What a wild week it has been – with major last-minute deals, and SiGMA Central Europe just around the corner, there is a lot to unpack in the past several days
This week has had a lot happening. One of the biggest developments came from Banijay, the company that owns the Betclic gaming and betting brand. Banijay acquired private equity firm CVC’s stake in Tipico, pushing the latter company’s valuation to €4.6bn.
The deal is still subject to closing conditions, and is expected to be secured by mid-2026, pending regulatory approvals. Banijay will also form a new company, Banijay Gaming, which will merge Tipico and Betclic, but the operators may yet retain their original branding and preserve autonomy over their operations.
In other news, Casino Guru is proud to announce that nominations are now open for the 4th annual Casino Guru Awards 2026, recognizing fairness, transparency, social responsibility, and innovation that push the iGaming industry forward.
After three successful editions, the Casino Guru Awards continue to honor organizations and individuals making a meaningful difference in online gambling. The 2026 edition will culminate in an exclusive live ceremony on May 25, 2026, at the stunning The Xara Lodge in Malta, held in partnership with NEXT.io during NEXTValletta (May 27–28).
Business and finance
The leading gaming, hospitality, and entertainment company, MGM Resorts International, released its latest financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. In its report, the company highlighted strong revenues and the accomplishment of strategic objectives.
In the third quarter of this year, MGM Resorts consolidated net revenues hit $4.3bn, a result that points to a 2% increase when compared to the corresponding quarter in the prior year.
The United Arab Emirates is going to issue seven online gambling licenses, as originally reported by Vixio GamblingCompliance. According to the research and compliance firm, the regulator will allow each of the seven emirates to host an online gambling operator.
However, there is no guarantee that all emirates would seek to explore this business model to begin with.
Truth Social, President Donald Trump’s response to "globalists" social media, is looking to launch into the prediction markets vertical through the launch of Truth Predict, a platform emulating rivals Kalshi and Polymarket.
Truth Predict will seek to offer selections on political markets and inflation-rate changes at first, but may look to expand in other domains as well.
Regulations and laws
The UK Gambling Commission has suspended the license of Aviator crash game creator Spribe, while carrying out a review. The license suspension was announced on Thursday, October 30, and is an unexpected move against the company. In a statement, the regulator said:
"The Gambling Commission has suspended the operating license of Spribe OÜ (operating license no 057302-R-333085-003) as it carries out a review under section 118(2) of the Gambling Act 2005 (the Act).
The suspension of the software license was necessary on grounds of suitability, due to serious non-compliance with the hosting requirements of our licensing framework"
In other news, the Kansspelautoriteit has issued another large fine against an operator in the Netherlands. The watchdog has gone after BetCity to the tune of €2,650,000over failures to protect players, most of whom were in the age group 18-23.
BetCity has responded that the failures identified by the regulator had to do with the previous ownership, and the processes that were deficient have been updated and strengthened since the new owner took over.
The KSA continues to target licensed companies locally, having issued other similar penalties over the past months.
Stake, Adin Ross, and Drake have been named in a class-action complaint in Missouri. The complaint alleges that Drake and Adin Ross have created a misleading appearance of "gambling without risk" and have elevated the Stake brand by leveraging their own popularity.
Stake has denied the allegations and commented earlier in the week on SiGMA News that it had not been made aware of any such complaint.
New Jersey could potentially ban micro betting, likening it to a highly addictive activity that leads to higher overall addiction levels.
AssemblymanDan Hutchinsonin New Jersey has raised the issue of micro betting, arguing that the vertical is particularly vulnerable for young consumers, and asking fellow lawmakers to consider banning it. Hutchinson is himself a bankruptcy attorney and claims to have seen firsthand what it does to people.
Arkansas’ Attorney General, Tim Griffin, has recently responded to a letter from a lawmaker who asked if prediction markets should be prohibited under state laws. Griffin responded affirmatively, arguing that rebranding a "betting" product as a "prediction market" did not change the fact that it ought to be restricted based on Arkansas’ laws.
Responsible gambling
In the latest episode of Safer Gambling Talks, Casino Guru's Head of Sustainable & Safer Gambling, Šimon Vincze, sits down with Pedro Romero, Chief of Strategic Partnerships at BetBlocker, who tells his story of how he got started in the industry, the rocky path he followed earlier in his life, and how it helped him be of service to others. You can watch the latest episode here.
The voice of the industry
In this week’s talks with prominent figures from the iGaming industry, Casino Guru News had the chance to catch up with several experts. The publication spoke with Dr. Walter Schwartz, who explained what was at stake in Austria, why the current model was no longer sustainable, and why, when it came to reform, later may simply be too late. In his interview, he outlined the legal and political risks of postponing change and what a reformed system could deliver for the country.
In another interview, Alex Malchenko, Head of Sales at Evoplay, discussed the company's achievements this year, its expansion into the Canadian market, and the awards it had won in recognition of its efforts. He also reflected on Evoplay’s long-term innovation strategy, new product verticals such as bingo and lotteries, and the role of strategic partnerships in strengthening the company’s global position.
In the meantime, TonyBet is heading to the SiGMA Central Europe B2C Awards 2025 with three nominations under its belt. Stay tuned for more groundbreaking industry updates!
