Compliance Updates

Florida Targets Fantasy Sports Firms Over Possible Illegal Betting Games

Published

3 years ago

September 26, 2023

florida-targets-fantasy-sports-firms-over-possible-illegal-betting-games

Florida gambling regulators have sent cease-and-desist letters to three daily fantasy-sports operators accused of offering potentially illegal mobile betting games and threatened legal action if the sites don’t immediately stop.

Commission Executive Director Lou Trombetta sent letters warning the three companies that they “may be offering or accepting illegal bets or wagers” from Floridians and “may be promoting and conducting an illegal lottery.”

The alleged conduct is “strictly prohibited in Florida and constitutes criminal activity,” Trombetta wrote.

The letters targeted Underdog Sports, LLC, which is based in Brooklyn, N.Y; SidePrize LLC, also known as Performance Predictions LLC, doing business as PrizePicks, which is based in Atlanta; and Betr Holdings, Inc., which is based in Miami.

In fantasy sports, players can draft rosters of actual athletes, with the winners of fantasy games determined by the statistics of the athletes. Many games, like office pools, last all season.

The three companies offer what are known as “parlay-prop-style” games that could be more similar to sports-betting games that are off-limits in Florida.

“Under Florida law, betting or wagering on the result of contests of skill, such as sports betting, including fantasy sports betting, is strictly prohibited and constitutes a felony offense unless such activity is otherwise exempted by statute,” Trombetta’s letter said. “Accordingly, in Florida, sports betting may be lawfully conducted only pursuant to a gaming compact. … Further, receiving such illegal bets and wagers and aiding or abetting such criminal activities constitute separate felony offenses. … Lotteries are also strictly prohibited in Florida.”

A gaming compact is an agreement reached with the state.

The commission did not send letters to DraftKings and FanDuel, which have dominated the fantasy-sports market in the decade since the online games launched.

It was unclear Friday if the commission would crack down on other operators in the future, but emails show the gambling overseers could be casting a broad net.

“As you might imagine, my exec team asking what the letter means and seeking actionable advice, pretty urgently. Would like to discuss the substance at some point, but if you can help with one question, it would be great. Namely, Underdog operates multiple paid fantasy formats (season-long drafts, daily drafts, pick’em) and I just want to confirm my reading of the letter, which is that the legal conclusion applies to all paid fantasy contests — e.g., all of our contests — and not just particular types,” Nicholas Green, Underdog’s general counsel, wrote Friday to Ross Marshman, the commission’s general counsel.

“Your reading of the letter is correct,” Marshman replied.

John Lockwood, an attorney hired by multiple operators, warned that other companies could be swept up in the crackdown.

“The commission staff confirmed to me that the language in the letter broadly applies to all paid fantasy sports contests, and they are not aware of any paid fantasy sports company operating legally in Florida. We disagree on the merits and will be working with the commission and potentially the Legislature so we can ensure Florida sports fans can continue to play,” Lockwood said.

State lawmakers in the past have grappled with creating regulatory oversight for the fantasy-sports industry, to no avail. Proponents of fantasy sports have insisted that the contests are games of skill, not chance, and thus are legal under state gambling laws.

Trombetta issued the letters as a legal battle continues over a 2021 compact reached by the state and the Seminole Tribe. That deal gave the tribe control over sports betting in Florida.

A “hub and spoke” plan in the agreement would allow gamblers anywhere in the state to place bets online, with the wagers run through servers located on tribal lands. The deal requires sports betting to be “exclusively conducted” by the Seminoles but allows other operators to run fantasy sports contests.

Owners of West Flagler Associates and Fort Myers Corp., doing business as Bonita Springs Poker Room in Southwest Florida, filed a lawsuit challenging the compact, saying it violated federal law and would cause a “significant and potentially devastating impact” on their operations.

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., in November 2021 ruled that the deal violated a key Indian gambling law. But a three-judge panel of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in June reversed that decision. The appellate court last week denied a request for what is known as an “en banc” rehearing before the full court.

The pari-mutuel owners filed a motion saying they would ask the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in, arguing the panel’s decision conflicts with other appellate rulings and “enables an extreme shift in public policy on legalized gaming that, once started, may be difficult to stop.”

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Compliance Updates

Endorphina secures UAE Gaming-Related Vendor License (Tier II) from GCGRA

Published

20 hours ago

May 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

endorphina-secures-uae-gaming-related-vendor-license-(tier-ii)-from-gcgra

Endorphina Limited has been granted a Gaming-Related Vendor License (Tier II) by the UAE’s General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), positioning the supplier to operate in the country’s newly regulated commercial gaming market.

The company said it is among the early licensed entities in the UAE. It added that the license is granted subject to ongoing compliance with GCGRA regulations, conditions, and directives.

Džangar Jesenov, Head of Compliance at Endorphina, said:

“Over the past years, Endorphina has grown into a truly reputable, internationally recognized supplier, following a principle of gradual and sustainable development. Today, in terms of the number of jurisdictions where we are authorized to operate, we are proud to be ranked among the Тop providers worldwide. Receiving this license in the early stages of the UAE’s regulated gaming market is both an honor and a responsibility. We are excited to contribute to shaping a sustainable and innovative industry under the guidance of the GCGRA.”

Endorphina said the UAE approval supports its broader strategy of expanding across regulated markets.

The post Endorphina secures UAE Gaming-Related Vendor License (Tier II) from GCGRA appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Compliance Updates

Ukrainian Gambling Regulator Rolls Out Digital Complaints Platform

Published

2 days ago

May 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

ukrainian-gambling-regulator-rolls-out-digital-complaints-platform

The Ukrainian gambling regulator, PlayCity, has rolled out a new digital complaints platform that’s intended to streamline how the public can report illegal gambling advertisements. The complaints form is now live in the “For Citizens” section of PlayCity’s website, giving Ukrainian citizens a direct channel to help monitor and curb illegal gambling advertising.

The system enables citizens to flag suspected violations across multiple formats, including social media, websites, television, radio, outdoor billboards and other public spaces. Users submitting a complaint must identify the platform type, provide a direct link to the advertisement and attach supporting evidence such as screenshots or video clips.

The system is designed to automatically archive submissions and capture ephemeral content like social media “stories” so regulators can review material even after it disappears. PlayCity staff will screen each complaint to assess whether the content breaches Ukraine’s advertising rules.

If violations are confirmed, the regulator can request removal of content from platforms such as Meta, Google, TikTok, YouTube, Viber and Twitch. PlayCity said it could also seek to block social media accounts that repeatedly share unlawful gambling promotions, fine responsible parties or escalate cases to law enforcement when identities cannot be verified.

The statutory fine for illegal gambling advertising stands at cca. €100,900.

The new enforcement framework stems from Law No.9526d, the same legislation that abolished the previous gambling regulator KRAIL.

The post Ukrainian Gambling Regulator Rolls Out Digital Complaints Platform appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Armenian Parliamentary Committee on Economic Affairs

Armenia to Implement Strictest Gambling Regulations to Combat a Massive Surge in Addiction

Published

3 days ago

May 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

armenia-to-implement-strictest-gambling-regulations-to-combat-a-massive-surge-in-addiction

At its meeting on last Wednesday, the Armenian Parliamentary Committee on Economic Affairs postponed the first reading of amendments to the Law “On Regulation of Gambling Activities” and several related laws until the next meeting for further revision.

Hayk Sargsyan, the author of the legislative initiative and a member of parliament from the ruling Civil Contract faction, stated that the volume of online casino bets in Armenia has increased more than 35-fold over the past eight years.

“While in 2017, the volume of online casino bets was 0.2 trillion drams, in 2025, it will increase more than 35-fold, reaching 7.4 trillion drams. Online casinos have become a scourge and a plague for our people,” Sargsyan said.

According to him, hundreds of thousands of citizens are wasting their money on gambling addiction. Regardless of their location, they have 24/7 access to online casinos and are unable to break their addiction.

“In an attempt to recoup their money, citizens are accumulating debts and loans, thereby further worsening an already critical situation. Under the current circumstances, the National Assembly is obliged to take preventive measures aimed at maximally restricting participation in online casinos for individuals who no longer want to gamble but are unable to overcome their addiction, as well as those in dire social situations or those using government support programs,” Sargsyan said.

The bill proposes establishing a mandatory requirement: all online casinos must place a publicly accessible self-blocking button on their websites and apps.

“After clicking this button, playing at online casinos will be prohibited for a period of five years, with no possibility of early reinstatement. After this period, the ban is automatically extended for another five years unless the citizen submits an application to lift the restriction five days before its expiration. Information about the self-ban will be communicated to the gaming operator. Activity in other online casinos and gaming platforms will also be suspended,” Sargsyan said.

He also stated the need to prohibit participation in online gaming for recipients of social benefits, individuals whose primary source of income is a pension, individuals in bankruptcy proceedings and participants in subsidy programmes implemented with funding or co-financing from the state budget. Furthermore, it is proposed to set a limit on participation in online gaming at 20% of annually declared income.

Government representatives approved amendments that are planned to come into effect on January 1, 2027, following the introduction of the gaming operator institution, which will likely be selected mid-year and implemented as soon as possible.

The post Armenia to Implement Strictest Gambling Regulations to Combat a Massive Surge in Addiction appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.