Latest Gambling News: New York AG Issues Alert On Prediction Markets, 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.

New York AG Issues Alert On Prediction Markets

New York’s Attorney General became the latest state law enforcement official to speak out against the expansion of prediction markets.

In a consumer alert sent out in advance of Sunday’s Super Bowl, Attorney General Letitia James said that the conduct and promotion of “unlicensed sports wagering” violates state gambling laws and “could be subject to civil and criminal liability.”

“Ahead of the Super Bowl, New Yorkers need to know the significant risks with unregulated prediction markets,” James said in a statement, adding that while the platforms may appear as modern platforms for speculation or forecasting, in practice the platforms are unregulated and lack the consumer protections of licensed sports-betting operators.

“It’s crystal clear: so-called prediction markets do not have the same consumer protections as regulated platforms. I urge all New Yorkers to be cautious of these platforms to protect their money.”

Several state lawmakers in New York have filed bills to attempt to curtail the industry, including prohibiting certain market types, a ban on state employees using nonpublic information to take positions, and a requirement that operators become licensed.

Romania Announces Further Measures To Tighten Self-Exclusion Framework

Romania’s gambling regulator has submitted emergency plans to update the country’s self-exclusion framework, closing loopholes in the existing legislation.

The measures, submitted by the National Gambling Office (ONJN) to the Ministry of Finance which oversees it, centre around creating a single self-exclusion process run by the regulator.

It would cover online and land-based operators; set defined periods for self-exclusion, including indefinite ones; and introduce a cooling-off period during which players could not return to gambling.

In addition, self-excluded players who were allowed to continue playing, will have the right to recover their deposits.

Players who want to register themselves online as problem gamblers will be given clear definitions about the difference between ‘restriction’ and ‘self-exclusion’. The ONJN will look after self-exclusions and restrictions will be between the operator and the player.

Self-exclusion information will have to be prominently displayed on the operators’ websites, with QR codes to the ONJN mounted in physical locations.

The measures focused on operators include the mandatory introduction of ID systems and surveillance cameras in retail locations. If the cameras are not working, operators will have to run ID logs, with non-compliance risking a fine of between RON50,000 to RON100,000 (S$11,645 to $23,284).

Operators that fail to support self-excluding players could also face the same level of fines, with repeat and serious offenders risking licence suspensions.

The regulator’s president, Vlad-Cristian Soare, said on January 30 that these measures were the latest stage in a three-part process to tighten up the self-exclusion framework. The next stage was to set up an online supervision system with Romania’s National Institute for Research and Development.

Soare added that because of the practical difficulties in running measures nationwide, he proposed that the ONJN officials lose their exclusive enforcement powers and start sharing them with the police.

UK Trade Group Reports Decline In Gambling Ad Volume

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has released data showing a steady decline in gambling advertising by licensed operators since 2021.

Research prepared by Alvarez & Marshall (A&M) for the BCG concluded that gambling advertising made up 2.7 percent of the UK’s total spend in 2024, down from 3 percent the previous year.

A&M said that £1.15bn was spent on gambling advertising by the sector between October 2023 and September 2024, with £341m spent on broadcast advertising and £768m on digital.

The report showed a steady decline in advertising spend by licensed operators since 2021. Overall, there had been a fall of 1.7 percent year-on-year, driven largely by a £30m reduction in television advertising.

In contrast, the council cited “separate industry analysis” that estimated the illegal industry was now spending between £500m and £700m annually on advertising.

Black-market spending can be difficult to measure as it is often carried on unregulated online channels, affiliate networks and platforms with restricted viewing.

The council added in a release that “illegal operators are increasingly using unregulated digital channels, including influencers, search engines and AI-generated content, to target consumers”.

“Many explicitly advertise that they are ‘not on GAMSTOP’, while others impersonate trusted charities and institutions to deceive the public,” they continued.

In contrast, the BGC stressed that UK-licensed operators are expected to comply with its socially responsible advertising code, including dedicating 20 percent of broadcast advertising to safer gambling messaging, as well as restricting self-excluded and high-risk customers from paid-for social media campaigns.

Meridianbet Consolidates Malta Retail Presence With Fairbet Deal

Golden Matrix Group subsidiary Meridianbet has completed its acquisition of Fairbet, in a move which further consolidates Malta’s tightly restricted retail betting market under a single operator.

Fairbet holds one of only three retail gaming licences currently authorised by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA). With the transaction, Meridianbet now holds two of the three licences in the jurisdiction, alongside national lottery operator Izibet.

The deal highlights the high regulatory barriers to entry in Malta’s land-based sector, where licensing is limited and subject to stringent capital, technical, and compliance requirements, according to Meridianbet.

The deal brings Fairbet’s nine retail locations under Meridianbet’s control, expanding its presence in Malta and Gozo. It doesn’t introduce any new licences to the market but reduces the number of independent retail operators under MGA supervision.

Meridianbet said the acquisition aligns with its strategy of targeting high-barrier jurisdictions where limited licensing creates “scarcity value”. The company has operated in Malta since 2008 and is among the jurisdiction’s original licence holders, factors that may have supported regulatory approval for the transaction.

From a regulatory perspective, the statement by Meridianbet details how Malta’s mature licensing regime increasingly favours consolidation among established operators, as the combination of licence caps and compliance costs limits opportunities for new market entrants.

Vixio GamblingCompliance reached out to the MGA for comment in response to the claims made by Meridianbet, with the regulator stating: “The Authority is aware of the recent announcement concerning Meridianbet. As with all such matters, due process will be followed in accordance with our established procedures and regulatory mandate.”

Polymarket Temporarily Halts Nevada Markets After Court Order

Polymarket ceased offering markets in Nevada, at least temporarily, following a state judge issuing a restraining order that was sought by the state’s gaming regulator.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board filed suit on January 16 seeking an injunction barring the prediction market operator from offering markets in the state, and a Nevada district judge issued a two-week temporary order halting the markets while he considers the request.

The company issued a note to users in the state informing them that the court had ordered the 14-day halt, and noted that it was challenging the order.

“We’re committed to seeing this through and to reopening access as soon as we’re allowed to do so,” the company said in its note.

While the company has not fully opened its doors to the public since relaunching in the U.S., it has allowed select customers to register via a waitlist system for a more limited version of its platform.

VGW Boss Takes Leave of Absence After Arrest

VGW founder Laurence Escalante temporarily stepped away from his post atop the sweepstakes gaming giant after his arrest on assault and drug charges in Perth.

Escalante, 44, faced eight charges including allegedly assaulting a 24-year-old woman, believed to be an ex-partner in her home after breaking into the property and stealing items, as well as persistent family violence over a six-month period.

Police also conducted a search warrant on Escalante’s home and allegedly found “a trafficable amount of illicit drugs” that included cocaine and MDMA.

After Escalante appeared in a Perth court on Friday, the company said in a statement that Escalante would take a leave of absence from his role as CEO and executive chairman as a result.

“My arrest on these matters has come as a shock to myself and my family,” Escalante said in a personal statement. “From the little I know of the allegations at this stage, I can only say that they are untrue and will be defended.”

Escalante founded the company, which includes Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots, in 2010, and the company has become one of the largest sweepstakes operators globally.

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