Casino Guru News brings a quick recap of the most important stories from the gambling sector following an eventful week.
The leading online betting brand, Bwin, propelled its presence by securing a milestone agreement with the National Football League (NFL). The alliance designated the brand as the League's Official Sports Betting Partner in Spain.
Across the ocean, in Massachusetts, the United States, cage cashiers at Encore Boston Harbor voted overwhelmingly in favor of unionization with Teamsters Local 25. As a result, nearly 100 such workers will have the option to push for better benefits and higher wages.
Scientific Games announced the release of a brand-new, all-black holographic lottery scratch games called Obsidian, named after the naturally occurring volcanic rock. Promising a premium scratch game experience, the new games debuted during the North American Association of State & Provincial Lotteries 2025 Conference.
Business and finance
Tipico confirmed it finalized the acquisition of Admiral Group in Austria from NOVOMATIC AG. The milestone takeover significantly bolsters Tipico's presence in another German-speaking market, enabling it to grow its customer base too. While the company will divest a share of its shops in Austria, it will continue to operate alongside its newly acquired Admiral brand.
SOFTSWISS announced the launch of the Gambling Regulation Directory, a new data-rich website section, catering to betting and gaming companies. By accessing the new section, operators can easily navigate complex regulations in markets across the globe, learning some of the most important details such as licensing fees, regulatory requirements and other streamlined information.
Corey Sanders, an executive with 30 years of experience, confirmed his intention to vacate the position of COO at MGM Resorts International. Throughout his extensive career with the company, he held a number of important senior-level roles and played a major part in some of its most significant accomplishments. Despite stepping down from the COO role, Sanders will remain part of MGM Resorts as advisor to the company's CEO and President, Bill Hornbuckle, through December 2026.
Elsewhere, Wynn Resorts hinted at plans to build a second integrated resort in the United Arab Emirates. While the potential for building another resort is contingent on the opening of its first venue, if such a project is approved, it may include a casino floor.
Regulation and laws
In California, the Senate unanimously passed a bill banning sweepstakes. Following a 36-0 vote, lawmakers greenlighted AB 831, which proposes to ban sweepstakes casinos. Despite picking up speed, the proposal needs further approval and a signature from Gov. Gavin Newsom before becoming a law.
In the UK, the Gambling Commission's Executive Director, Tim Miller, had the chance to outline key reforms and actions, affecting the gambling sector in the country. He spoke during the recent Peers for Gambling Reform Summit.
The German gambling regulator, Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL), warned about the dangers of social betting. According to GGL, platforms offering such entertainment fail to comply with the established regulatory standards in Germany.
Camilla Rosenberg, the Director General of the Swedish gambling watchdog, Spelinspektionen, announced her intention to step down from her role. She assumed the important position in October 2017 and played a major role in the gambling sector's transition to regulation on January 1, 2019. Rosenberg will be leaving her position at Spelinspektionen, effective from October 31, 2025.
The gambling watchdog did not wait long to appoint a new Director General. Shortly after the announcement about Rosenberg's upcoming departure, Spelinspektionen confirmed that Johan Röhr has been appointed to the strategic leadership role. Bringing extensive experience, Röhr will assume the Director General role, succeeding Rosenberg on November 1, 2025.
Besides the senior-leadership change, Spelinspektionen has gone after unlicensed operators. The gambling watchdog took action against Bitx Operations and Ryker, two operators that, according to the regulator, offered services to Swedish customers without the necessary license.
NuxGame, a fast-growing iGaming platform provider, continued its European push after securing a gambling license in Romania. The company obtained a Class II B2B gambling license from Romania's National Gambling Office, marking a major milestone in its expansion in the country.
According to the results of new research by the American Gaming Association, prediction markets and platforms should be regulated as sportsbooks. An overwhelming 80% of the respondents agreed that such platforms need to be regulated the same way as sportsbooks, while 85% agreed that prediction markets stand closer to gambling rather than financial instruments.
Responsible gambling
The Hong Kong Jockey Club obtained a Level 4 responsible gambling accreditation. The milestone announcement, marking the fifth consecutive time the Club has obtained the prestigious certification, confirms that its operations comply with the Responsible Gambling Framework set by the World Lottery Association.
New Zealand announced the launch of a new responsible gambling campaign. The initiative warns about the dangers of gambling harm and the impact of the activity on vulnerable communities. At the same time, the new responsible gambling campaign delivers a dedicated platform to help people affected by at-risk or problem gambling.
The leading lottery and gaming operator, Allwyn, bolstered player safety with the launch of a new responsible gaming division called Allwyn Player Protection Lab. The effort will play a major role in research and focus on player safety, among other major initiatives, concepts and ideas.
The voice of the industry
This week, Casino Guru News had the opportunity to sit down with Jennifer Shatley, Executive Director of the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA), and Duncan Garvie, BetBlocker's Founder and Trustee. The two experts spoke about the recent agreement that brought BetBlocker to ROGA members in the United States, highlighting the former's ability to remove barriers to engagement that commercial blocking software services cannot or will not.
This week, Casino Guru released an insightful conversation as part of its Safer Gambling Talks webinar series. Šimon Vincze, Casino Guru's Head of Sustainable & Safer Gambling, spoke to Jody Bechtold, the CEO of The Better Institute, addressing hot topics such as problem gambling and the impact of gambling on children.
Casino Guru News also talked to Diana Larina, Evoplay's Head of Marketing. The executive highlighted the company's dedication to building a two-way relationship with its audience and how delivering player-centered experiences can bring benefits to gambling operators in such a competitive industry.
