Flutter unveils plan to wind down Betfair in Italy, UK increases Machine Games Duty

Utah has become the latest state to go after prediction market platforms, with the state's AG filing felony charges against Kalshi and its co-founders. The company's co-founders, chief executive officer Tarek Mansour and chief operating officer Luana Lopes Lara, have been named together with Kalshi in a complaint claiming 13 counts of violations to the state's prohibition on gambling.

While Kalshi is facing legal woes in Utah and uncertainty in the sector continues, the company, together with Polymarket, teamed up with the National Basketball Association (NBA). The alliance enables the two popular prediction market platforms to access NBA data, helping fight match-fixing and corruption.

The newest casino in California's Central Valley, North Fork Mono Casino, celebrated its Grand Opening earlier this week. The venue represents an investment of $750m and offers more than 2,400 slots, 40 table games, as well as a wide range of food and beverage options.

Business and finance

In Italy, Flutter confirmed its plans to wind down the operations of its Betfair brand. The parent company acknowledged that operating Betfair in the country has become commercially unviable and, as a result, will shutter Betfair Exchange, Casino and Sportsbook, a report by SBC News confirmed.

Flutter revealed that only Betfair will be impacted, and its other brands will continue to operate normally. The company acknowledged that changes to the gambling framework in the European country from November 2025 are what led to the decision to shutter its Betfair brand there.

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) selected Charles H. Jeffers, an experienced executive, for the role of Interim Executive Director. The Council's former Executive Director, Heather Maurer, left unexpectedly in September after holding the role for less than a year. As Jeffers assumes the role on an interim basis, NCPG confirmed that a search for a permanent successor to the senior-level position will be initiated in January 2027.

Releasing its Q3 2026 financial results, MGM China enjoyed record-setting third-quarter revenue. The company reported HK$8.9bn ($1.13bn) in revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2026, a figure showing a 5% year-over-year growth. At the same time, Adjusted EBITDA in Q3 this year was HK$2.4bn ($305.9m). The two results, MGM China said, marked all-time records for any third-quarter period.

Regulation and laws

In the UK, the country's new budget included an increase to the Machine Games Duty from 20% to 25%. The increase immediately captured the attention of the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), a prominent trade group. The Council opposed the rise of the Machine Games Duty, deeming it counterproductive.

What's more, the BGC warned that the latest tax hike may put up to 9,000 people at risk of losing their jobs, while nearly 1,000 betting shops and casinos may be affected. BGC Chief Executive Grainne Hurst commented: "This is a deeply damaging decision and a blow to the thousands of workers, businesses and communities who depend on Britain’s regulated betting and gaming industry."

Elsewhere, FanDuel and DraftKings face a lawsuit in Louisiana. The two companies' legal woes come after a plaintiff seeks damages over what is described as "defective products." According to the legal claims, FanDuel and DraftKings violated Louisiana's consumer protection laws after allegedly using AI to track and deliver personalized offers to sports bettors. This, in turn, allegedly pushed people into betting longer.

The voice of the industry

This week, Casino Guru News released an analysis focusing on funny gambling terms. The report highlighted popular expressions and phrases used in sports betting, poker, and casino gambling.

Again, this week, Casino Guru News published an op-ed by the award-winning NFL reporter, analyst and insider, Jason La Canfora. In his report, the analyst wrote about seven teams that will likely sell before the NFL trade deadline. Popular franchises, including the Cardinals, Chargers and Jets, among others, have made it to the list. The NFL trade deadline is set for November 10, 2026.

In an exclusive interview with Casino Guru News, Anastasios Ioannidis, the Head of Affiliate Marketing at ARRISE, spoke about Pragmatic Play's ability to deliver hit games, while highlighting the big energy Kevin Hart brings.

In a talk for Casino Guru Academy, Moses Wartan, Head of Commercials for Affiliate Management at AffPapa, discussed the risks in affiliate management. Besides risks and challenges, the executive described what it takes to build a successful partnership in today's market, among other hot topics.

During SBC Summit Lisbon 2026, Casino Guru News had the opportunity to sit down for a talk with Maksym Shtun, Product Owner at Slotegrator. Shtun spoke about the difference between prediction markets and traditional sportsbooks, amid their growing popularity. What's more, Slotegrator's exec revealed why prediction markets could be only P2P.

Kate Puteiko, BGaming’s CMO, revealed in an interview for Casino Guru News what is the role of corporate social responsibility, sustainability and community impacts is in markets like Brazil and Portugal. BGaming’s CMO discussed the positive change the company is after, despite market-specific challenges and regulatory uncertainty.

Earlier in the week, Casino Guru News published an analysis by Max Barlow, a sports, gaming and entertainment specialist. The report focused on the NBA most cursed teams, and who are the franchises that historically play the worst on Halloween.

Last but not least, Casino Guru News released an exclusive interview with Hub88's Managing Director, Ollie Castleman. The seasoned executive pointed to the importance of delivering quality content and meeting evolving iGaming trends. Castleman also discussed the vital role of using innovative solutions to boost player engagement, while addressing potential risks.

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