Compliance Updates
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.”
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in India (MeitY) has introduced a revised regulatory framework for the online gaming sector, adopting what it calls a “light-touch” approach that keeps most online social games outside mandatory registration or classification requirements.
Announced by MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan, the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026 are set to come into force on May 1, operationalising the provisions of the PROG Act, 2025 while attempting to strike a balance between oversight and ease of doing business.
At the centre of the framework is a newly constituted Online Gaming Authority, a digital office under MeitY that brings together representatives from finance, information and broadcasting, health, sports, power, justice and external affairs signalling a cross-sectoral approach to governance in a space that cuts across policy domains.
The rules redraw the regulatory boundaries by clearly distinguishing between prohibited real-money gaming formats and permissible categories such as online social games and e-sports. Crucially, classification or “determination” of a game will not be automatic. It will be triggered only in three cases: when initiated by the authority, when a service provider applies (especially for e-sports), or when the government notifies specific categories.
Once triggered, the determination process will follow a 90 day timeline, with outcomes issued through formal orders that apply only to the specific game and publisher, rather than across similar titles.
Registration, too, has been narrowed in scope. It will apply only to notified categories involving financial risk or large-scale participation, along with all e-sports titles. As of now, no categories have been formally notified, with the provision described as enabling rather than mandatory.
Beyond classification, the framework leans heavily on compliance and user safety. Platforms will be required to implement technical and behavioural safeguards, alongside a two-tier grievance redressal system and an appellate route through the authority. Additional obligations include data retention, cybersecurity standards, financial transaction monitoring and periodic reporting extending compliance responsibilities to banks and financial institutions as well.
Structurally, the rules simplify earlier drafts by removing provisions such as a separate section on promoting e-sports and the concept of “material change,” reducing room for interpretational ambiguity. The authority itself will comprise six members, with stricter quorum norms and faster emergency response timelines cut from seven days to three.
Registration validity has been extended to up to 10 years, while suspension and cancellation processes now include a mandatory opportunity for hearing, reflecting a more formalised enforcement mechanism.
The ministry said the revisions incorporate feedback from around 2500 stakeholders, spanning industry, academia, think tanks and legal experts many of whom had flagged concerns around definitions, governance structures and regulatory clarity.
The post India: Online Gaming Act to Come into Force on May 1 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
CT Interactive has strengthened its presence in Bulgaria’s regulated iGaming market by expanding its certified portfolio with 20 new titles. This strategic move underscores the company’s commitment to delivering high-quality and engaging gaming content tailored to the Bulgarian market.
As part of the expansion, CT Interactive introduces new games to its multicurrency, multi-game progressive Diamond Tree Jackpot, including HOT 7’s X2 Diamond Tree and Wild Clover Diamond Tree. These titles are also available as original versions without the Diamond Tree feature and have already demonstrated strong player engagement and retention across multiple international markets.
The company has also added new releases to its successful Clover-themed line, including Cave of Clovers and Lucky Clover 20, the latest addition to the beloved series. These games feature vintage-inspired graphics and nostalgic design elements that enhance player engagement while maintaining the charm that has made the Clover series a favourite among players worldwide.
Additionally, CT Interactive launches Win Storm Deluxe, the highly anticipated sequel to the internationally successful Win Storm. This new release builds on the original concept and introduces Free Games, delivering an even more dynamic and exciting gameplay experience.
A selection of fresh titles is also being introduced to provide new gaming experiences for Bulgarian operators. Games such as 100x Cherry Party, 40 Hell’s Cherries, and Hell’s Cherries each offer a unique approach, enriching the portfolio and providing players with a wider variety of engaging content.
“Certification in Bulgaria is an important part of our European growth strategy. By expanding our portfolio, we are not only strengthening our market presence, but also providing Bulgarian operators with a proven successful and more diverse content offering,” said Martin Ivanov, COO of CT Interactive.
“With every new certification, we reaffirm our commitment to strengthening partnerships in regulated markets and to being a provider of high-quality content that performs well for every operator,” said Kiril Kirilov, Chief Customer Success Officer at CT Interactive.
The post CT Interactive Expands its Certified Portfolio in Bulgaria appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
The Oklahoma State Senate has rejected a bill last Wednesday that would have legalized sports betting for tribal nations across the state. The bill had garnered support from the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association one day earlier.
House Bill 1047 failed by a 21-27 vote. It was proposed last year by Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City, and Rep. Ken Luttrell, R-Ponca City.
During a debate on the state senate floor, Coleman said that prediction markets already exist in Oklahoma, but the state does not benefit from them.
“It does not create a new avenue of gambling. You can legally make a sports bet right now, and it’s unregulated and we get nothing. This bill contains a regulated alternative to legal sports betting with platforms who are very concerned about problem gaming,” Coleman said.
Critics of the bill who spoke on the floor told Coleman they did not want to contribute to sports betting addiction.
Coleman asked the Senate to reconsider the issue in the future after voting ended. A spokesperson for Coleman wrote he could return the bill to the floor in the next few days. That would require finding necessary votes within his caucus.
The measure would have granted tribes the exclusive right to implement in-person and mobile sports betting throughout Oklahoma as a supplement to the State-Tribal Gaming Act of 2004, which gives the tribes sole authority over gaming through exclusivity fees paid to the state.
Those fees would derive from 8% of sports betting earnings. But any revenue from NBA and WNBA wagers would go toward the Strong Readers Act Fund, signed into law last week.
The OKC Thunder and a supermajority of tribes in the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association announced their support for the measure last Tuesday after the parties reached an agreement to revise the bill.
But a spokesperson at the Oklahoma Governor’s Office wrote that Gov. Kevin Stitt does not support expanding the state’s tribal gaming compact.
“The Governor is not interested in expanding Democrat Gov. Brad Henry’s bad gaming compact that lacks transparency and fair market rates,” a texted statement reads.
The statement did not clarify if Stitt would have vetoed the measure.
Stitt has regularly opposed sports betting bills that would grant gaming exclusivity to tribal nations. Last year, he said exclusivity would grant the tribes a monopoly that would clash with a free market system.
Coleman, Luttrell, the governor’s office and the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the vote.
The post Oklahoma Senate Rejects the Latest Sports Betting Bill appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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