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After much deliberation the locations for casinos in Thailand have been named with Bangkok, Chonburi, Chiang Mai and Phuket all picked out as the regions to host new venues.

All four locations that have been picked out hold a significant tourist economy, providing a slight indication that the venues and legislation will be catered for those travelling to Thailand as opposed to locals.

Furthermore, they seek to capture all corners of Thailand with the locations underpinning just how much of an economic boost the country’s government feels the bill could be worth.

The venues won’t be solely for gambling though, with the legislation likely only enabling 10% of floor space for gambling activities, leading to them becoming entertainment venues, hosting a myriad of events.

There have, however, been delays in cementing the final details of the legislation, with the market in limbo following Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s move to take extra time to cement the bill.

The major ..

Connecticut has suspended the license of High 5 Games, accusing the firm of operating an unlicensed casino and falling short in terms of social responsibility measures.

The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) Gaming Division claims that High 5 marketed High 5 Casino as a licensed casino and accepted wagers from bettors in the state, including individuals who had signed up for the statewide Voluntary Self-Exclusion List.

In total, the investigation determined that 1,100 consumers made deposits and gambled on the platform. Of those, 911 customers lost an accumulative total of $937,938 and 108 individuals on the aforementioned self-exclusion list lost almost $300,000.

The DCP Gaming Division states that High 5 Games will be charged with 1,065 criminal counts of conducting illegal gaming activity in relation to violations of Connecticut’s gaming laws. Each charge is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a maximum fine of $2000.

Additionally, the DCP will als..

A Stoke-on-Trent man has been arrested following a UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) investigation into illegal gambling activity.

Hayden Simcock, 39, has been charged with providing facilities for gambling without having an operating licence and advertising unlicensed betting after being taken into custody by the Staffordshire Police.

The two offences refer to the time period of 18 October 2023 to 11 September 2024 and 26 May 2023 to 1 March 2024. He is now set to appear at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on 24 March.

Simcock has previously made headlines due to his alleged involvement in illegal gambling.

Last year, Simcock – who believed he was talking to a prospective customer – revealed to the Racing Post that he had acted as commercial manager for The Post Bookmakers – an unregulated firm taking bets through WhatsApp.

During the conversation, he claimed that the firm has 10 employees and 1,300 customers and expected a “ridiculously busy” Cheltenham Festival. He also recommended..

Mastercard and Visa have underline “zero tolerance” to black market activity on network

It follows a Guardian report that alleged that Mastercard and Visa are falling short in terms of halting transactions to the illegal gambling market.

The report stated that Mastercard found itself alongside cryptocurrency being offered as a payment option for a myriad of unlicensed operators.

Nonetheless, Mastercard rallied back against the accusations, telling Payment Expert: “We have zero tolerance for illegal activity on our network. When specific instances of potentially unlawful or illegal activity are identified, we investigate the allegations so that we can work with partners to take the appropriate action. We will now do so with the sites which were noted.”

The report was less scathing about Visa, revealing that it appeared on fewer sites, however, did still have a presence on the black market.

Visa, however, lauded the impact of its Integrity Risk Programme, which is a set of guide..

Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Dutch gaming authority, has shut down several illegal poker tournaments and recovered tens of thousands of euros in cash.

Six tournaments across Amsterdam, Asten, The Hague, Rotterdam and Tilburg were halted by the regulators in conjunction with police and municipalities in the final quarter of 2024. According to the body, significant cash sums were also seized at each location, including €40,000 in one case.

Additionally, last month, the KSA also imposed a €110,00 penalty on the organiser of unlicensed poker.

In doing so, the KSA warned against the dangers of illegal poker tournaments for the player and also due to their links to criminal activity.

It stated: “Illegal poker tournaments are often part of subversive crime, in which criminals use legal businesses (such as catering establishments) or citizens for criminal activities.

“In addition, poker players are at risk of gambling addiction, especially when playing in an uncontrolled environment wi..