Jeff Bezos looks into Liverpool FC stake acquisition via consortium, UK names new gambling minister, Colorado bans gambling with credit cards

One leading casino operator in Las Vegas is making a move toward smoke-free premises. That's the case for the Palms Casino Resort, which has recently announced that more than 200 of its latest slot games will be positioned in a dedicated area for non-smokers. The new purpose-built area will be located close to the William Hill Sportsbook and will welcome its first visitors on Monday, August 24, 2026.

Apple TV is looking into expanding its streaming services with sports options. The leading company is reportedly discussing acquiring US streaming rights for the Open Championship. This planned expansion is coming ahead of the expected expiration of US broadcasting rights for the Open Championship which are held by NBC. A report released by The Guardian suggests that Apple TV is in preliminary discussions to obtain those rights.

SPRIBE, the company behind the hit crash game title Aviator, has become a Premium Sponsor of the upcoming AffPapa Conference Cancun. The milestone announcement comes at a time when AffPapa is preparing to bring together 600 leading affiliates, operators and B2B suppliers for one of the most important events on the iGaming calendar this year. Hosted in Cancun, Mexico, the AffPapa Conference Cancun is expected to create unique networking opportunities and discuss a number of hot topics within the gambling vertical.

Business and finance

In the United Kingdom, Vicky Foxcroft MP was appointed to the role of Minister responsible for gambling. Becoming the next gambling minister, Foxcroft replaces the incumbent, Baroness Fiona Twycross. In that role, Foxcroft will oversee the gambling sector in the country.

She has a track record of supporting the implementation of an evidence-based approach in regulating the gambling vertical with a particular focus on protecting vulnerable groups, like young people and children. Foxcroft's appointment comes during a difficult time for the country's gambling industry, considering the ongoing threat of the black market.

The online casino games developer, renowned for the quality of its content, Playson, strengthened its C-suite with the appointment of a new VP of Commercial Partnerships. The company selected Denys Koshel for the newly created role that seeks to strengthen its communication with its growing portfolio of partners. Before his appointment as VP of Commercial Partnerships, Koshel was part of Playson for 11 years and most recently served as Head of Emerging Markets.

Amazon's founder, Jeff Bezos, and Facebook's co-founder, Eduardo Saverin, are part of a list of investors in a consortium led by Amit Bhatia, the son of an Indian billionaire, who is looking into obtaining a minority 30% stake in Liverpool FC. The milestone transaction between the consortium of investors led by Bhatia and the current club owner, Fenway Sports Group, is estimated at the mind-blowing sum of £1.35bn.

If completed, the 30% stake acquisition in the Premier League soccer club will grow Bezos' holding in professional sports. Previously, the billionaire and founder of Amazon looked into investing in National Football League (NFL) franchises. Besides Bezos and Saverin, the consortium of investors consists of other prominent tech leaders and billionaires.

Regulation and laws

In the United States, Colorado has taken a decisive step toward player protection, enacting a ban on the use of credit cards for gambling. Under the newly signed law, gamblers won't be able to use credit cards for gambling and won't be permitted to top up e-wallets with credit cards for gambling.

Sen. Matt Ball spoke about the latest development, saying: "Pernicious algorithms and advertisements are increasingly preying on vulnerable online sports bettors." Besides a credit card ban, the legislation rolls out a limit to the number of deposits a customer can make in 24 hours.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) warned prediction markets against American-style odds. The CFTC's decision comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the prediction markets vertical. The federal regulator cautioned against the "American" odds format, often associated with "casino gambling bookmakers," as described in its newly released guidance. Importantly, the CFTC argued that prediction markets using sports betting language is likely to "mislead participants of the nature of the transaction and may deprive users of access to indicia of market depth and pricing impact."

The industry body representing the UK betting and gaming vertical, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), sounded the alarm about potential tax increases affecting the sports betting and iGaming vertical. In a new report, the Council acknowledged the ongoing pressure the country's gambling industry is facing, confirming that since 2025, 540 betting shops have closed.

The closure of the betting shops resulted in 4,500 jobs being displaced. At the same time, the BGC pointed to a concerning trend with widespread shop closures which started in 2019. Per the Council's data, since 2019, more than 3,000 betting shops have closed for business, resulting in 15,000 jobs lost.

Responsible gambling

Elsewhere, in Pennsylvania, United States, the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) wants additional player protection with responsible gambling rules applicable by default for online accounts. The state's gambling watchdog, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, has already expressed support for stricter time and spending limits.

However, the NCPG argued that such proactive player protection measures should be applicable by default to new online accounts. Particularly, the Council acknowledged that the aspect of the player protection safeguards for time and spending limits is of utmost importance.

The local government in Alberta, Canada, is exploring additional resources dedicated to addressing problem gambling and combatting harm. The announcement comes after the launch of regulated online gambling across the province on July 13, 2026.

A newly released report confirmed that the Mental Health and Addiction Ministry is looking into providing much-needed support to families and individuals impacted by problem gambling and harm. The local government is analyzing proposals for organizations that can provide such services, which are expected to complement the existing problem gambling resources in Alberta.

The voice of the industry

Earlier this week, Casino Guru News released an op-ed by the award-winning NFL reporter, insider and analyst, Jason La Canfora, who looked into the potential changes impacting the Kansas City Chiefs.

Again, this week, Casino Guru News published a report exploring is gambling legal in Texas. Despite being a famous state, Texas currently doesn't have much to offer when it comes to gambling. Currently, such activities are limited to the Texas Lottery, prediction markets, sweepstakes casinos and daily fantasy sports. Still, nearly a dozen bills have attempted to legalize sports betting in the last decade.

Separately, an analysis released by Casino Guru News focused on the life and record of the UFC star, Josh Emmett. His career from a wrestler to one of the most recognizable names in the UFC's Featherweight Division highlights his relentless dedication, solid skills and exceptional fighting endurance. At the time of writing, Josh Emmett has a UFC record of 19-7-0, and his fight-ending strikes have captured the attention of MMA fans and commentators alike on numerous occasions.

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