Insights Archive

June 26, 2023

PSR Urges Digital Pound Not To Repeat Past Payment Failures

In its response to the UK’s digital pound consultation, the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) recommends policymakers consider the lessons learned from authorised push payment fraud, Faster Payments and the failed Paym service.

June 26, 2023

Brazil To Proceed On Two Tracks For Sports-Betting Legislation

A forthcoming provisional measure to enact a sports-betting law in Brazil is expected to deal exclusively with taxation and penalties, while an accompanying bill will address other issues, including match-fixing, local legal experts say.

June 26, 2023

Manila's Valenzuela City Bans Online Gambling Operations

The city of Valenzuela in northwestern Metro Manila has banned foreign facing online gambling operators (POGOs), becoming the third Manila locality to place restrictions on the struggling industry segment.

June 26, 2023

ID Rules For British Columbia Casinos, New Jersey Diversion Court Bill Stalled

Beginning Monday, entering casinos in at least one Canadian province will take a bit of extra time, as the British Columbia Lottery Corporation begins checking the identification of all visitors before allowing them to enter.

June 23, 2023

Week In Crypto: BlackRock Bets Big On Bitcoin ETF, But Will The SEC Budge?

BlackRock bets big on bitcoin, major European banks move into crypto custody, crypto exchanges face further restrictions in Australia and the LUNA founder is sentenced to four months in prison.

June 23, 2023

Australia Considers Mandating Card Network Choice For Merchants

The Reserve Bank of Australia has outlined new plans that would abolish the use of default network settings on dual-network debit cards, but the central bank is wary that compliance costs could be high.

June 23, 2023

CFPB Prepares To Bring Large Payment Firms Under Its Oversight

The US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is planning to define large payment firms that are subject to its supervision by next month. Big tech firms operating in the payments space and popular digital wallets are likely in scope.

June 23, 2023

Daily Dash: US Authorities Get Tough With Amazon

The US Federal Trade Commission has sued Amazon, Google has entered the financial crime world with a new AI product, and Volt has announced a $60m funding round that will power its open banking expansion into APAC and the Americas.

June 23, 2023

Brazil Gambling Startup Might Be Difficult Venture, Expert Says

Entering the lucrative regulated market of Brazil would be an expensive and challenging venture, making an acquisition of an existing operator a more sensible investment, a strategic advisor has said.

June 23, 2023

German Court Says Most Gambling Ad Restrictions Are Legal

A higher administrative court in Germany’s Saxony-Anhalt has ruled that advertising rules barring gambling infomercials, ads for social casino games, and pitches by social media influencers are legally permissible, while a total ban on ads in public spaces is probably “disproportionate”.

June 23, 2023

New Jersey Lawmakers Advance Ten Year Renewal Of Internet Gaming

A bipartisan bill making its way through New Jersey’s Senate would allow online casino gambling to continue for another decade in the state, ensuring hundreds of millions of dollars in state revenue, according to state fiscal analysts.

June 23, 2023

News In Brief: June 19-June 23, 2023

A cashless slot machine trial in Australia has been delayed, after hackers stole customer data.

June 22, 2023

Payments And Sustainability ‘Now Have An Overlap’

Panellists at EBAday 2023 shared their thoughts on how sustainability is becoming a bigger deal for the payments world, while warning industry about the impact of regulation.

June 22, 2023

Pro-Russia Hackers Vow To Bring Western Financial System Down In 48 Hours

Russian hacker groups claimed responsibility for bringing down the European Investment Bank's (EIB) websites, as they vow to cripple the Western financial system in the coming days.

June 22, 2023

PayPal Sells €40bn BNPL Loan Portfolio To Investment Firm KKR

PayPal has signed an exclusive multi-year deal that will hand over the rights to its European buy now, pay later (BNPL) loans to American investment firm KKR.

June 22, 2023

Curaçao To Issue Licences In September

Curaçao will issue new licences directly to gambling operators starting on September 1, according to the country’s Minister of Finance, who said the long-awaited regulatory changes are “unavoidable”.

June 22, 2023

Is Risky Sports Betting More About The Gambler Than The Wagers?

In and of itself, sports betting does not increase addiction but those who wager on sports are at a higher risk of developing gambling problems, according to Joshua Grubbs, an associate professor at the University of New Mexico.

June 22, 2023

Malta Defends Legal Changes To 'Protect' Public Policy

Malta’s controversial Bill 55, which is now enshrined into law, is designed to protect the country's public policy by blocking foreign court judgements against gambling firms, say officials.

June 22, 2023

Brazil's Ministry of Finance Declares There Will Be a Provisional Measure After All

According to sources within the Ministry of Finance, a provisional measure to enact Brazil’s 2018 sports betting law may be coming before the end of the month, in addition to a supplemental bill that would follow after the congressional July recess, as a political tug-of-war continues between rival camps.

June 22, 2023

Finland’s 'Ambitious' Licensing Plan Could Be Implemented In Stages, Says Experts

Finland’s aim to have a licensing system in place by January 1, 2026 is “ambitious” and could lead to some measures being introduced at a later date, according to a panel of experts from the country.

June 22, 2023

Ontario Operators Discuss Ad Restrictions, Market Entry Challenges

While operators have flocked to Ontario due to its large market, varied product options and unlimited licensing opportunities, the first year-plus of operations has not come without its challenges, gaming company executives say.