ACMA blocks illegal gambling websites, Kalshi faces lawsuit in Washington, Aristocrat to change CEO

During a time when event contracts face increased scrutiny, the popular platform that offers contracts on sports events, Robinhood, sued the state AG in Missouri. The company received a cease-and-desist letter from the Missouri Gaming Commission ordering it to stop offering sports event contracts. However, Robinhood argued that the order is illegal.

The popular trading platform's lawsuit echoes one filed by rival Kalshi. Robinhood stated that it cannot comply with gaming laws in Missouri, considering that its products are regulated on a federal level. Attempting to comply with gaming state laws may jeopardize its federal status, Robinhood claimed.

The UK Gambling Commission, the country's gambling regulator, continues to crack down on illegal gambling. The gambling watchdog has gone after 7.7m illegal gambling URLs between July and September, effectively blocking access to those unregulated websites. Despite the major progress made by the Gambling Commission, illegal gambling websites are easy to set up and clones often appear despite initial blocking. Still, the latest accomplishment highlights the ongoing focus of the Commission to combat illegal gambling offering.

Business and finance

Bragg Gaming Group announced that its CEO, Matevž Mazij, has stepped down from his role. The company immediately announced a successor, selecting COO Morten Tonnesen, who assumed the CEO role on an interim basis. At the same time, Bragg Gaming will search for a permanent successor to the senior-level position.

Matt Davey, Bragg Gaming's Chairman, had this to say: "On behalf of the board, I want to thank Matevž for his service as CEO and for everything he has built at the company. He founded Oryx, successfully merged it into the company, and has led Bragg through a demanding period in the industry."

Brightstar Lottery released its Q3 2026 financial results, highlighting performance in line with expectations. Although the company's Q3 revenue decreased by 4% year-over-year to $607m, Brightstar maintained focus on the execution of strategic objectives and growing its presence in Italy and the United States.

Vince Sadusky, Brightstar Lottery’s CEO, discussed the Q3 2026 figures, saying: "Revenue and profit were in line with our expectations, even as we invest to strengthen our contract portfolio, expand our technology and service offerings, and accelerate game and product innovation."

Just like Bragg Gaming, Aristocrat is also transitioning to a new CEO. This week, Aristocrat confirmed that its CEO and Managing Director, Trevor Croker, will be stepping down in April 2027. The company named Dafne Guisard as a successor to the CEO role, with her appointment being subject to relevant regulatory pre-approvals.

Guisard and Croker will collaborate for the smooth transition of responsibilities. Sharing her excitement, Aristocrat's CEO-elect revealed she is honored to lead the company. Once Croker steps down from his position in April, Guisard will assume the CEO role and oversee the future growth of the business.

Regulation and laws

The Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission released an updated AML/CFT guidance for gambling operators. The update expands and enhances the existing guidance, putting emphasis on potential threats casino operators face when signing deals with B2B platforms, technology and solutions providers. Ultimately, the Commission expands the existing guidance without additional requirements, but gambling operators are still encouraged to consider potential risks associated with B2B agreements.

One Washington state resident, who traded on Kalshi and lost $308,000, filed a lawsuit seeking to recover his original "gambling losses." The trader argues that the platform violated Washington's gambling laws, which resulted in him losing hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The plaintiff's lawsuit against Kalshi is for at least $580,000 and his complaint is based on the gambling statutes currently in effect in Washington. The lawsuit comes amid increased scrutiny on prediction market platforms across the country.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) announced bans against three gambling websites, claiming they do not have the necessary license to offer sports betting or games of chance to players across Australia. Citing a violation of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, the Authority issued blocking orders against Gday77, SpinBet and X4Bet.

ACMA regularly monitors online gambling websites and in cases of breaches of local laws, it blocks access to such outlets. Since the Authority initiated the crackdown on illegal gambling in November 2019, to date, 1,850 illegal gambling and affiliate websites have been blocked.

Elsewhere, the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has announced a ban for a recent Casumo promotional campaign. The media regulator claimed that the 28-day campaign violated responsible gambling rules by incentivizing players to deposit and complete daily missions for a chance at a reward. According to the ASA, the campaign violated the CAP Code rules.

Responsible gambling

Reaffirming its dedication to protecting consumers and combatting excessive gambling, the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) joined the inaugural Illegal Gambling Awareness Week. The initiative is hosted by the International Association of Gaming Regulators and supported by the MGCB.

Ultimately, the campaign focuses on helping consumers identify the dangers of using illegal, unlicensed gambling websites. The International Association of Gaming Regulators introduced a website called CheckBeforeYouPlay.org, which enables consumers to check if a gambling website is regulated in the jurisdiction they are in.

Change the Game Ohio, a statewide public awareness and education initiative, kicked off a new campaign ahead of the upcoming holiday season. The campaign warns about the risks associated with gifting lottery or scratch-off tickets to children. Raising awareness, Change the Game Ohio encourages parents to consider alternative gifts for kids and take a closer look at what presents they give. The effort comes after recent research by Rutgers University’s Center for Gambling Studies uncovered that 43% of American teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 gambled in the last year.

The voice of the industry

This week, Casino Guru News released an analysis focusing on the popular casino term theo. The phrase, short for theoretical or theoretical loss, is an important metric used by casinos to estimate the expected value of individual customers. At the same time, understanding theo can also be beneficial for gamblers, who can better distinguish wins from losses and why some complimentary services are not free benefits.

Just in time for Friday the 13th, Casino Guru News published an analysis focusing on MLB’s unluckiest teams. The comprehensive report focused on several key aspects of the teams' performance during the last season, determining which was the most unfortunate MLB team.

Earlier this week, Casino Guru News published an op-ed report from the award-winning NFL reporter, insider and analyst, Jason La Canfora, who spoke about the recent trades completed by the Jacksonville Jaguars, highlighting their potential as a Super Bowl contender. A separate report by La Canfora focused on the Las Vegas Raiders and the recent promotion of Fernando Mendoza.

At SiGMA Rome 2026, Casino Guru News had the opportunity to talk to Olga Resiga, SOFTSWISS' Chief Business Development Officer, who spoke about the company's ambitions and growing product ecosystem. Notably, Resiga highlighted the importance of delivering a customized portfolio while discussing recent challenges the gambling sector is facing.

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