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Betting expansion is colliding with tighter oversight on several fronts. New rules are reshaping how affiliates operate, regulators are stepping up efforts to separate licensed platforms from illegal ones, and voters are being asked to decide whether online wagering should grow further.
This week in the online gambling industry:
- Bulgaria rolls out a new licensing and tax regime for gambling affiliates.
- Pagcor prepares a verification app as unlicensed online casinos remain widespread in the Philippines.
- Allwyn posts 27% Q2 revenue growth following its acquisition of PrizePicks.
- Altenar pushes to keep its sports data dispute with Sportradar in a US court.
- Ontario reports a sharp increase in online gambling among students.
😄 Missed last week’s headlines? Catch up with the August 15–21 iGaming Recap!
Here’s the full rundown:
Regulatory & Legal Updates
Bulgaria Sets New Licensing and Tax Rules for Gambling Affiliates, SBC News
Bulgaria’s new affiliate licensing framework is now in effect, bringing gambling affiliates under formal regulation for the first time. Companies must disclose their websites, apps, social media accounts and connected video or streaming platforms when applying. Licences can cover a one-off campaign, operations lasting less than five years or a full five-year term.
The regime also introduces a €6,000 annual fixed tax plus a 10% levy on performance-based commissions, including payments linked to registrations and deposits. The government expects the changes to bring in around €100 million in additional taxes in 2026, rising to €150 million in 2027.
Nebraska Mobile Sports Betting Heads to November Vote, NEXT
Nebraska voters will decide on mobile sports betting in the November 3 election after two related ballot initiatives cleared the required signature thresholds. One would amend the state constitution to allow lawmakers to authorize online sports wagering, while the second sets out how the market would operate.
The proposed framework would allow licensed racetrack gaming operators to offer mobile betting directly or through platform partners, with each operator limited to two platforms. Betting servers would have to remain in Nebraska, and the state Racing and Gaming Commission would have until June 1, 2027, to establish regulations.
Pagcor Plans App to Help Players Verify Legal Online Casinos, iGB
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) is developing a mobile app to help players distinguish licensed online casinos from illegal operators, with a launch planned before the end of 2026. The regulator says roughly half of the online gaming sites accessed in the Philippines are currently unlicensed.
The app will expand Pagcor’s existing Pagcor Guarantee verification system and direct players toward approved gambling sites. It will also provide a formal dispute-resolution channel for customers of licensed operators.
Financial Performance & Business Moves
PrizePicks Helps Lift Allwyn Q2 Revenue by 27%, NEXT
Allwyn reported €1.2 billion in net revenue for Q2 2026, up 27% year over year, as its January acquisition of PrizePicks added to strong performance across continental Europe. Adjusted EBITDA climbed 29% to €458 million, giving the group a 37% margin. Excluding PrizePicks and higher Austrian gaming taxes, underlying net revenue growth was 5%.
Sports betting also benefited from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while improved UK profitability followed the completion of The National Lottery’s technology transformation. PrizePicks continued expanding in North America, adding prediction markets alongside its fantasy sports offering.
World Cup Sends Mexico’s Online Betting Activity Soaring, iGamingToday
Online betting activity in Mexico jumped 431.75% during the 2026 FIFA World Cup compared with the 2022 tournament, according to internal data from payments technology company STP. The surge reflects the growing role of smartphones and digital payments in Mexico’s betting market, where mobile already accounts for 63.9% of activity.
Betting is also gaining traction among younger consumers. The under-25 segment is projected to be the country’s fastest-growing through 2031, while an Ipsos survey found that 40% of respondents were at least somewhat familiar with betting. Among those familiar with it, 34% said they had bet during football matches.
Betr Posts A$40.2M FY26 Loss Despite Stronger Second Half, NEXT
Betr Entertainment recorded a A$40.2 million statutory loss for FY26 as spending on its brand relaunch, platform integration and TopSport acquisition weighed on results. Customer turnover still climbed 12.3% to A$1.59 billion, while net win increased 7% to A$158.1 million. Advertising and marketing costs jumped 45% to A$28.2 million.
Performance improved sharply later in the year. A A$13.2 million EBITDA loss in the first half swung to a A$6.1 million profit in H2, and the fourth quarter produced Betr’s first positive operating cash flow since 2021. The company is targeting A$13 million to A$19 million in normalized EBITDA for FY27 and expects positive operating cash flow for the full year.
Technology & Innovation in Gambling
Altenar Fights to Keep Sportradar Data Lawsuit in US Court, SBC News
Altenar is opposing Sportradar’s attempt to move their multimillion-dollar sports data dispute from a New Jersey federal court to private arbitration in Zurich. Altenar sued in April, accusing Sportradar of using its control over official data from leagues including the NBA, NHL and MLB to restrict competition and limit access needed to operate sportsbook services.
Sportradar argues that a 2021 partnership agreement requires arbitration in Switzerland, while Altenar says its antitrust claims belong in a US court under the Sherman Act. The New Jersey court must now decide where the dispute will proceed.
GiG Plans €8.5M Raise to Fund 888Africa Acquisition, iGB
GiG Software plans to raise €8.5 million through a directed share issue to help fund its acquisition of an 80% stake in Evoke’s 888Africa. The transaction is worth up to €16.4 million and would mark GiG’s return to B2C gambling after shifting its focus to B2B in 2023.
Around €6 million of the new funding would cover the upfront acquisition payment, with the remainder going toward general corporate purposes. Another €10.4 million is structured as deferred consideration. Evoke will retain a 20% stake.
Responsible Gambling & Player Protection
Ontario Survey Shows Sharp Rise in Youth Online Gambling, Gambling Insider
Online gambling among Ontario students has climbed sharply, with 12% reporting they gambled online in the previous year, up from 8% in the 2023 survey. The latest Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey also found that one in 10 students had bet on sports online, while 20% participated in some form of gambling online or offline.
Gambling exposure is also widespread. More than 80% of students reported seeing or hearing an online gambling ad during the previous month, with around a quarter encountering ads daily. Online gambling among female students doubled from 3% in 2023 to 6% in the latest survey.
Argentina Expands Health Ministry Role in Tackling Problem Gambling, iGamingToday
Argentina has formally placed problem gambling on its public health agenda, giving the Ministry of Health new responsibilities for prevention, treatment and management under Decree 771/2026. Its expanded role covers research, professional training, awareness campaigns and prevention strategies in addition to treating people experiencing gambling-related harm.
The policy comes as smartphones, digital payments and virtual wallets make online betting increasingly accessible, particularly among younger people. Several Argentine jurisdictions have already considered or introduced measures addressing gambling advertising and underage betting.
- Belarus is moving to completely ban online gambling ads, Dmitri Kurakin on LinkedIn
- Kalshi locks in marketing deals with five MLB franchises, Yogonet on X
- Poland is taking a more coordinated approach to tackling illegal online gambling, Gambling Consulting Authority on LinkedIn
- Sweden’s gambling GGR reached SEK 7.38bn in Q2 2026, iGamingB2B on X
Stories from iGaming Forums
- AI makes it easier to build gambling sites, so licenses matter more now, Bitcointalk
- 1Win blocked my account and is holding US$1,200, r/onlinegambling
- Prediction markets, insider information, and… Trump! Bitcointalk
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