In today’s episode of iGaming Daily, SBC Media Manager Fernando Noodt is joined by Joe Streeter, Editor of iGaming Expert, and Ana Maria Menezes, Business Journalist for SBC Noticias, to discuss the industry’s latest crackdown on influencer marketing. Tune in to find out: Could these influencers learn a thing or two from Kim Kardashian? Host:…
The Rio de Janeiro police force launched “Desfortuna Operation” carried out by the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro this Thursday, the 7th, already has influencers in its list of targets in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Minas Gerais. The operation focuses on criminal schemes involving the promotion of illegal online gambling. A total…
Research firm, the Fourth Wall, has identified the key differences between the regulated and the unregulated markets in the Philippines, sharing severe concerns over the continued offering of e-sabong, also known as cockfighting.
Utilisation of promotions was also integral to the differences between the two sectors, with promotions for the unlicensed sector being more prevalent and having elevated incentives compared to the regulated sector.
High value bonuses of up to 108% were found as being used to entice players on the unregulated market, underpinning the challenges faced by the regulated market in terms of competing.
At the heart of the differentiation in marketing approaches is the affiliate strategy undertaken by both the regulated and the unregulated sector.
The report revealed that many unregulated operators provide lucrative affiliate programs, sometimes offering 45–65% of Gross Gaming Revenue to attract strong collaborations.
The presence of e-sabong also caused concern, as unregulated operators continue to offer the illegal sport and even tap into audiences that engage with the sport through private groups.
John Brylle L. Bae, Research Director at The Fourth Wall, stated: “Our latest report demonstrates how prohibited games like e-sabong remain easily accessible on unregulated platforms even to high-profile figures, underscoring persistent enforcement challenges.
“Our report shows that the operational differences between regulated and unregulated platforms do not just define how platforms function but also shape the risks and potential harms players face, especially in unregulated spaces.”
He also revealed the need for targeted enforcement and increased public awareness as the threat of the sector continues to grow.
Unsurprisingly, the KYC approach of the unregulated sector is minimal, and according to the report elevates the level of risk associated with the sector – enabling underage players to engage with unregulated gambling sites.
The report also provides details of the impact of payment limitations on the sector and the AML checks implemented by the regulated market.
It leads to the experience of the unregulated market being more frictionless as the challenge for the regulated market to compete intensifies significantly.
The report arrives as the market sits at a crossroads of a vital moment for the gambling sector in the Philippines, with it being reported that a total of four bills, three resolutions and a privilege speech addressing the impact of the online gaming industry will be discussed by the Philippine Senate’s committee on games and amusements.
The outcome will determine whether the industry will be subject to tighter regulations or a total ban.
While increased regulation is not always preferable for the development of an industry, it is clear that change is afoot and greater scrutiny is preferable to an outright ban.In the days before the inquiry began, 19 operators, including Digiplus formed the PlaySafe Alliance of the Philippines. The group states that in doing so they have demonstrated their commitment to responsible gaming, regulatory compliance, consumer protection and combatting illegal gambling.
September 15 will see SBC organise a groundbreaking charity football event in Lisbon. Make sure you get the chance to see some of the most legendary names in football by securing your ticket today at https://www.legendscharitygame.com/
Brazil is gearing up for a major regulatory shift as the Ministry of Finance finalises the National Betting System (SINAPO) – a new central hub designed to bring all betting operators under one roof.
Built by the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA), the platform looks to unify oversight at both federal and state levels, giving regulators and consumers a clearer picture of which firms are playing by the rules.
The creation of a public register of licensed companies remains at the heart of the reform. Published on the SPA’s website, the list will make it easier for punters to see which operators are legitimate, while giving approved brands valuable benefits.
From smoother bank account openings to legal advertising and app store inclusion, the move is designed to make life easier for compliant operators, but harder for those outside the system.
More than just a name on the list
Perhaps the biggest lure for operators is the opportunity to use a bet.br domain – a digital stamp that signals full SINAPO approval. Securing it means going through NIC.br, clearing legal checks with state or district authorities, and getting the green light from the SPA.
To get through the door, operators have to meet every requirement in Law No. 14,790/2023. They must also plug into Brazil’s anti-money laundering network, Siscoaf, use geolocation to keep betting inside authorised borders, and have all systems approved by testing labs.
Tightening the net on ownership
The SPA has also detailed plans to dig deeper into who really owns Brazil’s betting brands. Under SINAPO, operators will need to disclose their entire corporate chain, from holding companies to individual shareholders.
This is aimed at stopping the same group from picking up multiple concessions across different states – a restriction rooted in Law No. 13,756/2018.
Ongoing shifts
Since Brazil’s regulated betting market officially launched on 1 January 2025, the scene has been moving fast. Lawmakers are already looking at additional measures that would affect both operators and players.
Last week, Senator Humberto Costa proposed raising the legal betting age from 18 to 21 and capping monthly deposits to the equivalent of one minimum wage, while allowing the Ministry of Finance to set extra daily or weekly limits.
The proposal also targets advertising, aiming to restrict betting promotions between 6am and 10pm, ban sponsorship of public sports, cultural or festival events, and stop all marketing aimed at under-21s.
Costa says these measures are intended to protect vulnerable players, citing cases where gambling has caused serious social harm and even diverted funds from essentials like tuition and daily living.
These steps build on earlier rules introduced since the market rollout, including bans on influencer or athlete endorsements, in-stadium ads and live sports betting promotions.
Brazil’s betting scene is expanding quickly, but regulators seem to be acting just as fast to make sure growth happens responsibly.
The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) has filed for arbitration in the dispute with the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ) over the national 1-800-GAMBLER problem gambling hotline.
While NCPG operates and maintains the hotline, it licenses the right to use the number nationally from the CCGNJ for a $150,000 annual fee. The initial three-year agreement expired in May, but NCPG has attempted to take up an option to extend the deal.
NCPG exercised its contractual right to file for a restraining order to prevent the hotline being shut down until the dispute is resolved, and was subsequently granted a temporary restraining order against the CCGNJ by a New Jersey court that keeps the hotline up and running until Aug. 26.
NCPG Director of Communications Cait Huble told SBC Americas that the national council has submitted a request to the American Arbitration Association (AAA) “in accordance with the provisions of the original license agreement” with the CCGNJ. ..
A college quarterback is responding to allegations of impermissible sports wagering.
Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer is facing backlash after screenshots of his personal Venmo account were shared with several transactions mentioning sports gambling.
The two transactions were both made in November 2022 while Mateer was a student-athlete at Washington State. One of the transactions had a description mentioning a game between USC and UCLA. In a statement, Mateer denied any wrongdoing as the NCAA bans wagering by players, coaches and team officials on all competitions sponsored by the organization. NCAA guidelines stipulate student-athletes who place bets on their teams or on any sport at their institution could face permanent loss of eligibility.
“The allegations that I once participated in sports gambling are false,” said Mateer in the statement. “My previous Venmo descriptions did not accurately portray the transactions in question, but were instead inside jokes between me and my fr..
Ohio lawmakers are studying whether to ban or introduce restrictions on micro-betting, according to ESPN. While the proposed rules are mainly a response to the baseball betting scandal involving Cleveland Guardians, our interest here is not just sporting integrity but responsible gambling. A question of definition: It has been argued that micro-betting is just in-play…
TonyBet has received a warning from the Netherlands Gambling Authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), after the operator listed betting markets on the winner of the Ballon d’Or and the FIFA Club World Cup Golden Boot.
Under Dutch law, such wagers are prohibited because they are decided by votes or jury verdicts rather than by measurable sporting performance during official competitions.
In the Netherlands, the law states licensed sportsbooks can only offer bets on official sports events organised by trusted national or international groups, and only when the results are based on a clear and checkable performance.
The authority made it clear in its statement that awards off the field fall outside of these parameters.
The response
TonyBet confirmed that no bets had been placed on the offending markets before they were removed, and has promised to tighten controls over its sportsbook content to prevent similar breaches in the future.
While the KSA has decided to issue a warning on this occasion, it reiterated that licensees are fully responsible for every betting option available on their platforms, even when those markets are supplied by third-party providers.
The warning to TonyBet comes amid a sustained period of heightened enforcement from the KSA.
Starting 1 January 2025, the organisation implemented a new ‘General Policy of Fines’ to govern Dutch gambling licences. The fine structure was organised into five categories, with basic penalties ranging from €500 (£430) for Category 1 violations up to €2m (£1.7m) for the most serious offences in Category Five.
As the KSA explained: “The New General Policy of Fines aims to ensure penalties are appropriate and serve as punitive and preventive measures. It seeks to deter violations and promote compliance with gambling regulations.”
KSA flags gambling tax concerns
The latest enforcement work is unfolding against the backdrop of mounting financial pressure on the regulated Dutch betting market. The regulator has just warned that January’s rise in gambling tax from 30.5% to 34.2% is hurting the country.
A new impact assessment shows gross gaming revenue falling across both online and land-based sectors, leading to lower tax receipts instead of the expected boost.
KSA Chair Michel Groothuizen cautioned that weakening the financial position of licensed operators undermines long-term player protection. With another hike to 37.8% due next year, the authority is looking for a rethink on certain policies.
New beginnings
In other news, this week the KSA has appointed Marjolein Hoogland, Chief Attorney General of the Dutch Court of Appeal, and Erasmus University Professor Ingmar Franken to its Objections Advisory Committee – which reviews licensee appeals.
They join President Anita Vegter, two existing members, and three independent Chairs at a time when the panel’s workload is expected to grow as new KOA reforms, tighter marketing rules and player protection measures reshape the Dutch market.
Online bookmaker QuestBet has been fined AU$80,000 (£39k) in the state of Victoria for accepting bets from a “distressed customer”.
Suzy Neilan, CEO of the Victoria Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC), personally addressed the operator, calling the culture it exhibits of non-compliance with safer gambling standards “concerning”.
“Our investigation of QuestBet’s practices found the bookmaker failed to have in place adequate systems to protect individuals identifiably at risk of gambling harm.
“Minimising gambling harm is an obligation every operator holds – including bookmakers – who must monitor customer wellbeing and intervene if they observe signs of distress.
“This substantial penalty demonstrates the seriousness of the bookmaker’s failure to meet its legal and moral obligations.”
The investigation was launched after the customer themselves submitted a signal to the VGCCC, complaining about the operator allowing them to bet even after suffering significant losses.
“We found that between April and June 2023, the customer contacted QuestBet more than 20 times to request additional credits and bonus bets. On six occasions, they mentioned having experienced several large losses,” Neilan added.
“This was a clear sign that the customer was struggling. A sign that QuestBet chose to ignore, instead encouraging and enabling the customer to keep gambling with the aid of bonus bets in five of the six occasions.
“Consequently, the customer lost about $15k over two months.”
Staff of gambling operators must provide assistance to customers facing negative consequences from gambling.
Australia law mandates that when there are signs of gambling harm, operators are obligated to inform players of the various problem gambling prevention tools available to them. In QuestBet’s case, the VGCCC said this was not done.
“QuestBet suggested none of these, thereby breaching the Victorian Bookmakers’ Association Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct and causing further distress to the customer.
“Nor did the bookmaker formally respond to our request for an explanation for its lack of care or a reason not to be sanctioned, despite requesting, and being granted, several extensions to do so.”
The topic of problem gambling is usually very sensitive, particularly right now in Australia where reports come out one after another about the cost that the problem incurs on the economy.
In 2023, the Victoria government estimated that gambling had cost the state $14.1bn in social harm in the year prior.
French authorities will adopt new enforcement tools to fight corruption in sports, as new legislation classifies match fixing as an organised crime…
The government of France has classified match-fixing in sports as seriously as organised crime under new amendments included in its law to fight drug trafficking and corruption activities undertaken with proceeds linked or related to drug dealing.
An amendment added in January as part of a bill targeting drug trafficking reclassified match-fixing from a minor offense to a serious crime. The law was approved on 13 June and cases will now be handled by specialised inter-jurisdictional courts (JIRS) that deal with complex criminal matters to enable deeper investigations into corruption in sport.
The law also grants investigators new enforcement tools such as wiretaps, hidden microphones, surveillance, undercover operations and prolonged detention periods. These were previously reserved for cases like drug trafficking, human trafficking and large-scale fraud.
Those convicted of match-fixing in France can now face up to 10 years in prison and fines reaching €1m.
The new measures cover corrupt activities undertaken by private citizens in a context of “passive bribery committed by a participant in a sporting event or horserace where bets are taken, and active bribery committed by a private individual in the direction of such a person”.
They are supported by the regulator Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) systems that record all wagering data to detect atypical bets and unusual odds. As part of the framework, ANJ can decide to ban betting on a competition if there are major indications of manipulation.
ANJ’s anti-match fixing monitoring and training teams meet every six weeks and its teams also train young athletes, magistrates and civil servants to assist them in identifying and detecting cases of sporting fraud linked to betting.