Prediction markets, iGaming regulation, and ICE Barcelona are around the corner

The year has started at a breakneck pace, with prediction markets clearly grabbing headlines this week, as one of the most important events is also just around the corner

The beginning of 2026 will be remembered not with a gentle transition from holiday festivities to gradual easing into work - no. It’s a year that dragged us out of our holiday reverie, kicking and screaming, and dropped us in the middle of a boiling world filled with events that need making sense of.

The gaming industry, particularly through the advancement of prediction markets, has gotten a piece of the action, and not least with the surprise invasion of Venezuela by the US military, which led to the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, the President.

Google announced regulations around prediction market advertising, and several states are already entertaining the idea of expanding with iGaming this year. Let’s check it out.

However, not everyone was paid out, as Polymarket refused to pay approximately $10.6m worth of wagers. The reason? The platform described the events that transpired as not an "invasion," as the market stipulated, but a US military operation, which was not the same.

Customers were naturallynot happy with this characterization, with many calling into question the prediction market platform’s objectivity.

The "not-invasion" of Venezuela, however, has had another effect on prediction markets, with Polymarket users now believing there is about an 8% chance of seeing the United States deploy military personnel to seize Greenland in 2026.

Business and finance

There has been a huge wave of prediction market speculation at the beginning of the year, not least because of current events in Venezuela. The United States extracted President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela from the country in an overnight operation, spiriting him away to New York, where he is currently facing trial.

What mattered, though, was that at least one trader made a killing off the market, i.e., whether President Maduro would be toppled, with the person winning $436,000 in the process.

Laws and regulations

A new bill is gaining traction in Indiana, with the draft seeking to turf out social sweepstakes casinos. Sweepstakes have come under heavy criticism not just in Indiana, but across the United States.

Most critics argue that the model uses a roundabout way to dodge gaming regulation and provides games of chance without a license to do so.

In the meantime, Turkey has co-opted banks to help the country fight back against the illegal gambling market.

A recent nationwide crackdown against black market gambling saw leading Turkish banks inform their customers about the dangers of using their accounts.

Maine is now increasingly opposing the legalization of online gambling, which many see as potentially harmful to the state.

The results of a new poll in Maine paint a grim picture of the future of online gambling in the state.

The new statewide survey, conducted by Lake Research Partners and commissioned by the National Association Against iGaming (NAAiG), highlights that a majority of voters oppose the legalization of iGaming - 64%, in fact.

Responsible gambling

Responsible gambling is back in focus this week, with DraftKings launching a new and ambitious partnership with Mindway AI. Mindway AI is a company that develops advanced solutions to bolster consumer protection by empowering users and helping them understand their true gambling habits and impulses.

Popular streamer Xposed, real name Cody Burnett, shared an emotional tweet about his mental health, following a series of reportedly big losses. He was despondent and needed a break from gambling, with fans showing him support and telling him to take the time he needed.

Xposed belongs to a group of online streamers who have popularized online slots and earned a comfortable living from the activity.

The voice of the industry

This week, Casino Guru News has had the opportunity to catch up with Radka Bacheva, Head of Sales at Wazdan, and recap the company’s 2025 journey, as well as tease what may be coming next in 2026. She spoke about evolving player expectations and the role Wazdan personally played in shaping them.

As ICE Barcelona 2026 is drawing nearer by the day, Gamecheck joined the event to headline the Sustainable Gambling Zone. The company focuses on leveraging blockchain technology to authenticate the fairness of products and services within the iGaming space and protect intellectual property.

In the meantime, the World Gaming Week is set to generate 1.5m business meetings - both pre-arranged and impromptu, making it one of the most significant networking events to strike a conversation about the future of iGaming.

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