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Compliance Updates

MGCB Sends Cease-and-Desist Letters to Three Online Gaming Companies

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As part of its continued, relentless efforts to halt illegal gaming operations in the state of Michigan, the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has recently sent cease-and-desist letters to three online gaming companies — two in the US and one overseas — after investigations revealed the entities are offering online gaming in Michigan without licenses to do so legally.

PredictionStrike Inc., in Bay Shore, New York; Sweepstakes Limited (Stake.us), in Limassol, Cyprus; and VGW LuckyLand, Inc. (VGW) in San Francisco, California — whose parent company is VGW Holdings Ltd., a global technology online social gaming company headquartered in Australia — were each sent cease-and-desist letters on Oct. 19, Nov. 2, and Dec. 5, 2023, respectively.

“Gambling regulations are in place for a reason, and illegal gambling operations are not welcome in Michigan. We do not want businesses who skirt the law having access to Michigan citizens and leaving them vulnerable because they are playing on unregulated sites that leave them with no recourse, and that siphon funds away from communities because they are not paying taxes like a regulated, legal gambling establishment would,” MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams said.

The companies’ violations include:

  • Offering internet gaming and internet sports betting in Michigan without being licensed in the state as an internet gaming operator and a sports betting operator (PredictionStrike).
  • Promoting an unlicensed online lottery and/or raffle for customers that buy its products through its internet website (Stake.us).
  • Conducting illegal gambling by offering an internet game in which a player wagers something of monetary value for the opportunity to win something of monetary value (VGW).

Due to their unregulated and unlicensed online gaming offerings, PredictionStrike, Stake.us, and VGW are in violation of the following Michigan gaming laws, including:

  • Lawful Internet Gaming Act, which states that internet gaming may only be offered by a licensed internet gaming operator, and the Lawful Sports Betting Act, which states that internet sports betting may only be offered by a licensed sports betting operator or its licensed sports betting platform provider. Only casinos that are currently licensed under the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act and federally authorized tribal casinos within Michigan can apply for an internet gaming operator license or a sports betting operator license.
  • Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act, which prohibits a party from conducting a gambling operation without a license issued by the MGCB. A party who operates an unlicensed gambling operation is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for up to 10 years or a fine of up to $100,000, or both.
  • Michigan Penal Code, which broadly prohibits any form of unauthorized gambling involving consideration, prize, and chance. For example, accepting money, or anything of value, with the understanding that money, or anything of value, will be paid to any person based on the outcome of an uncertain event is prohibited.

PredictionStrike Inc., Sweepstakes Limited (Stake.us), and VGW LuckyLand, Inc. (VGW) have each taken steps to prevent Michigan residents from gambling on their websites.

AGCO

AGCO Updates Responsible Gambling Training Standards for Gaming and Lottery

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As of July 11, 2025, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) no longer requires Registrar approval for responsible gambling (RG) training programs for casino and lottery employees. This change applies to both the Gaming and Lottery Standards and supports a more flexible, outcomes-based approach.

What’s changing

• Standard 2.5 has been updated to remove the need for Registrar approval of RG training.

• Training must still be mandatory, regularly updated, and based on best practices.

• Employees must understand responsible gambling, their role in player protection, and how to support those showing signs of gambling harm.

What this change means for operators and lottery retailers

• Casino and lottery operators now have more flexibility to design and update RG training.

• Existing PlaySmart training remains valid.

Why this change matters

This change reduces red tape, encourages innovation, and maintains Ontario’s high standards for player protection. This also aligns with AGCO’s outcomes-based regulatory approach and brings greater consistency across gaming sectors, including iGaming.

The post AGCO Updates Responsible Gambling Training Standards for Gaming and Lottery appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Compliance Updates

VIDEO | Spanish, Brazilian regulator speak at 2025 Gaming in Spain Conference

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2025 Gaming in Spain Conference once again brought together key stakeholders in Spain’s regulated iGaming industry.

If you were there, thank you for attending – also on behalf of our co-hosts Xavi Muñoz and ECIJA Law Firm!

Willem van Oort, Founder of Gaming in Spain, commented: “We are extremely pleased to have organized another successful Gaming in Spain Conference. All major stakeholders in Spain’s regulated online gambling market were present, as well as several experts from Brazil and other Latin American countries who highlighted the opportunities offered by these transatlantic markets. We almost can’t wait to see everyone again next year!”

In case you missed the event, full video recordings of key sessions are included below.

Mikel Arana, Director General, DGOJ: “Algorithms, advertising & deposit limits: Outlines and obligations”

The post VIDEO | Spanish, Brazilian regulator speak at 2025 Gaming in Spain Conference appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Compliance Updates

Ratification of the 2026 Betting Framework for LA FRANÇAISE DES JEUX, Incorporating Excessive Gambling Mitigation Strategies

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Each year, the National Gaming Authority approves the gaming and betting programme for the coming year for operators holding exclusive rights (FDJ and PMU). This approval, where applicable, specifies the conditions for implementing the gaming programme. This is one of the manifestations of the Authority’s close monitoring of operators holding exclusive rights to ensure that they comply with their enhanced obligations, particularly with regard to the prevention of excessive gambling.

First, data from the Canadian Problem Gambling Index (CPGI) communicated by LA FRANÇAISE DES JEUX shows that, for the first time since 2020, the proportion of both excessive and problem gamblers is increasing in 2024 compared to 2023 for all activity under the operator’s exclusive rights, whereas these proportions remained stable between 2020 and 2023.

Furthermore, LA FRANÇAISE DES JEUX has indicated that it wishes to “ensure the attractiveness of the lottery and sports betting offering at points of sale by 2026 through product range promotion, innovation and digitalization”. The operator is thus proposing an intensification of its commercial offering, through dynamic promotion of all its game ranges, a strong innovation strategy and the use of incentive design techniques.

Taking these elements into account, in its decision of July 3, 2025 the ANJ decided to approve the programme for the 2026 games, subject to several strict conditions.

Generally speaking, and given the ambiguity of these messages, the company LA FRANÇAISE DES JEUX must refrain from accompanying the marketing of its new games with promotional messages offering incentives relating to the probability of winning associated with the game offered compared to other games that it markets (statements such as: “more than x chance(s) out of x of winning”, “Best chance of winning €X”) as well as the “minimum winnings” that may be won.

With regard to online games, the company must strive to limit the share of gross gaming revenue generated by excessive and problem players, across all ranges, all segments of the offer and all games offered online. With regard more specifically to the range of online games with successive draws, online scratch cards available from the physical distribution network at 3 euros and more, and that of “Web Exclusive” games, it must reduce this share substantially; in particular, the company must withdraw or modify games with the most excessive level of play.

With regard to draw games, the digital extension of the “Amigo” game is not authorised and the freeze on the range of successive draw games implemented in 2025 is maintained in 2026. The company LA FRANÇAISE DES JEUX must continue to reduce the share of gross gaming revenue (GGR) of the “Bingo Live” game generated by excessive players and take new measures to substantially reduce the risks of the Amigo game in the physical distribution network.

With regard to scratch cards offered in physical distribution networks and online, the freeze on the number of launches of new €3 games or relaunches of already authorised games is maintained at three in 2026. The number of launches of new €5 games or relaunches of already authorised games is limited to two in 2026. The number of scratch cards marketed in 2026 in physical distribution networks and, where applicable, available online based on a unit stake of €5 does not exceed nine.

Concerning games sold exclusively online, the ANJ is requesting a reduction in their total number, which particularly concerns the ranges of games at €2, €3 and €5.

The post Ratification of the 2026 Betting Framework for LA FRANÇAISE DES JEUX, Incorporating Excessive Gambling Mitigation Strategies appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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