News

Regulatory news and alerts

Changes to law and licensing that affect the records on this register.

Netherlands2 November 2026
Netherlands: regulator issues binding directive to game supplier Endorphina
The Kansspelautoriteit says Endorphina Limited (Malta) and Endorphina Ltd. (Cyprus) did not take adequate measures to stop their games appearing on gambling sites that are illegal in the Netherlands.
Malta30 October 2026
Malta: MGA names six websites falsely referring to its licence
The Malta Gaming Authority said on 30 October that it has no connection with six websites identified during October 2026.
UrgentBrazil30 October 2026
Brazil: operations remain halted; blanket licence revocation on 25 October not confirmed
Update and correction, 30 October: the Ministry of Finance confirms the prohibition and closure timetable. The official sources reviewed do not establish that every federal authorisation was formally revoked on 25 October.
Sweden28 October 2026
Sweden: regulator prohibits Immortal Snail LLC from offering gambling without a Swedish licence
Spelinspektionen announced an order against Immortal Snail LLC on 28 October, stating that the company lacks the required licence to provide gambling in Sweden.
Sweden28 October 2026
Sweden: Lufilight Ltd ordered not to provide gambling without the required licence
Sweden’s gambling regulator announced a prohibition against Lufilight Ltd on 28 October, saying the company does not hold the licence required to provide gambling in Sweden.
Finland26 October 2026
Finland: National Police Board confirms 12 online gambling licences granted
Finland's regulator has confirmed for the first time that 12 licences have been granted for the market opening on 1 July 2027, with 79 applications received and none rejected.
Finland22 October 2026
Finland: ComeOn Group announces online casino and sports betting licences
ComeOn Group says it has received all the Finnish gambling licences it applied for, ahead of the planned market opening on 1 July 2027. This is a company announcement, not an independently checked licence decision.
Finland22 October 2026
Finland: SuomiVeto announces a licence starting on 1 July 2027
SuomiVeto says the National Police Board granted it licence RALU/2027/L111, valid from 1 July 2027 to 30 June 2032. IRLG has not independently verified the regulator's decision.
Netherlands22 October 2026
Netherlands: Kansspelautoriteit fines EOD Code Srl €37 million
The Dutch regulator announced a record €37 million fine against EOD Code Srl for offering gambling in the Netherlands without a licence.
United Kingdom21 October 2026
United Kingdom: L & L Europe to pay £900,000 over failings including withdrawal delays
The Gambling Commission announced a £900,000 regulatory settlement with L & L Europe Limited, which runs seven websites including allbritishcasino.com, casinocasino.com and hypercasino.com.
Curaçao20 October 2026
Curaçao: temporary licensing portal, register and seal scheduled after hack
The Curaçao Gaming Authority says it is dropping its portal provider and set 19 October for a temporary portal, licence register and digital seal. Existing licences stay valid.
Isle of Man20 October 2026
Isle of Man: regulator warns of sites misusing its name and logo
The Gambling Supervision Commission reported cases of gambling platforms falsely using its name and logos to appear licensed.
Finland20 October 2026
Finland: Hippos ATG becomes second operator to announce a licence
Hippos ATG says it has a Finnish licence and plans to go live on 1 July 2027. The National Police Board has not yet published any licence decisions.
Brazil19 October 2026
Brazil: 94 amendments to the betting ban before Congress; more than 20,000 sites sent for blocking
Lawmakers filed 99 amendments to Provisional Measure No. 1,394 before the 13 October deadline; five were withdrawn. The Ministry of Justice says more than 20,000 betting and advertising sites have been referred for blocking.
Curaçao15 October 2026
Curaçao: licensing continues without the portal, but interim rules have not appeared
A week after scrapping its hacked licensing portal, the Curaçao Gaming Authority is still issuing licences, but the interim filing arrangements it promised by 9 October have not been published.
Finland15 October 2026
Finland: Wildz says it is the first operator awarded a Finnish online licence
Wildz Group says Finland's National Police Board has granted it a five-year licence from 1 July 2027. The Board has not yet published a list of licence holders.
Sweden14 October 2026
Sweden: court upholds SEK 44 million in penalties against bet365's Swedish entities
Sweden's administrative court of appeal confirmed warnings and sanction fees of SEK 40m and SEK 4m against Hillside (Sports) ENC and Hillside (Gaming) ENC over deposit-limit and duty-of-care breaches. The licences stay in place.
United Kingdom14 October 2026
Betdaq betting exchange to close on 21 October after Matchbook deal
Triplebet, which runs Matchbook, has acquired the Betdaq brand. The Betdaq exchange stops trading on 21 October 2026.
Netherlands14 October 2026
Netherlands: regulator working with Google on an EU-wide list of licensed operators
The Kansspelautoriteit chairman says European regulators are building a list of licensed operators with Google so unlicensed advertisers can be excluded, and warns of legal action if cooperation fails.
United Kingdom13 October 2026
United Kingdom: Targetlocal's online licence suspension lifted
The Gambling Commission lifted its suspension of Targetlocal Ltd's remote licence on 13 October 2026, after what it called significant action by the operator. Ken Howells Sports Betting can trade online again.
New Zealand13 October 2026
New Zealand: 11 companies win the right to apply for 15 online casino licences
The Department of Internal Affairs says 11 entities won 15 application rights at auction, at NZ$15 million per licence. Winning does not guarantee a licence.
Nigeria – Lagos13 October 2026
Lagos: telecoms companies given 30 days to check gaming operators' licences
The Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority has ordered mobile networks and value-added service providers to verify the licence and tax status of every gaming operator on their platforms.
Brazil9 October 2026
Brazil: appeals court overturns Stake's permission to keep operating
The Federal Regional Court of the 3rd Region suspended the injunction that had let Stake Brazil Ltda. operate until 25 October. Stake's site went offline again on 10 October.
United States – Michigan8 October 2026
Michigan: regulator sends cease-and-desist letters to 32 offshore operators
The Michigan Gaming Control Board says 32 offshore operators were offering online casino, sweepstakes-style games or sports betting to Michigan residents without a state licence.
Curaçao8 October 2026
Curaçao: licensing portal will not return; licence seal affected
The Curaçao Gaming Authority says its breached online licensing portal will not be brought back, and that the digital seal used to show a domain is licensed will be affected.
Brazil8 October 2026
Brazil: court lets Stake keep operating until 25 October
A São Paulo federal court has granted Stake Brasil a preliminary injunction keeping its authorisation provisionally and allowing it to operate until 25 October 2026 or an earlier ruling.
Brazil7 October 2026
Brazil: 5,209 betting domains referred for blocking; government says no compensation for licence holders
Brazilian ministries have referred 5,209 betting domains to the telecoms regulator Anatel for blocking, and the Attorney General's office has told the Supreme Court that licensed operators are not owed compensation for the ban.
Kahnawake6 October 2026
Kahnawake Gaming Commission suspends Polar Ventures SDRL's Client Provider Authorization
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission has suspended the Client Provider Authorization held by Polar Ventures SDRL, effective 29 September 2026, following a Show Cause Notice.
Canada – Alberta6 October 2026
Alberta: Stake Canada Ltd. receives licence from the AGLC
Stake Canada Ltd. says it has been licensed by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) to operate in Alberta's newly opened online gambling market.
Dominican Republic6 October 2026
Dominican Republic enacts new gambling law and creates a new regulator, the DGJA
President Luis Abinader has enacted Law 86-26 regulating games of chance and appointed Teófilo "Quico" Tabar Manzur as interim head of the new Directorate General of Games of Chance (DGJA).
Brazil2 October 2026
Brazil's SPA orders immediate suspension of 14 licensed betting sites
The Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) adopted seven precautionary measures against six operators and ordered 14 licensed sites to stop taking bets, leaving players able only to withdraw funds.
Ireland2 October 2026
Ireland: online gambling licensing delayed to early 2027 as regulator cites funding gap
Ireland's Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRAI) says its 2026 budget of €13.35m, against €26m requested, has delayed online licensing, with operator registration now expected in early 2027.
Isle of Man2 October 2026
Isle of Man regulator suspends Tycheros (Isle of Man) Limited's online gambling licence
The Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC) register now shows the online gambling licence held by Tycheros (Isle of Man) Limited as suspended from 2 October 2026.
Cambodia1 October 2026
Cambodia: all online gambling prohibited after 30 September deadline
Cambodia's government says all online gambling and betting, inside or outside casinos, is prohibited from 30 September 2026, and 24 casinos have shut their online operations.
Malta1 October 2026
Malta's new gaming tax framework comes into force
Legal Notices 84 and 86 of 2026 are now in force, replacing Malta's single 5% gaming tax with separate revenue types. Online casino revenue is now taxed at 15%.
Trinidad and Tobago1 October 2026
Trinidad and Tobago passes order to permit remote gambling
The House of Representatives has unanimously passed the Gambling (Gaming and Betting) (Remote Gambling) Order 2026, creating a legal framework for remote gambling.
IRLG30 September 2026
Betting.bet becomes IRLG's first Affiliate Seal partner
The International Register of Licensed Gambling (IRLG) has confirmed Betting.bet as its first Affiliate Seal of Approval partner, recognising the site's commitment to promoting licensed gambling operators and providing clearer regulatory information to players.
United Kingdom30 September 2026
Jumpman Gaming wins £13.2m Remote Gaming Duty appeal against HMRC
The Upper Tribunal has reduced a £13.2m Remote Gaming Duty bill against UK online casino operator Jumpman Gaming to zero, in a ruling on how free-spin promotions are taxed.
India30 September 2026
Tamil Nadu approves ordinance banning online rummy and poker for stakes
Tamil Nadu's governor has approved an ordinance banning online rummy, poker and other "online games of chance" played for stakes. Operators outside the state must geo-block players in Tamil Nadu.
Netherlands29 September 2026
Dutch licensed operators take Meta to court over unlicensed gambling ads
VNLOK, the trade body for licensed Dutch online gambling operators, has summoned Meta to the Amsterdam District Court, alleging that Facebook and Instagram let unlicensed gambling adverts reach Dutch consumers in breach of the EU Digital Services Act.
Malta28 September 2026
Malta Gaming Authority suspends Condor Malta Limited's licence
The Malta Gaming Authority has suspended the gaming authorisation of Condor Malta Limited, which runs brands including 24Bettle, b-Bets, Big5Casino, Casino Sieger and LuckyBull. Players must still be given access to their accounts.
United Kingdom28 September 2026
Gambling Commission reports suspension of Targetlocal Ltd's online licence
The Gambling Commission's latest update reports that it has suspended the online operating licence of Targetlocal Ltd, which trades as Ken Howell's Sports Betting. No reason has been published.
Georgia28 September 2026
Georgia launches an international online gambling licence
Georgia has fully launched a licence for online gambling operators serving customers outside the country. Sites operating under it may not accept Georgian citizens.
Malta28 September 2026
Lottoland operator pays €61,607 penalty over anti-money laundering failings
The Malta-based company behind Lottoland has paid an administrative penalty of €61,607 to Malta's Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU) for breaches of anti-money laundering rules.
Malta25 September 2026
Malta regulator says 12 websites falsely claim an MGA licence
The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has published its September 2026 notice of websites it has no connection with, stating that any claim by them to hold an MGA licence is false and misleading.
UrgentBrazil25 September 2026
Brazil prohibits online betting and online casino gaming
Provisional Measure No. 1,394, signed on 25 September 2026, prohibits the operation, offer, intermediation and advertising of fixed-odds betting in Brazil, including online casino games. It ends the federally regulated market that opened on 1 January 2025.
United Kingdom24 September 2026
Gambling Commission suspends Tom Horn Gaming's licence
Britain's Gambling Commission has suspended the operating licence of Tom Horn Gaming Limited after a licence review found breaches of several licence conditions and a failure to co-operate with the Commission.
Curaçao24 September 2026
Curaçao Gaming Authority confirms breach of its licensing portal
The Curaçao Gaming Authority has confirmed that its licensing portal was accessed through an applicant account registered under a false identity, from December 2025 until September 2026. Documents said to come from the portal have since been reported on by investigative journalists in several countries.
Anjouan (Comoros)24 September 2026
Anjouan strengthens licence conditions after FATF gambling risk report
Anjouan's gaming regulator says it has enhanced its licence conditions and strengthened application requirements following the Financial Action Task Force's report on money laundering risks in gaming and gambling.
Netherlands23 September 2026
Netherlands: regulator says players must always be able to close their gambling account
The Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa) has issued new guidance after finding that not all licensed operators follow the rules on closing player accounts properly.
Bulgaria23 September 2026
Bulgaria proposes broad gambling advertising ban and new fees
Draft amendments to Bulgaria's Gambling Act, published for public consultation on 23 September 2026, would introduce a general ban on gambling advertising, end affiliate licences and add a minimum monthly fee for online operators. Most provisions would take effect on 1 January 2027 if adopted.
Germany23 September 2026
German regulator seeks faster powers against unlicensed online gambling
Germany's Joint Gambling Authority of the States (GGL) has called for the power to adopt new enforcement measures without waiting for all 16 federal states to amend the Interstate Treaty on Gambling 2021.
Finland22 September 2026
Finland receives 75 gambling licence applications ahead of 2027 market opening
Finland's National Police Board had received 75 applications for online gambling licences by 22 September 2026, ahead of the opening of the licensed market on 1 July 2027. No licences have yet been granted.
Netherlands17 September 2026
Netherlands renews first eight online gambling licences to 2031
The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has granted the first eight follow-on licences for online gambling in the Netherlands, valid from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2031. The original licences issued when the market opened in October 2021 expire on 30 September 2026.
Ireland14 September 2026
Ireland: major offshore platform geo-blocks Irish users after regulator intervention
The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland says a major international online gambling platform and two prediction markets have blocked Irish users following its interventions. The Irish Times reported that the platform is Stake.