Entain cuts jobs, Yggdrasil debuts in the US, Evolution’s acquisition of Galaxy falls short

The week has been busy with numerous events defining it. From major layoffs to important market entries, this was the week in gambling news.

Starting, Yggdrasil has achieved a historic milestone with the company entering the market in the United States.

The supplier of some of the best-known online casino games in the world has signed a content partnership with Caesars Entertainment and entered both New Jersey and Michigan with the operator’s websites.

As a result, Yggdrasil’s games, including high-performing franchises and releases such as the Ancient Egypt-inspired 5x5 slot game Valley of the Gods, are now available across Caesars Palace Online Casino, Caesars Sportsbook & Casino, as well as Horseshoe Online Casino.

Business and finance

The Evolution Gaming acquisition of Galaxy Gaming, a supplier, has fallen through. First announced in 2024, a deadline that expired on July 17, 2026, has not been met, with the companies failing to obtain two regulatory approvals to bring the deal forward.

Despite the outcome, both Evolution Gaming and Galaxy Gaming signaled that they were content with the development, and confirmed that they are prepared to continue collaborating in the future, as they develop their commercial footprint.

Galaxy Gaming’s President and CEO, Matt Reback, has noted that his company has achieved significant growth since the attempted buyout was announced, and Evolution Gaming CEO Martin Carlesund argued that "due to its size, the transaction is not significant for Evolution."

Evolution Gaming proposed to pay $85m to buy the company in 2024. The company will also pay a $5.2m fee to Galaxy Gaming as the transaction did not materialize.

In another major industry shake-up, Entain, one of the world’s most influential companies, has confirmed that it is shedding as many as 500 jobs. This comes as a surprise, after the company previously said that it would not be looking into immediate workforce reduction.

However, the latest confirmation of hundreds of layoffs has come with a confirmation that the company has been planning this for a while. In fact, by the time of the announcement, some people had already been let go.

Entain has categorically denied that the layoffs had to do with the recent changes in the tax regime in the United Kingdom, rebuffing such claims as inaccurate. Recently, Entain sold a stake in its Central and Eastern European joint venture to partner EMMA Capital.

Regulation and laws

At least two DraftKings employees have been named in a recent scandal involving prop college bets. One of the two, Samuel Silverman, has already been charged, with as many as five people involved. According to court records, Silverman had a DraftKings colleague, who was also his roommate, place wagers on various college events.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has cracked down on more illegal gambling websites. In the latest round of enforcement, ACMA has targeted 10 operators, ordering Internet Service Providers to shut down access to them from the country. The regulator has been systematically building up its list of blocked websites, with more than 1,700 on it as of today.

In the meantime, the French Gambling Authority has ordered Polymarket to be blocked in the country. The decision comes after the regulator cited consumer protection risks and further argued that prediction markets still constitute gambling under national law. Polymarket is facing similar pressure in other jurisdictions across Europe, including Ireland, Spain, Italy, and Germany, to name a few.

In a separate report, Kalshi, a rival prediction market platform, has been named as the place where a long-time teleprompter operator for President Donald Trump had been betting on the President’s speeches. The operator is reportedly in talks with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to settle the matter.

The storied winner of the $167m Powerball in Kentucky has ended up in further legal trouble after fresh charges have been brought against the man over a suspected hit-and-run committed months earlier.

James Farthing, a man with a rather long rap sheet, won the Powerball in 2025, and vowed to do things differently this time around. Since he has won, however, he has punched an officer of the law, faced additional charges which were later dropped, and is now suspected of the hit-and-run.

Kalshi continues to face increased scrutiny in the United States after a Washington judge granted the state’s request to block the platform’s event contracts in the jurisdiction. The effect of the decision has been deferred to early next month when Kalshi will have to comply.

Responsible gambling

A talented electronic sports player of the highest caliber, capable of carrying an entire game on his back, Lee Sang-hyeok, or as his fans know him, "Faker," has become an official cyber gambling prevention ambassador and received the distinction of Senior Policeman during an official ceremony.

The legendary player has responded readily to his new responsibilities and has vowed to do everything in his power to help promote awareness of cyber gambling and the harm it can do to young and vulnerable people.

Ryan Gold, Arizona Cardinals’ director of college scouting, has been suspended on suspicion that the executive has engaged in prohibited practices, such as sharing private information with third parties, potentially linked to gambling activities. Gold himself is said to have placed parlay bets. Gold’s attorney has rebuffed the accusations, calling them demonstrably false.

The voice of the industry

In a comprehensive study, Casino Guru News has looked into the number of live dealers in Las Vegas, with the number of these professionals declining over the years.

"The number of dealers per casino in Vegas has decreased from 124 in 2010 to 88 in 2025, a 29% decrease, despite 29 more casinos open now than in 2010," the study pointed out. You can read more here.

In the latest episode of iGaming Horizon, AI hosts Nate and Mike go through some of the biggest developments in the gambling industry and deliver their insight into the events of the day. You can listen to the podcast here.

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