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Alberta Minister: If you like Ontario, you are going to love Alberta

iGamingExpertMay 22, 2026039 views

It doesn’t get any better than Alberta, was the message of Hon. Dale Nally, the man tasked with leading the charge towards Canada’s second regulated gaming province.

Speaking at SBC Summit Canada, Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, promised that the province will be the ‘right fit for operators’ ahead of the market launch on 13 July.

He told attendees: “We have reduced red tape, we’ve got a business-friendly environment, and we’ve got low corporate taxes. It doesn’t get any better than that. So if you like your experience in Ontario, you are going to love your experience in Alberta.”

A new chapter for Alberta

Many operators preparing for launch will already be familiar with aspects of the market, as Alberta has borrowed much of its structure from what has been successful in Ontario – a jurisdiction that pulled in revenue of over CA$4bn (£2.1bn) last year.

Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) will act as the market’s regulator, mirroring Ontario’s regu..

BGC threatens legal action over affordability checks

iGamingExpertMay 21, 2026052 views

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) is threatening to launch legal action against the Gambling Commission (GC) if it presses ahead with the implementation of the next phase of affordability checks for players, as it believes one in five customers would be required to provide financial information.

A Commission board meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday, 21 May 2026, when Financial Risk Assessments (FRAs) could be given the green light as a means of identifying high-spending online gambling players who may be experiencing financial problems and offer them support.

The GC says these assessments would be automatically triggered if certain spending amounts are hit by a customer and would utilise data from credit reference agencies. However, many industry stakeholders believe customers could be reluctant to share their data and may instead wager with black market operators to avoid FRAs entirely.

FRAs are different from Financial Vulnerability Checks (FVCs), which use informa..

Gambling Commission reveals 7% of players need vulnerability checks

iGamingExpertMay 15, 2026051 views

There will be growing alarm among online gambling licensees after it emerged that the frequency of affordability checks triggered for UK players could far exceed the estimates laid out in the White Paper.

It was expected that just 3% of players would be subjected to Financial Vulnerability Checks (FVCs); however, the total observed during the initial implementation phase hit 7% – according to an update provided by the Gambling Commission’s senior policy research team of Sarah Webster and Richard Sutcliffe.

Furthermore, it is anticipated that this number will rise further when thresholds for full checks are decreased from £500 to £150.

Insights about light-touch FVCs have been provided by the Gambling Commission (GC), offering information on their impact since their implementation in August 2024, before forecasting what the next steps will be.

Looking ahead, the GC reported positive feedback from the period, but there were also concerns raised over a lack of awareness or clarity ..

iGaming Daily: Affordability is an ‘acute science’ and must not be rushed

iGamingExpertMay 14, 2026062 views

Affordability has dominated headlines in Western gambling markets, notably as one of the most controversial mandates in the UK market.

Speaking on iGaming Daily, SBC Media’s Editor-at-Large, Ted Menmuir, revealed that financial risk checks were being billed as the highest technical safeguard and generational change as a result of a new era brought about by the White Paper implementation.

Whilst Menmuir acknowledged that this tagline is incredibly enticing as UK gambling embarks on sweeping changes, the test pilot has continued for several years. Menmuir noted that the feedback has been very limited to stakeholders, with efficiency and viability around the project still being unknown.

He outlined that this feels like an urgent vulnerability to the successful implementation of one of the key steps of the white paper. What has been established is that affordability and predicting or projecting an individual’s affordability is an ‘acute science’.

Menmuir cautioned that there has be..

Super Group not fazed by Nigeria tax turmoil as efforts doubled down

iGamingExpertMay 14, 2026046 views

The reform to taxation and governance has not tempered the appetite of Super Group for the Nigerian market.

Updating investors yesterday, the group’s Chief Executive Officer, Neal Menashe, underscored that momentum is building in Africa as it continues to strengthen its footprint and plough on despite regulatory turbulence.

Having recently spent time on the ground in Nigeria, Menashe revealed, ‘the free flow of currencies is improving in the country’, marking a key boost for the operator’s presence in the market.

He emphasised that the group is looking to double or treble its business size in Nigeria, whilst also ensuring that it continues to get the product strategy right for the market.

Menashe’s unwavering enthusiasm for the Nigerian market would indicate his faith in the steps taken by the government to provide stability in the market.

Super Group’s resilience in the market is potentially boosted by the size of the operator’s footprint in the wider African market, enabling..

Dominican Republic launches protection charter for new gambling regime

iGamingExpertMay 14, 2026049 views

The Dominican Republic will be taking steps to tighten its control of its gambling licences, as the Ministry of Finance and Economy has authorised Resolution No. 184-2026.

The mandate seeks to introduce a new “Responsible Gambling Charter” that requires the signature of President Luis Abinader.

The charter will establish a new Central Self-Exclusion System as the principal safeguard for gambling activities in the Dominican Republic, which aims to become the first Caribbean nation to implement such a universal protection on gambling consumers.

Winning his re-election campaign in 2024, President Abinader pledged to modernise the gambling regime of The Dominican Republic as part of his administration’s broader economic overhaul to enhance investment and tax resources of the government.

Economic reforms

The latest reforms build on the Dominican Republic’s launch of a new online gambling licensing regime in 2024, under Resolution 136-2024, which established a formal framework for ..

ACMA investigates Entain for inactivity warning emails

iGamingExpertMay 12, 2026052 views

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is reportedly investigating Entain Australia & New Zealand after the operator allegedly sent emails sent to inactive customers warning them to place a bet or risk monthly inactivity fees.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the Ladbrokes Australia brand also failed to disclose the customer’s legal right to close their account through the government’s self-exclusion website, BetStop, and have their money returned.

This is just the latest in Entain’s Australian troubles, after the operator recently entered into a court-enforceable undertaking after more than 500 breaches of national self-exclusion rules were discovered as part of a separate ACMA investigation.

The Sydney Morning Herald stated that Entain ‘sends the emails to customers who have been dormant for 18 months, warning them it will begin charging a $5 a month fee for holding their money’.

The report added that the ACMA confirmed it was reviewing to see if the ema..

Entain to implement ‘meaningful’ self-exclusion enhancements in Australia

iGamingExpertMay 7, 2026052 views

Entain Australia & New Zealand is working with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) after the body discovered more than 500 breaches of national self-exclusion rules in Australia.

As a result, the Ladbrokes and Neds operator entered into a court-enforceable undertaking following an ACMA investigation.

The ACMA found that Entain had:

Opened accounts and provided wagering to people registered with BetStop.

Opened new accounts for individuals registered with BetStop.

Failed to adequately promote BetStop in customer texts and emails.

As a result, the ACMA has accepted a comprehensive 18-month court-enforceable undertaking from Entain, as the company will commit to an independent review of its compliance systems and processes and implement any recommended improvements.

An Entain Australia spokesperson said: “We take all our regulatory responsibilities seriously. These matters arose during the early stages of a new national system, and we have worked constructiv..

‘To save youth from destruction’, Bangladesh vows no leniency for illegal gambling

iGamingExpertMay 1, 2026048 views

Politicians in Bangladesh have vowed to launch a nationwide crackdown on gambling and online betting, emphasising that coordinated action is looming for the sector.

Action will begin following the closure of the country’s parliament on 30 April, with assertions made by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, who promised a ‘zero tolerance’ policy on gambling, alongside drug use, in response to concerns raised by Zainul Abdin Farroque, parliamentary member for the Noakhali-2 constituency.

“To save the youth from destruction, the government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy,” said Ahmed, who promised that law enforcement agencies will conduct coordinated operations to dismantle networks linked to drugs and gambling.

Most forms of gambling remain illegal in Bangladesh under the Public Gaming Act of 1867, meaning online gambling operates in a grey area with no local regulation.

Ahmed’s call to arms over curtailing online gambling comes despite Bangladesh last year passing the Cyber Security..

Has the Maryland sweepstakes bill fallen short?

iGamingExpertApril 23, 2026043 views

The momentum behind the Maryland sweepstakes bill has seemingly dwindled, as the State’s legislative sessions ended without a formal conclusion to the bill’s passing.

There were two key opportunities for the prohibition of dual-currency sweepstakes, with the House of Delegates passing two separate bills in 2026 that would have outlawed dual-currency sweepstakes.

Lack of progress around the bill was celebrated by the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA), as they claimed that there had been ‘false allegations’ driven by casino interests.

“We are pleased with this result in Maryland and want to thank the Maryland lawmakers who took the time to thoroughly consider this issue,” said SGLA Managing Director Sean Ostrow.

“Over multiple hearings and dozens of meetings, SGLA addressed false allegations by casino interests by demonstrating that the Social Plus industry already offers strong consumer protections and contributes to Maryland’s economy, while pushing back against efforts ..