Compliance Updates

Texas House Passes Bill to Abolish Texas Lottery Commission

Published

8 months ago

May 27, 2025

texas-house-passes-bill-to-abolish-texas-lottery-commission

The Texas House has approved legislation to abolish the Texas Lottery Commission and reform lottery operations after multiple scandals have rocked the agency.

Authored by State Sen. Bob Hall (R-Edgewood), Senate Bill 3070 abolishes the commission that has overseen the lottery since shortly after its founding in 1991, moving operations to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

As originally written, the bill would also limit ticket sales per transaction, require age verification at the point of sale, push the agency into a two year probationary period and provide for greater oversight of the lottery—oversight that has been either intentionally or unintentionally lacking.

In January, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick made an impromptu visit to a lottery ticket reseller responsible for selling millions of tickets online. During the course of his visit, he was denied access to the area where ticket printing was taking place.

The bill, as originally written, would allow the lieutenant governor, Speaker of the House, attorney general, and governor the ability to act as inspectors of lottery operations.

At the eleventh hour, State Rep. Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth) offered a 58-page amendment to the measure that removed this and other critical parts of the bill. It was this amended bill that was, according to Geren, drafted with the lottery vendors, colloquially called stakeholders, that ultimately passed the House.

Among other changes, the Geren amendment changed vendor and employee retention.

While it was argued that the current employees would provide for a smoother transition from the TLC to TDLR, this would include members of the staff who were complicit in the extra legislative expansion of gambling in the state of Texas, and covering for the lottery’s multiple sins.

The Geren amendment, passed under the watchful eye of IGT’s lobbyist and former chief of staff to Gov. Greg Abbott, Luis Sanez, also guarantees that the state lottery contract will remain with its current vendor, IGT. According to a lawsuit filed in Houston, the company played a critical role in an international gambling syndicate’s rigging of the April 2023 $95 million jackpot.

According to testimony given to the Texas Senate State Affairs Committee, representatives from IGT were onsite for hours during the ticket printing at a location that conducted no retail business, which is against state rules. This is the same location where children were filmed printing tickets.

Geren, a longtime proponent of expanding gambling in Texas, failed to pass a bill last session that would have allowed casino gambling in the state. This session, the lottery, and its corrupt operation took all the oxygen out of the room.

State Rep. Brent Money (R-Greenville) offered an amendment to Geren’s amendment that would have abolished the lottery and not just the commission. Money’s amendment failed by a vote of 71-58.

Geren’s amendment was ultimately adopted in a vote of 91-44.

The legislation passed in a vote of 110-29.

Now, the bill requires one more vote in the House before going back to the Senate for either approval or to be reconciled in a conference committee.

If the bill is not reconciled, the lottery may be abolished, or a special session could be forced to save the corruption-plagued institution.

The post Texas House Passes Bill to Abolish Texas Lottery Commission appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Dutch Regulator Outlines 5 Key Supervisory Priorities for 2026 Agenda

Published

2 hours ago

January 23, 2026

Wladimir P.

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The Dutch Gambling Regulator (KSA) has announced that it will place a greater focus on combating illegality and player protection in its oversight in 2026. The regulator outlined its priorities for 2026 in five key themes.

In 2026, the KSA will pay extra attention to the following topics:

• Combating illegal gambling offers

• Protection of vulnerable groups: minors and young adults

• Supervision of the duty of care

• Supervision of advertising

• Supervision of compliance with the Wwft

Additional capacity is being freed up to combat illegal gambling, primarily to frustrate and disable the infrastructure of illegal parties. This could include closer collaboration with payment service providers, hosting providers and social media companies.

The increased priority on protecting vulnerable groups and enhanced oversight of advertising and duty of care aligns with the Ministry’s renewed vision, which places a greater emphasis on player protection. A separate player protection department has been established for this purpose within the KSA’s new organisational structure, effective from January 2026.

The post Dutch Regulator Outlines 5 Key Supervisory Priorities for 2026 Agenda appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Arizona Department of Gaming Names Juan Carlos Estrada as Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts Executive Director

Published

22 hours ago

January 22, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

arizona-department-of-gaming-names-juan-carlos-estrada-as-boxing-and-mixed-martial-arts-executive-director

Two decades of agency experience inform Executive Director’s new post

The Arizona Department of Gaming (Department) announced that it has appointed Juan Carlos Estrada as Executive Director, Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts (BMMA). A long time employee of the Department with roles spanning regulation and operations, including for high-profile boxing and mixed martial arts events and activities, Estrada will now serve as Executive Director of BMMA and will also continue to hold the position of Assistant Director of BMMA and Racing.

The Department’s Division of Boxing and MMA supports the Arizona State Boxing and MMA Commission in its regulation of unarmed combat sporting events taking place in Arizona, including licensing fighters, referees, judges, inspectors, and physicians. The Commission licensed over 1,027 fighters, promoters, and event officials in Fiscal Year 2025, while overseeing 28 events, including nine events that were also televised worldwide.

“Over the past decade, Juan Carlos Estrada has served in various capacities regulating the unarmed combat sports industry in Arizona supervising hundreds of boxing, mixed martial arts and muay thai events,” said Jackie Johnson, Director, Arizona Department of Gaming. “He has earned a reputation for a balanced and transparent approach as a state regulator, and I’m thrilled to congratulate him on this milestone.”

With past roles since 2004 including Investigator, Racing Steward, and Employee Certification Unit Supervisor, Estrada has continued to work collaboratively and across divisions to promote fair and effective regulation. In the Executive Director position, he will serve as the direct liaison between the Arizona Boxing and MMA Commission and the Department, and will lead all responsibilities and initiatives with respect to unarmed combat sports – ensuring the health and safety of participants and enforcing applicable laws and rules.

“I’m humbled to accept my appointment as the Executive Director of Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts,” said Estrada. “I want to sincerely thank the promoters, athletes, officials, and my colleagues for the trust and confidence they have given me over the years. I’m looking forward to continuing to serve the public while ensuring that contests are safe, fair, and regulated.”

A Native Arizonan, Estrada has given back to his community by volunteering for the City of Phoenix Police and Fire departments while continuing his leadership at the Department and attaining professional development in the industry. His experience includes working with organizations like the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), King of the Cage, Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA), and numerous regional and local promotions.

The post Arizona Department of Gaming Names Juan Carlos Estrada as Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts Executive Director appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Compliance Updates

Cyprus Betting Authority Deploys 150 Secret Agents to Conduct Raids on Betting Agencies

Published

1 day ago

January 22, 2026

Wladimir P.

cyprus-betting-authority-deploys-150-secret-agents-to-conduct-raids-on-betting-agencies

The Cyprus NBA is significantly ramping up its regulatory oversight for 2026. Raids on betting agencies are being carried out by “undercover” agents as part of stepped-up checks by the NBA to ensure compliance with the law.

The NBA has procured inspection services from the private sector, deploying 150 undercover agents who pose as customers and enter betting premises unannounced.

While on site, the agents monitor staff conduct, check whether illegal bets are being placed and verify that minors are not present.

Alongside these surprise visits, NBA officers also carry out on-site inspections and monitor betting websites used by hundreds of players, while inspections are also conducted to identify potential money-laundering activity.

The issues related to the violations of rules were raised during a meeting of the House Finance Committee, where an NBA representative said the Authority imposed fines totalling €46,000 last year.

Of that amount, €26,000 related to breaches linked to the lack of required licences, with the remainder stemming from the presence of minors on premises and other violations of the legislation.

At the same time, data submitted to parliament showed that bets worth €1.3 billion were placed last year, with players receiving €1.17bn in winnings.

Against that backdrop, and following an increase in the betting tax, state revenue from betting rose to €6 million, up from €3.2m a year earlier.

During the discussion, it was also noted that a draft bill has been pending at the Ministry of Finance for around a year.

The bill provides for new products and services, as well as enhanced safeguards for responsible gaming and the protection of minors.

A representative of the ministry clarified that there are no plans to introduce online casino games.

Expected revenue from betting activity is projected at €71.85m this year, an increase of 28.03 per cent, or €15.73m, compared with 2025.

Revenue is forecast to rise further to €75.27m in 2027 and €78.59m in 2028.

Breaking down the figures, betting tax is expected to generate €53m, licence fees €8.2m and betting activity contributions €10m.

Class A and Class B licence holders pay tax at a rate of 10 per cent on net betting earnings, with Class A covering land-based betting and Class B online betting.

In addition, €32m relates to betting tax on Opap’s Cyprus’ gross profits under the new contract, while licences for Class A and B operators, authorised representatives and premises are expected to bring in €2.8m.

A further €5m concerns Opap’s Cyprus’ licence fee and €0.4m its supervision contribution, also under the revised agreement.

The post Cyprus Betting Authority Deploys 150 Secret Agents to Conduct Raids on Betting Agencies appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.