Entain supports UK's plan to restrict unlicensed gambling ads, BetBlocker expands with Turkish localization

Crown Melbourne announced its largest renovation in the past 30 years. The venue announced its plans to undergo an extensive development improving dining, entertainment and public spaces. The upgrades of the property are expected to cost Crown Melbourne a whopping AU$200m, or roughly $142m.

Leading betting and gaming company DraftKings announced the launch of its online sportsbook in Puerto Rico. The rollout complements the company's ongoing expansion and reaffirms its leadership position in the betting vertical.

At the same time, a false advertising lawsuit against DraftKings is set to continue in Massachusetts. The progress follows the decision of a judge to allow part of a consumer protection lawsuit against the operator to move forward, while some of the claims have been dismissed.

Business and finance

During a time when more companies are focusing on Artificial Intelligence (AI), opportunities for optimizing expenses often result in the slashing of the workforce. Recently, DraftKings announced that it may be reducing its headcount, although it did not attribute the potential layoffs to AI. Still, the company said it may save up to $30m annually once the restructuring is completed.

Scientific Games strengthened its C-suite with the appointment of Rich Wasserman to the role of SVP of Product Engineering. The former senior leader with experience working for Facebook and Amazon brings skills accumulated over more than 20 years. As SVP of Product Engineering, he will oversee Scientific Games' global product portfolio, helping it advance its hardware and software solutions, bolster customer engagement and bring long-term value to the company's partners.

This week, Seminole Gaming and Hard Rock International announced several senior-level appointments. Per the announcement, Justin Wyborn was appointed to the role of SVP and General Manager at the upcoming Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, while Bo Guidry assumed the role of President of Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati. At the same time, Seminole Gaming and Hard Rock hired Travis Lunn and Randy Morton for the roles of President of Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tampa and President of Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood, respectively.

Regulation and laws

The ANJ, France’s gambling regulator, took aim at prediction markets, warning that such platforms are considered illegal gambling in the country. The growing popularity of prediction markets, which process billions of euros worth of trades, prompted the gambling watchdog to warn consumers about potential risks such as addiction and harm. The ANJ also highlighted that, unlike licensed gambling websites, prediction markets do not offer any player protection safeguards.

Elsewhere in Europe, the UK government is exploring options to bar unlicensed gambling firms from advertising with the Premier League. According to lawmakers supporting the effort, offshore gambling companies are exploiting a loophole that enables them to benefit from visibility in English football without holding the necessary gambling license.

The UK government's plan captured the attention of Entain, with the globally recognizable company expressing support for the potential limits on the ads by unlicensed gambling firms. The company's CEO, Stella David, criticized Premier League clubs for promoting unlicensed betting brands, explaining that such ads represent a growing "black market" in the country's top-flight football. The latest scrutiny in the Premier League comes at a time when the front-of-shirt sponsorship ban is expected to be introduced following this season.

The National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), took issue over the "March Madness" name usage by Kalshi, the regulated exchange and prediction market. The Association asked Kalshi to stop using its trademark for the popular competition in relation to its betting markets.

Responsible gambling

BetBlocker, the self-exclusion tool that helps reduce people's gambling-related problems, reached a major milestone after expanding with Turkish localization. The achievement enables BetBlocker to immediately reach nearly 100m people and provide vital support to individuals affected by gambling-related harm.

Duncan Garvie, BetBlocker's Founder and Trustee, welcomed the latest milestone and said: "BetBlocker is genuinely excited to roll out our second language expansion of 2026. We’ve experienced phenomenal uptake of the service over the last 12 months, and figures have steadily risen."

A proposal in Colorado seeks to ban the popular prop bets. That's the case under Senate Bill 131 (SB131), which also seeks to protect bettors by limiting the number of deposits the same customer can make in 24 hours to five. Equally as important, the proposal seeks to bar the use of credit cards for betting and prohibit betting companies from sending push notifications and text messages to encourage customers to bet.

In New York, another bill complements responsible gambling. The draft legislation, Assembly Bill 10329, proposes that licensed sportsbooks send monthly invoice statements to bettors. Each statement must contain a range of details, including the total amount of funds deposited, wagered, as well as winnings and losses. Such statements must also include details regarding the logged duration of each bettor and should be sent via push notifications, the bill proposes.

The voice of the industry

During ICE Barcelona 2026, Casino Guru News had the opportunity to sit down with Jack Crabtree, the Head of Sales & Partnerships at Gamecheck, who spoke about the importance of their verification tools. He acknowledged that casinos with a Gamecheck SEAL can acquire players faster. At the same time, Crabtree highlighted the sector's evolution in the context of innovations about trust, compliance and expansion.

Earlier in the week, Casino Guru News released the latest #Peachmarathon series episode by 18Peaches. The interesting discussion featured Aziz Akylbekov, 18Peaches' CFO, who spoke to Surya Palli, Host and Creator at iGaming Real Talk. The two focused on communication, confidence, as well as other skills valuable to long-term influence.

In another episode of the #Peachmarathon series by 18Peaches, Akylbekov sat down with Colin Thompson, Co-Founder of the International Gaming Awards. The two discussed reputation, fair-play, credibility and other hot topics that measure success in the gambling vertical.

This week, Casino Guru News released an analysis focusing on one major upcoming sports event, Manny Pacquiao’s next fight with Floyd Mayweather. The two are set to meet again in mid-September, more than 10 years after their record-breaking 2015 showdown.

During ICE Barcelona, Casino Guru News stopped by the RedCore booth for a talk with Oleksandr Briukhovetskyi, AI & Web3 Portfolio Manager. He explained how the M&A investment model differs from traditional venture capital and how RedCore helps startups achieve break-even faster.

At a time when sports can easily reach new audiences across the globe, the Run Nation Championship (RNC), which puts two athletes against each other in full-contact clashes, continues to attract fans and controversy. Anyone wondering what is the Run Nation Championship should know that each clash has only one winner: the last one standing.

Being stuck in traffic is often annoying. However, thanks to betting on traffic, one man's loss is another man's gain, and the recently launched form of casino entertainment is already capturing the attention of gamblers across the globe.

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