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A packed week across iGaming saw key regulatory moves, shifting market trends, and major changes in player protection. From new market launches to evolving tech and responsible gambling developments, the industry continues to move fast on multiple fronts.
This week in the online gambling industry:
- Alberta set July 13, 2026 as the launch date for its regulated iGaming market.
- Kentucky passed a reform bill raising the betting age to 21.
- Belgium’s gambling market fell 4.86% in 2024, its first decline since 2020.
- QTech Games added Tap-A-Roo to expand its mobile-first content offering.
- Sweden saw a long-term drop in problem gambling.
😄 Missed last week? Catch up with the previous iGaming Recap and stay in the loop.
😎 Want the inside buzz? Check out our Opinion Corner for what the iGaming community is really talking about.
Here’s the full rundown:
Regulatory & Legal Updates
UKGC Lifts Spribe Licence Suspension, Aviator Still Grounded, NEXT
The UK Gambling Commission lifted the suspension of Spribe OÜ’s operating licence on March 30, ending a five-month ban that began in October 2025. Spribe had been hosting games on its own servers without the appropriate remote casino games host licence, operating solely on a gambling software licence since 2020.
Despite the licence reinstatement, Spribe’s flagship Aviator crash game remained unavailable on UK-licensed operator sites days after the decision. The company still needs to complete the process of getting its games live with partners.
Alberta Sets July 13 as Launch Date for Regulated Online Gambling Market, Gambling Insider
Alberta has confirmed July 13, 2026 as the go-live date for its regulated iGaming market. Minister Dale Nally confirmed the date in a letter to industry stakeholders, with operators required to complete registration, sign a commercial agreement with the Alberta iGaming Corporation, and pay fees before the deadline.
Major brands, including FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and BetRivers, are widely expected to launch, with Ontario’s C$4.04 billion regulated market serving as the benchmark for what Alberta could achieve.
Kentucky Lawmakers Send Major Betting Reforms to Governor, NEXT
Kentucky’s General Assembly passed House Bill 904 on April 1 and sent it to Governor Andy Beshear for final approval. The sweeping reform bill raises the sports betting minimum age from 18 to 21, and bans prop bets on in-state college athletes.
The bill also introduces licensing and taxation for daily fantasy sports, and bars licensed sportsbooks, racetracks, and fantasy operators from associating with prediction market platforms operating within the state.
Financial Performance & Business Moves
Prediction Market Users Lose More Than Sports Bettors, New Data Reveals, Gambling Insider
A Citizens JMP Securities report by analyst Jordan Bender, based on anonymised wallet data from Juice Reel, found that prediction market users recorded a median return of -8% from July 2025 through mid-March 2026, compared to -5% for legal sportsbook users over the same period.
The gap widens sharply at lower trading volumes, with accounts under $100 losing 26.8% on prediction markets. The only group turning a profit on prediction markets were those trading over $500,000, who posted a median ROI of +2.6%, a dynamic Bender attributes to platforms not limiting sharp traders.
Belgium Gambling Market Records First Decline Since Pandemic in 2024 Stats, iGaming Business
Belgium’s regulated gambling market contracted in 2024 for the first time since 2020, with total GGR falling 4.86% year-on-year to €1.61 billion. Land-based activity bore the brunt of the decline, dropping 7.59%, while online GGR dipped 2.7%, though online still accounts for 57% of total revenue.
The Belgian regulator attributed the fall to a wave of regulatory measures introduced since 2023, including a cumulative-site ban, a minimum age increase from 18 to 21, a bonus ban, and stricter advertising rules.
Credit Card Bans Have ‘Minimal’ Impact on Sports Betting Revenue: Analysts, Gambling Insider
With BetMGM joining DraftKings and FanDuel in phasing out credit card deposits, analysts say the financial impact on operators will be limited. Citizens analyst Jordan Bender noted that DraftKings’ handle showed no material change after implementing its ban in August 2025. Macquarie’s Sam Ghafir estimated that credit cards fund only 10–20% of US gambling deposits.
Analysts expect most of that volume to migrate to debit cards, ACH, and digital wallets, which are cheaper for operators to process, making the ban a potential net positive for margins rather than a revenue headwind.
Technology & Innovation in Gambling
QTech Games Expands Mobile-First Offering, European Gaming
QTech Games has added Tap-A-Roo to its aggregation platform, expanding its mobile-first content offering for operators in emerging iGaming markets. Tap-A-Roo’s games use tap-based mechanics instead of traditional reels, aiming to deliver faster gameplay with less downtime.
The integration also gives Tap-A-Roo a broader reach across markets in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.
Digicode Rolls Out DigerPAM to Transform Player Account Management, European Gaming
Digicode has launched DigerPAM, a new player account management platform built to help iGaming operators manage accounts, CRM, compliance, promotions, analytics, and reporting from a single system.
The platform is aimed at operators handling multi-brand businesses and complex regulatory requirements, with features such as wallet management, real-time player insights, KYC support, responsible gaming tools, and scalable cloud-based architecture.
Responsible Gambling & Player Protection
Sweden Reports a Notable Decline in Problem Gambling Rates, iGamingToday
Sweden has recorded a significant long-term drop in problem gambling, with the adult rate falling from more than 2% in the late 2000s to just over 1% in recent years.
The change represents roughly 57,000 fewer problem gamblers, while the broader at-risk group fell by an estimated 200,000 people.
GambleAware Officially Closes, SBC News
GambleAware officially shut down on March 31, 2026, ending its 20-year run in gambling harm prevention, treatment, and research. Since 2018, it has served as the chief commissioning charity in that space.
Its closure comes as responsibility shifts to the new statutory levy framework overseen by NHS England, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, UK Research and Innovation, and DCMS.
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- *Breaking news*: Nepal bans online gambling, Miles Lewis on LinkedIn
- Gibraltar licenses its first prediction markets operator, iGB on X
- Online gambling is scaling real fast, Evgen Radchenko on LinkedIn
- Virgin Bet has launched in South Africa, iGB on X
Stories from iGaming Forums
- >
- Manipulations on prediction markets, Bitcoin Forum
- Do Not Use MrGreen, Reddit
- WARNING: Scammed by Bets.io out of $14,000, Bitcoin Forum
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