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This week in the online gambling industry, India’s ban on money-based games dominated the headlines, while regulators in Europe and Asia pushed new enforcement and responsible gambling measures.
This week in the online gambling industry:
- India’s new ban sparked a legal challenge and forced major operators to scale back.
- Romania blocked 30 unlicensed gambling websites.
- Indonesia froze nearly $9.5M linked to online gambling.
- Novomatic increased its stake in Ainsworth to over 55%.
- Spain and Finland advanced responsible gambling initiatives.
😄 Want to read up on last week’s headlines? Check out the Aug 16-22 iGaming Recap!
😎 More interested in what the online iGaming community is saying? Visit our Opinion Corner for look at the top social media posts and our commentary.
Here’s the full rundown:
Regulatory & Legal Updates
Australia: PM Says a Ban Could Push Players Offshore, Gambling Insider
Australia is not pursuing a blanket ban on gambling advertising. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese cautioned that such a ban might simply drive Australians toward unregulated offshore operators.
Instead, the government is framing its approach around harm reduction rather than sweeping prohibition. “What is in our mind is the practicalities of whether people just go offshore, then there’s no revenue at all and it doesn’t solve the problem,” the PM said.
India: Online Money-Games Ban Faces First Legal Challenge, Reuters
In India, gaming platform A23 has filed a petition in the High Court of Karnataka, marking the first legal pushback against the government’s newly enacted ban on online money-based games.
A23 argues the law unjustly criminalises legitimate “games of skill” such as rummy and poker, calling the legislation a “product of state paternalism” and seeking its unconstitutionality. The ban has already led major players like Dream11 and MPL to suspend real-money operations.
Romania: 30 Unlicensed Gambling Sites Blacklisted, European Gaming
Romania’s regulator, ONJN, has taken decisive enforcement action by adding 30 unlicensed gambling websites. The list contains domains like wazbee.casino, jacktop.com, various “nvX.casino” sites, and the “ybets” cluster, to its blacklist.
Internet service providers must block access within 15 days or sooner, redirecting users to a notice page from ONJN. Operators may appeal via the Bucharest Court of Appeal within 30 days, though legal challenges are expected to be lengthy and costly.
Financial Performance & Business Moves
Dream11 Forfeits $41 million Indian Cricket Sponsorship, Gambling Insider
Dream11 has ended its ₹358 crore (about US$41 million) jersey sponsorship of the Indian cricket team following the passage of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025.
The new law bans real‑money online games, including fantasy sports, and related advertising or sponsorships. While the deal was binding, its continuation would now violate legal mandates, requiring mutual agreement to terminate.
Flutter Shuts Down Money-Based Gaming in India via Junglee, Reuters
Flutter has ceased all real‑money gaming operations performed through its Junglee subsidiary in India after the newly enacted law came into effect. Flutter had expected India to deliver approximately $200 million in revenue and $50 million in adjusted EBITDA in 2025.
CEO Peter Jackson described the development as “extremely disappointed.” He warned that the ban may drive users toward unregulated offshore platforms, undermining consumer protection and local economic contributions.
Novomatic Raises Stake in Ainsworth to ~55.2%, Gambling Insider
Austrian gaming giant Novomatic has increased its interest in Ainsworth Game Technology to approximately 55.2%, up from 52.9%, after acquiring some 7.75 million shares at AU$1.00 apiece, totaling around AU$7.75 million (≈US$5.03 million).
This transaction coincided with the termination of a proposed scheme of arrangement. However, Novomatic continues to pursue its unconditional off‑market takeover bid, offering AU$1.00 per share.
Technology & Innovation in Gambling
BetBlocker Expands with Finnish-Language Support via Casino Guru, European Gaming
Charity-based self‑exclusion tool BetBlocker has partnered with Casino Guru to launch a Finnish‑language version, enabling Finnish users to access safer gambling tools more effectively.
The collaboration builds on their shared focus on removing language barriers and enhancing harm-prevention. This initiative comes after a Finnish government report found approximately 4% of the population to be at moderate risk of gambling-related harm.
Playson Partners with Salsa Technology to Boost Local Reach, iGB
iGaming provider Playson has inked a content distribution deal with Salsa Technology, delivering its licensed portfolio, including titles from its popular Hold and Win collection such as Coin Strike 2, Diamonds Power, and Energy Coins, to Brazilian operators via the aggregator’s Salsa Gator platform.
This supports Playson’s growth plans in Latin America, following its approval earlier this year by Brazil’s Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA).
Responsible Gambling & Player Protection
Spain’s DGOJ Begins Development of Risky-Behavior Detection Mechanism, Gambling Insider
Spain’s gambling regulator, the DGOJ, has published the first draft of a new mechanism to help operators identify risky gambling behaviors before harm occurs.
Required by a Royal Decree issued on March 14, the development period spans two years and aligns with broader reforms under the “Safe Gambling Program 2026–2030”. The DGOJ has opened a public consultation; feedback is accepted until 25 September 2025.
As part of a sweeping crackdown, Indonesian Police (Polri) have frozen and seized a total of Rp 154.3 billion (approximately US$9.5–10 million) across 811 bank accounts tied to online gambling networks. These included 576 frozen accounts (Rp 63.7B) and 235 seized accounts (Rp 90.6B).
The action followed a tip-off from the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) and is part of a broader effort that has flagged more than 25,000 accounts since 2023 in suspected gambling-related transactions worth around Rp 1 trillion (≈US$61 million).
- Italian Online Gambling Market, Giulio Coraggio on LinkedIn
- Indonesia summons Meta & TikTok in escalating war on illegal online gambling, iGaming Times on X
- Illegal online gambling sites now control 71% of the EU’s online gambling market, Neil Hodgson-Coyle on LinkedIn
- The pushback against gambling advertisement is on global display, Dylan Dittrich on X
Stories from iGaming Forums
- 99% of players will never get rich on bets, Bitcoin Forum
- Never ever play at mystake, Reddit
- Australia’s weird gambling culture, Bitcoin Forum
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