What a week it has been – FanDuel is readying to throw its hat into the prediction market ring, and the world of professional sports is rocked by one high-profile scandal after the next. This is the past week in review.
This week has continued to see the aftermath of several major sports betting scandals that have embroiled both the NBA and MLB in corruption, with insiders influencing their plays or/and leaking information to co-conspirators to help them secure betting outcomes.
As a result, a third of American adults think that NBA insiders bet on games illegally, a rather shocking number, but also one reflective of how seriously people take the recent scandals that undermine the integrity of the game.
The figure is provided by Quinnipiac University and a recent poll it conducted, showing that 1 in 3 Americans believe that NBA coaches and/or players "often" or "very often" engage in illegal activities to try and influence the outcome of games to match pre-determined betting markets.
And if things couldn’t look any more serious, the world of pro sports was rocked for a second time by another unearthed scandal – two Cleveland Guardians pitchers have fumbled plays to ensure that they secured betting outcomes, fetching them around $460,000 in won wagers collectively.
In the meantime, the NCAA has also revoked the eligibility of six student-athletes over their suspected engagement in illegal betting practices. The NCAA is, at the same time, edging closer to removing a prohibition that blocks student-athletes from betting on pro sports.
Business and Finance
In the meantime, Bragg Gaming Group has had some good news to report on the business end. The group has achieved an 86% year-over-year increase in its revenue in the United States in Q3 2025, marking the firm’s ongoing efforts locally as a major success.
In the same stride, the company also saw an 80% growth of its revenue in Brazil, with the only negative outcome being the Netherlands, where revenue had contracted by 22%.
Evolution Gaming has launched its third dedicated crash game, as the supplier continues to rapidly expand into the vertical. The arrival of Red Bardon features both a live version, which is run by a host, and an autonomous one, which does not feature a host.
Vixio, one of the leading regulatory intelligence and change management solutions, has announced two new milestones, celebrating the company’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge products.
The company has secured an ISO 27001 certification and has also launched the next version of its groundbreaking Workspace platform.
SOFTSWISS released materials about one of the most original activations held at SiGMA Central Europe 2025, and at any industry exhibition whatsoever. The company hosted a live building of an Alfa Romeo C4 high-performance racing car, which was then gifted to one of the company’s most valued partners, Lottu Chief Business Officer Hugo Baungartner. You can find out more about this clever and talked-about activation here.
FanDuel has confirmed that it is launching a standalone prediction market app designed to clear the way for the company in the highly competitive and lucrative market. FanDuel Predicts will be launching in December in collaboration with CME Group.
The leading sports entertainment operator in the United States, PrizePicks, joined forces with the world's largest prediction market, Polymarket. The strategic collaboration will see the former integrate events contracts provided by the latter, expanding its offering to customers across the country.
Laws and Regulations
Thailand has agreed to extradite She Zhijiang, an illegal online casino baron, to China, after the Court of Appeals ruled against the defense and ordered that She’s extradition should continue. She is tied to a network of 200 illegal gambling sites, which are estimated at $385bn. He is likely to face a death sentence in China.
A new report by Reuters has examined internal Meta documents, indicating that the company is aware of how many of its ads are tied to illegal and potentially dangerous activities, including gambling, healthcare products, and scams.
Reuters argued that Meta can flag 95% of all fraudulent ads, but it has taken a more cautious approach that does not impact its revenue directly. 10% of the company’s ads revenue is generated from such ads, with users seeing about 15bn high-risk ads every day.
According to a new PwC study shared by the Betting and Gaming Council, there is a direct correlation between increasing taxes on gambling and empowering the black market, while also lowering the long-term contributions the regulated gambling market is making.
The study was published in the context of a looming tax increase in the United Kingdom, which many trade groups and operators have argued against, but lawmakers seem increasingly likely to back.
Responsible Gambling
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has raised concerns over the fact that many offshore websites are now resorting to predatory tactics, targeting vulnerable consumers who have been excluded from gambling through the BetStop program.
ACMA is trying to work with overseas regulators to limit the reach of websites not regulated under Australian law that are preying on people who have openly admitted to suffering from gambling-related harm.
A new study by YouGov suggests that about 65% of Americans now believe that professional athletes may be adjusting their performance to meet pre-determined betting market outcomes. The study was conducted in the immediate wake of the NBA scandal, and has shown increased skepticism for the integrity of pro sports.
The voice of the industry
Speaking exclusively to Casino Guru News, Menace founder Dmitry Belianin discusses the launch of his new operator, Menace. With its cult-like brand identity backed by a 400-million-view media engine, Menace is positioning itself as the next major disruptor in global iGaming. You can read the full conversation here.
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa recently celebrated a remarkable milestone: more than $2 billion in jackpots paid out for the fourth consecutive year. In this exclusive interview with Joseph Wagner, Vice President and Assistant General Manager, we explore the culture, innovation, and player-first approach that have cemented the property’s reputation as one of the luckiest casinos in the United States.
In the meantime, SBC Events announced that SBC Summit Malta 2026 is going to feature a change of tack, which will prioritize hands-on experience, as the final day of the exhibition will focus on workshops exclusively and offer delegates the opportunity to learn practical skills. More on this here.
To wrap up, Clarion Gaming has opened the nominations for the 2026 ICE Landmark Awards, which will once again seek to distinguish the very best industry stakeholders and companies. Nominations can now be submitted by December 19, 2025, by sending a 100-word citation to [email protected].
