Virgin Bet enters South Africa in first global move

- Virgin Bet has gone live in South Africa, marking the brand’s first expansion outside the United Kingdom since its 2019 launch.
- The platform, operated by LiveScore Group, is available at Virginbet.co.za and targets the country’s football, rugby, and cricket audiences.
- South Africa is Africa’s largest regulated gambling market, with 1.5 trillion rand…

https://www.igamingrepublic.com/virgin-bet-enters-south-africa-in-first-global-move/

Washington sues Kalshi over gambling law violations

- Washington AG Nick Brown filed a civil lawsuit against Kalshi on 27 March, alleging its event-based contracts constitute illegal online gambling under state law.
- The filing is the latest in more than 20 state-level actions against prediction market platforms, following Arizona’s first criminal charges filed on 17 March.
- A bipartisan Senate bill…

https://www.igamingrepublic.com/washington-sues-kalshi-over-gambling-law-violations/

FanDuel sunsets Picks platform after only 8 months

- FanDuel is closing FanDuel Picks, its peer-to-peer pick’em fantasy game, less than eight months after its official August 2025 launch.
- The product will stop accepting new entries on 23 April, with customer accounts remaining accessible for withdrawals until 29 May.
- The closure coincides with the separate wind-down of FanDuel TV, with more…

https://www.igamingrepublic.com/fanduel-sunsets-picks-platform-after-only-8-months/

Judge allows DraftKings to use March Madness terms for now

- US District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt denied the NCAA’s request for a temporary restraining order against DraftKings on 27 March.
- The judge found the NCAA failed to demonstrate irreparable harm, noting DraftKings has used the contested terms for more than five years without legal challenge.
- The case remains active in the Southern…

https://www.igamingrepublic.com/judge-allows-draftkings-to-use-march-madness-terms-for-now/

Balkans forms first cross-border gambling trade body

- AGOS of Serbia hosted and co-initiated the founding of the Balkan Gaming Federation (BGF) alongside Bulgaria’s AOGGAB, with five further national associations signing a Memorandum of Cooperation in Belgrade.
- The BGF is the first coordinated regional platform of its kind for the Balkans, representing online and land-based operators, suppliers and manufacturers across seven…

https://www.igamingrepublic.com/balkans-forms-first-cross-border-gambling-trade-body/

Kambi signs long-term sportsbook deal with Pari-Mutuel Urbain

- Kambi has signed a long-term Turnkey Sportsbook agreement with Pari-Mutuel Urbain, marking the supplier’s first entry into France’s regulated sports betting market.
- PMU will deploy Kambi’s AI-powered pricing, trading and risk management capabilities alongside a bespoke front-end tailored to the French operator’s brand.
- The deal forms part of PMU’s broader Pacte PMU…

https://www.igamingrepublic.com/kambi-signs-long-term-sportsbook-deal-with-pari-mutuel-urbain/

José Mourinho enters GR8 Tech’s Champions Club

GR8 Tech and José Mourinho have come together in a partnership built for the Champions Club—GR8 Tech’s exclusive community for partners who compete at a championship level, where technology, expertise, and a culture of performance replace luck as the path to results.

Because championship is not a moment. It is a method—one that shows up…

https://www.igamingrepublic.com/jose-mourinho-enters-gr8-techs-champions-club/

William Hill set to close 200 shops, 1,500 jobs at risk

- Evoke plans to shut about 200 William Hill betting shops across Britain from 24 May, with up to 1,500 jobs at risk.
- The company cited rising cost pressures and UK gambling-tax changes announced in last November’s Autumn Budget as the drivers behind the decision.
- Remote Gaming Duty rises from 21% to 40%…

https://www.igamingrepublic.com/william-hill-set-to-close-200-shops-1500-jobs-at-risk/

BetMGM joins rivals in credit card ban

- BetMGM begins blocking new credit card additions from March 31, with existing cards to be phased out over time.
- The announcement came during a Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board meeting where BetMGM was also fined $100,000 for KYC failures.
- DraftKings and FanDuel have already implemented similar bans, accelerating a wider industry shift away…

https://www.igamingrepublic.com/betmgm-joins-rivals-in-credit-card-ban/

Brazil lawmaker slams data gap on illegal betting

- Brazilian Deputy Julio Lopes has called the absence of official government data on the size of the illegal gambling market “absurd”.
- The SPA puts up to 70% of bets in the legal market, yet industry groups say piracy still accounts for roughly half of all activity.
- The SPA has confirmed it is…

https://www.igamingrepublic.com/brazil-lawmaker-slams-data-gap-on-illegal-betting/

New York bill takes aim at proxy betting and AI

- The New York Assembly passed NY A.9584 by a unanimous 142-0 vote, introducing a bill package of KYC, monitoring, risk-assessment, and responsible gaming requirements for mobile sports wagering operators.
- Governor Kathy Hochul previewed draft Gaming Commission rules covering AI limits, age-assurance and device-registration controls, biometric age assurance, and phased responsible gaming interventions.
-…

https://www.igamingrepublic.com/new-york-bill-takes-aim-at-proxy-betting-and-ai/

HIPTHER Prague Summit 2026 becomes history: 400 industry leaders celebrate 10 years of impact in a landmark edition

The HIPTHER Prague Summit 2026 has officially concluded, marking not only the end of another exceptional edition, but the celebration of a defining milestone: 10 Years of Impact.

Bringing together nearly 400 professionals from across iGaming, technology, fintech, compliance, AI, and blockchain, this year’s summit stood as the most ambitious and dynamic edition to date…

https://www.igamingrepublic.com/hipther-prague-summit-2026-becomes-history-400-industry-leaders-celebrate-10-years-of-impact-in-a-landmark-edition/

SOFTSWISS x Marketing Decoded: positioning statements, brand evolution, and why retention is harder than growth

- Marketing Decoded debuts at ICE Barcelona 2026, featuring seven CMOs and marketing leaders from major B2B iGaming providers.
- In this episode, Valentina Bagniya, CMO at SOFTSWISS, discusses why marketers fail to convince C-suite leadership, how positioning drives brand strategy, and why brand has become the last growth lever in a maturing industry.
-…

https://www.igamingrepublic.com/softswiss-x-marketing-decoded-positioning-statements-brand-evolution-and-why-retention-is-harder-than-growth/

Predict Street gets Gibraltar’s first prediction market licence

- Gibraltar has issued its first prediction market licence to Predict Street Ltd under the territory’s existing 2005 Gambling Act.
- The operator claims to be the official prediction market partner of the 2026 Fifa World Cup, with a platform launch set for 9 April.
- Minister Nigel Feetham framed the move as a direct…

https://www.igamingrepublic.com/predict-street-gets-gibraltars-first-prediction-market-licence/

Romania’s gambling regulator beats Polymarket in court, platform remains banned

- A Romanian court has rejected Polymarket’s bid to suspend ONJN’s blacklisting decision.
- ONJN President Vlad-Cristian Soare says the ruling confirms the legitimacy of the regulator’s enforcement action.
- The outcome carries implications for prediction market platforms operating across Europe without a gambling licence.

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Romania’s National Office for Gambling (ONJN) has won the…

https://www.igamingrepublic.com/romanias-gambling-regulator-beats-polymarket-in-court-platform-remains-banned/

ICONIC21 signs Lynon in continued distribution drive

- ICONIC21 has entered a strategic content distribution agreement with casino aggregator Lynon, opening its full multi-vertical portfolio to the platform’s global operator network.
- The integration covers live casino, slots, and virtual games, with the Gravity Series and newly launched Gravity Wheel among the headline titles.
- The Lynon deal is the latest in…

https://www.igamingrepublic.com/iconic21-signs-lynon-in-continued-distribution-drive/

Altenar files dual lawsuits against Sportradar over data access

- Altenar Technologies has filed antitrust complaints against Sportradar in the US District Court of New Jersey and London’s High Court.
- The suits allege Sportradar abused its exclusive control over official US sports league data to block a rival sportsbook platform from the market.
- Sportradar has rejected the claims, saying it strongly disagrees…

https://www.igamingrepublic.com/altenar-files-dual-lawsuits-against-sportradar-over-data-access/

Alberta to open iGaming market on July 13

- Alberta will open its regulated iGaming and sports betting market on July 13, becoming Canada’s second open market after Ontario.
- The launch date was confirmed by Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally in a letter to industry stakeholders.
- Grey market operators must cease unregulated activity by July 13, with limited extensions available until…

https://www.igamingrepublic.com/alberta-to-open-igaming-market-on-july-13/

UKGC reinstates Spribe gambling software licence

- The UK Gambling Commission lifted Spribe OÜ’s suspended gambling software licence on 30 March 2026, five months after imposing it.
- The regulator suspended the licence on 30 October 2025 under section 118(2) of the Gambling Act 2005, citing non-compliance with hosting requirements.
- Sweden’s Spelinspektionen separately issued Spribe a formal warning and a…

https://www.igamingrepublic.com/ukgc-reinstates-spribe-gambling-software-licence/