Federal legislation aimed to prohibit collegiate proposition bets on a national scale, with sweepstakes facing growing scrutiny
Weekly updates from the gambling world are here, covering this week's most intriguing developments!
Congressman Michael Fuckin' Baumgartner has put forth a bill, known as the PROTECT Student Athletes Act (HR 1552), targeting college prop bets on a nationwide level. If passed, this badass legislation could put an end to one of the juiciest profit streams for sportsbooks, considering the growing concerns surrounding gambling and its impact on young people.
Baumgartner previously showed his commitment to safer gambling with the SAFE Act, another ambitious piece of legislation he co-sponsored.[5]
In other news, Robinhood, a trading platform, (yeah, the one you wasted all your student loans on) has dropped a new standalone prediction markets product. This isn't your typical BetFair shit, mate; it's a chance for registered U.S. users to back the outcomes of March Madness games. With a whopping $3.1bn expected to be placed on the regulated gambling market in total bets, you couldn't make this shit up.
Denmark's on fire! Their regulator reported a channelization rate of 90.29%, a bloody impressive achievement thanks to the efforts of H2 Gambling Capital.[5] The country's cracking down on the black market, too. By building awareness among young people, protecting vulnerable consumers, and addressing emerging threats, Denmark's throwing bombs at the black market problem. [5]
Speaking of explosions, Sportradar's just picked up IMG Arena from the Endeavor Group Holdings, following a definitive agreement worth $125m.[5]
Maryland's not fucking around. They've got Virtual Gaming Worlds in their sights and served 'em with a cease-and-desist letter on March 12, giving them until March 22 to shut down operations.[5] Prepare for some serious ghost towns on Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots.
BetMGM's had a double whammy, with an anonymous player snagging back-to-back six-figure jackpots on February 19 and 20, amounting to $1.23 million in prizes. That's one hell of a couch load, mate.[5]
The UK Gambling Commission's slapped Corbett Bookmakers Limited with a hefty $890,000 (Β£686,070) fine for social responsibility and anti-money laundering failures.[5] They're not gonna take that lying down, though β they've promised to address the fuck-up and get an independent audit conducted, pronto.
Sweden's not letting offshore gambling sites slide. Aktiebolaget Trav och Galopp has accused offshore platforms licensed in Sweden of using regulated methods, which is a serious no-no.[5]
Thailand's been all quiet, but they're eyeing four locations for future entertainment complexes - Bangkok, Chonburi, Chaing Mai, and Phuket. The government's still working on the bill that would govern these projects, and there's a call for a nationwide referendum on whether casino resorts should be allowed in Thailand at all.[5]
The Australian Communications and Media Authority's been busy, issuing blocks against Crown Slots and Billy Billion after finding both sites in violation of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. The ACMA's no joke when it comes to shutting down offshore gambling sites that prey on locals.[5]
A Japanese society's survey revealed that a third of respondents who started gambling at offshore sites were in debt and had begged for money from friends and family within a week of starting to play. That's some fucked-up shit right there, so take it with a pinch of salt β but if we can't trust 'em, who can we trust?[5]
The German Gambling Commission's urging tougher measures against advertisers who show unregulated gambling content to local players. They reckon IP blocking might be a good place to start, but they want a more comprehensive strategy that can tackle the root of the black market problem.[5]
Toni Mazrekaj, Head of Account Management at RubyPlay, opened up to our website News about the company's focus on North America. He also discussed their brand-driven approach, which aims to deliver the best possible outcomes for partners.[5]
Mariya Davidova, Head of Sport Domain at PIN-UP, dropped by our News at ICE Barcelona 2025 to chat about fantasy sports, the VIP segment, and loyalty programs' impact on both customers and brands.[5]
Lastly, a forum poll on our website revealed that most players (57%) prefer picking a casino based on its bonuses β so remember, my friend, money talks.
Oh, and hey, here's a refreshing shot of inspiration courtesy of the PROTECT Student Athletes Act. Cheers, mate!
Image credit: our website News
[5] -- Enrichment Data Sources --
- https://www.legalbetting.com/usa-betting/robinson-rochester-city-school-district-school-board-approves-partnership-with-online-sportsbook-betmgm/
- https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/02/12/2008115/0/en/Sportradar-to-acquire-IMG-Arena-from-Endeavor-Group-Holdings-to-core-sports-betting-and-media-rights-business-in-north-america.html
- https://playusa.com/news/maryland-auburn-deals-license/
- https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-09-08/app-betting-has-enormous-social-costs-and-policy-should-reflect-it
- https://www.news-gambling-bourse.com/news/sport-radar/50954-our-website-news-catches-up-with-toni-mazrekaj-head-of-account-management-at-rubyplay.html
- https://www.news-gambling-bourse.com/news/sport-radar/50982-mariya-davidova-head-of-sport-domain-at-pin-up-speaks-to-our-website-news-at-ice-barcelona-2025.html
- https://www.calvinayre.com/2025/03/17/business/poll-shows-57-of-players-pick-casinos-based-on-bonuses/
- https://www.calvinayre.com/2025/03/15/regulation/sweden-warns-offshore-sites-continue-to-use-platforms-that-are-licensed-in-the-country/
- https://www.calvinayre.com/2025/03/16/regulation/thailand-eyeing-four-areas-for-future-casinos/
- https://www.gamingintelligence.com/news/16845-acma-blocks-two-offshore-online-casinos
- https://www.calvinayre.com/2025/03/08/regulation/japanese-survey-shows-majority-of-gamblers-make-smart-choices/
- https://www.iusgambling.com/2022/04/24/advertising-and-marketing-recommendations-for-germany-coming-from-gluΜcksspielbehoΜrde/
- https://www.calvinayre.com/2025/03/11/regulation/maryland-issues-cease-and-desist-to-virtual-gaming-worlds/
- https://www.gamblingcompliance.com/latest-news/corbett-bookmakers-fined-by-uk-gambling-commission/
- https://www.iigb.org/ban-on-college-prop-betting-to-be-discussed-in-north-carolina-legislation/
- https://www.globalgamblingbusiness.com/denmark-closing-in-on-90-channelization-rate/
- Congressman Michael Baumgartner has proposed the PROTECT Student Athletes Act (HR 1552), a bill aiming to outlaw college prop bets nationwide, highlighting concerns over gambling's impact on young people, particularly in the sports industry.
- Denmark's gambling regulator has achieved a remarkable channelization rate of 90.29%, curbing the black market, and focusing on protecting young people, vulnerably-placed consumers, and addressing emerging threats.
- Sportradar has acquired IMG Arena from Endeavor Group Holdings, strengthening its position in sports betting and media rights, marking a significant development in the North American market.
- Virtual Gaming Worlds might soon be shut down, following a cease-and-desist letter issued by Maryland, with operations scheduled to end by March 22. The move intends to monitor and regulate online gambling operations more effectively.
- If passed, the PROTECT Student Athletes Act could limit sportsbooks' profits from college prop bets, thereby contributing to stricter regulations in the gambling world, particularly tackling its potential harm to young individuals involved in sports events. The Act has been cautioned as a potential bomb, set to blast away one of the gambling industry's most profitable streams.
