SBC News - Player Protection Hub

New York defiant on prediction markets as legal tussle escalates

iGamingExpertSeptember 10, 2026016 views

The hostility faced by prediction markets across the US is embodied by the struggles of Kalshi in New York.

Tensions are boiling over in the Big Apple, as New York State Governor Kathy Hochul warned the prediction market platform that it cannot buy itself an exemption from the law as the legal battle between the state and the sector escalates.

The New York attorney general on Friday (31 July) filed a lawsuit against Kalshi, accusing the prediction market platform of breaking the law by offering unregulated gambling under the guise of events contracts.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Kalshi had offered to pay a 6% tax on prediction market traders, which would raise $10bn over five years for the state.

However, Governor Hochul posted on X: “Kalshi can promise 100% of its revenue. You can’t buy yourself an exemption from New York law. If an illegal bookie offers the state a share of their profits, we’ll still shut them down.”

Kalshi can promise 100% of its revenue.

You can’t b..

Armenia tightens gambling oversight with telecoms block

A.J. KoehnSeptember 10, 2026017 views

Armenia is preparing to roll out more restrictions against illegal operators through a new reform package that would tighten the oversight of online gambling.

State news agency Armenpress has reported that the State Revenue Committee (SRC) is looking at measures to block unlicensed gambling websites through telecommunications operators.

According to the state press, the new rules will be enforced on 8 February 2027, revising existing provisions under the current Law On Regulation of Gaming Activities that relate to the blocking of unlicensed operators offering online gambling and lottery services.

The Committee added that the revisions are necessary to address the increased ease of access to offshore platforms through digital means. Under the new provisions, the advertising opportunities for these unlicensed operators will also be severely limited.

Armenia’s gambling legislation is already undergoing a complete overhaul, having been adopted by the National Assembly in June 2024 and..

Africa Safer Gambling Week to strengthen player protection

iGamingExpertSeptember 10, 2026017 views

Africa’s iGaming stakeholders are uniting this week for the inaugural Africa Safer Gambling Week, a continent-wide effort bringing together regulators, operators, industry organisations and responsible gambling bodies to help protect players from gambling harm.

Led by the African iGaming Alliance (AiA), the concerted effort seeks to effectively protect consumers, uphold responsible gambling practices and improve public awareness.

#PlaySafeAfrica will be used as the campaign’s banner throughout the week, with industry stakeholders from across African markets getting involved on social media, while media briefings, a five-day public awareness campaign, community outreach initiatives and a continental webinar are all taking place.

Peter Emolemo Kesitilwe, Chief Executive Officer of AiA, said the association will continually support player safety in every way possible via programmes such as this.

Kesitilwe commented: “As Africa’s gambling industry continues to grow, player protectio..

President Lula promises ‘drastic decision’ with online casino ban proposed

iGamingExpertSeptember 3, 2026027 views

Brazil’s iGaming market appears to be on life support as President Lula has vowed to take ‘drastic measures’ following a meeting of representatives.

The President linked online gambling to the issue of rising debts as he consulted with business, religious, health and consumer protection groups. However, gambling industry organisations, including the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) and the Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR), were not invited.

Doubling down on his disdain for the sector, Lula described it as a ‘societal ill’ and reiterated his preference to ‘put an end to gambling’.

Although he said that ‘two-thirds’ of the decision had already been made, Lula told attendees that he would listen to Brazilian society before determining the fate of the market – which only opened at the beginning of 2025.

He added: “As President of the Republic, I have to understand that there are other things I have to share, decisions so that we can do things in the mo..

Gambling Commission suspends BresBet and Bet St George licences

iGamingExpertSeptember 3, 2026019 views

Licence suspensions have been issued by the Gambling Commission (GC) to two operators in the UK iGaming market, BresBet and Bet St George.

GC enquiries found suspected social responsibility and anti-money laundering (AML) failings, with reviews now being carried out into both licences under section 116 of the Gambling Act 2005.

The commission added that the suspension will remain in place until it’s satisfied that the businesses are compliant.

A statement on the GC’s website said: “It has been made clear to both operators that during the course of the suspension they are expected to treat consumers fairly and keep them fully informed of any developments which impact them.

“The suspension, which takes place immediately, does not prevent either operator from allowing consumers to access their accounts and withdrawing funds. Both businesses can be contacted through their websites.”

BresBet has been operational in the UK since February 2025, providing casino, bingo, sports betting and..

Flutter and EPIC to extend FAI safer gambling support

A.J. KoehnSeptember 3, 2026020 views

Flutter Entertainment and EPIC Global Solutions have committed to the promotion of gambling awareness in Ireland by extending a programme with the FAI National League.

The programme will incorporate the 15 founding National League clubs by the end of 2026 after reaching over 2,000 League of Ireland players and FAI staff since January.

Ireland’s National League is the third tier in the football pyramid and commenced for the first time last month.

Over 70 EPIC-led workshops have been delivered in what the FAI has described as a “huge success story”.

League of Ireland officials are confident in the programme, claiming it is a useful way to help provide clear insights which will inform targeted support messaging and harm prevention strategies.

“The impact of this programme across the League of Ireland has been a huge success story,” said Interim FAI National Competitions Lead, Garret Higgins.

“So naturally, we’re incredibly grateful to see this extended to our new FAI National Lea..

Video game gambling gets the government axe in Australia

A.J. KoehnSeptember 3, 2026024 views

Seemingly overnight, GTA Online players in Australia have been barred from engaging with any of the games on offer in the video game title’s virtual Diamond Resort Casino venue.

Users took to Reddit to report that they are no longer able to play in the casino, which as a side note only accepts virtual in-game currency.

While this currency can be purchased with real-life money, it is designed to be spent within the limits of GTA Online and on everything that the game has to offer – including entertainment like cinemas, arcades, and the casino.

The casino features were apparently taken out from GTA Online without any official statement by neither game developer Rockstar nor the Australian government itself.

The move adds on to a bigger question within the video game industry about altering a product that the customer has already purchased, but that’s a topic for another day.

Not to mention that GTA Online carries an age rating of 18+. Australia recently passed a law that requires ..

Sweden warned of excessive flaws of new safer gambling framework

iGamingExpertSeptember 3, 2026022 views

Spelinspektionen, Sweden’s Gambling Authority, has been urged to consider the concerns of licensed operators as it prepares to modernise the country’s safer-gambling and duty-of-care requirements.

In June, the authority opened a consultation on proposed responsible-gambling regulations spanning 12 chapters. Stakeholders were asked to submit feedback by 10 August 2026, ahead of Spelinspektionen finalising the framework and determining its implementation timetable.

The reforms would replace the existing LIFS 2018:2 regulations and general guidance with a more prescriptive set of binding requirements. They cover the identification of excessive gambling, personalised operator interventions, staff training, customer-support availability, automatic logout, safer-gambling tools, player limits, loss notifications, withdrawals and game design.

Under the proposals, operators would be required to monitor indicators such as overnight play, longer or more frequent sessions, rising deposits and s..

Swiss iGaming blacklist exceeds 3,500 in year of enforcement

iGamingExpertSeptember 3, 2026049 views

Switzerland’s Federal Gaming Board (ESBK) has expanded its blacklist of unauthorised online gambling websites to 3,567 domains, intensifying its enforcement against offshore operators targeting Swiss citizens.

Published on 25 August, the latest update follows a new sweep of websites deemed to be offering or promoting online casino games in Switzerland without federal approval.

Access to the listed domains has been blocked under Articles 86 onwards of the Federal Gambling Act and Articles 88 onwards of the Gambling Ordinance. The updated blacklist is formally announced through a general ruling published in the Swiss Federal Gazette.

Swiss internet service providers are required to implement DNS blocks preventing customers from accessing the identified websites. Players attempting to visit a blacklisted domain from within Switzerland should consequently be redirected to a page explaining that the service is unauthorised.

The ESBK stated: “Access to the gambling sites listed below in ..

GamCare banks £16m buffer to protect frontline services under levy transition

A.J. KoehnAugust 28, 2026041 views

GamCare has vowed to continue to support the wider gambling harm treatment sector’s ongoing transition under the statutory levy on gambling harms.

The UK’s biggest frontline charity and provider of treatment, support and intervention services of gambling harms/addiction has published its Trustee Report 2025/2026.

Margot Daly: GamCare

The report covers GamCare activities during the “the last financial year of the voluntary levy system, ahead of new statutory levy commissioning from April 2026 by NHS England”.

NHS England is one of the three stewards of gambling harm funding under the levy system, the others being the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Reflecting on a period of encompassing a system transition for gambling-harm organisations, Chair Margot Daly said GamCare’s priority had been “to keep the quality of services at the centre of every decision”.

“After nearly three decades in this sector, we know that periods of ..