Another busy week for the gambling sector wrapped up and Casino Guru News brings a quick recap of some of the most important stories from the industry.
Early this week, the leading online casino games supplier, BGaming, strengthened its European presence. The company reached an important milestone in Sweden after securing a B2B license from the country's gambling regulator, Spelinspektionen. This vital license designates BGaming as a B2B provider, enabling it to deliver its games to licensed operators.
Casinos Austria International, a leading company within the casino industry, appointed Per Jaldung to the role of Managing Director. With this key senior-level appointment, the company anticipates further growth in existing markets and seizing new opportunities. Overall, Jaldung brings more than 20 years' experience to Casinos Austria International, making him an excellent addition to the company's C-suite.
This week, Casino Guru announced it was shortlisted for the inaugural Affiliate Leaders Awards 2025. As a result, Casino Guru is joining a competitive field of entrants within the "Casino Affiliate of the Year" category. The Affiliate Leaders Awards 2025 are scheduled to take place at the MEO Arena Lisbon on September 17, 2025.
Business and finance
The latest in a bidding war between the Japanese entertainment company, MIXI, and Betr, over the acquisition of PointsBet, saw MIXI place a new, higher and "final" proposal. MIXI's new proposal is superior to its previous one and has a price tag of AU$421m. This bid represents the highest proposal so far.
Previously, MIXI proposed an AU$1.20 value per share for PointsBet. However, the new AU$421m proposal improves the value per share slightly to AU$1.25. Per MIXI's announcement, the new and improved bid for PointsBet would be valid until 7 PM on August 25, 2025. In case PointsBet's shareholders approve the proposal, MIXI Australia will be able to pay them within 10 days of accepting the bid, offering immediate value.
Elsewhere, America's #1 Sports Prediction Market, Novig, finalized an $18m Series A funding round. Thanks to this new capital, the company plans to improve its products with the delivery of new features, expand its product and engineering teams and broaden its sports coverage, among other growth initiatives.
In the UK, the largest gambling operator, Entain, criticized a potential gambling tax hike. The company recently cautioned against a potential increase in sports betting taxes. Entain warned that such a change may have an adverse impact on the industry and bring unintended consequences at the same time. Concerningly, per the gambling giant, increasing gambling taxes may stifle the growth of the regulated industry and push customers to offshore operators.
Earlier this week, Entain also released its H1 2025 financial results. Focusing on the six-month period ended June 30, 2025, the company recorded 7% revenue growth year-over-year. At the same time, Entain completed strategic objectives, like the appointment of Stella David to a permanent CEO role. "I am delighted by the ongoing momentum and strong performance that both Entain and BetMGM have delivered in H1 2025," said David about the latest results.
In the Netherlands, the country's gambling watchdog, Kansspelautoriteit, strengthened its Advisory Board with two new appointments. The regulator returned the Advisory Board to full capacity of five with the addition of Prof. Dr. Ingmar Franken and Marjolein Hoogland, two executives with solid experience.
Regulation and laws
Another sweep against illegal gambling saw the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) block four new websites. The Authority issued blocking orders against Slot Mafia, Top Aussie Pokies, Polymarket, and Spinanga, claiming that the aforementioned websites offered their services in violation of the established gambling regulations. The latest regulatory move increased the number of blocked websites which have now reached 1,297.
One UK MP recently urged the government to do more to protect minors from gambling. That's the case for MP Chris Evans, who called for additional measures to restrict the exposure of minors to gambling advertisements. Evans warned that children who are into sports are often exposed to gambling ads.
In an opinion piece, the MP explained: "My children, like many others, are into sports. They look up to these athletes as heroes, something many parents encourage. But when these role models appear alongside headlines like "free £2 shop bet" or the logos of major bookmakers, it creates a troubling association."
In the Philippines, nearly two dozen licensed online gambling operators joined forces to form the PlaySafe Alliance. As the title of the Alliance suggests, it focuses on responsible gambling, consumer protection, as well as regulatory compliance. The PlaySafe Alliance will also actively combat illegal gambling, among other strategic objectives.
In Australia, one gambling operator faced a sanction after allegedly failing to meet responsibility standards. The breaches by BlueBet, according to the Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission (NTRWC), date back to 2021. The failure to meet responsible gambling standards resulted in an AU$53,580 fine for BlueBet.
Responsible gambling
This week, the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) announced it will work with the innovative tool that focuses on protecting consumers from gambling-related harm, BetBlocker. The new alliance seeks to provide responsible gambling tools to players across the United States. This collaboration represents a major milestone, considering that ROGA members cover 90% of the regulated gambling industry in the country and will now benefit from BetBlocker.
The President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, shared his concern about the impact of banning online gambling. Only recently, he cautioned that such a ban may ultimately push consumers to illegal, offshore gambling websites, exposing them to gambling harm and other risks.
A fine from the gambling regulator in Victoria, Australia, was also issued recently. The gambling watchdog, the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) fined QuestBet AU$80,000 over breaches related to consumer safety. Per the Commission, the gambling operator accepted bets from a vulnerable customer, who was "showing observable signs" of "gambling-related "distress."
The voice of the industry
This week, Casino Guru News had the opportunity to talk to Endorphina's Chief Operating Officer, Artyom Moskvin. The executive highlighted the company's growth strategy, revealing that it is now operating in 32 jurisdictions. Moreover, Moskvin reaffirmed Endorphina's goal to continue growing throughout 2025 and beyond, while also discussing a number of other interesting topics.
Earlier in the week, Casino Guru News also released a comprehensive analysis that focused on NBA gambling and whether or not you can gamble if you are in the NBA. In the years since PASPA's repeal and the expansion of betting across the United States, the NBA saw it was imperative to ensure all players, coaches and other employees are aware of the do's and don'ts when it comes to gambling.
