr romanialibera.ro g1.globo.com pravda.sk redir.folha.com.br lanacion.com.ar.

In parallel, regulators and lawmakers elsewhere are pressing ahead with tighter oversight, including the Philippines’ possible move to separate Pagcor’s regulatory and operator roles, Washington state’s updated tribal gaming compact with stronger responsible-gambling measures, and U.S. legal battles over prediction markets and cardroom rules ggrasia.com readwrite.com localnews8.com kesq.com.

Brazil’s Finance Ministry asked the Supreme Federal Court to uphold limits on states and municipalities granting betting authorizations, while also pressing for stricter oversight and stronger action against illegal online wagering valor.globo.com brasilemfolhas.com.br brasilemfolhas.com.br brazileconomy.com.br bnldata.com.br bnldata.com.br.

In parallel, several jurisdictions and institutions moved to tighten gambling controls, including Kentucky’s new law raising the sports wagering age to 21 nkytribune.com, Maricopa County’s ban on employees using prediction markets with non-public information fox10phoenix.com, and Britain’s continued push for tougher online safeguards through affordability checks and broader gambling regulation pressgiochi.it techfinancials.co.za lankaleader.lk.

Other developments included Google facing tougher ad and liability rules tied to gambling content in Europe, the Dutch regulator warning VBET for prohibited bets, and Brazilian media company Globo considering dropping betting sponsorships from Big Brother Brasil starting in 2027 casinolifemagazine.com casinonieuws.nl bnldata.com.br influencermagazine.uk casinonieuws.nl.