iGamingExpert

The New York legal hammer could be set to hit Blazesoft after Autumn Boatner has taken action against the firm.

Boatner is pursuing a class action suit against the operator in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Boatner claims she lost money with the firm as a result of their allegedly illegal sweepstakes operation during 2024. The claimant is also taking aim at the strategy of Blazesoft when it comes to player acquisition, alleging that there was false marketing from the firm over its status as a F2P sweepstake.

Significantly, the complaint also alleges that the operator is in breach of laws in the Big Apple, allowing players under the age of 21 to play.

The complaint stated: “Defendants’ misconduct inflicts particularly severe harm on vulnerable populations, including individuals predisposed to gambling addiction and younger consumers targeted through ‘free play’ marketing.

“Defendants aggressively market and promote their online casinos on social me..

Russian authorities are intensifying action over the gambling sector in a bid to eradicate illegal operators from the country.

In even more stringent measures, the government has confirmed it has commenced with the exploration of plans to shut down online gambling operators and block websites.

Furthermore, the government is also looking to take aim at crypto in a bid to strangle transactions to the online gambling sector.

Vladimir Putin has retained a strong anti-gambling stance during his premiership – establishing the Russian Civic Chamber, a civil society institution during the early stage of his tenure.

The latest efforts have been spearheaded by Evgeny Masharov, a key member of the Russian Civic Chamber.

Following the public discussions, Masharov stated: “The problem of illegal gambling can be solved in two ways: the first is blocking websites and applications, the second is blocking payments in cryptocurrency.”

Speaking to Russian news outlet TASS, Masharov emphasised ..

Eyes of the iGaming world will be intrigued by the decision of the Rotterdam District Court, which has ordered Betsson Group to pay €385,377 to a Dutch customer.

The customer in question stated that they have lost substantial sums of money gaming with unlicensed websites, and pursued a legal case against BML Group Limited and Corona Limited, two of Betsson Group’s subsidiaries.

The plaintiff has stated that the bets placed with Betsson and Kroon were staked before the group’s takeover of Holland Gaming Technology, a local licence holder/ This meant that the companies were unlicensed operators at the time.

As a result, the company has been ordered to pay the player €385,377 to cover losses and has also been told that it will have to pay an additional fee of €92 every day that the court order is not followed. This will start from 14 days after the court’s 9 April judgment.

Could Bill 55 play a role?

Bill 55 may well play a role in the case as it unfolds. The bill serves to strengt..

The decision to grant Ladbrokes virtual betting rights in Belgium did not constitute state aid, the European Commission has ruled, in a decision that brought to an end more than five years of legal wrangling.

The original complaint in the case was lodged in 2019 by gaming operators Rocoluc NV and European Amusement Company, triggering an in-depth investigation by the European Commission, which has now concluded and found in favour of Ladbrokes’ parent company Entain.

The case centred around the operation of virtual betting in retail outlets in Belgium, as these types of games did not fall under any regulatory framework until Ladbrokes pursued them being regulated by the market.

This enabled Ladbrokes to operate virtual betting platforms in the country. However, it was alleged in the complaint that the regulator in Belgium denied multiple operators the same right when it came to operating virtuals.

Investigations by the European Commission saw a close examination of whether the ..

Ahead of the SBC Summit in Malta, we spoke to the Director – Legal & Compliance at Rhino Entertainment’s Alistair Facciol, who revealed the key steps to new market entry and the key innovations he believes will stand out in the iGaming market.

What steps do you believe can be taken to ensure the regulated market isn’t strangled and the black market can’t thrive?

The key is balance. Overregulation can actually push players toward unlicensed operators, which defeats the purpose of consumer protection. Regulators and operators need to work together to build frameworks that are robust but also commercially viable. That includes fair taxation, clear and consistent rules, and processes that allow innovation. Education is important too—players need to know the value of playing with licensed operators.

Can you tell us about the latest innovations and player trends that you believe will stand out in the iGaming market in the year ahead?

Personalisation is going to be huge; players expect t..

Novomatic AG has secured a Gaming Related Vendor Licence, authorised by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The licence marks a major development for Novomatic in its bid to become one of the first gaming machine manufacturers and distributors to operate under the UAE’s forthcoming regulatory framework for gambling and lotteries.

In 2023, the federation of UAE states sanctioned the establishment of the GCGRA as the federal regulatory authority tasked with developing and launching a framework to govern the commercial activities of gambling.

Led by US executive Kevin Mullally (CEO/President), the GCGRA announced last year that Wynn Resorts had been awarded the concession to develop a casino resort in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah.

Scheduled to open in 2027, Wynn Resorts is set to build a 1,000-room resort and entertainment centre. However, the GCGRA has yet to confirm the gaming capacity and operational framework that will gov..

A rethink of prevention strategies is essential to stop the general public from engaging with black market operators, encroaching on the UK’s regulated gambling market.

The warning comes from gambling harms awareness and prevention campaigners – Deal Me Out (DMO), who have published the Evaluation Report on Black Market Gamblingand its UK presence.

Significantly, the report seeks to provide the perspective of those who have engaged with unlicensed operators, offering audiences a deeper understanding of vulnerabilities and the reasons individuals turn to black market gambling.

The report states: “Over the last five years, we have become increasingly concerned about the surprising prevalence of illegal gambling in the United Kingdom, particularly among children and vulnerable people. Since our inception, we have witnessed regulation that was intended to prevent harm at a population level, but which may in fact be worsening harm for those most at risk.”

“Deal Me Out has been heartened..

The scheduled debate in Parliament over the land-based casino bill in Thailand has suffered a delay.

First reported by Bloomberg, the bill has been placed on the back burner but not shelved, in spite of some key opposition from the public.

This was somewhat embodied by the gathering of protestors that took place outside parliament, with groups demanding the government U-turns on the bill and the legalisation of casinos in Thailand.

Nonetheless, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has assured stakeholders and media that there are currently no plans to withdraw the bill, however, the government is instead focusing on more critical issues including the recovery from the recent earthquake in the country.

The impact of Trump’s tariffs has also taken centre stage when it comes to the focus of the government as they continue to wreak turmoil on global markets.

Shinawatra reportedly emphasised that communications will be strengthened and consistent in a bid to ensure that citizens i..