All around the world #5; a gambling news round-up
This month’s news focuses heavily on regulation – in all corners of the world. From technical enforcement tools and harm-prevention campaigns to tax policy reversals and legal reform, governments are experimenting with very different approaches to regulation. Ensuring player safety, while achieving plenty of income from tax, all without letting the black market take hold is the juggling act for governments of today.
Belgium’s new tool – a silver bullet against the black market?
Kicking things off with the seemingly never-ending war on illegal gambling, Belgium may have found a new pressure point. The country has strengthened its fight against black market operators by expanding the use of Domain Name Server (DNS) blocking. In cooperation with DNS Belgium, regulators can now notify the registry when illegal gambling content is linked to a .be domain. This triggers a formal warning, as well as potential enforcement action if nothing changes.
Once a notification is raised, the domain holder is informed that their site is in breach of rules governing Belgian domains. For users attempting to visit the site, a DNS block typically results in the page failing to load, with a notice explaining that access has been restricted due to suspected illegal gambling activity. While the measure doesn’t remove sites from the internet entirely, it is designed to limit visibility and access within Belgium. This comes at a time when authorities everywhere are stepping up efforts to curb the black market. Other jurisdictions, take note.
Australian pub fined AU$44,000 for operating during shutdown hours
While Belgium embraces new(ish) technology to crack down on unscrupulous operators, Liquor and Gaming NSW has resorted to the more traditional route – a hefty fine. The former licence holder of Sydney’s Richards on the Park Hotel, was fined AU$44,000 for operating gaming machines during prohibited shutdown hours.
Investigators found pokies were active on no less than 68 occasions between May 2022 and September 2023, breaching rules banning operation between 4am and 10am. Regulators said that these breaches sharply increased the risk of gambling harm, particularly in high-risk areas. The enforcement comes at a time of immense (and growing) political pressure for gambling reform in Australia, including renewed scrutiny of the long-delayed Murphy report.
Ireland urged to introduce stronger protections for youth gambling exposure
While Australia and Belgium battle unscrupulous operators, Ireland’s Institute of Public Health wants to crack down on online gambling content – full stop. It has urged the government to adopt targeted protections to reduce children’s exposure to online gambling content.
A new report recommends a four-pillar framework with the following ideas at the core:
- Stronger political leadership
- Tougher laws and enforcement
- Improved age-verification
- Enhanced monitoring of digital marketing
The report also warns that existing rules fail to address the following three ‘threats’ to young people:
- Influencer marketing
- Algorithmic targeting
- Gambling-adjacent content
While Ireland’s Gambling Regulation Act only came into force in 2025, the report argues that post-regulation efforts must focus more closely on youth exposure. Obviously an important issue in Ireland, this recommendation could also see Ireland push for influence at EU level during its 2026 Council presidency.
European Safer Gambling Week 2025 records highest participation to date
In more positive news, the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) reported record participation in European Safer Gambling Week 2025. This year, the continent-wide initiative achieved 221 partners across 24 countries – a 14% increase year-on-year. It reached 4.1 million people on social media and featured 1,280 posts promoting safer gambling.
In an exciting development, for the first time, messages appeared at eight televised football matches and in retail betting outlets too. A total of 23 events attracted more than 2,500 attendees, and EGBA launched a new resource site, safergambling.eu, to support player protection initiatives.
Betting sector being used as Brazil’s quick fiscal fix
Moving to South America and the picture becomes more about the way governments are utilising the legal gambling industry to plug the fiscal ‘leaks’. The president of National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL), Plínio Lemos Jorge, has criticised Brazil’s government for using the newly regulated betting sector to plug budget gaps.
Jorge warned that staggered tax rises (see below) could push the gambling sector’s total tax burden close to a shocking 50%.
- Lifting GGR tax from 13% to 15% by 2028
- Enforcing the existing 9.25% PIS/Cofins levy
- Applying municipal taxes of up to 5%
With these staggered tax rises, it’s likely that the regulated sector will struggle to compete with the value that the black market can offer. As such, smaller licensed operators may be forced out and players encouraged to try the unregulated market. It’s early days for Brazil’s regulated market (it only launched in January 2025) and these first steps are crucial for fostering safe but steady growth.
Colombia rejects permanent 19% online gambling VAT
In Colombia, the story is quite the opposite. Last month, congress voted down a Financing Law that would have made the 19% VAT on online gambling deposits permanent. The tax was introduced originally in February 2025 to fund emergency spending, but since the vote, it ended on 31 December.
For the Colombian gambling industry, this is excellent news. The original spike in VAT caused a 30% drop in online GGR, with some operators reporting as much as a 50% drop in deposits. Now, the firms that anticipated their possible removal (including Rush Street Interactive) are free to reap the rewards of staying strong, but Colombia’s government will be left with a significant budget shortfall to rectify.
Indian state Odisha removes jail terms for gambling offences
Finally, in a country with harsher gambling laws than most, legislation is changing. In the state of Odisha, no one will now be imprisoned for gambling offences. Instead, all jail terms will be replaced with monetary penalties.
Under the amended law, minor offences now carry fines of Rs 5,000, while serious violations can attract penalties of up to Rs 75,000, replacing previous jail sentences of up to 6 months. The government said the reform modernises outdated laws, whilst reducing pressure on overstretched courts and prisons. Opposition lawmakers argued it could weaken deterrence and encourage gambling. Whichever way you look at it, it will generate more funds for the state government.
In summary
Taken together, these recent news stories point to a common challenge facing regulators worldwide: how to tighten oversight without driving players underground, stalling legal markets or relying too heavily on gambling as a fiscal safety net. For now, it seems as though precision rather than pressure might be the best solution.