The gambling sector saw a flurry of activity this week, including key regulatory updates and major developments, and Casino Guru News brings a quick rundown of the top stories.
Despite legal and regulatory uncertainties, crypto casinos continue to rake in billions in gross gaming revenue. A newly released report reveals that crypto casinos' gross gaming revenue in 2024 hit $81.4bn, a figure that is a testament to the popularity and potential of the sector.
2024 marked another successful year for the crypto casino sector in what is seen as a growth trajectory over the last few years. In fact, since 2022, the gross gaming revenue reported by the sector has increased by five times.
Business and finance
This week, Soft2Bet, the leading provider of iGaming content and solutions, announced it was recognized with three important awards from The European – Global Banking & Finance / Sustainability & ESG Awards. The company won the Innovation Leader in Responsible Gaming and Sustainability 2025 Award, the Outstanding Customer Support in iGaming 2025 Award as well as the Pioneering Visionary in the iGaming Industry 2025 Award.
The integrated resort offering exceptional experiences, luxury accommodation and a range of gambling options, Resorts World Las Vegas, strengthened its senior-level management team with the appointment of Jennifer Roberts to the role of Chief Compliance Officer (CCO). Bringing more than two decades of experience in the legal and compliance sector, the new CCO marks an excellent addition to Resorts World's C-suite.
In her role, Roberts will oversee vital regulatory and compliance processes. She will also be in charge of policies, licensing and registration, and play a key role in addressing compliance risks and conducting operational assessments, among other responsibilities.
The leading geolocation company, Xpoint, appointed Tom Flaherty to the role of Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Joining Xpoint as CFO, the executive brings a wide range of skills. Ultimately, the latest C-suite hire seeks to reaffirm Xpoint's leadership role as a geolocation software and solutions provider to the online gambling sector.
In 2024, four men attempted to kidnap the Founder of Yolo Group, Tim Heath. After the failed abduction that happened days before the opening of the Bombay Club in Tallinn, Estonia, the executive recently filed a €3.2m legal claim against the four suspects.
The victim's legal representation is asking for the hefty sum in light of the failed kidnapping attempt that resulted in moral damages, among other things. After the filing, the Harju County Court will now look into the case and determine the faith of the lawsuit.
This week, the supplier of games, software and technology, powering online gambling and land-based operators across the globe, IGT, announced the debut of its newest cabinet in the US. Per the company's announcement, the dynamic Wheel of Fortune Diamond RS Premium Wheel cabinet debuted to players at Sky River Casino in Elk Grove, California and Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Regulation and laws
In New York, a new sports betting bill plans to introduce enhanced protection for the consumers. The bill, A07962 was put forward by Assemblyman Robert Carroll and proposes the implementation of a maximum daily betting limit for sports betting account holders.
In addition, the bill calls for the implementation of new rules for gambling advertising. Per A07962, betting firms won't be permitted to mention odds boost, while restrictions for bonuses and promotions are also included in the proposal's text.
In Sweden, the leading iGaming operator, Videoslots, was hit with $1.26m fine from the country's gambling regulator, the Swedish Gambling Authority or Spelinspektionen. The hefty monetary sanction followed alleged shortcomings to responsible gambling standards.
Spelinspektionen launched an investigation into Videoslots back in 2024. Concluding the probe, the gambling watchdog allegedly uncovered responsible gambling deficiencies in the case of a dozen customers.
Elsewhere, across the ocean, the entity behind a controversial report against Evolution was recently unmasked. The latest episode of the legal saga saw courts in New Jersey order the unmasking of the entity that compiled the report, which was identified as Black Cube, a private intelligence firm based in Israel. Despite revealing the identity of the firm behind the damning 2021 report, many questions remain to be answered.
In Maryland, Kalshi, the fast-growing prediction market platform, engaged in a legal battle against the state's gambling regulator. The legal action comes after the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Commission sent Kalshi a cease-and-desist letter earlier this month.
In Nevada, the leading gaming and entertainment giant, MGM Resorts International, is getting closer to settling alleged deficiencies related to anti-money laundering and illegal gambling. The leading gaming and hospitality operator may soon agree to a $8.5m settlement with the regulator.
Responsible gambling
Across the globe, in Japan, a new survey uncovered that nearly 1 in 5 young Japanese adults spend on games at the expense of living costs. That is evident based on SMBC Consumer Finance’s annual survey which focused on the financial choices of young men and women.
Notably, approximately 18.8% of the 1,000 people interviewed admitted they would prefer making in-game purchases at the expense of other expenditures, including rent. This otherwise means that instead of covering everyday expenses, 1 in 5 young Japanese adults would settle payments related to digital goods in video games.
Recently, the Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) released its latest assessment of the gambling sector in the country. The new report highlighted that the country's responsible gambling safeguards return positive results.
The measures that were introduced in October last year, sought to improve channelization to the legal gambling sector. While a positive trend is observed, the impact of the illegal gambling vertical remains one of the challenges for the Dutch legal gambling industry.
The voice of the industry
This week, Casino Guru News had the opportunity to speak to Anna Krimova, the Head of Sales at Amarix. The executive spoke about the growing popularity of games that adapt to the players personal play styles and challenges when engaging with younger or older audiences.
Earlier this week, Casino Guru News released an analysis that focused on gambling ads. The growing scrutiny to gambling ads from regulators, lawmakers and stakeholders comes at a time when many people dislike them. Yet, gambling ads continue to reach audiences across the globe.
Casino Guru News also looked into Mark Zuckerberg and the UFC, amid recent talk about a fighting challenge between the former and a rival billionaire and entrepreneur, Elon Musk. While much has been said on the topic, the Zuckerberg-Musk fight still hasn't taken place.
