Compliance Updates
How New Gaming Legislation Affects Gaming at Online Casinos

When most people place a bet at online blackjack, they expect a winning hand. Slot fans want to hit the jackpot while roulette players hope the wheel stops at their predicted number. Unfortunately, new online gamine legislation doesn’t always deliver a winning hand to the casino industry.
This article explores how the series of new gaming laws around the world have been affecting how people gamble online.
Credit Card Ban in the UK
Last year, the UK government enforced a law to ban online gamblers from using credit cards at iGaming websites. The ban applies to all forms of online gambling, from playing slots to buying lottery tickets.
The UK banned credit cards because they “can lead to significant financial harm.” That’s according to Neil McArthur, the CEO of the UKGC. According to McArthur, 22% of problem gamblers in the UK use credit cards for payments.
In that case, banning credit cards could lower the number of problem gamblers in Britain. However, it also means British gamblers will need to rely on money in their banks to play slots and card games.
New Lottery Laws in Finland
Finland is the latest country in Europe to strengthen its online gambling laws. Like the UK, Finland is introducing new gambling laws with an intention to protect its citizens from problem gambling.
The new Finnish gambling law, also known as arpajaislaki in Finnish, is comprehensive and has far-reaching consequences. It affects how Finns deposit money to foreign casinos, how operators advertise and verify their customers. To be clear, players in Finland can still gamble through offshore casinos. But they have to follow the new rules introduced under the lottery law.
Legal Sports Betting in Canada
After years of debates in parliament, Canada finally legalized single-sports betting June this year. In the past, Canadians had to place parlays if they wanted to predict sports outcomes. Now, they can wager on a single team like the rest of the world.
Canadian provinces will make the blueprint on how to run online sports betting websites. Ontario has already launched a fully-fledged online sportsbook while more provinces are in the same process.
In case you’re wondering, Canada is yet to legalize online casinos at a federal level. Presently, the country’s laws allow provinces to regulate online casinos. But the national government is yet to create laws that could bring legal iGaming to everyone in the country.
Online Gambling Legalization in the US
For a long time, most Americans felt like legal online gaming would never come to fruition. Then the Department of Justice allowed states to run online casinos in 2011. Four states created online casino laws but most states remained opposed to legalized online gambling.
In 2018, the US Supreme Court created leeway for states to legalize sports betting by striking off the PASPA Act of 1992. Within three years, more than 20 states permit sports gambling of some form: Online or in-person.
Increased legalization of iGaming in the US is a blow to offshore casinos that target American gamblers. But it’s a boon to everyone who’s always wanted to gamble legally. In New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia, you can gamble at both online casinos and sportsbooks.
The Swedish Gambling Act of 2019
Two years ago, Sweden joined the growing list of countries with legal iGaming legislation. Its newest law aims at encouraging offshore casinos to acquire licenses from the Swedish gambling Authority.
By doing so, Sweden can control the iGaming industry and increase its revenues. The law has few implications to gamblers. They can play at their favorite online casinos, like they’ve always done.
However, offshore casinos can no longer advertise on Swedish media unless they’re licensed. Additionally, they need to adhere to standard procedures of fairness and data protection to maintain their business permits.
Monopoly Law in Norway
Before 2017, Norway was like many countries in Europe. It lacked definitive iGaming laws. In 2017, the Nordic nation introduced a controversial law that appointed Norsk Tipping to be the only online gambling company in the country.
Additionally, Norway ordered banks to stop processing payments to offshore casinos. This second effort didn’t succeed in its goal of stopping Norwegians from gambling through overseas websites.
For starters, many online casinos don’t use gambling related terms in their bank account names. As such, banks in Norway can’t tell whether a deposit is headed to a casino site or a shopping website.
On the flip side, there’s no particular law that says a Norwegian citizen can’t bet at a foreign gaming site. This ensures players in Norway can access better quality casino services offshore without facing legal consequences back home.
The Gaming Act of 2018 in Malta
Although Malta has been regulating online casinos for a long time, it introduced a new act to government modern casino sites in 2018. The new act is a consolidation of all gambling-related laws in the country.
Under the new act, Malta has 12 subsidiaries. Basically, the laws are related to what investors need to submit to acquire and maintain a license in Malta. To be clear, Malta has some of the best online gambling laws in Europe.
In fact, it’s the go-to jurisdictions for many investors in the iGaming sector, from software providers to betting companies.
New Laws in Curacao
Before 2015, Curacao was the leading regulator of online gambling. But after years of criticism by governments and players for not holding casinos accountable, Curacao lost its appeal. Instead, new gambling companies began to acquire licenses in Europe.
Curacao is presently changing its laws to make the tougher for applicants. It’s also restructuring its tax policy to attract more casinos. Considering Curacao is a constituent nation of the kingdom of Netherlands, it’s also need to follow the new gaming laws introduced in Holland.
For example, casinos licensed in Curacao will no longer accept players who live in countries where gambling is illegal. This includes customers from the Netherlands. The new laws are new, so only time can tell how they will impact the iGaming industry in Curacao.
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Compliance Updates
Ukrainian Security Service, NCEC and AUGO Shut Down 133 Illegal Online Casinos

Ukraine’s Security Service, the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection, the National Commission for the State Regulation of Electronic Communications, Radiofrequency Spectrum and the Provision of Postal Services (NCEC), and the Association of Ukrainian Gambling Operators (AUGO) have jointly blocked 133 illegal online casinos operating within Ukraine’s digital space.
According to AUGO’s press release on Tuesday, Derzhspetszviazok issued Directive No. 435/3236 on July 1, ordering the blocking of IP addresses and websites involved in illegal gambling. The directive was sent to internet providers and industry associations on July 3 and is mandatory for implementation within three working days—by July 8.
The association estimates that the joint operation disrupted a shadow business generating UAH 3 to 5 billion in illicit turnover every quarter.
Beyond blocking the sites with technical and software tools, the operation included broader organisational and technical efforts targeting the infrastructure that enabled these illegal platforms to function. Notably, unauthorised financial processing was halted, and associated P2P transactions were frozen.
“In chess terms – white has made the first move, and black is already losing pieces on the board… No, w’re not grandmasters yet. But this will be a decisive chess match, and we’re convinced the illegal players will eventually have no choice but to leave the game,” said AUGO President Oleksandr Kohut, as quoted in the press release.
He emphasised that illegal casinos – most of which now have ties to Russia – inflict direct harm on the Ukrainian state, legal businesses and its citizens. These sites, which are frequently cloned after being blocked, also pose a high risk of fraud and the leakage of players’ personal and financial data.
This marks the first time the Security Service, Derzhspetszviazok, and NCEC have actively partnered with AUGO on such an initiative. The association, which was launched three months ago, provided software, analytical and informational support for the operation to dismantle the illicit online gambling sector.
Kohut affirmed that AUGO remains committed to further collaboration with regulators – including the Ministry of Digital Transformation and the newly formed PlayCity agency – as well as with law enforcement to swiftly detect and shut down illegal casinos online. AUGO also plans to work with state regulators to inform media outlets of future blocking decisions as soon as they are made and communicated to telecom operators.
The post Ukrainian Security Service, NCEC and AUGO Shut Down 133 Illegal Online Casinos appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Compliance Updates
New ESRI Research Commissioned by the GRAI Suggests Gambling Offers Lure People to Bet More, Particularly People at Risk of Problem Gambling

A new study commissioned by the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) /Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and undertaken by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) shows that betting and gambling companies offering special offers or inducements encourages people to gamble more than they would otherwise, even when the odds offered are “bad”.
Special offers or inducements, such as free bets and moneyback guarantees are regularly used by gambling companies in their marketing campaigns. The study found that vulnerable people such as those at higher risk of becoming problem gamblers, were most at risk of gambling more, and losing more, as a result of being offered inducements.
In a controlled experiment run with a sample of 622 men under 40, participants, were given money to place up to six realistic bets on the Euro 2024 football tournament.
Half of the participants were randomly selected and shown offers of free bets and moneyback guarantees on some bets. which caused these participants to spend over 10% more than those who were not given inducements. The inducements also reduced the number of participants opting not to bet by nearly half. Even inducement bets that were designed as “bad”, showing odds far below market rates, were undertaken by participants in this group, who were three times more likely to spend money on “bad” bets.
These findings illustrate the harm inducements cause, particularly to those who are susceptible to gambling harm.
Under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, the legislation which underpins the work of the GRAI, inducements or encouragement to gamble further will soon be an offence and licensed operators will no longer be allowed to offer free bets which are targeted at individuals and specific groups. Multiple European countries have also begun to regulate inducements.
Participants were surveyed after the study on their knowledge and understanding of inducements. Even amongst regular betters, most did not know that there were restrictions on free bets and that they would not receive their stake back if they won a free bet.
Paul Quinn, Chairperson of the GRAI, said: “I very much welcome this research from the ESRI examining the impact of inducements to gamble on gambling behaviours. Having a clear evidence base is critically important to the GRAI as we commence our work in regulating the gambling industry. This latest research will help inform that work and in educating the public on this matter.
“This study clearly indicates the damaging effect of certain practices around inducements. It underlines the importance of the provisions of the Gambling Regulation Act in limiting a person’s exposure to inducements to gamble. We look forward to working with Minister O’Callaghan in addressing the issue as we implement the new regulations.”
Anne Marie Caulfield, CEO of the GRAI, said: “The ESRI’s findings confirm that not only is the general public not aware of the dangers associated with inducements to bet, but also that the impact of these inducements go beyond simple marketing by betting companies.
“It is our responsibility to ensure that gambling operators do not encourage excessive or compulsive gambling behaviour, and that we protect vulnerable people in our society, such as children and young people and those more likely to experience gambling harm.
“The Gambling Regulation Act 2024 sets out obligations for licensees in the way in which inducements can be offered, including a ban on targeted inducements, and the findings of this study affirm these measures.”
Diarmaid Ó Ceallaigh, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Behavioural Research Unit, ESRI, said: “Our findings imply that gambling offers aren’t merely marketing tools, but pose a real risk of financial harm, particularly among vulnerable groups.
“The results support the case for stricter regulation of gambling offers in Ireland, following steps already taken in other European countries, such as banning sign-up bonuses, restricting offers to at-risk individuals, and capping their value.”
The post New ESRI Research Commissioned by the GRAI Suggests Gambling Offers Lure People to Bet More, Particularly People at Risk of Problem Gambling appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Compliance Updates
VNLOK Calls for Strict Action Against Illegal Providers and Balanced Approach to Gambling Regulation

The latest impact assessment by the Dutch Gaming Authority (KSA) shows that players on the legal market are increasingly being protected. Since the introduction of new playing limits and duty of care rules on 1 October 2024, fewer players are setting high limits and losing smaller amounts.
The number of accounts losing €1000 or more has dropped by over 75% to 0.9%. At the same time, the number of accounts per player remains stable (an average of 2.4 accounts per player). The so-called “hopping” behaviour between legal providers is therefore absent.
There are, however, worrying signals about a further growing illegal market. The previous report of the KSA already showed that for every euro gambled online, Dutch people spend €0.50 on illegal gambling sites. Now it appears that since the introduction of the new rules, the average monthly search volumes for illegal gambling sites have increased by 23% to almost 1 million. VNLOK warns: the control and protection of vulnerable players will be lost in this way. While the legal market is strictly regulated, the illegal supply remains too easily accessible for vulnerable players.
Björn Fuchs, chairman of VNLOKs, said: “It is good that the new rules for players who gamble legally are effective. At the same time, we cannot close our eyes to the other half: the illegal market. It is precisely the players who wager the most money and vulnerable groups, such as minors and young adults, who seem to continue to find their way to the illegal supply. That is precisely the group that is most at risk.”
VNLOK emphasized that an excess of new regulations will have undesirable effects. Fuchs added: “If well-intentioned regulation is piled on top of regulation, this will drive more players to the illegal supply. That is where – without any form of supervision or protection – major problems arise.”
VNLOK has called for strict action against illegal providers and for a balanced approach to regulation: effective where necessary, but without unnecessarily hindering the player and the legal supply. VNLOK urges that all findings from the latest impact assessment must be taken into account when creating new rules.
The post VNLOK Calls for Strict Action Against Illegal Providers and Balanced Approach to Gambling Regulation appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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