SBC News - Player Protection Hub

Ohio sportsbooks unlikely to push back on regulator’s proposed credit card ban

SBC AmericasJuly 9, 2026068 views

After weeks of contemplation, the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) has officially announced its intention to ban the use of credit cards for sports betting in the state.

The OCCC sent a notice on Tuesday to confirm that it has formally proposed an amendment to state law to remove credit cards as a permissible funding method. It first revealed in May that it was considering the rule change, which must then be submitted to and ratified by each of the Common Sense Initiative and the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review in order to go into effect.

The regulator has opened up a comment period until Friday, July 17, for operators and other stakeholders to have their say on the idea. The OCCC will then hold a public hearing on a yet-to-be-announced date. The OCCC’s next two public meetings are scheduled for July 15 and Aug. 19.

Many Ohio sportsbooks already scrapped credit cards

The Ohio regulator does not seem likely to meet much opposition from its licensed online sportsbooks, giv..

Swedish court backs regulator over Betsson AML ruling

iGamingExpertJuly 9, 2026054 views

A Swedish Administrative Court has backed the gaming regulator’s findings that Betsson committed ‘serious violations of money laundering regulations’.

Spelinspektionen first brought action against Betsson Nordic Ltd, alongside Spooniker Ltd – a then-subsidiary of FDJ United’s Kindred Group – and Snabbare Ltd – a subsidiary of ComeOn Group, for failing to take sufficient customer due diligence measures in May 2025.

The regulator warned all three and handed them fines of SEK 6.5m, SEK 10m and SEK 5.5m, respectively, for actions that took place in 2023.

In each instance, Spelinspektionen investigated the operator’s processes for a select group of customers and found that they had failed to adequately identify the source of income for large deposits that couldn’t be justified by the consumer’s taxable income.

The operators attributed the funds to previous winnings; however, Spelinspektionen said that this could not be accurately verified, as the funds had been removed from the consumer..

1xBet elevates player protection capabilities with 1xCare

iGamingExpertJuly 7, 2026088 views

1xBet has strengthened its player protection and responsible gambling measures following the launch of the 1xCare initiative.

The operator emphasised that 1xCare will focus on enhancing research, education, technology and player well-being within its business under one framework.

1xCare Chair, Simon Westbury, commented: “Responsible gambling is not a slogan; it is a duty. 1xCare was created to support a more informed, transparent, and sustainable gambling ecosystem – one where player protection and well-being are central.”

The new player protection platform will be centred on four pillars, noted 1xBet.

The research hub will support studies on gambling behaviour, addiction risks, and emerging technologies, with transparent public reporting.

Meanwhile, EduCare will promote responsible gambling education, awareness programmes, and ethical standards across operators, sports, and communities.

The TechShield will be focused on advancing responsible gambling technologies, including tool..

Beasley indictment deepens swirl of NBA gambling integrity issues

SBC AmericasJuly 7, 2026087 views

Monday’s federal indictment of former NBA player Malik Beasley is drawing new gambling concerns for a pro sports league that made history by embracing sports betting before its counterparts.

In 2014, NBA commissioner Adam Silver voiced support for the legalization of sports betting in an op-ed for the New York Times, four years before the overturning of PASPA. The decision allowed the NBA to become the first U.S. pro league to sign a gambling partnership deal.

Since then, the proliferation of online sports betting has reached through America, with the NBA benefiting from its popularity but also dealing with its consequences.

The growth of sports betting has allowed gambling scandals to come to light, with Beasley being the latest brush the NBA has had with a criminal probe into alleged illicit betting.

Details of Beasley’s alleged illicit NBA betting activity

According to court documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Beasley informed co-co..

BetMGM ready to extend its Connor McDavid effect into Alberta RG campaign

CanadianGamingBusinessJuly 7, 2026078 views

BetMGM’s name carries a lot of weight with Canadian customers. So does its choice of partners.

The operator has a leading position in Ontario’s dual online sports betting and iCasino market, which was its first expansion outside the U.S. Imminently, Alberta will become the Entain and MGM Resorts International joint venture’s first new online casino market in four years; BetMGM is signing up customers in that province ahead of regulated Alberta iGaming beginning on July 13.

As both Ontario and Alberta expect and demand from their online sportsbooks and casinos, BetMGM continues to serve customers with access to a range of responsible gambling resources and tools. More than most competitors, the brand has recruited some bona fide Canadian star power to showcase the company’s commitment to player protection.

Enter Edmonton Oilers captain and Canadian hockey icon Connor McDavid.

‘Authenticity and cultural credibility’

BetMGM’s latest responsible gambling campaign, ‘Mullet Over’, is de..

Brazil authorities draws a line on social gambling features

A.J. KoehnJuly 7, 2026081 views

The Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) of Brazil will move to impose restrictions on the use of social interaction features and engagement mechanisms by licensed online gambling platforms.

The inbound restrictions were confirmed to operators licensed under Brazil’s Bets regime via an SPA notice, issued in its capacity as the governing authority for gambling under the Ministry of Finance.

The decision follows a query submitted by Kaizen Gaming, which sought to clarify whether its flagship brand Betano could apply “social interaction” features to engage with registered customers.

The submission detailed that Betano sought to activate features of an “integrated social environment” within its online platform, available exclusively to registered users.

Betano sought to allow customers to share betting slips, reference favourite casino and slot games, and display customer wins under user profiles.

However, the SPA rejected the proposal, concluding that such functions are incompatib..

Polymarket sued over alleged deceptive marketing to college students

SBC AmericasJuly 7, 2026078 views

Polymarket is facing a new lawsuit over allegations of deceptive marketing practices

That is according to a report from the Wall Street Journal detailing the alleged illicit activity. According to documents filed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Polymarket is being sued by the National Association of Consumer Advocates (NACA) for allegedly deploying a “pattern of flagrantly deceptive and unfair marketing” to mislead American consumers to risk their money to “place bets” on Polymarket platforms.

In addition to deceptive marketing of the Polymarket platforms, the NACA is accusing the prediction market of deceptive failure to disclose material connection and unfair promotion of the Polymarket platforms to college-aged Americans.

The association cites the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Procedures Act (CPPA), alleging that Polymarket’s marketing practices violate the statute.

The suit also names Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan and Chief Marketing Officer Matthew..

Only two of 291 gambling domains achieve ‘trusted rating’ in latest scam study

A.J. KoehnJuly 7, 2026065 views

More than one in four gambling websites are considered high or critical risk, according to new analysis from ScamInfo.ai, with the sector unsurprisingly emerging as one of the most dangerous categories across the internet.

The cybersecurity platform analysed 7,185 websites spanning more than 40 online sectors and found that gambling and betting accounted for 34.7% of all critical-risk websites identified in the study.

Of the 591 gambling domains analysed, 6.9% received a critical risk rating and a further 19.5% were classified as high risk, while only two websites (0.3%) achieved a trusted rating.

The findings show gambling websites significantly underperform the wider internet in terms of online safety indicators.

Across ScamInfo.ai’s full dataset, around 70% of websites received a low-risk rating, but within gambling, fewer than half (46.7%) met that threshold.

The gambling category also recorded an average risk score of 35.8 out of 100 – almost double the overall average of 1..

Dominican Republic takes a significant step in gambling framework development

iGamingExpertJuly 7, 2026056 views

The Senate Plenary has approved the first reading of the bill regulating games of chance, including lotteries, in the Dominican Republic.

In what would be a significant development for the country’s gambling framework, the new legislative measure seeks to establish rules governing the authorisation, oversight, and supervision of individuals and legal entities that develop, operate, or market any type of gambling or betting activity within the national territory.

Senator Guillermo Lama presented the committee’s report to the Senate plenary and requested that it be included on the agenda for the current session.

The bill, introduced by Senate Vice President Pedro Catrain and Senator Félix Ramón Bautista Rosario, was merged into a single proposal using Senator Catrain’s version as the basis.

The bill states that in recent years, the gambling industry in the Dominican Republic has experienced significant growth across all sectors, including casinos, sports betting shops, lotteries, an..

NCAA request for prop ban held over by Indiana gaming regulator

SBC AmericasJuly 7, 2026064 views

Integrity concerns surrounding NCAA prop bets were discussed during a business meeting Thursday between the NCAA and the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC).

The meeting ended with stagnation on implementing an NCAA prop ban in Indiana, with IGC commissioners unanimously deciding to table an NCAA request. The tabled request allows the IGC to collect data and evaluate the impacts of a potential ban.

During the business meeting, IGC commissioners met with key stakeholders from the NCAA to discuss a potential ban on college prop bets offered by licensed sports betting operators across the Hoosier State.

Why does the NCAA want a prop ban?

The NCAA submitted a request to the IGC for a ban on all college prop betting markets, leading to Thursday’s meeting on the matter.

The college sports organization wants to prohibit bettors from wagering on NCAA prop markets amid a slew of gambling-related scandals impacting the most popular U.S. sports.

The Indianapolis-based sports body wants to prote..