Germany reported 1,843 illegal gambling websites made inaccessible in 2025. That sounds decisive until prominent operators keep returning through new domains, payment routes and search listings. The problem is not a lack of activity. It is a system that still measures individual interventions more clearly than permanent market outcomes....
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Responsible Gambling
August 31, 2026
Ukraine approves gambling addiction strategy and action plan through 2035
Ukraine has adopted its first national strategy specifically focused on reducing gambling-related harm and addressing gambling addiction through 2035. The Cabinet of Ministers approved the strategy on 28 August 2026...
Investigations & Analysis
August 28, 2026
German gambling regulation faces renewed legal certainty questions
It is very easy to turn Simon Springer into a prophet if you start with the conclusion and work backwards. I am not interested in doing that. Springer spent decades...
Gambling Authorities
August 26, 2026
PlayCity advances software to limit gambling access for military personnel
Ukraine's gambling regulator PlayCity has opened a tender for software intended to automate restrictions on gambling access for military personnel. The initiative forms part of a wider regulatory effort to...
Investigations & Analysis
August 26, 2026
Illegal Gambling Domain Remains Online Despite Years of GGL Action
There are moments when regulation becomes so complicated that everybody starts discussing procedures and forgets to look at the obvious thing sitting in front of them. Lottoland.com is one of...
Regulation & Licensing
August 21, 2026
APAJO urges Portugal to reform online gambling rules and expand offerings
The Portuguese Association of Online Betting and Gaming (APAJO) has submitted a package of legislative proposals to Portugal's Gaming Regulation and Inspection Service (SRIJ) and the Government, calling for targeted...
Investigations & Analysis
August 18, 2026
Lottoland and the limits of German gambling enforcement
Lottoland has become one of the most revealing tests of German gambling enforcement because the case has lasted long enough to remove most of the excuses. German authorities have known...
Gambling Authorities
August 14, 2026
US unlicensed online gambling market surges to estimated $97.4bn
The Campaign for Fairer Gambling has highlighted the scale of the US online gambling market in 2025, citing an analysis from Gaming Compliance International that estimates unlicensed activity generated approximately...
Investigations & Analysis
August 13, 2026
One regulator, two standards of proof?
Germany’s gambling regulator has spent the past few years telling the industry that reliability, transparency and strict compliance are non-negotiable. Licensed operators are expected to document ownership structures, technical systems,...
Investigations & Analysis
August 11, 2026
Bet3000 and the GGL: How much Evidence was enough?
On 26 July 2024, shortly after midday, an email arrived at the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder that would later become part of the proceedings surrounding Bet3000’s German licence. It had...
Legal Analysis
July 29, 2026
NRW Online Casino Reform Changes Rules for Shared Live Studios
North Rhine-Westphalia has changed the architecture of its regulated online casino market. Licensed concessionaires may now use shared live-casino studios operated by specialist service providers, while the concessionaire formally retains...
Gambling Authorities
July 25, 2026
Thailand blocks 55,000 gambling websites during FIFA World Cup 2026
Thailand has significantly expanded its enforcement campaign against illegal gambling websites by blocking more than 55,000 online URLs within a period of less than six weeks. The initiative forms part...
Investigations
July 23, 2026
Evolution fined £4.75m as illegal operators remain anonymous
The UK Gambling Commission has finally published its settlement with Evolution after genuine Evolution games were found on six unlicensed websites operated by two companies. The Commission says these websites...
Investigations & Analysis
July 17, 2026
Germany Regulates the Account but Loses Control of the First Click
Germany has constructed one of Europe’s most detailed regulatory systems for online gambling. Licensed operators must verify customers, apply deposit and product restrictions, connect to central protection systems and comply...
Legal Analysis
July 16, 2026
German Gambling Market Faces Economic Pressure
Germany’s regulated gambling market was built on a clear public policy promise. The legal offer should be attractive enough to channel players away from unregulated alternatives while giving regulators the...
Legal Analysis
July 6, 2026
Illegal online gambling in EU hits €91.6bn in 2025
Illegal online gambling continues to present a growing challenge for regulators, licensed operators and policymakers across Europe. New estimates presented during a roundtable at the European Parliament suggest that the...
Gambling Authorities
July 3, 2026
German gambling regulator names Christian Hochgrebe chair
Germany's federal gambling regulator has entered a new phase of leadership with the appointment of Christian Hochgrebe as chairman of the administrative board of the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL)....
Legal Analysis
June 26, 2026
How payment systems shape gambling regulation
Payment blocking is becoming a central gambling-enforcement tool, raising questions about market access, transparency and consumer protection.
Legal Analysis
June 22, 2026
When gambling compliance becomes a competitive advantage
Germany’s gambling rules protect players and legal channels, but fixed compliance costs may also strengthen large operators and raise barriers for smaller licensed rivals.
Laws
June 9, 2026
BGC unveils five-point plan to combat UK illegal gambling
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has introduced a comprehensive five-point plan designed to address the growing presence of illegal gambling operators in the United Kingdom. The industry body is...
Finance News
June 5, 2026
BGC warns illegal operators could take £10m during Epsom Derby Festival
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has warned that illegal gambling operators could attract millions of pounds in wagers during the Betfred Derby Festival, one of the most prestigious events...
Gambling Law & Taxation
May 29, 2026
Germany moves to label prediction markets as illegal gambling
Germany’s national gambling regulator is moving toward a stricter interpretation of prediction markets, signalling that such products may increasingly be treated as illegal gambling offers under German law. The development...
Regulation & Licensing
May 25, 2026
Finland gambling reform survey shows support for payment blocking
Finland’s planned overhaul of its gambling system has entered a critical phase as new survey data indicates that many citizens support financial restrictions against illegal gambling operators more strongly than...
Gambling Authorities
May 7, 2026
UKGC hires Head of Illegal Markets to tackle unlicensed online gambling
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has launched a recruitment process for a permanent Head of Illegal Markets as the regulator intensifies efforts to combat unlicensed gambling operators targeting consumers across...
Regulation & Licensing
April 10, 2026
Ukraine gambling policy debate on military ban and targeted controls
The Ukrainian gambling sector has entered a period of heightened policy debate following a recent proposal by the Ministry of Digital Transformation to introduce a universal restriction on gambling access...
Gambling Law & Taxation
April 10, 2026
Nederlandse Loterij takes legal action against Qbet over illegal gambling
Nederlandse Loterij has initiated civil proceedings against Qbet, widely described as one of the largest unlicensed gambling platforms accessible within the Netherlands. The legal action reflects a broader effort by...
Compliance & AML
January 26, 2026
Meta under scrutiny for illegal gambling adverts on social media
Meta faces growing criticism for its role in hosting and profiting from illegal gambling advertisements on its social media platforms. Industry bodies and regulators in Europe and the United Kingdom...