Insights Archive

August 10, 2023

Ghana Warns Operators To Pay Tax Or Risk Licence Removal

Ghana has reminded gambling operators and consumers about an incoming tax change, warning that there will be fines for non-compliance.

August 10, 2023

ESPN Brand Differentiates Penn Deal From Other Failed Media Partnerships

Penn Entertainment CEO Jay Snowden has said the strength of the ESPN brand will allow the company’s new ESPN BET venture to succeed where other media partnerships in the U.S. have not.

August 9, 2023

UK Treasury Commits To Reforming Bank Of England, PSR Oversight Of Payments Firms

HM Treasury has committed to overhauling the oversight frameworks of key payments regulators, but has deferred as to whether payments and e-money firms should be in scope of the Senior Managers' and Certification Regime (SM&CR).

August 9, 2023

Card Fees ’Blunting Italy’s Competitiveness’, Says MEP

A member of the European Parliament (MEP) has written to the European Commission about the issue of card fees for merchants in their native Italy.

August 9, 2023

‘Tip Of The Iceberg’ - US Regulators Fine More Banks For WhatsApp Use

US regulators have slapped Wells Fargo, BNP Paribas, Société Générale and other large banks with a combined $550m fine for using WhatsApp to discuss business matters, and called for cultural change among C-suite bankers.

August 9, 2023

New Interchange Rules Save Merchants NZ$105m A Year, Says Regulator

A New Zealand regulator has said that local businesses will save an estimated NZ$105m (US$64m) each year thanks to a new cap on card interchange fees.

August 9, 2023

Stablecoins To Become ’Pillar’ Of US Payment System Following PayPal Entry

PayPal has become the first US payments company to launch a dollar-backed stablecoin, following a crucial step towards new legislation that could bring stablecoins under federal regulation.

August 9, 2023

Massachusetts Approves Sports-Betting Data Privacy Regulation

Although U.S. market leaders DraftKings and FanDuel made it clear in comments submitted to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission that they were opposed to a proposed sports-wagering data privacy regulation, commissioners brushed aside most of their concerns adopting the rules.

August 9, 2023

Penn Scraps Barstool Sportsbook Brand, Reaches Deal With ESPN

Penn Entertainment flipped the script on its sports-betting offering Tuesday, announcing a major new deal with sports media giant ESPN to rebrand its online sportsbook.

August 9, 2023

English Councils Want More Power To Control Gambling

Local councils in England do not have the power to “effectively manage local gambling premises”, according to the body that represents 315 of the 317 councils in England.

August 9, 2023

Ladbrokes Rebuked Over Djokovic, Nadal Tweets

The UK Advertising Standards Authority has rebuked Entain’s Ladbrokes brand for including four top men’s tennis players in promoted tweets, as they were ruled as likely to appeal to under-18s.

August 8, 2023

ATM Operators’ Class Action Against Visa And Mastercard Can Go Ahead, US Court Says

A US court has given class certification to ATM operators in a 12-year legal battle over surcharge rules set by Visa and Mastercard.

August 8, 2023

TransferGo Fined By Lithuanian Authorities Over Money Laundering Failings

According to the Bank of Lithuania, the UK-headquartered e-money institution TransferGo has “deficiencies” and an “insufficient” compliance with anti-money laundering controls.

August 8, 2023

Problem Gambling Expert Urges More Education In U.S. Courts On Addiction

The demand for expert witnesses in U.S. gambling cases is rising as the industry expands, but the lack of knowledge about addiction among judges and attorneys poses a risk for gamblers who end up in court.

August 8, 2023

Romanian AML Rules Behind Gambling Banking Difficulties

Operators in Romania struggling to get much-needed bank guarantees could be missing out due to the risks associated with gambling and the additional work required from credit institutions that come with it, a legal expert has warned.

August 8, 2023

Operators Fear Over Taxation Will Be a Limit to Entry in Brazil, Says IBJR President

With the path forward for sports-betting regulation in Brazil becoming increasingly uncertain, some operators are concerned about the viability of the Brazilian market when it finally does open, if the current tax rates hold.

August 8, 2023

UK Report Makes Two Key Suggestions To Reduce Gambling Harm

New UK research suggests authorities should apply pressure to operators by sharing information on their responsible gambling credentials with consumers, and create stronger regulatory incentives to encourage best practices.

August 7, 2023

Data Dive: Singapore Payments Licences Benchmarked

Research from VIXIO has shown that the new licensing regime for payment service providers (PSPs) in Singapore has not approved the large majority of payments applicants.

August 7, 2023

EU Strengthens Belarusian Sanctions

Financial institutions operating in the EU will need to update their sanctions compliance again, as the Council of the European Union approves wide-ranging sanctions against Russian ally Belarus.

August 7, 2023

SEC Ends Debit Card Interchange Probe Into PayPal

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has closed an investigation into interchange fees charged on PayPal debit cards.

August 7, 2023

NSW To Probe Regulator Over Flagged Slots Inspections

Internal documents from the New South Wales (NSW) state gambling regulator have prompted NSW Premier Chris Minns to probe the authority’s “hugely concerning” communications with pubs and clubs over slot machine compliance.