SBC News

Spribe OÜ has clarified the circumstances surrounding the suspension of its UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) licence.

The games developer is assured that the issue stems from a technical lapse as opposed to any operational wrongdoing.

Speaking to iGaming Expert, the Tallinn and Tbilisi-headquartered games developer revealed it is undertaking “diligent and as expeditious” efforts to resolve the matter.

Spribe has held a UK remote gambling software licence since 2020, with no interruptions. However, yesterday’s enforcement by UKGC determined that Spribe had been hosting casino games on behalf of operators without the appropriate remote casino game host licence.

Under Section 33 of the Gambling Act 2005, it is a criminal offence to provide gambling facilities in Great Britain without the correct authorisation. The Commission has ordered that all hosting activity must “strictly stop” until the appropriate permissions have been secured, reiterating its “strong approach to unlicensed gambling activity” and its expectation of “the highest level of compliance and integrity from licensees.”

In a statement issued to iGamingExpert, Spribe acknowledged the regulator’s position, describing the issue as “a technical licensing gap” that was not recognised during its original 2020 application.

“Spribe applied for and was given a remote gambling software licence in 2020. However, our business model also requires a remote casino game host licence. That is a technical licensing issue that was not recognised in the original application process in 2020.”

The company confirmed that it is now preparing a licence variation application to add the required permissions for remote casino game hosting and is working “urgently to ensure full technical and legal compliance.”

Best known for its flagship crash game Aviator — recognised as one of iGaming’s most popular titles, Spribe’s wider portfolio includes Mines, Dice and Hi-Lo. Its content is distributed through several major UK-licensed operators, including Paddy Power, 888casino, BetVictor, Genting Casino and BetMGM.

Spribe also sought to reassure its clients and consumers, confirming that the suspension “does not affect players’ ability to access their accounts or withdraw funds” and that there is “no evidence of consumer harm” related to its UK activities.

Closing its statement, Spribe reaffirmed its commitment to compliance, transparency, and software integrity across all regulated markets.

“Spribe has always complied with all regulatory requirements of the gambling software licence issued to us in the UK during five years of service to the British market. We are hopeful that the Commission can approve the application promptly and that we can resume business in the UK market as soon as possible.”

The UKGC’s action highlights its increasing scrutiny of B2B suppliers and technical providers, signalling that enforcement will no longer be confined to consumer-facing operators as the regulator intensifies oversight across the wider UK gambling ecosystem.

Backlash remains rife concerning the impact of Nigeria’s Central Gaming Bill and its touted regulatory impact on the country’s gambling sector.

According to reports, there is concern amongst stakeholders over the bill diluting the control of the lottery from the state, leading to a petition being put forward pursuing the rejection of the bill.

Pursuit of the rejection of the bill largely comes from the Federation of States Gaming Regulators of Nigeria (FSGRN), underpinning major concerns over the way the establishment of a Central Commission would have on fiscal federalism in Nigeria.

The petition is aiming to ensure that a central regulator can’t provide state licenses to operators, ensuring that this remains the responsibility of the state.

Nonetheless, the government has continually put forward the case that because iGaming crosses borders this should be the role of a universal operators.

The protection of state revenue is also integral to the bill, with fears it would be lost in the result of the formation of a nationwide commission.

The petition is calling for the nationwide governmental regulation to only oversee the FCT, which is where Abuja is located.

Rallying against the bill, the case has been put forward that it is unconstitutional and simply doesn’t align with the country’s federal system.

However, no matter how fervent and vocal opposition to the bill is, it may well be futile as the Bill has already progressed beyond its third reading in the National Assembly.

There is still a level convolution to its progress though, which will provide state regulators with optimism that it can be halted with enough friction.

In likely next steps for it to be formalised, the Senate must review and vote on the Bill, where they will have the option to make adjustments.

Proponents of the bill have argued that it can eradicate growth of illicit operations and boost efficiency within the licensing process.

The dispute lands at a time when the Nigerian gambling industry rides a wave of momentum in terms of engagement and traffic.

Driven by youth and fintech tapping into the gambling industry, it was recently predicted that Nigeria’s iGaming sector is set to grow by 16% and hit NGN $500m in revenue by the end of the year.

The Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority emphasised that this has been significantly accelerated by the growth of mobile tech in the country.

Major operators in the country, such as Betway, NairaBET, Bet9ja, 22Bet, and 1xBet, have all seen positive growth through fintech collaborations, utilising mobile wallets to elevate the user experience for gambling.

Tax hikes in Zambia have caused Betway to withdraw its principal partnership of the Zambian Premier League, in a major blow to the country’s sports scene..

The operator underpinned that the investment in the market had become unsustainable amidst the rise in excise duty in the country.

News that the government in Zambia would introduce a 10% excise betting duty tax has been met with backlash from many stakeholders. However, Betway’s significant moves will only serve to intensify this pressure.

Previously, there was an appeal from BetPawa and Betway to halt the tax, but this was dismissed by the country’s Constitutional Court.

At the heart of the appeal against the introduction of the tax were claims that it breached section 7 of the customs Excise (Amendment) Act No. 11 of 2025. Objections included an alleged lack of transparency, inadequate public consultation, and severe economic impact.

Furthermore, they also claimed that it was excessive, ambiguous, unimplementable and financially unsustainable, warning that it could impact their future ability to operate in the country.

Nonetheless, the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) continued in its pursuit of the excise duty. The ZRA stated that it had engaged with stakeholders in the decision and emphasised that the duty is paid by bettors, not operators.

Following this, the operators looked to secure an interim injunction to stop enforcement of the excise duty pending the full hearing of their constitutional petition.

ZRA countered that the tax was lawful and implementable in its current form. The organisation emphasised that any interference at this stage would be an encroachment on its statutory duty.

Seemingly cementing a future for excise duty in Zambia, the Court decided that the petitioners failed to demonstrate a sufficiently serious constitutional issue to justify suspending the law at this stage.

Questions have been raised in Curacao over the oversight transfer of the market’s significant regulatory shift from the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry of Justice.

The implementation of the National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LoK) continues to progress following its passing in December 2024, as the country takes on major regulatory efforts to modernise its gambling industry.

Opposition Member of Parliament Suzy Camelia-Römer, who represents the centre-left Movementu di Pueblo, Movement for the People Party, raised the question in Parliament over LoK’s transfer of oversight and when the house could expect legislative amendments to facilitate this move.

She also emphasised her concerns around the mass resignations that impacted the board last month and urged the government to clarify whether these were part of a succession plan.

Camelia-Römer highlighted previous warnings over the impact of the Finance Ministry being solely responsible for appointments to the Supervisory Board and Board of Directors of the CGA. However, she emphasised that these warnings fell on deaf ears and impacted the stability of the bill’s progress.

As such, she called for increased transparency around the reasons and the process behind the resignations. Off the back of the departures, there were widespread rumours that Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas had reportedly taken direct oversight of the board to fulfil plans for Curacao gambling licences.

However, the government has since denied Pisas’ intervention, stating that management of the CGA must fall under the oversight of the Ministry of Justice. According to the determination, the board’s ‘reshaping’ is fairly standard, given it was shifted from the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry of Justice, a move that took place in August.

Even amidst the governance shift, the CGA has underpinned that the implementation of the LoK is continuing as planned.

The CGA’s Aideen Shortt previously told iGaming Expert: “The transfer of ministerial responsibility from Finance to Justice is a natural progression as Curaçao’s regulatory framework matures. Having built the legal and operational foundations for the new regime, the CGA is now focused on supervision and monitoring – areas that naturally fall within the Justice portfolio.”

The CGA’s supervision shift from the Finance to the Justice department will be welcomed by many, given the challenges that Curacao’s Finance Minister, Javier Silvania, has faced.

Silvania resigned earlier in the month, taking a backseat in Parliament and moving away from Finance Ministry responsibilities.