Cryptocurrency
Trading Blows: Cloudbet’s expert take on the rebounding NBA season
As the NBA goes back to work – and hopes for no more Bubble trouble – the trading team at Cloudbet, the leading crypto sportsbook and casino, breaks down the latest market movers, telling you who’s hot and who’s not in the Disney World Laboratory.
- League leaders reassert their claims over the championship: While they both dropped a game apiece during the scrimmages, the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers showed enough to firm up their respective chances to take the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy home.
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- The long layoff has benefited teams with older or injured star players: For the Lakers, the hiatus allowed Lebron James to give his 35-year-old body a solid rest. The last time he did so, for the All-Star break in February, James then went on a tear to lead his team on a 7-2 run. He certainly bounced back in style during Thursday’s thrilling nightcap win.
- For the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo – a clear favourite this season to win his second-straight Most Valuable Player award – was able to rest a sprained knee sustained in a March game against the Lakers.
- Both teams come to the restart refreshed and recharged. The Lakers are favourites to win the 2019-2020 title, with their line moving to 3.31 (~ 9/4; or +231;), from 3.34 (+234) prior to the scrimmage. Strong showings from their second and third-string players, especially in the third scrimmage game with James and Anthony Davis on the bench.
- The Bucks are just behind, at 3.45 (~ 5/2; or +245), from 3.53 (+253). Antetokounmpo clearly shone during the practice matches, with more-than-ample support from fellow starters Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez.
- Los Angeles Clippers lose ground in title race: While still third-favourite to win the championship, the Clips have been big drifters in the market since the scrimmages began.
- Among the top units, this team has been most impacted by the Covid bubble restrictions, with two key players (Lou Williams and Patrick Beverley) in quarantine after temporary family-related absences.
- Williams, the Clips’ leader in assists, was pilloried in social media for a much-publicised and ill-advised visit to an Atlanta strip club while on leave.
- Another player, Montrezl Harrel, has yet to return from family leave.
- This means a much diminished squad takes on the Lakers in their restart opener on July 30, and they’re unlikely to be back at full strength until at least the second week of the rebooted competition – that’s tough, given that there are only eight seeding match-ups to play.
- With these travails in mind, bets on the Clips to win it all are currently paying 4.15 (~ 3/1; or +315). Their probability of a championship now stands at 24.1%, roughly a percentage point lower than before the practice scrimmages began.
- Houston Rockets cement their status among the top four title favourites: Even though they ended the pre-Covid season with the league’s 10th-best win-loss record, the Rockets have worked their way in as fourth-favourites to win the title.
. One train of thought has it that they more than others will benefit from the long break: four of their key players, including stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook are 30 or older, and the shorter season will shelter them from the extended wear-and-tear of a normal season.
- Harden worked out like a fiend during the layoff, coming to Disneyworld with a noticeably slimmer physique. Already the league’s top scorer this season, he unsurprisingly led his team’s point production over the three scrimmage matches.
- Westbrook was a question mark after testing positive for Covid in mid-July, but emerged from the NBA’s quarantine protocol in time to play solid minutes in all of his team’s three scrimmages.
- Houston’s odds of a championship this season firmed over the past week to 15.1 (~ 14/1; or +1415) from 15.6 (+1460).
- One setback emerged this week, with starter Eric Gordon injuring his ankle during H-Town’s victory over Boston. No clear movement in prices yet, as the market awaits test results to determine his immediate playing future.
- Toronto Raptors gain ground in title race: The defending champions’ performance this season prior to the league’s suspension (72% win rate) shows that they’re still a force to be reckoned with even after losing star player Kawhi Leonard to the Clippers.
. The Raps won two out of their three scrimmages, which also saw the return of center Marc Gasol, who spent the hiatus rehabbing his dodgy hamstrings and dropping a significant amount of weight.
- Clipper odds for a repeat championship have narrowed from 18 to 16.9 (~ 17/1; or +1591).
- They’ve now displaced the Boston Celtics at fifth in the outright lists to take the title.
- New Orleans firms up its chances for a playoff spot in the West: The Pelicans won its three practice match-ups, including a 21-point drubbing of the Bucks on July 27, all without its star rookie Zion Williamson, who had been in quarantine following a family-related absence from the bubble.
. The big news this week was Williamson resuming practice, an appearance warmly welcomed by teammates: He’s the Pellies’ second-highest scorer and has missed 44 games this season due to knee and ankle injuries.
- His return plus a solid scrimmage showing has improved the prospects for their performance in the West (see below).
- Also increases the interest over the tussle for the final play-off spot in that conference. The Memphis Grizzlies are current favourites to take that spot, paying 1.64 (~ 4/6; or -156), with New Orleans next at 3.81 (~ 11/4; or +281).
- Western Conference outcomes have been reframed, thanks to the above reasons: The Clippers’ personnel issues means they’ve lost the slim edge they previously had over the Lakers as favourites to take the West.
- Team Lebron is now tops with odds of 2.58 (~ 6/4; or +158) over the Clips at 2.66 (~ 13/8; or +166).
- The biggest improvement in fortunes belongs to the Rockets, with a line of 7.28 (~ 6/1; or +628) currently giving them a 13.7% chance of winning the conference, or 2.1 percentage points higher than before scrimmages began.
- The other big move was New Orleans: While they’re still unfancied as conference champs, their line moved from 54.6 into 31.1 (~ 30/1; or +3013).
NBA quarantine protocol:
New NBA protocol implies that players could be tested as often as daily during this resumption. If a player has a confirmed positive test, he must undergo treatment and rest for at least 14 days without exercising. In order to return, the player must pass cardiac exams and also test negative for the coronavirus twice in a 24-hour period.
On July 21, the NBA reported zero cases of the coronavirus following the testing of 346 players, and the league has gone three weeks without a positive result.
Prices are as compiled by Cloudbet and are current as of 4pm HK time on July 30
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Crypto
Tequity joins Hub88 aggregator platform to accelerate operator access to Originals and Crypto Trading games
Tequity, the rising iGaming software innovator, has successfully integrated its content portfolio into Hub88’s gaming aggregation platform, providing operator partners worldwide with a streamlined route to market.
The partnership enables Hub88’s network of operators to enrich their lobbies with Tequity’s high-performance titles via a single API, allowing rapid deployment and seamless content delivery.
Hub88 clients now have access to Tequity’s Originals portfolio, featuring 17 fast-paced, streamer-friendly, and fully customisable in-house games, as well as the new Crypto Trading games series, which brings crypto market-inspired gameplay directly into the casino environment.
The integration also includes Tequity’s Publishing vertical, with Mirror Image Gaming’s Royal Drop as the first third-party title available through Hub88 distribution.
Operators benefit from a broader content mix with strong advantages in brand control and operational confidence. Extensive customisation options allow partners to tailor game look, feel, and UI, all supported by a robust, engineering-led infrastructure designed for global scale and performance.
Dominic Sawyer, VP of Growth at Tequity, said:
“Hub88 is an ideal distribution partner for studios and operators building for scale. This onboarding makes Tequity content more accessible across Originals, Crypto Trading games, and Publishing, with a focus on fast rollout and full brand control. We have several operator partners scheduled to go live in the coming weeks.”
Ollie Castleman, Managing Director of Hub88, added:
“We are excited to onboard Tequity to our platform. Their Originals, Crypto Trading, and Publishing content provide our operator partners with a diverse, differentiated game offering and a simple, efficient path to launch.”
The post Tequity joins Hub88 aggregator platform to accelerate operator access to Originals and Crypto Trading games appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Compliance Updates
Crypto.com Receives Limited Financial Institutions Licence in Europe
Crypto.com has announced another regulatory milestone: its EU MiCA regulated entity has received a Limited Financial Institutions licence from the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA). The approval allows the company to continue delivering its full suite of stablecoin services – qualifying as payment services – across the European Union, without disruption.
This additional licence is for the provision of services exclusively in relation to electronic money tokens (EMTs). The licence was acquired to navigate a complex regulatory landscape resulting in overlapping crypto asset services (MiCA) and payment services (PSD2). By securing the Limited Financial Institution Licence, Crypto.com has addressed both regulatory regimes ensuring full compliance across every aspect of its stablecoin operations.
Crypto.com’s Malta entity received MiCA approval in January 2025, allowing the company to passport services across the European Economic Area (EEA). Notably, Crypto.com already holds a full Electronic Money Institution (EMI) licence in Europe, making it one of the most comprehensively authorised platforms operating in the region.
“We are one of the most regulated crypto platforms in the world and receiving this licence proves, yet again, that we are committed to working with authorities to ensure the strongest compliance standards. Our stablecoin business and services remain a pivotal part of our European product offering so it was vital we secured this limited licence to continue providing seamless access to our institutional and retail customers,” said Eric Anziani, President and Chief Operating Officer at Crypto.com.
The limited Financial Institutions licence adds to Crypto.com’s expanding list of licences and registrations globally including, but not limited to, a UK Electronic Money Institution licence (FCA), a Major Payment Institution licence in Singapore (MAS), a Virtual Assets Service Provider licence in Dubai (VARA), U.S. Money Transmitter Licences, U.S. Designated Contracts Market (DCM) & Derivatives Clearing Organization (DCO) licences and recently conditional approval from the U.S. OCC for a National Trust Bank Charter.
The post Crypto.com Receives Limited Financial Institutions Licence in Europe appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Crypto
UK To Explore Crypto Gambling Framework
Legal crypto gambling could be coming to the UK after the country’s regulator announced on Thursday (Feb 26) that it will begin working on new rules to support the sector.
Gambling Commission executive director Tim Miller revealed in a speech this week that regulatory officials have concluded allowing licensing operators to transact in crypto is likely a wise move.
Responding to growing demand for gambling with cryptocurrencies, and undeniable evidence that consumers are turning to the black market in search of crypto-friendly operators, Miller said the process was already underway.
Characterising the project as “tentative” and promising no timelines or outcomes, Miller nevertheless said he had instructed the commission’s Industry Forum to begin work on detailing how crypto gambling could be regulated in the UK.
The Forum is composed of industry figures from the online and retail sectors, including representatives from Flutter and Rank Group.
Addressing the Betting and Gaming Council AGM on Thursday, Miller said: “There will be significant challenges and risks to overcome in considering this topic but I am keen that we approach this in the spirit of exploring the art of the possible, rather than starting from a position of finding all the reasons not to innovate.”
Recent work undertaken by the Gambling Commission to try and understand why gamblers choose to leave the regulated market and gamble offshore has identified a desire to bet with crypto as the second-largest motivator.
One UK legal expert told EEGaming that the project was “long overdue”.
“A credible, regulated pathway would be a more effective consumer protection tool than de-facto prohibition if it reduces displacement offshore, which invariably it would,” said Chris Elliot, a partner at Wiggin law firm in London.
Elliot noted that the commission does not appear to be proposing specific “crypto licences”, but is instead “exploring a framework under which UK-licensed operators could accept crypto as a consumer payment option”.
Regulators in partnership
The Commission’s renewed willingness to consider allowing crypto gambling is also being driven by more secure legislative foundations that are set to come into effect in the UK.
Miller pointed to the “Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Cryptoassets) Regulations 2025”, which was presented by the government in December.
The new statutory instrument would regulate more uses of crypto-assets by establishing a series of regulatory frameworks.
This comes as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is itself consulting on new rules for crypto in the UK.
This work will form the bedrock of any efforts by the Gambling Commission to loosen crypto gambling rules, Miller said.
It may also provide some clues as to the timeline of any crypto-liberalisation by the commission, Elliot noted.
“If the FCA authorisation regime is phased in over a longer period, mainstream adoption in UK gambling could be correspondingly slow,” he warned.
“That said, existing AML registration requirements for crypto-asset service providers already provide some baseline assurance, which could support earlier experimentation if the commission is serious about tackling black-market growth.”
Fraud on the brain
Regulatory sources who spoke to EEGaming pointed to the role the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) may be playing in accelerating crypto regulation.
The international money laundering watchdog — which has had notable interventions in the gambling market over recent years through its temporary greylisting of Malta and Gibraltar — has told national governments they should be regulating crypto providers, not trying to prohibit their use in the legal economy.
The UK is scheduled to undergo an assessment by the FATF in 2027.
That provides an extra impetus for the UK to have its crypto regulations in order, but allowing digital assets to flow into the economy more readily, especially via gambling, brings added risks.
“Like any new payment method, it will introduce new fraud/AML typologies,” explained Elliot. “But ‘new’ doesn’t automatically mean ‘higher’. In some respects, crypto can support a more robust control environment than fiat payments, particularly where cash is involved,” he noted.
“Operators wishing to drive this agenda will need to be able demonstrate, with evidence, why these risks can be managed through the controls put in place,” he said.
Crypto revolution?
Although the UK Gambling Commission is only at the beginning of this process, Miller’s announcement is sure to have an impact internationally, particularly at some of the European regulators with which it shares close ties.
EEGaming asked the Netherlands Gambling Authority, which signed a new memorandum of understanding with the commission in November, whether it would now be considering a crypto-revolution of its own.
“Although the KSA thinks allowing crypto payments might help battle illegal offering, there are too many complications right now to just go along with it,” a spokesperson said.
“We are looking into this for the future.”
The post UK To Explore Crypto Gambling Framework appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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