

Compliance Updates
Nebraska: Proposal to Legalize Mobile Sports Betting Advances
Mobile online sports betting would be legal in Nebraska under a bill advancing in the Legislature, but trouble could still lie ahead for the proposal.
Sen. Eliot Bostar introduced the proposed state constitutional amendment that would let people make sports bets on their phone from anywhere in the state. Bostar says Nebraskans are already betting, either by going to a casino, a neighboring state or using illegal, unregulated platforms.
“I introduced this not because I think gambling is a great thing, not because I want everyone to do it, not because I think you should like it, or anyone should, but fundamentally because it’s already happening. Our prohibition on mobile sports betting here in save Nebraska is not stopping anyone from engaging in that activity,” Bostar said.
Sen. Jason Prokop has made the proposal his priority this session. Prokup talked about Nebraskans who cross the Mormon Bridge into Iowa and congregate at the first off I-680 to place bets during the football season.
“There’s no reason why a corn field in Iowa, just off the interstate, should be touted as the busiest corn field in America. Senators, those are your and my constituents using this product, spending their money and paying taxes in another state, simply because our Constitution does not provide for it,” he said.
Bostar said Nebraska is losing tax revenue.
“Nebraska is currently missing out on a $1.6 billion state online industry and $32 million in annual tax revenue, which instead goes to neighboring states like Iowa, Colorado, Kansas and Wyoming. Legalizing online mobile sports betting through LR20CA could significantly boost state revenues dedicated to the property tax credit fund, helping to address the burden of high property taxes,” he said.
Sen. Jared Storm seemed unmoved.
“I’ve been in the body for three months. I’m a freshman senator, and it seems like the common thread I keep seeing here is, if you want to pass your bill or get something through here, you say it’s going to lower property taxes. That’s kind of the buzz word,” he said.
Strong offered a different interpretation of any tax revenue.
“I would view this as taxation by exploitation. We’re going to exploit people to get tax revenue out of them, mainly young men. So you’re going to have students at UNL, students at UNK, other universities, who are going to gamble away their tuition on online sports betting. They’re going to gamble away their rent online sports gambling. I think as state senators, we have to stand up for those people,” he said.
Sen. Rob Clements read a letter from a mother whose son got in financial trouble from sports betting and died by suicide last year.
“The $10,000 bet my son frenetically placed on a losing NHL Stanley Cup game during the last 48 hours of his life, was followed by a series of still more frenetic bets placed in isolation on his phone as he tried to win back his massive loss. It is clear that he died alone,” Clements read.
But Sen. Ben Hansen argued incidents like that should not be enough to prohibit sports betting.
“How far do we restrict people’s liberties and their rights? This is always a tough one, because we do see some of the ills, the pitfalls some of our citizens can fall into. But do we take that right away from them for that reason? If we take away that right because of addictive factors, we better get rid of alcohol. We better get rid of smoking. We better get rid of refined sugar, one of the most addictive things that we legalize here in Nebraska. We better get rid of a lot of addictive behaviors in the state of Nebraska,” he said.
Sen. Rick Holdcroft read a letter from former Congressman Tom Osborne, former Gov. Kay Orr, Sen. Pete Ricketts and State Auditor Mike Foley opposing the proposal.
“Legalizing online sports betting in Nebraska would turn every cell phone, laptop and tablet into a gambling device available 24 by seven, online sports betting can lead to new people developing gambling disorders, puts young men in the addiction bulls eye and will take money away from the main street Nebraska businesses,” he said.
Gov. Jim Pillen has supported legalizing online sports betting in the past. And Sen. Tom Brandt said the proposal should be approved.
“In Nebraska, alcohol, tobacco, gambling, guns, whether you wear a helmet, we let grown ups decide that. We let our people decide that. Does everybody make a good decision? They do not. There are consequences to some bad decisions, but we let them decide for themselves. Mobile betting should be the same way,” he said.
But Sen. Brad von Gillern said mobile betting was an especially threatening form of gambling.
“My opposition to LR20CA is not from a moral position against gambling as a whole. I provided tons of data to you that illustrates that this is a predatory process that primarily pursues young men,” he said.
After about three hours of debate, senators voted 27-16 to give the bill first-round approval. But von Gillern vowed to filibuster it at the second round of debate, when opponents need only talk for four hours, instead of eight, before supporters can try to cut off debate and vote on the bill itself. That takes 33 votes, and von Gillern predicted it would be close.
The post Nebraska: Proposal to Legalize Mobile Sports Betting Advances appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
BetAlert
Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming Launches BetAlert

The Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR), an entity that brings together the main operators in Brazil and worldwide, announces the launch of BetAlert, an unprecedented tool that allows any user to quickly and easily verify whether the betting site they intend to use is regulated by the Federal Government. The initiative is part of the “No More Elephant in the Room” campaign, which includes a TV commercial, radio spots, airport panels, and social media actions. Its goal is to guide bettors in choosing platforms regulated by the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting, under the Ministry of Finance.
Conducted between April and May 2025 with 2000 adult bettors, research by the Locomotiva Institute served as the basis for the economic study prepared by LCA. The survey estimates that between 41% and 51% of the Brazilian betting market still operates illegally. The activity of these irregular platforms reflects an alarming fiscal impact: between R$ 1.8 billion and R$ 2.7 billion went uncollected in just three months – which could reach R$ 10.8 billion in one year.
Named BetAlert (https://betalert.com.br/), the technology runs on an exclusive microsite that offers an interactive experience for those looking to bet safely and obtain tips on how to differentiate regulated betting sites from illegal ones. Simply enter the URL of any betting site, and the tool immediately indicates whether the platform is licensed. If it is regulated, the following message appears: “All good. This betting site is authorized by the Federal Government.” If not, the system displays a creative alert integrated into the campaign by agency We: “Attention. This betting site is not authorized by the Federal Government,” reinforcing the illegality of the platform consulted.
“IBJR greatly values the use of tools and technologies that contribute to spreading knowledge about the sector. BetAlert is extremely important, and we hope it will be widely used by bettors and Brazilian society. Our goal is to ensure that people have access to all the benefits of regulation, the core of which is the safety of those who bet,” said Fernando Vieira, Executive President of IBJR.
The post Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming Launches BetAlert appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Compliance Updates
German Betting Association Warns of Rise of Black Market Gambling

Only one in twelve German betting websites is legal, warns the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV) at the start of the UEFA Champions League season: there are at least 382 illegal German-language websites offering sports betting compared to just 34 legal betting sites. The DSWV refers to a corresponding evaluation by the Joint Gambling Authority of the federal states (GGL) for the year 2024.
“Online, it’s 11:1 in favor of the black market and that puts players at risk. In the legal sports betting market, players benefit from guaranteed player protection, reliable payouts and tax revenue for the common good. Illegal providers in the black market, on the other hand, do not adhere to any rules, offer no security and have a higher risk of gambling addiction,” Mathias Dahms, President of the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV), said.
With the start of the UEFA Champions League, the second most-bet competition in Germany after the Bundesliga, the volume of betting has skyrocketed.
“Players need to be particularly vigilant at this time of year so that they don’t accidentally end up with illegal providers. This is another reason why it is important that the legal providers are present with perimeter boards and TV advertising during the Champions League matches,” Dahms said.
What many players do not know is that they are not only taking a higher risk, but are also liable to prosecution. Participating in unauthorized sports betting can result in a prison sentence of up to six months or a fine.
How to recognise legal betting providers:
• Only legal providers may advertise on stadium boards and on television during sporting events such as the Champions League or Bundesliga.
• Only providers on the GGL whitelist are legal in Germany. The list is publicly available at www.gluecksspiel-behoerde.de/whitelist.
• Legal providers have a clearly visible GGL permit logo on their website.
• Only legal providers offer comprehensive player protection measures such as deposit limits, player bans and monitoring of conspicuous gaming behavior.
• Only legal providers contribute to the funding of support services for gamblers at risk of gambling addiction, such as the anonymous and free hotline 0800-1372700 or the website check-dein-spiel.de of the Federal Institute of Public Health (BIÖG).
• With legal providers, payouts are guaranteed and the stakes are properly taxed.
“It is in the common interest of regulators, providers and players to strengthen the legal market and push back the black market. This is the only way to ensure player protection, integrity and tax revenues,” Dahms said.
The post German Betting Association Warns of Rise of Black Market Gambling appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Compliance Updates
Ukraine’s PlayCity Begins Issuing Licenses to Gambling Operators

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has adopted a resolution on licensing conditions in the gambling sector, which allows the state agency PlayCity to begin issuing licenses to gambling organisers and confirming previously issued ones.
“As a result, this will generate almost UAH 50 million (1.028.956,00 Euro) in additional revenues to the state budget from license fees in the near future,” PlayCity reported on Telegram.
It is noted that to obtain a license, impeccable business reputation, lack of ties with the aggressor state and implementation of all necessary mechanisms for responsible gaming are required.
PlayCity clarified that such requirements apply to both those who are only applying for a license and current licensees. Current licensees have two months to submit documents to PlayCity on compliance with the requirements.
The message emphasises that if the requirements are not met, sanctions in the form of fines or termination of the license may be applied to the organisers of gambling.
“The state will direct additional budget revenues to strengthen defense capabilities, in particular, to purchase drones for the Defense Forces,” PlayCity added.
The post Ukraine’s PlayCity Begins Issuing Licenses to Gambling Operators appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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