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Compliance Updates

KSPO K-Cycle & K-Motorboat Racing Holds Betting Integrity Sharing Agreement MOU Signing Ceremony with IBIA

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Director Sung-chul Lee, the KSPO K-Cycle & K-Motorboat Racing Director, held a betting integrity monitoring agreement MOU signing ceremony with the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) at the seminar room of the Korean Cultural Centre UK on Tuesday, 5th August.

The MOU with IBIA represents a landmark moment for South Korean sports integrity, marking the first cooperation of its kind between IBIA and an Asian nation sports body, underscoring the significance of this new collaboration. The agreement demonstrates a commitment to aligning with global best practices in betting integrity and serves as a significant step in South Korea’s broader international engagement with the regulated sports betting sector.

In 2024, South Korea’s betting industry market recorded total sales of 25.3 trillion won (approx. €15.7 billion) and approximately 22.86 million users, establishing itself as a major foundation for public leisure and public fund creation. Among them, K-Cycle & K-Motorboat Racing recorded annual sales of 1.8859 trillion won (approx. €1.17 billion) and 12.5 million users (online/offline total), accounting for about 7.5% of the total betting industry sales in South Korea. Since the introduction of the system, K-Cycle & K-Motorboat Racing has contributed greatly to the promotion of national sports and the expansion of public finance by raising approximately 1.9464 trillion won (approx. €1.21 billion) for the National Sports Promotion Fund.

At the event, General Director Sung-chul Lee stated, “Through this agreement, KSPO K-Cycle & K-Motorboat Racing has elevated the status of K-Sports and has taken a leap forward to global standards.” He added, “I would like to express my deep gratitude to CEO Khalid Ali and the IBIA officials for their cooperation in making this agreement successful. Following this agreement, we intend to supply the KSPO K-Cycle & K-Motorboat Racing products to the international betting market, protected by this important integrity collaboration.”

IBIA is the leading global voice on integrity for the regulated betting industry, representing many of the world’s largest licensed operators. A not-for-profit organisation established in 2005, IBIA manages a global monitoring and alert network that tracks transactional activity to detect suspicious betting patterns across its members’ markets, which generate over $300bn in sports betting revenue per annum. The association works closely with major sports bodies like FIFA, UEFA, the ITIA and the IOC, as well as regulators worldwide, to support the fight against betting-related corruption. Committed to transparency, IBIA publishes regular integrity reports and requires all members to meet strict due diligence and betting integrity standards.

Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, commented: “This agreement marks an important step forward, not only for KSPO and the integrity of K-Cycle and K-Motorboat Racing, but for the advancement of betting integrity standards across Asia. IBIA is delighted to support KSPO in setting a benchmark for clean, transparent and accountable sports betting operations in the region. We look forward to building on this partnership and helping to portect the integrity of K-Sports’ products.”

Professor Jae-kwang Shin of Seokyeong University commented, “The agreement with IBIA is an essential gateway for entering the global betting market, and the process of meeting its standards is quite challenging. The fact that this agreement with KSPO was one of the first in Asia is a remarkable achievement for South Korea’s sports and can be seen as a great accomplishment.” He also evaluated, “In the future, the KSPO will be able to play a significant role as a leader in the betting industry in Asian countries, and this also provides KSPO with a good opportunity to engage with IBIA’s vast global network.”

Through this agreement, KSPO K-Cycle & K-Motorboat Racing has committed to working in alignment with IBIA’s monitoring and reporting framework, strengthening its ability to identify and act on suspicious activity in the betting market. The partnership serves to reinforce South Korea’s sports integrity infrastructure and ensure compliance with internationally recognised standards. With the support of IBIA’s monitoring platform and global network, KSPO aims to build confidence among stakeholders and support the integrity of the betting environment both domestically and abroad.

The completion of this MOU also involved FnS Co. Ltd. (CEO Ho-young Choi), a sports consulting firm that has maintained a strong cooperative relationship with KSPO and has been actively pursuing international opportunities over the past three years. The firm’s extensive network across the UK and Europe played a particularly effective role in facilitating this agreement.

The signing ceremony was attended by Sung-chul Lee, General Director of the KSPO K-Cycle & K-Motorboat Racing Headquarters, Myung-ho Jeon, Senior Manager of the KSPO, Ho-young Choi, CEO of FnS Co., Ltd., and Professor Jae-kwang Shin of Seokyeong University. From IBIA, CEO Khalid Ali and Jason Foley-Train, Head of International Development, were present.

The post KSPO K-Cycle & K-Motorboat Racing Holds Betting Integrity Sharing Agreement MOU Signing Ceremony with IBIA appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Compliance Updates

Nevada Rep. Dina Titus to Add FAIR BET Act to 2026 Defense Budget

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Nevada Rep. Dina Titus is strategically pushing forward her Fair Accounting for Income Realized from Betting Earnings Taxation Act, commonly known as the FAIR BET Act. She intends to attach it to the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a key piece of legislation that must pass annually. This maneuver, revealed on August 27, is designed to increase the chances that her proposal will be enacted into law.

The FAIR BET Act seeks to reverse a disputed provision introduced under former President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The provision lowered the gambling loss deduction from 100% to 90%, which is set to take effect in January 2026. This change has met significant resistance from both the gaming industry and individual gamblers, who argue that it unfairly taxes money that they never actually won.

Representative Titus, who co-leads the Congressional Gaming Caucus, initially introduced this succinct bill in July. However, it stalled in the House Ways and Means Committee. To overcome this hurdle, she is leveraging a common legislative tactic by attaching the amendment to the NDAA. Around two decades ago, a similar strategy helped pass the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act amid a port security bill.

The initiative enjoys strong support from major gaming industry leaders and state officials. Prominent executives from companies such as MGM Resorts, Caesars, and Wynn Resorts have expressed concern to lawmakers about the financial impact this deduction limit could have on both players and casinos. The American Gaming Association has also condemned the recent tax rule, stressing that it unfairly penalizes a legal and regulated industry.

The FAIR BET Act is gaining momentum across party lines. So far, ten members in the House have endorsed it as co-sponsors. In addition, a Republican counterpart titled the WAGER Act was introduced in July by Representative Andy Barr of Kentucky. In the Senate, Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto has proposed a similar measure known as the FULL HOUSE Act.

Supporters emphasize the importance of this amendment for states like Nevada, where gambling significantly contributes to the economy. However, some critics argue that inserting tax policy changes into a defense authorization bill represents an overreach by lawmakers.

The amendment is currently under review by the House Rules Committee, with a vote expected within the next several weeks.

The post Nevada Rep. Dina Titus to Add FAIR BET Act to 2026 Defense Budget appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Compliance Updates

Romania Blocks 30 Unlicensed Gambling Websites

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Romania’s gambling authority, the ONJN, has blacklisted 30 gambling websites after finding they were offering online casino and sports betting without local licences. Internet service providers (ISPs) now have 15 days to cut access, redirecting users to an official ONJN page explaining the block.

The 30 blocked sites range from obscure names to platforms that had been attracting steady traffic. Domains include wazbee.casino, jacktop.com, roostake.com, a string of “nv” branded casinos (nv5.casino through nv93.casino), and several under the ybets label.

Some of these platforms appeared almost overnight and marketed heavily on social media. Others had been active for months, drawing Romanian players with offers that licensed brands simply cannot match under current advertising rules.

The ruling obliges Romanian ISPs to redirect any traffic from the blacklisted domains to a designated ONJN IP address. Players trying to access those sites will instead see a page confirming the operator is not authorised to operate in Romania.

The post Romania Blocks 30 Unlicensed Gambling Websites appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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New Indian Law Aims to Curb Online Money Gambling Sector, Prohibits Related Advertising

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Following the passage of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025 on August 21, the government of India imposes a complete ban on online money games, alongside the advertisements related to the sector.

Passed by the parliament, any financial transactions related to these platforms would be considered unlawful as stated under the Information Technology Act of 2000. The legislation also aims to establish a national-level regulatory authority that will govern the categorising and registration of online games.

The said authority shall issue guidelines, codes of practice and directions for compliance, with strict punishments induced, leading to imprisonment for up to three years, and a fine to one crore rupees or 114,017 USD.

The advertisement of the said games is also punishable with similar penalties, with imprisonment up to two years and a fine of up to fifty lakh rupees 1140 USD.

While the law prohibited online money gaming such poker, rummy and fantasy sports that offer cash rewards, e-sports are considered and recognised as a legitimate competitive sport in India, and is not included in the total ban, as well as online social games or casual games that are recreational in nature.

This draws that the bill-turned-law, used a “balanced approach” since recognising that the online gaming sector is one of the most dynamic segments in the digital and creative economy, hence, still allowing esports and online social games.

This came after the report of over 45 crore or 45,000,000 people were reportedly affected by online money games and have lost more than Rs. 20,000 crores or 2,280.414 USD, according to Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology.

According to the same ministry, the total ban was driven by the following reasons:

• Addiction and Financial Ruin

• Mental Health and Suicide

• Fraud and Money Laundering

• Threat to National Security

• Closing Legal Loopholes

• Encouraging Healthy Alternatives

Meanwhile, the bill also stated that while the online gaming authority governs the registration of online games, the central government still has the authority to frame the rules for the promotion and advertisement of e-sports, online social games and other rules related under the law.

In total, the legislation aims to safeguard vulnerable populations, particularly the middle class and youth by introducing these strict regulations and a greater emphasis on brand responsibility and ethical advertising.

The post New Indian Law Aims to Curb Online Money Gambling Sector, Prohibits Related Advertising appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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