Category: iGame

(AsiaGameHub) –   Tennessee legislators have given the green light to SB 2136, legislation designed to prohibit sweepstakes casinos and internet-based casino-style platforms utilizing virtual currency systems. The proposal is now moving through the formal enrollment process prior to arriving at the desk of Gov. Bill Lee.

Key Points

Following the resolution of the final wording by House and Senate members, SB 2136 successfully passed both legislative chambers.
This legislation specifically targets sweepstakes casino applications that operate on virtual or multi-currency frameworks.
Once the bill is delivered to him, Gov. Bill Lee will have a 10-day window to take action.

SB 2136 Reinstates Sweepstakes Casino Language in Tennessee
Tennessee is poised to potentially become the latest state to outlaw sweepstakes casinos. On Thursday, legislators sanctioned an updated iteration of SB 2136 after a joint committee composed of House and Senate members resolved prior disputes regarding the text.
The legislati…

(AsiaGameHub) –   Las Vegas Sands announced improved first-quarter performance, driven by increased revenue, enhanced gaming activity, and stronger earnings from its operations in both Macau and Singapore. The company’s net income saw a 57.1% surge to $641 million, and total net revenue grew by 25.3% year-over-year to $3.59 billion.

Good to Know

Las Vegas Sands exceeded analyst forecasts, reporting adjusted earnings of 91 cents per share.
Revenue from Macau grew 23.7% to $2.11 billion, with The Londoner Macao and The Venetian Macao as the primary contributors.
Revenue at Marina Bay Sands increased by 27.9% to $1.49 billion, bolstered by robust gaming demand and elevated room rates.

Macau And Singapore Lift Las Vegas Sands Q1 Results
Adjusted earnings per share came in at 91 cents, surpassing analyst projections of 78 cents. The consolidated adjusted property EBITDA also increased by 24.6% to $1.42 billion, underscoring the significant role of Asian demand in the quarter’s success.
Macau continued to …

(AsiaGameHub) –   BetVictor has introduced a new brand campaign titled “For All Your Favourite Things,” which focuses on sports, betting, and the typical weekend routines of supporters. This initiative also marks the first project delivered by Barn Door Studios and Bountiful Cow after their recent collaboration with the brand.

Good to Know

This campaign represents BetVictor’s most significant investment in audio-visual media so far.
The advertising will appear on Sky, ITVX, Channel 4, Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube, as well as various digital and social media platforms.
Key Premier League matches like Arsenal vs Newcastle and Chelsea vs Leeds are featured as part of the campaign’s launch weekend.

BetVictor Puts Sport And Betting At The Centre
The latest BetVictor campaign employs an adapted version of “My Favourite Things” from The Sound of Music to link betting with recognizable football scenarios. Barn Door Studios produced the advertisement using genuine sports footage, incl…

(AsiaGameHub) –   A vigorous discussion during this week’s Westminster Hall debate on gambling advertising has raised questions about UK MPs’ grasp of the gambling industry’s complexities.

Alex Ballinger, a Labour MP and Co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Gambling Reform (GRAPPG), faced scrutiny from Conservative MP Esther McVey regarding the accuracy of statistics he presented on gambling advertising.

McVey, whose husband is former Tory MP and ex-Star Sports Chairman Philip Davies, inquired whether Ballinger, who has advocated for stricter controls on gambling advertising, had been contacted by the Gambling Commission concerning his use of their data.

Ballinger consistently denied this, asserting that any challenges to his figures originated from “members of the gambling industry.” However, the UKGC’s Log of Requested Corrections indicates that Ballinger was indeed contacted on three separate occasions regarding the misuse of statistics.

In each instance…

(AsiaGameHub) –   The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) Board is adopting a new leadership structure, with the Chair role now set to rotate among its members for 12-month terms.

Consequently, Kane Purdy, the Managing Director of Gamesys Operations Limited, will be the inaugural non-executive Chair under this new system.

Purdy’s previous leadership on the GamProtect initiative, a single customer view project aimed at improving player protection and industry standards, makes him well-suited for the position.

Regarding his appointment, he stated: “It is an honour and a delight to assume the role of Chair of the Betting and Gaming Council.

“With 20 years of experience in the sector, I recognise the critical need for collective action to address challenges, elevate standards, and guarantee the continued success of the regulated industry.

“I am eager to collaborate with Grainne and the team, alongside members from throughout the industry, to advance the significant progress already a…

(AsiaGameHub) –   With the battle for players in North America growing fiercer, the SBC Summit Americas will guide stakeholders past conventional methods and towards innovative, captivating approaches via its specialized North America Marketing & Affiliates track.

Scheduled for Wednesday, June 10, the program will unite top marketing experts from the industry in five panel discussions. These sessions will delve into how companies are honing their player acquisition methods, boosting conversion rates, and establishing more durable player lifecycles.

Attendees will gain insights on leveraging AI to foster more profound player interaction, confidently manage changing ad rules, tap into new channels such as TikTok, and develop brands that secure player loyalty.

Rasmus Sojmark, CEO and founder of SBC, stated: “Today’s affiliates must manage a greater array of channels, platforms, and partnership structures than ever. The environment, spanning social media and content to AI and marketing tec…

(AsiaGameHub) –   Fresh analysis from bet365 has shown that ELK Studios’ Pirots 4 has made a strong comeback, climbing back to second place in the UK gaming charts

The January chart-topper had dropped to seventh position in February, but it has now been overtaken by Inspired Gaming’s Gold Cash Freespins, which has held the top spot for another full month.

Area Link Phoenix Firestorms (Games Global), Fishin’ Frenzy: The Big Catch (Blueprint Gaming) and Big Bass Bonanza (Pragmatic Play) rounded out the UK’s top five – all falling one spot due to Pirots 4’s growing popularity.

Starburst from NetEnt made its debut in the top ten, climbing up from 12th place in February.

Elsewhere in Europe, Legacy of Dead (Play’n Go) replaced the long-popular perennial favorite Big Bass Splash (Pragmatic Play) to claim the top spot in Germany. Ramses Book (GAMOMAT) also delivered a strong performance in March, rising from 10th place to second position.

Eye of Horus (Blueprint Ga…

(AsiaGameHub) –   The divisive Bill 55, frequently referenced in disputes surrounding Malta’s gambling framework and licensing, could avoid being subject to legal scrutiny.

Advocate General Nicholas Emiliou determined that a preliminary ruling on the legitimacy of Bill 55 was inadmissible and unnecessary for resolving the case before the Austrian courts.

That said, Emiliou advanced a growing trend across Europe that will amplify pressure on Malta, as he maintained unwavering criticism of Bill 55, describing it as “manifestly incompatible with the rules governing the recognition and enforcement of judgments” set forth by Brussels.

Further adding to the pressure on the region widely considered Europe’s gambling hub, he emphasized that rulings imposing player restrictions on Maltese online gambling operators issued by EU member states must be recognized not only in Malta and other EU countries.

While the Advocate General’s role is not dispositive in this case, it adds press…

(AsiaGameHub) –   Japanese authorities are deploying every available measure to curb illegal online gambling, which saw a concerning surge in participation during 2025.

The National Police Agency (NPA) disclosed that it took legal action against 317 people in 2025, marking the highest number since record-keeping started in 2018.

Online casinos were involved in the bulk of these cases, with 158 incidents identified, leading to the arrest of 221 individuals.

While online gambling is entirely banned in Japan, estimates suggest more than 3 million people participate in illicit online casino betting yearly, with annual wagers reaching approximately ¥1.2 trillion (£6.2m).

The NPA also noted it has pursued individuals who enable access to illegal gambling operations.

Across eight separate cases, 25 people were apprehended for acting as operators, affiliates, or payment processors for online gambling networks.

Specifically, four were arrested for advertising overseas casinos on video streaming pl…

(AsiaGameHub) –   Artificial intelligence has revolutionized retention marketing in the gaming sector. Gaming platforms are now able to forecast player behavior with impressive precision—such as the risk of churn, the chance of making a deposit, and lifetime value—often within just a few days of a player’s activity. However, having insights alone isn’t enough to drive revenue growth.

David Watkins, CMO, Fincore.

For Fincore, the core challenge isn’t about making predictions—it’s about putting those predictions into action.

“The gaming industry doesn’t face an AI issue,” David Watkins, Chief Commercial Officer at Fincore, tells iGaming Expert. “What it does face is an execution problem.”

AI can identify which players are on the verge of churning. The key business question is: can your platform respond to that insight immediately, in real time, without any associated risks?

In numerous instances, this is exactly where sy…

(AsiaGameHub) –   While advancing a wide array of far-reaching proposals, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Gambling Reform (GRAPPG) and Peers for Gambling Reform (PGR) have conceded that streamers promoting black market gambling sites continue to negatively affect younger people.

A central objective for the APPG has been to halt all advertising from the UK’s regulated gambling sector. Nonetheless, the group has also supported recent government initiatives for a complete prohibition on sports sponsorship by unlicensed operators—a goal that appears increasingly attainable as support for tougher gambling laws grows.

Initiatives to remove unlicensed sponsorship from English sports will almost certainly help reduce the visibility of these operators.

As the regulatory environment for licensed companies becomes more restrictive, forcing small and mid-tier operators to re-evaluate their market strategies, an expanding opportunity emerges for unlicensed operators to exploit.

Tapping into a new age o…

(AsiaGameHub) –   Spanish law enforcement confiscated cryptocurrency cold storage devices as part of a piracy probe involving what officials described as the nation’s most significant unauthorized Spanish-language manga website.

Key Details

Law enforcement recovered two cold wallets containing approximately €400,000.**
A trio of individuals was taken into custody in Almería.**
Officials have not disclosed if they possess the means to unlock the assets.**

Cryptocurrency Wallets Discovered Concealed in Wall Thermometer
Authorities in Spain apprehended three individuals in Almería following a search of a suspected illicit manga distribution network that had been active since 2014.
According to the Interior Ministry, the website provided complimentary access to pirated manga content, primarily funding its operations through ad revenue. Officials estimate the platform generated over €4 million throughout its ten-year existence.
In the course of the operation, officers discovered tw…

(AsiaGameHub) –   Zondacrypto is under scrutiny following comments from CEO Przemysław Kral that the exchange is unable to access a Bitcoin wallet containing 4,503 BTC—currently valued at over $350 million.

Good to Know

Per Przemysław Kral, the wallet contains 4,503 BTC.
Kral states that Zondacrypto purchased the wallet from Sylwester Suszek, founder of BitBay.
Suszek vanished in March 2022 prior to the handover of the private keys.

Zondacrypto Faces Questions Over Lack of Wallet Access
Zondacrypto CEO Przemysław Kral has refuted allegations of fund misappropriation by releasing the Bitcoin wallet address at the heart of the controversy. He noted that the exchange owns the 4,503 BTC wallet but cannot access the funds because the private keys were never provided.
Kral asserts that Zondacrypto acquired the wallet from Sylwester Suszek, BitBay’s founder, before Suszek disappeared in March 2022. He added that while documentation verifies ownership, access depends on keys that n…

(AsiaGameHub) –   A fresh legal challenge in South Carolina is scrutinizing Dave & Buster’s prize-redemption system, as a newly established organization contends that the arcade’s ticket-based rewards constitute unlawful gambling.

Key Details

The litigation was initiated by SC Citizens For Equal Enforcement of Gambling Laws.
The suit alleges that because prizes possess resale value, the business model violates South Carolina gambling statutes.
The organization is pursuing treble damages for patrons who lost $50 or more during a single visit.

South Carolina Legal Action Challenges Arcade Prize Systems
Dave & Buster’s is the subject of a South Carolina lawsuit concerning its primary arcade operations, where patrons purchase Power Card credits to play games, earn tickets, and exchange them for prizes. The legal complaint asserts that this process qualifies as illegal gambling when the prizes offered include high-value electronics.
The group, SC Citizens For Equal Enforcement of Gambl…

(AsiaGameHub) –   Robert Dunlap, creator of Meta 1 Coin, has received a 23-year prison sentence after prosecutors stated he used false claims about gold and art to sell a fraudulent cryptocurrency token.

Good to Know

Robert Dunlap marketed Meta 1 Coin between 2018 and 2023.
Prosecutors indicated the scam defrauded nearly 1,000 investors out of more than $20 million.
Dunlap was found guilty of mail fraud charges and ordered to pay restitution.

Meta 1 Coin Fraud Concludes With Lengthy Prison Term
A Houston resident who persuaded investors to buy a counterfeit asset-backed crypto token will serve 23 years in prison following a federal judge’s sentencing this week.
Robert Dunlap, 55, promoted Meta 1 Coin through the Meta-1 Coin Trust from 2018 to 2023, according to the U.S. Justice Department. Prosecutors claimed he told investors the token was backed by $44 billion in gold and a $1 billion art collection.
These claims were false. Dunlap asserted the gold had been audited and certified by an accoun…

(AsiaGameHub) –   Team Vitality has secured Javokhir Sindarov’s return to its chess team for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. The move follows his victory at the FIDE Candidates in Cyprus, cementing his status as a premier figure in chess esports.

Good to Know

Javokhir Sindarov finished first in the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament with a 10/14 score.
He is set to face World Chess Champion Gukesh Dommaraju later this year.
His return to competition with Team Vitality begins at the Chess.com Open 2026.

Team Vitality Recruits World Championship Contender to Chess Lineup
Just weeks after his record-breaking performance at the Candidates, 20-year-old Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov has officially rejoined Team Vitality’s chess roster.
Sindarov triumphed at the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament in Cyprus, earning 10 out of 14 points—the highest score recorded under the current double round-robin system. By clinching the victory with a round to spare, he joins the ranks of Viswanathan Anand and Ian …

(AsiaGameHub) –   The Consumer Federation of America has filed a class-action lawsuit against Meta Platforms in Washington, D.C., alleging that the company allows fraudulent advertisements to reach users while generating significant revenue from high-risk advertisers.

Key Facts to Note

The CFA claims Meta failed to protect users from fraudulent adverts.
The legal complaint alleges Meta earned billions of dollars from ads for scams and prohibited goods.
Meta has denied the allegations and stated it will contest the case.

CFA Legal Action Takes Aim at Meta’s Advertising Policies
Meta Platforms is facing a class-action lawsuit launched by the Consumer Federation of America over scam ads appearing on Facebook and other platforms owned by Meta.
The CFA, a coalition of non-profit consumer advocacy groups, submitted the case to the Superior Court in Washington, D.C. It is seeking damages as well as the recovery of what it claims are illicit profits linked to fraudulent advertising.
The complaint notes that …

(AsiaGameHub) –   Evolution Gaming announced a decline in its first-quarter revenue, attributing the drop to reduced channelisation in Europe impacting results. In contrast, North America and Latin America achieved new revenue records.

Good to Know

First-quarter net revenue decreased by 1.5% compared to the previous year, totaling €513 million.
Martin Carlesund described Europe as “the primary concern at present.”
The company intends to focus its most significant investments on the United States and Latin America in 2026.

Evolution Gaming Points To Europe As Q1 Drag
Evolution Gaming cited weaker channelisation in Europe for a 1.5% year-on-year decline in Q1 net revenue to €513 million. Group CEO Martin Carlesund informed analysts that performance varied by region, with Europe applying the most significant downward pressure.
While Europe remains valuable long-term, Carlesund stated that regulatory measures in certain markets have diverted players to unlicensed sites rather than retaining the…

(AsiaGameHub) –   Polymarket has returned to the spotlight following a peculiar weather-related betting incident, with reports suggesting a trader interfered with a Paris temperature reading used to determine market outcomes.

Key Takeaways

A trader is accused of manipulating a weather sensor located near Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.
Bets placed on a 22°C outcome reportedly resulted in a payout of approximately $34,000.
Following a complaint from Météo France, French authorities have launched an investigation into the alleged tampering.

Allegations of Tampering in Polymarket Weather Market
A Paris-based weather market on Polymarket is under scrutiny amid claims that a trader utilized a heat source near a temperature sensor to influence the settlement of a longshot wager.
The market relied on data from a Météo France sensor situated near Charles de Gaulle Airport. Based on social media reports and coverage from The Guardian, it is suspected that an individual empl…

(AsiaGameHub) –   BetHog has secured new funding and launched a business-to-business (B2B) division focused on AI live dealer games, signaling its expansion beyond its proprietary platform.

Key Takeaways

BetHog has successfully raised $10 million in Series A funding, bringing its total funding to $16 million.
The funding round was co-led by Will Ventures and RockawayX.
Sentient Studios will provide AI live dealers to other operators on a revenue-share basis, with no initial costs required.

BetHog Establishes B2B Channel for AI Dealers
BetHog is extending its AI live dealer technology to other operators through Sentient Studios, a newly formed B2B provider specializing in live casino integration. This launch coincides with a $10 million Series A funding round, co-led by Will Ventures and RockawayX, with participation from PCV, 6MV, Bullpen Capital, and Advancit Capital.
The company intends to utilize the capital to enhance its AI live dealer capabilities on the BetHog platform and accelerate the globa…