IGaming

Nevada regulators have approved a $7.2 million anti-money laundering fine against The Venetian Resort Las Vegas over failures tied to convicted bookmaker Mathew Bowyer. The penalty takes combined Bowyer related fines against Venetian, Resorts World, MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment to $34 million since 2025. Good to Know Venetian will pay $7.2 million over AML and source of funds failures. Bowyer deposited about $22.3 million and lost at least $3.6 million at the property.

Pregame betting volume could give sportsbooks and broadcasters an early read on college football fan interest, according to new research linking wagering activity with national TV ratings. The study, published in The Journal of Prediction Markets on July 3, analyzed NCAA football games from the 2024 season. Researchers Rodney Paul, Andrew Weinbach and Nick Riccardi found that games attracting more bets before kickoff also tended to draw larger television audiences.

The Philippines Department of the Interior and Local Government is backing a nationwide Roblox ban following the fatal shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University on August 18. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla has linked the proposal to concerns over online gaming influence, although investigators have not established Roblox as the cause of the attack. Good to Know DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the department supports a total Roblox ban in the Philippines.

Denmark has blocked Polymarket alongside 97 other gambling domains after a court agreed that the sites targeted Danish players without a local licence. The action puts Denmark alongside a growing group of European markets treating prediction markets as gambling products rather than financial trading platforms. Good to Know The Frederiksberg court approved DNS blocking of 98 domains on July 8, 2026, with the blocks taking effect on August 6. Polymarket appears as number 97 on the official list.

BlackRock says the Bitcoin investment case remains intact after a 53% fall from the October 2025 record, arguing that leverage and changing investment flows drove much of the decline. Bitcoin has also recovered sharply in recent days, climbing about 18% from the August 14 low. Good to Know Bitcoin fell from a record $124,606 in October 2025 to $58,642 in June 2026, a 53% decline. Bitcoin traded near $62,600 on August 14 before climbing to about $73,823 on August 21, a rebound of roughly 18%.

New research from the Dutch Gaming Authority (KSA) shows that gambling exposure often starts years before Dutch consumers can legally open an online betting account. That pattern becomes visible at age 18, with 11% of accounts belonging to 18-year-olds opened on their birthday. Good to Know Some 11% of accounts opened by 18-year-olds were registered on their birthday, while 38% opened within one month.

Florida has taken its sweepstakes casino fight to court, with Attorney General James Uthmeier seeking to stop Stake and VGW from offering casino-style games in the state. The cases also target payment companies and seek the return of money allegedly lost by Florida players. Good to Know Florida filed separate lawsuits against Stake and VGW in Hillsborough County Circuit Court on August 19. The state wants permanent injunctions, consumer repayments, civil penalties and disgorgement of revenue.

Michigan online sports betting cooled by wagering volume in July, but operator returns improved sharply. Sportsbooks generated $30.8 million in adjusted gross receipts from $355.2 million in bets, according to the Michigan Gaming Control Board. Good to Know Online sports betting handle fell 3% from June to $355.2 million, the lowest monthly total of 2026. Adjusted sports betting revenue climbed 52.7% month over month and 28.8% year over year to $30.8 million.

Bally’s will start development around the Athletics ballpark in Las Vegas without committing to immediate construction of the planned hotel and casino. Clark County has cleared key infrastructure and entertainment elements, while the resort portion still faces further approvals. Good to Know Phase one covers the Athletics ballpark, a 1,500-space parking garage and a central utility plant. Clark County also approved plans covering a podium, additional parking and a 2,500-seat theater.

QuinnBet (Gibraltar) Limited will pay £609,104 ($830,501) after a UK Gambling Commission investigation found failures in anti-money laundering and safer gambling controls between March 2023 and August 2025. Good to Know The settlement includes £193,118 in disgorgement plus Gambling Commission investigation costs. One customer deposited and lost £9,000 in four days despite payslips showing monthly earnings of about £2,000.