Industry News
Ad & Media Agencies Under ED Scanner Over Surrogate Marketing of Gambling Sites
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in India has widened its crackdown on Cyprus-based illegal online betting platform Parimatch, placing advertising and media agencies under the scanner for allegedly aiding the company’s surrogate promotions in India.
In extensive search operations on August 12 across Mumbai, Delhi, Noida, Jaipur, Surat, Madurai, Kanpur and Hyderabad, the ED froze funds worth nearly ₹110 crore parked in mule bank accounts suspected of being used for money laundering and layering transactions. Officials also seized digital devices, documents, and more than 1200 credit cards used in the racket.
The investigation revealed that Parimatch routed user funds through a complex network of mule accounts, hawala channels and crypto wallets. In some cases, funds were withdrawn in cash in Tamil Nadu and converted into USDT cryptocurrency through UK-based wallets controlled by Parimatch agents. Other methods involved the use of domestic money transfer agents and rejected payment aggregators who provided backdoor API access for fund collections disguised as e-commerce payments and refunds.
However, investigators said the platform’s aggressive rise in India was fueled not just by these financial networks but also by heavy marketing and surrogate advertising. Despite being an illegal offshore betting operator, Parimatch gained visibility through sponsorship of sports tournaments, celebrity endorsements and brand extensions under “Parimatch Sports” and “Parimatch News.”
Payments to Indian advertising and media agencies handling these promotional activities were allegedly routed via foreign inward remittances, raising questions about the role of advertising companies in enabling the brand’s presence in the country. Officials hinted that several agencies may now face questioning over their involvement in running surrogate ads designed to bypass gambling restrictions.
Roland Landers, CEO of All India Gaming Federation, said: “ED’s action to freeze funds linked to surrogate offshore gambling entities such as Parimatch Sports and Parimatch News is a much-needed step to curb the growing menace of illegal offshore gambling operations that continue to exploit India’s growing gaming user base. Curbing the financial networks of such offshore is very important. We are hopeful that the persistent threat of surrogate advertising of such platforms, often disguised as sports or news content that misleads Indian gamers and normalises illegal gambling will also be stopped by media platforms.”
Landers said: “There is now an urgent need for a central regulatory framework that will bring in uniformity across states, ensure clarity, stability, and a level playing field for compliant indian skill-based operators who adhere to laws and contribute meaningfully to the economy. This will not only help in effectively curbing illegal offshore gambling but also unlock the true growth potential of India’s legitimate, skill-based online gaming industry.”
A research by Skill Online Games Institute states that almost 83% on the spends of the 500 million strong Indian gaming players community is going to offshore gaming platforms. Today only USD 3.2 billion (17%) is coming to Indian gaming platforms.
Amrit Kiran Singh, the founder president of Skill Online Games Institute, said: “We have raised the issue with PMO, MHA FIU besides MIB & MEITY. The government has been discussing this with us but more concrete action needs to be taken to really address this significant issue. While investigations on celebrities and advertising agencies who help promote the illegal platforms will help slow down the promotion of these platforms, the size of the business should indicate that the horse has, already bolted -that this illegal business is already well established and thriving.”
The post Ad & Media Agencies Under ED Scanner Over Surrogate Marketing of Gambling Sites appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
American gambling industry
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – November 24-30
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
VGO Promo, a long-standing platform known for bridging the worlds of cryptocasinos, cryptocurrency exchanges and CSGO skins gaming, has announced a comprehensive expansion of its verification framework designed to bring transparency to online promotional offers. The updated system enhances how users evaluate bonuses across three intersecting ecosystems. Founded during the peak of the CSGO skins economy, VGO Promo originally provided referral codes for case opening websites and virtual item platforms. As the industry evolved towards blockchain based gaming, Bitcoingambling and crypto trading, VGO Promo expanded its scope to support modern platforms including Roobet, Stake, Rollbit, CSGORoll, Duelbits, Binance, OKX, ByBit, Bitget and various case opening services within the CSGO community. The updated verification framework applies a structured, cross industry methodology to help users navigate rapidly changing promotional conditions.
FanDuel has announced the launch of Pass The Leg, a first-of-its-kind in-app feature that transforms traditional parlay betting into a shared, social experience just in time for holiday gatherings. Pass The Leg allows customers to build a single group parlay collaboratively, with each participant adding their own leg before placing individual bets using their own funds. Designed to bring friends and family together around one of the biggest football days of the year whether near or far, the feature allows users to start or join a Group Build, invite others to contribute picks, and then add the completed parlay to their personal betslip. Each contributor can also take advantage of a dedicated Pass The Leg Profit Boost, amplifying the excitement and potential payout of the shared pick. Available exclusively for the three NFL games taking place on Thanksgiving Day, Pass The Leg marks the first true multi-user parlay-building experience offered by a major U.S. sportsbook operator.
Partnerships
The St. Louis Blues announced an agreement designating DraftKings an Official Sports Betting and Daily Fantasy Operator of the Blues. The announcement comes ahead of the launch of legal sports betting in Missouri scheduled for Dec. 1, 2025. DraftKings has been an Official Sports Betting, Daily Fantasy Sports and iGaming Partner of the National Hockey League since 2021. As part of the agreement, DraftKings will spotlight responsible gaming through a pregame, in-arena feature, encouraging fans to play responsibly, have fun and access DraftKings’ comprehensive suite of responsible gaming tools and resources. DraftKings will have rights to use St. Louis Blues intellectual property — including team trademarks and logos — across marketing and promotional materials. The collaboration will feature in-arena signage, brand integrations across television and radio and exclusive hospitality experiences throughout the season, all designed to elevate fan engagement at the Enterprise Centre and beyond.
Signature Systems Inc (SSI) has announced a new partnership with Yellow Dog Software. The integration connects Yellow Dog’s advanced inventory capabilities with SSI’s PDQ POS system, enabling operators to streamline operations, improve cost control and gain real-time visibility across their properties. The partnership was initiated to meet the inventory needs of Osage Casinos, a major name in tribal gaming. The integration, which went live in September, was first deployed to support convenience store reporting and ordering across the properties.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – November 24-30 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Balkans
EGT Digital Wins “Online Platform of the Year” for the Second Consecutive Year at the Golden Spade’s Awards 2025
Reading Time: 2 minutes
EGT Digital celebrated a remarkable achievement at this year’s Golden Spade’s Awards, securing the prestigious title “Online Platform of the Year” for its modular platform X-Nave for the second year in a row. The award was accepted by Georgi Mihaylov, Deputy CEO of EGT Digital, marking another milestone in the company’s continued progress and commitment to technological excellence.
In 2025, X-Nave distinguished itself through the integration of EGT Digital’s proprietary in-house AI core, developed entirely by the company’s data science team. This innovation transformed X-Nave into a holistic, intelligent ecosystem with capabilities such as real-time player protection, predictive churn prevention, intelligent campaigns, personalized game recommendations, automated bonus optimization, and enhanced QA through simulated behavior. Combined with its modular structure – comprising the CRM Engine, Gaming Aggregator, Sport Product, and Payment Gateway – X-Nave continues to serve as one of the most advanced and reliable platforms in the industry.
Accepting the award, Georgi Mihaylov expressed his gratitude: “These awards are an exceptional recognition of our work. On behalf of the EGT Digital team, a huge thank you, and I can’t wait for us to come back again next year.”
Special Recognition for Industry Leadership
The Golden Spade’s Awards also honored Mr. Vladimir Dokov, CEO of both EGT Digital and EGT, with the distinguished title “Outstanding Contribution to the Development of the Gaming Industry.” This accolade recognizes his long-term leadership, strategic vision, and significant impact on the growth and evolution of both the Bulgarian and global gaming sectors.
Mr. Dokov accepted the award with a message dedicated to his team:
“What we have achieved is not thanks to me, but thanks to our team of 4,300 people and this award belongs to them.”
A Milestone Year for the EGT Group
These recognitions highlight an exceptional year for both EGT Digital and EGT, reflecting their shared commitment to innovation, responsibility, and delivering impactful solutions for partners and players worldwide.
The post EGT Digital Wins “Online Platform of the Year” for the Second Consecutive Year at the Golden Spade’s Awards 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Carmen Alexander
Entain’s Pitching In Initiative Crowned Grassroots Sports Initiative of the Year
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Entain’s Pitching In initiative has beaten off fierce competition to be named Grassroots Initiative of the Year at the Global Football Industry Awards. Launched by Entain in 2020, the trailblazing initiative has made a huge impact at the non-league level of England’s national game.
Pitching In is the title sponsor of the Isthmian, Northern Premier and Southern Leagues – collectively known as the Trident Leagues – that comprise 264 clubs at Steps three and four of the non-league pyramid.
Pitching In, however, has always been about more than a flagship sponsorship. At the heart of the initiative is the ambition to enhance engagement between football clubs and their local communities. This led to Entain being the founding partner of the Trident Community Fund (TCF).
The TCF was launched to help clubs establish and expand community initiatives, maximising the remarkable impact that grassroots football clubs have on their local area. Every club in the Trident Leagues is encouraged to apply for a grant of up to £5000 annually to support community initiatives. The TCF has now supported more than 150 such projects, helping to expand youth, women’s and walking football, as well as supporting initiatives focusing on local upskilling, tackling anti-social behaviour and supporting local veterans and food banks.
In 2022, Pitching In launched the Volunteer Hub to provide a one-stop online portal for clubs to post volunteering vacancies and for local people to sign up and get involved.
Pitching In’s contribution to the grassroots game has now been recognised at the Global Football Industry Awards, a landmark global ceremony which brings together industry giants and trailblazers from every corner of the football ecosystem.
Pitching In was up against the likes of McDonalds, Barclays, Adidas, Nike and Coca-Cola, who were among the other shortlisted nominees for the Grassroots Initiative of the Year prize. Hosted by football royalty – Jamie Carragher and Peter Crouch – the awards celebrate the visionaries, pioneers and change-makers powering world football from behind the scenes.
Stella David, CEO of Entain, said: “We are delighted to see Pitching In recognised in this manner. Football is central to our business, which is why we feel it is so important to invest in the sport at the grassroots level, playing our part in bringing clubs and their communities closer together.
“When we started this project back in 2020, non-league clubs – and English football more generally – were staring into an uncertain future amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The grants Pitching In provided at that time proved crucial and we have continued to grow our relationship with the more than 260 clubs, who are the backbone of the English game, over the time since. We love supporting grassroots football and are excited by how this partnership can grow and evolve further.
“We would like to thank the Northern Premier League, Isthmian League and Southern League for their continued support, along with every single volunteer who gives up their time for their local football club. The game at this level could not run without you and Pitching In will continue to do what we can to highlight your invaluable contributions.”
Carmen Alexander from the Global Football Industry Awards added: “Congratulations to Entain and all 2025 Global Football Industry Award winners.
“Our judges were impressed by the commitment Entain has shown to grassroots football over a prolonged period of time and particularly the Trident Community Fund, which continues to make a tangible difference to non-league clubs across the country. Entain is very worthy of this recognition.”
The post Entain’s Pitching In Initiative Crowned Grassroots Sports Initiative of the Year appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
ELA Games7 days agoGlory & Honour Await the Strongest Gladiators in ELA Games’ Newest Game, Roman Fortune
-
Amusnet6 days agoAmusnet Celebrates Double Victory at the Golden Spades Awards 2025
-
Asia7 days agoStricter rules help shape a more responsible E-Games sector – PAGCOR
-
Helge Løken7 days agoHelge Løken Resigns as CTO of Norsk Tipping
-
Asia7 days agoBetConstruct AI to Participate in SiGMA South Asia 2025
-
Latest News7 days agoTom Horn Gaming Unwraps a Frosty Treat with Santa Yetti
-
Asia7 days agoS8UL Esports Secures iQOO as Title Sponsor for its Pokémon UNITE and MOBA Legends 5v5 Rosters
-
Balkans6 days agoState Lottery in Bulgaria Set for Privatisation



