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More UK Casinos Likely to Move into the US in the Near Future

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The UK gambling market may be one of the largest in the industry, but it’s also one of the strictest in world. Over the past few years, the Gambling Commission has placed more restrictions on online casino and betting operators. This has prompted several big brands in the United Kingdom to consider expanding their businesses overseas in the growing US gambling market.

That being said, it’s not only tighter regulations that has caused UK betting and online casino site operators to show interest in the evolving American gambling market. Financial gain is another driving force for UK companies. Ever since 2018 when the US Supreme Court overturned the federal ban on sports betting in America, several states legalized it and began offering both online casino and online sports betting activities. Currently, online casinos are legal in 6 states and online sports betting is legal in 21 states, and more states are expected to legalize some form of online gambling activity in the future.

As gambling becomes legalized throughout America, its popularity grows, as does its revenue. According to the American Gaming Association, although December revenue has yet to be reported for 2021, the US’ annual gaming revenue for 2021 reached $48.34 billion through the end of November. This number crushed the industry’s 2019 full-year record of $43.65 billion. What’s more, this eleven-month period in 2021 tracked 21.3% ahead of the same eleven-month period in 2019.

Long-time UK Brands Compete Over US Market

Wanting a piece of this profitable pie, a number of UK gambling firms have seized the opportunity to break into the growing lucrative market. The primary goal: either to become a valuable business partner with an American gambling giant or to be a takeover target. Notable examples of UK gambling firms that are making their mark in the USA include:

Entain

Entain PLC, the UK owner of popular casino and betting brands Ladbrokes and Coral, entered into a $200 million deal with American hospitality and entertainment company MGM Resorts back in 2018 to capitalise on the newly liberalized sports betting market in the US.

Fast forward a few years later and the latest projected deals reveal that major American sports betting company, DraftKings, sought to acquire Entain for $22 billion in cash and stock in September 2021. However, this offer, as well as a previous offer of $11 billion from MGM Resorts to acquire Entain back in January 2021, were rejected. According to MGM – Entain’s joint venture partner – a DraftKings acquisition of Entain would require the consent of BetMGM due to DraftKings owning a competing business in the US.

Flutter

Also wanting to bolster its assets in the United States, Flutter Entertainment – owner of PaddyPower and Betfair – acquired FanDuel in 2018, one of the leading daily fantasy sports operators in the US at the time. Later, in 2019, Flutter merged with Canadian company The Stars

Group. With the merger, Flutter expanded further into the US, as media giant Fox corporation – which owned a minority stake in The Stars Group – took a 2.6% minority stake in Flutter Entertainment. Moreover, the merger resulted in the creation of the largest online gambling company in the world based on revenues.

Today, Flutter holds a 95% stake in FanDuel, which offers daily fantasy sports, sportsbook, online casino and horse racing products in several states. FanDuel is also the leader in the US online sports betting industry, with 40% of the market share.

William Hill

William Hill, another huge UK brand well known for its online casino and sportsbook, also made headlines in the industry with a major US gambling deal. Instead of partnering with an American company or acquiring one however, William Hill was purchased by American hotel and entertainment company Caesars Entertainment. William Hill agreed to the £2.9 billion ($3.9 billion) takeover bid by the Nevada-based casino operator in September 2020, after previously turning down two rival bids by another US company, Apollo, a private equity group.

Caesars completed its acquisition of William Hill in April 2021, after which William Hill was delisted from the London Stock Exchange. Later in September of that same year, Caesars sold all of William Hill’s non-US assets to 888 Holdings for £2.2 billion ($2.9 billion). In the US, William Hill sportsbooks were rebranded to Caesars Sports.

What is in Store for 2022

This year, it is likely that more deals will occur between the two nations as the world slowly comes out of the clutches of the pandemic and more US states pass laws to legalize gambling within their borders.  Both UK gambling operators and US gambling operators have plenty of benefits to offer the other.

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AGLC

Casino ATM Scam in Edmonton Reveals Money Laundering and Drug Links

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Law enforcement in Alberta continues to search for the last suspect in a sophisticated fraud operation that targeted ATMs in Edmonton-area casinos and resulted in over CAD 1 million ($720,487) in losses throughout Western Canada.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has confirmed that Hisham Ismaeel, 28, remains at large with a province-wide warrant for his arrest. He faces charges of fraud exceeding $5000 and possessing proceeds of crime. Police have already arrested four other men linked to the scheme. Investigators describe the operation as a well-planned effort to exploit financial systems and clean dirty money.

The accused, Elliot Miao, 42, Van Bau Ta, 39, Hassan Jaafar Haydar Ahmad, 37, and Dennis Jones, 42, showed up in the Alberta Court of Justice last week. They face charges from fraud and money laundering to owning criminal property. Miao also has a narcotics trafficking charge after police found cocaine when they searched with warrants.

Investigators claim the group made coordinated withdrawals at several casino ATMs, timing their transactions to avoid getting caught. This action messed up ATM networks in the area and showed flaws in the systems that banks and casinos use to stop misuse.

The RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region led an investigation that involved six search warrants in Edmonton. The Edmonton Police Service, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), and several banks supported this effort. Officials said the case shows how teamwork between public agencies and the private sector plays a key role in combating modern financial crime.

AGLC representatives pointed out that casino operators in the province must follow strict reporting and surveillance rules under Canada’s anti-money laundering laws. The specific casinos affected remain unnamed, but the Edmonton region has seven licensed facilities. AGLC said its policies helped spot problems and backed the RCMP’s investigation.

Compliance experts say this fraud shows how criminals change their methods to take advantage of weak spots in reporting limits and transaction checks. They claim that casinos, which deal with lots of cash, are still easy targets unless they keep improving their detection systems and teach their front-line workers to notice coordinated actions like several big withdrawals happening one after another.

For now, the case highlights both the money and crime aspects of casino-related fraud. Besides the million-dollar losses, finding drugs during the raids points to a bigger criminal operation where financial crimes and drug dealing overlap.

The post Casino ATM Scam in Edmonton Reveals Money Laundering and Drug Links appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Bragg Gaming

Bragg Confirms Cyber Attack – Hackers Access Internal IT Systems

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Bragg Gaming Group, a leading online gaming technology provider, has confirmed a major cybersecurity incident that compromised its internal IT infrastructure in the early hours of Saturday, August 16, 2025.

The company detected unauthorized intrusion attempts that successfully breached its internal network, triggering an immediate and comprehensive incident response.

Key Takeaways

  • Bragg Gaming Group experienced a cybersecurity breach involving access to internal IT systems.

  • No customer personal data or payment information appears to have been compromised.

  • The company has enacted full containment and investigation protocols.

Details of the Breach

According to a preliminary forensic analysis by Bragg’s internal security team, the attack was a targeted breach aimed at the company’s internal computer environment. While the exact method of intrusion is still under investigation, early indicators suggest a sophisticated exploit of internal network vulnerabilities.

Fortunately, the company’s customer-facing systems, including sensitive user data and financial information, appear to have been unaffected. Bragg’s existing encryption protocols and access control systems successfully prevented the attackers from accessing customer information.

Immediate Response Measures

In response to the breach, Bragg launched a multi-tiered containment strategy, including:

  • Network Segmentation to isolate affected systems

  • Enhanced Monitoring of data flows across its Remote Games Server (RGS) platform

  • Security Audits of critical infrastructure, including the Bragg Hub and PAM systems

  • Engagement of Independent Cybersecurity Experts to assist in incident analysis and system hardening

Bragg’s Security Operations Center has also elevated its alert level, initiating 24/7 monitoring across all server clusters and network endpoints. In addition, company-wide penetration testing is now underway to proactively identify any residual vulnerabilities.

Business Continuity Maintained

Despite the severity of the breach, Bragg reports that its operations remain unaffected. All gaming services, including iCasino and sportsbook offerings across regulated markets, continue to function without disruption.

“While this incident is deeply concerning, we are confident in the rapid and thorough response initiated by our team,” a company spokesperson stated. “We remain committed to protecting our infrastructure, our partners, and most importantly, our players.”

Looking Ahead

As part of its response, Bragg has also launched mandatory security awareness training for all employees to reinforce best practices and prevent future incidents.

Cybersecurity analysts will continue working with Bragg to determine the full scope of the attack, improve system resilience, and maintain the trust of its users and stakeholders.

Bragg’s handling of the incident highlights both the evolving nature of cybersecurity threats and the importance of robust, responsive defense systems in the digital gaming sector.

Source: cybersecuritynews.com

The post Bragg Confirms Cyber Attack – Hackers Access Internal IT Systems appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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AGCO

AGCO Removes Cap on Seller Commission for Charitable Lottery Products

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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has updated several lottery policies to remove the cap on seller commission for Paper Raffles and Media Bingo, along with removing the prohibition on Catch the Ace paper lotteries, to align with other charitable lottery products.

Licensed charities may now negotiate commissions directly with sellers and determine commissions, provided they are reasonable and tied to the cost of service provided by the seller.

These updates further the AGCO’s commitment to adopt an outcomes-based regulatory approach and reduce burden for the charitable gaming sector. Local charitable organizations will have greater flexibility to make decisions that best serve their fundraising objectives.

Important Reminders

• Charities must still receive approval for other expenses incurred under their licence and retain receipts for seller commission paid.

• Licensing authorities will not require documentation to be submitted as part of the application process, however, charities are still subject to audit to determine compliance.

• Charities are reminded of their legal requirement to meet their obligations under the Criminal Code and with respect to conducting and managing a charitable gaming scheme.

• As with all licensed charitable lottery events, charities must take the necessary steps to ensure that they are conducting and managing the lottery event within Ontario.

For charitable gaming-related inquiries, email an AGCO Eligibility Officer at [email protected] or call AGCO Customer Service at 1-800-522-2876, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The post AGCO Removes Cap on Seller Commission for Charitable Lottery Products appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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