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Compliance Updates

Euroconsumers calls Nintendo to solve its “Joy-Con Drift” probl

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The new version of the Nintendo “Switch” console, the Switch OLED, expected on October 8th 2021, shows an unsolved technical problem with its controllers – an issue commonly called “Joy-Con Drift” –  that prevents players from playing the game properly. Nintendo is quite aware of this flaw. Yet it still plans to roll out the new Switch with the old problem. Euroconsumers calls Nintendo to account.

“Joy-Con Drift”

The flaw in the controllers manifests itself after a couple of months, falsely reading input from the controller stick, as if the user has their thumb pressed down on the controller, causing the game character to move without the player even touching the device. This prevents the player from playing the game as intended. This issue is not new: it was already denounced extensively by users of the current Nintendo Switch, IFixit and multiple consumer organisations.

Nintendo’s inaction

This flaw has previously been raised with Nintendo. Firstly in January 2020, Test Achats/Test Aankoop, Euroconsumers’ Belgian national organization, sent a letter of formal notice to Nintendo Europe GmbH calling on the company to repair all the defective products free of charge and to publicly communicate about the defect.

In January 2021, BEUC, the European umbrella group for 46 independent consumer organisations, launched an external alert to the CPC network about a widespread infringement with Union dimension of EU consumer law, related to the premature obsolescence of the Nintendo Switch.

On top of this EU action, two class actions have been launched in the US, and a Canadian firm has filed an application to begin a class action.

Nevertheless, Nintendo has taken no actions to remedy the flaw or alert consumers. It even issues a new Switch OLED with the exact same Joy-Con design, with the exact same inescapable defect. Meanwhile Nintendo keeps on putting a great deal of emphasis on the quality and versatility of the Joy-Con in its advertisements t.

This early obsolescence is not only unfair and harmful to consumers, but also affects the environment, creating a pile of unnecessary and extremely polluting electronic waste.

Euroconsumers’ call on Nintendo

In a letter Euroconsumers has confronted Nintendo with the above,  asking them to:

  1. Adequately inform consumers of the existence of the “Joy-Con Drift” and its impact on the expected lifespan of the Nintendo controllers on the packaging of the product.

  2. Fully respect provisions on the legal product guarantee, without imposing any burden of proof on consumers or charging them with any costs to repair or replace their Switch controllers.

  3. Provide clear contact details at Nintendo for consumers to report and resolve Joy-Con problems, and for Euroconsumers and its national organisations to address problems to that regard.

  4. Resolve the technical “Joy-Con Drift” flaw and ensure a more sustainable version of the controllers. Euroconsumers, and its national organizations stand ready to deploy decades of technical and testing experience to support finding solutions.

Euroconsumers is available and willing to launch a dialogue with Nintendo in order to establish the best way to satisfy the above requests.

“Nintendo has a duty to its customers to provide functioning devices,” said Marco Scialdone, Head of Litigation and Academic Outreach at Euroconsumers. “To knowingly continue selling these game consoles when they are defective is a breach of EU consumer law. We expect Nintendo to do the right thing and work with us to find a solution for consumers.”

“While on one hand Nintendo pretends to commit to the green transition and serve consumers, its continued distribution of faulty electronic devices shows it’s true lack of genuine commitment,” said Els Bruggeman, Head of Policy and Enforcement at Euroconsumers. “Early obsolescence results in more electronic waste, which is particularly difficult to dispose of. This shows a regrettable lack of respect for both the environment and  consumers.”

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Allwyn

UK High Court Rejects Legal Challenges Relating to the National Lottery Licence

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On 17 April 2026, the UK High Court rejected in full the claims brought by The New Lottery Company Limited (TNLC) and Northern & Shell PLC (N&S) against the Gambling Commission in relation to the award of the Fourth National Lottery Licence.

In summary, the claims alleged that the Gambling Commission had wrongly awarded the Fourth National Lottery Licence to Allwyn, and that instead, TNLC should have won the competition. The claims also alleged that the Gambling Commission and Allwyn had entered into impermissible modifications to the Licence arrangements following the competition.

The lengthy trial of the claims took place in the High Court before Mrs Justice Joanna Smith between 9 October and 2 December 2025, with an additional day on 13 January 2026.

The High Court has now ruled in favour of the Gambling Commission on all of the claims, rejecting the allegations which had been made.

This is an important judgment for the future of The National Lottery. This judgment makes clear that the Gambling Commission ran a fair and robust competition to award the Fourth National Lottery Licence, and that none of the contested changes to the Licence, in the course of its implementation, were substantial or contrary to the relevant procurement regulations.

The judgment gives resounding support to Good Causes by enabling Allwyn, with oversight from the Commission, to continue with their plans of investment in The National Lottery without further distraction.

The National Lottery is one of the world’s largest lotteries and since launching in 1994, National Lottery players have collectively raised more than £52 billion for more than 670,000 Good Causes across the UK, transforming lives and contributing to the arts, sport, heritage and communities.

The post UK High Court Rejects Legal Challenges Relating to the National Lottery Licence appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Compliance Updates

GLI Welcomes Around 300 Regulators to its 26th Annual Regulators Roundtable

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Approximately 300 regulators from 16 countries attended the 26th annual Regulators Roundtable presented by Gaming Laboratories International (GLI). The event was hosted April 15-16 at the Palms Las Vegas.

The topics covered were as diverse as the attendees and included artificial intelligence, asset protection, cashless gaming, cyber resilience, digital responsible gaming interventions, geolocation, lottery modernization, patron protection, prediction markets, risk analysis, and sports betting.

Sports performance psychologist and author of Life as Sport Dr. Jonathan Fader delivered the keynote address. He spoke about how proven sport-performance psychology applies to the realities of today’s workplace, including high expectations, constant change, and pressure to perform.

In addition to the presentations and breakout sessions, GLI hosted an Innovation Tech Hub, which featured live demonstrations from Bulletproof, EPIC Global Solutions, Evive, GLI University, Kobetron, KOIN, and Marker Trax.

“We are grateful to the approximately 300 regulators from across North America and around the world who came to Las Vegas to learn more about what’s next and what’s on the horizon in gaming technology. It is important for regulators to stay as far ahead of technologies and issues as possible, and that is the purpose of the Regulators Roundtable, and we are honored to present the conference,” said GLI President & CEO, James Maida.

GLI announced the next Regulators Roundtable will take place April 7-8, 2027, at the Palms Las Vegas.

The post GLI Welcomes Around 300 Regulators to its 26th Annual Regulators Roundtable appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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Aviator LLC

Aviator Studio Brazil wins two consecutive instances in São Paulo appeal court against SPRIBE injunction

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  • Another attempt by SPRIBE to mislead the industry fails as two consecutive instances reject requested injunction
  • Decision allows Aviator Brasil to continue operating while the court examines the broader AVIATOR trademark dispute

 Aviator Studio Brazil has secured two consecutive court decisions in São Paulo, Brazil, rejecting attempts by SPRIBE to impose an injunction on its operations.

The rulings, delivered by the São Paulo Court of Appeals (2nd Reserved Chamber of Business Law) on 16 April, were in favour of the defendants overall. The court rejected the injunction request against the group, allowing Aviator Studio Brazil to continue operating in the market with partners such as Foggo Entertainment (Blaze) while the broader trademark dispute is examined through the normal judicial process.

Contextualising Separate Proceedings

This victory in the group proceedings follows an announcement by SPRIBE on 15 April regarding a separate matter involving NSX Betnacional. Aviator LLC clarified that neither the company nor the operator were aware of those specific proceedings initially. As soon as that separate matter became known, Aviator Studio Brazil immediately took action to assume responsibility for defending the legitimate use of the brand, providing NSX Betnacional with all legal support required.

Key Court Findings

The Court of Appeals based its decision on the following key findings:

  • Lack of likelihood of success on the merits: While SPRIBE claims exclusive ownership of the “AVIATOR” trademark, the court found substantial controversy regarding the validity of those rights both domestically and internationally.
  • Absence of irreparable harm: The court determined there is no imminent or irreparable harm that would justify immediate intervention.
  • Valid licensing: The court emphasised that Aviator Studio Brazil has been commercially operating under the “AVIATOR” mark based on a licence from Aviator LLC, the regularity and effects of which shall be examined during the proceedings.

Protecting the AVIATOR Ecosystem

Aviator Studio Brazil joined the proceedings and supported its operator partners, including Foggo Entertainment (Blaze) by fulfilling all indemnity and defence obligations under its Software Licence Agreement.

The company has affirmed that it stands fully behind its partners, taking responsibility to defend, indemnify, and hold them harmless in relation to the use of the AVIATOR brand and product. This reinforces the company’s long-term commitment to protecting its partners and the integrity of the AVIATOR ecosystem.

In relation to the NSX Betnacional matter, Aviator LLC confirmed that neither it nor Betnacional were aware of the proceedings initially.

As soon as the matter became known, Aviator Studio Brazil immediately took action to support its partner Betnacional and assume responsibility for defending the legitimate use of the AVIATOR brand.

International Context

Aviator LLC stated that these outcomes reinforce its long-standing position that attempts to secure early-stage injunctions are not reflective of the merits of the case. This follows earlier proceedings in the United Kingdom High Court, where an interim injunction obtained by SPRIBE was clarified as a narrow procedural step with no bearing on ownership or the final outcome of the dispute.

With no findings made against Aviator LLC’s underlying rights in Brazil and courts declining to grant urgent relief, the company continues its operations while remaining confident in its legal position as proceedings progress across multiple jurisdictions.

Commenting on the decision, George Pruidze, CEO at Aviator Studio, said: “Following two consecutive victories in both the trial court and appeal courts in São Paulo, it is clear there is no basis for the urgent measures sought by SPRIBE. Aviator Studio Brazil continues to operate lawfully under licence, and we remain fully committed to supporting our partners and defending the AVIATOR brand wherever necessary.

“As similar actions by SPRIBE continue to trigger proceedings in Brazil, including the ongoing matter involving Betnacional, we will continue to stand behind our partners and ensure the legitimate use of the AVIATOR brand is protected. We are confident that the same facts and legal position will continue to prevail as these cases progress.”

The post Aviator Studio Brazil wins two consecutive instances in São Paulo appeal court against SPRIBE injunction appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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