Latest Gambling News: Ireland’s Advertising, Consumer Watchdog Improving Oversight Of Influencers, and more

Catch up on some of the stories our gambling compliance analysts have covered lately, and stay up-to-date on the latest news.

Ireland’s Advertising, Consumer Watchdog Improving Oversight Of Influencers

Ireland’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is working with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) to improve the oversight of influencer and social media advertising.

A new data-sharing agreement between them will allow the ASA to share details, including names and social media images, with the CCPC of social media influencers who are not complying with Irish advertising rules.

The agreement follows the publishing of guidelines for influencers and social media advertisers by ASA and CCPC in October 2023, detailing the clear labelling of ads on social media.

Pat Kenny, CCPC commission member, said: “With the ASA, we have produced guidance for influencers to help them follow the law. This year, we issued our first compliance notices against two prominent influencers. We continue to monitor this sector closely and will act where we see breaches here.”

iGaming Ontario Names New Boss

iGaming Ontario (iGO) has named Joseph Hillier as its new President and CEO, resolving a year-long search to fill the void left by the retirement of the agency’s first top executive.

The agency conducts and manages Ontario’s private online gaming market to comply with Canadian law.

Hillier was most recently the chief strategy officer and corporate secretary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, which regulates gaming in the province and was previously the parent to iGaming Ontario before iGO was moved under the supervision of the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming earlier this year.

He also previously served as chief of staff to Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey and helped to lead the development of Ontario’s online gaming market, which launched in 2022.

iGO had been led by David Smith in an interim capacity since previous CEO Martha Otton’s retirement in March. Otton, who served as executive director of iGO since its inception, announced her intent to retire in August 2024 and agreed to push back her retirement as the search for a top executive continued.

Gambling Tax Deduction Resorted In U.S. 2026 Defense Budget

Representative Dina Titus, a Democrat from Nevada, has introduced the Fair Accounting for Income Released from Betting Earnings Tax Act, or FAIR BET Act, as an amendment to the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

“The fight to restore the 100 percent gambling loss tax deduction continues,” Titus said Wednesday (August 27) on X.

Titus introduced the FAIR BET Act on July 7, when it was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in response to President Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill which the president signed on July 4.

Known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Republicans in Congress included a provision that allowed gamblers to deduct 90 percent of their losses rather than 100 percent, meaning overall losing gamblers could potentially owe money on their tax returns.

Gamblers have been able to deduct 100 percent of their gambling losses since 1934, a standard that was reaffirmed during President Donald Trump’s first term in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

The gambling tax code change goes into effect in 2026 and will not affect gamblers’ tax returns for the 2025 tax year.

“I strongly encourage the Republicans to make this amendment in order when it goes before the House Rules Committee upon our return to Congress next month,” Titus said.

South African Authorities Intensify Efforts Against Illegal Gambling

South African authorities are intensifying their efforts to tackle the growing illegal online gambling market that is increasingly targeting local consumers.

The National Gambling Board (NGB) is collaborating with the Provincial Licensing Authorities (PLA) and law enforcement agencies, as it warned in an update on August 25 that illegal online gambling has “expanded rapidly” since COVID-19, depriving the state of revenue and increasing the risk of harm to consumers.

NGB acting chief CEO Lungile Dukwana said: “As the gambling regulation fraternity, we remain unwavering in enforcing the law; online gambling is unlawful and unacceptable. Through targeted enforcement, inter-agency cooperation and public education, we are protecting South Africans from illegal gambling harm, unfair operators and illicit financial flows.”

The comments come as lawmakers seek to update outdated online gambling regulations in the country, with a similar view to increase industry oversight, improve consumer protection and boost efforts to tackle online gambling.

DraftKings Prohibits Credit Cards For Account Funding

DraftKings no longer allows users to fund sports betting and iGaming accounts in the U.S. with the use of a credit card, a company spokesman confirmed.

The credit card funding prohibition takes effect on Monday (August 25). The DraftKings spokesman described the new prohibition as a “strategic business decision.”

“The change is intended to help customers avoid cash advance fees and higher interest rates often associated with this payment method and otherwise improve the deposit experience,” DraftKings said in a statement.

“Customers can still fund their... accounts using debit cards, bank transfers (ACH), wire transfer, and payment platforms like PayPal, Venmo, or Apple Pay, with an eligible payment method, such as a debit card, where permissible.”

It is unclear if the company policy change has any relation to a recently imposed fine in Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission on July 25 levied a $450,000 fine against DraftKings for improperly accepting 1,160 bets funded by credit cards from March 10, 2023, through February 14, 2024, for a total handle of $83,667.92.

DraftKings was required to refund $83,667.92 of the improperly accepted credit card funds to 218 customers.

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