Charities Commission investigates Gordon Moody as discrimination and bullying claims emerge

The Charities Commission is investigating the UK’s oldest and most established gambling treatment provider Gordon Moody, after claims of racism and discrimination follow former CEO’s employment tribunal claim.  Former CEO Monica Shafaq resigned from Gordon Moody in October last year after raising concerns of a regulatory nature with the charity’s Board of Directors, which she…

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Government set to ban unlicensed operators sponsoring Premier League clubs

Operators unlicensed in the UK will likely be barred from sponsoring British sports clubs, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has confirmed.

The government announced plans to launch a consultation this spring, which would explore various legal levers to drive unlicensed gambling companies away from visibility in British sports, particularly the Premier League.

A look back on TGP Europe…

Fans of British football will be familiar with the logos currently seen on the kits of Fulham (SBOTOP), Bournemouth (bj88), Wolves (DEBET), Burnley (96.com), and Stake.com (Everton), among others.

All five operators were previously under the umbrella of TGP Europe, a white-label company stationed in the Isle of Man, which held UK licenses on behalf of foreign operators like the listed Asia-facing ones.

In April last year, TGP Europe was forced to surrender its licence and withdrew from the UK after the Gambling Commission (UKGC) hammered it down with a £3.3m penalty. All UK domains managed by the firm sh..

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Turkey claims victory against proxy accounts funding illegal gambling 

Turkish authorities have reported a critical juncture in the fight against illegal gambling, fuelled by direct actions on Turkey’s financial system and bank licences.

On Monday, Mehmet Şimşek, Minister of the Treasury and Finance, declared that proxy bank accounts enabling transactions to illegal betting and gaming sites could soon be eradicated.

Providing an update on investigations and enforcement carried out by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), Şimşek confirmed that in 2025 the financial intelligence unit halted the circulation of TL5bn (€100m) in illicit proceeds within Turkey’s financial system.

Şimşek stated: “Illegal betting organisers have recently started using bank, payment, electronic money and cryptocurrency accounts belonging to third parties.
“I would like to strongly remind our citizens that renting or allowing others to use their accounts under pretexts such as ‘escrow’, ‘temporary use’, or ‘for commission’ constitutes participation in illegal betting..

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Mexico drafts bill to restrict gambling ads during World Cup 2026

Lawmakers in Mexico are to examine tightening media rules to prohibit gambling advertising during the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The directive is led by Jericó Abramo Masso, Member of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies, who has drafted a bill which would severely limit operators’ flexibility around advertising, specifically during sporting events shown on open-source and pay-for TV.

According to Masso, an increasing number of complaints from parents report that their children are being subjected to gambling ads integrated into sports programming, which offer ‘falls narratives about gaining quick wealth’.

Under the current legislature, gambling ads need to first be approved by the Secretariat of Interior in order to air on TV, while also adhering to strict rules around the inclusion of problem gambling messaging and avoidance of promoting excessive participation.

However, Masso believes that rules should be tighter, with operators only allowed to market outside of family hours, meaning betw..

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Spain Gambling Secretary vows to deliver Decree orders 

Gambling licensees in Spain have been told to prepare for a year of regulatory changes and new compliance orders.

The message was delivered by Andrés Barragán, Secretary General for Consumer Affairs and Gambling, who holds Spain’s portfolio for the ongoing development of federal orders that oversee the authorisation of gambling licences.

Andrés Barragán

Barragán addressed delegates at the FEJAR Conference on the rehabilitation of problem gamblers and the coordination of Spanish agencies needed to combat gambling harms.

In his address, the Secretary cited long-held concerns that Spain operates under what he described as an ‘irregular framework’ in its ability to minimise problem gambling risks.

As such, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs will seek to execute its long-held mandate to centralise safer gambling tools and systems, taking on full control of the oversight of gambling and its engagement with the Spanish public.

“We have a serious public health problem with online gambli..

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Case report: treating gambling disorder with rTMS and poker videos 

Key finding: Pairing repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) with real-time “symptom provocation” (poker videos) sharply reduced gambling cravings and depression in a 22-year-old man with severe gambling disorder – suggesting a new way to boost the brain-based treatment’s impact. That’s according to a case report published in the official journal of the TMS Society by…

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A case report on repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for treating gambling disorder

Researchers in Italy and Germany reported a six-week course of high-frequency brain stimulation dramatically reduced gambling cravings and symptoms in a patient with severe gambling disorder – suggesting the therapy could work as a standalone, first-line treatment when medication or psychotherapy aren’t used. Why it matters: Gambling disorder has no standardized treatment and…

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EGBA tells MEPs that EU iGaming tax plan has no legal basis

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have been told to disregard a proposal made by Victor Negrescu, Vice‑President of the Social Democratic Party of Romania (PSD) and Vice‑President of the European Parliament (EP), which called for a “unionised tax charge on online gambling.”

This week, the European Parliament was informed of Negrescu’s proposal to create an ‘EU-level iGaming tax’, although the proposal itself is still said to be in development.

Negrescu framed his proposal to MEPs as a new measure to raise funds for EU-wide initiatives on education and re-skilling, and to support member states in the treatment of addiction and mental health.

The Romania SDP Minister currently sits on the council which considers and evaluates proposals for the design and development of the EU’s budget. The VP believes that a unionised tax charge on online gambling could provide an additional €4bn to the budget each year, and up to €28bn across a fiscal cycle.

In his address, the Minister argu..

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Romania raises gambling age to 21 and moves towards ad ban

The Senate of Romania has approved two bills that will apply new restrictions on gambling’s engagement and exposure with the general public.

Announced by MP Raluca Turcan, of the National Liberal Party (PNL), the bill is titled “Protect the Age of Innocence” and received approval from the Senate. The bill will increase Romania’s gambling age from 18-to-21.

Turcan was the author of the PNL’s proposal to “reset Romania’s gambling age to 21”, in response to a report by International NGO Save the Children, which ranked Romania as Europe’s highest rate of youth problem gambling.

Her bill will progress to the Chamber of Deputies for final readings and if approved there, it will be signed into law by Niscusor Dan, President of Romania.

If the bill is fully approved, Romania will join other European markets like Belgium, Lithuania and the Netherlands in raising the minimum age for gambling from 18 to 21.

There are also attempts to introduce the same restrictions in neighbouring Bulgaria,..

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