Techme101.com

A number of gambling regulators across Europe have agreed to closer cooperation with one another, as a joint institutional declaration has been signed.
The intention is to combat illegal gambling activities in the digital environment, with the countries involved to launch an exchange of information and data. Germany, Austria, France, Great Britain, Italy, Portugal, and Spain are all listed within the announcement.

Frente al juego ilegal online, los Reguladores Europeos actúan unidos.La DGOJ y los reguladores de Alemania,Austria,Francia,Gran Bretaña,Italia y Portugal han firmado en Madrid una declaración que impulsa la cooperación internacional.Lee la declaraciónwww.ordenacionjuego.es/novedades/re…
— Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (@dgojgob.bsky.social) 2025-11-20T10:50:42.602Z

The decision was officially formalized at a meeting held on November 12 at the headquarters of the General Directorate of Gambling Regulation (DGOJ) in Madrid.
According to a news release by the DGOJ, the regulators from the listed countries agree that the borderless nature of the digital environment and the speed of technological advances make it easier for unauthorized operators to circumvent regulatory supervision. They say this increases risks for consumers and can affect the integrity of the regulated market.
European gambling regulators outline three key priorities
It has also been highlighted that one of the main shared concerns is the growing presence of advertising from illegal operators on social networks, video platforms and affiliate networks. It’s explained that this then allows users from multiple areas to be targeted without respecting national regulations.
There have been three areas of priority which have been highlighted, with the agreement establishing a framework for cooperation based on these areas.
This includes the exchange of information between regulators on illegal operators, along with a joint complaint to digital platforms and social networks to strengthen control mechanisms and avoid the dissemination of advertising from unauthorized operators. The third priority is to strengthen the exchange of knowledge and best practices for the identification, investigation and punishment of illegal activities.
The hope is that this joint approach will speed up the detection of illegal activities, while also improving the responsiveness of each jurisdiction and act against illegal practices that go beyond national borders.
Featured Image: Via Directorate General of Gambling Regulation press release
The post European regulators unite to strengthen fight against illegal online gambling appeared first on ReadWrite.

The UK Government has introduced a new code which aims to strengthen protections for players entering prize draw competitions.
The introduction was announced on Thursday (November 20), with more than 20 leading operators having signed up to the voluntary code, which will see stronger protections and greater transparency.
This comes after prize draws have grown in popularity over the last few years, with a massive 7.4 million adults playing each year across the UK. The market is described as being worth £1.3 billion ($1.7 billion) annually.

Today, we’ve published our new Voluntary Code for prize draw operators. The millions of people enjoying these competitions every year will now benefit from stronger protections and greater transparencyhttps://t.co/R2x9BEvAo4
— Fiona Twycross (@fionatwycross) November 20, 2025

However, due to these draws also offering a free entry route for players, those running them do not currently require a licence according to the Gambling Act 2005. The government says that in light of this growth in the market, they are determined to ensure that players are able to enjoy prize draws safely.
The newly introduced code has established a clear set of industry standards “which will help provide a uniform approach across the sector to strengthen player protections, increase transparency and improve accountability of prize draw operators.”
Monthly credit card cap introduced for prize draw operators
Gambling Minister Baroness Twycross said: “Millions of people enjoy entering prize draw competitions every year, and they should be confident that reasonable protections are in place. Thanks to the introduction of this code, that will be the case.”
The changes include a monthly £250 ($326) cap on credit card entries for prize draws and a complete ban on credit card entries for all instant-win competitions.
As part of the code, there is now also a commitment to ensure free entry routes are sufficiently publicised and accessible to all. As well as new measures for operators to identify and mitigate against harm, including signposting to support where necessary.
Currently, more than 20 leading operators are said to have agreed to sign up to the code following extensive consultations between the sector and the government. Those operators will then have six months to implement the code’s provisions.
The gambling minister continued: “I want to thank all of the operators who have already signed up, both for their cooperation in developing the code, and their commitment to following it moving forwards.”
Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram
The post Greater protections for players of prize draw competitions introduced appeared first on ReadWrite.

VGW is pulling its sweepstakes-style promotional play from Tennessee, making it the latest company to back away as the state increases its scrutiny of unlicensed and sweepstakes gambling sites. The move comes just a few weeks after the company stopped offering sweepstakes play in West Virginia.
A VGW spokesperson told ReadWrite: “Following careful consideration, we can confirm we’ve informed players in Tennessee of a decision to phase out Promotional Play (sweepstakes promotions) in the state across our brands.
“However, our valued players in Tennessee will still be able to enjoy all their favorite free-to-play games using Gold Coins. We are 100 percent focused on ensuring players are fully informed about the changes and that this transition is as smooth as possible.
“But we understand this is an adjustment after several years of enjoying our industry-leading brands and some players may be disappointed. This decision wasn’t taken lightly and was made based on a range of factors.”
According to information shared with players, people in Tennessee will not be able to collect Sweeps Coins in any way starting November 24, 2025. This includes login rewards, competitions, promotional bonuses that come with Gold Coin purchases, and postal requests.
Players can keep using any Sweeps Coins they still have until December 23, 2025. After that date, Sweeps Coin gameplay and new postal requests will stop. Players can continue submitting redemption requests until January 20, 2026, when the window closes for good.
Tennessee cracks down on sweepstakes as VGW exits market
VGW’s decision comes at a time when Tennessee’s Sports Wagering Council is ramping up efforts against platforms it views as illegal sports gaming operators. On October 23, the council announced that three more groups had stopped offering sports betting in the state. Those were BetWhale.ag, Kickr, and ReBet. BetWhale, an offshore sportsbook, closed after receiving a cease and desist notice along with a fine of $50,000. Kickr and ReBet, which both operate social and sweepstakes style sports gaming platforms, also suspended their services.
“We encourage all Tennessee sports betting customers to remember it is important to use legal, licensed sportsbooks to protect your own personal and financial information,” SWC executive director Mary Beth Thomas said in a release. She cautioned that just because an app or website is available in Tennessee does not mean it is authorized to operate. She encouraged people to check the state’s official list of licensed operators. The SWC also pointed out that online sportsbooks in the state took in $5.6 billion in wagers during the last fiscal year.
Sweepstakes operators leave the state
The state’s enforcement push has already led several sweepstakes-style operators to exit altogether. This week, Thrillzz, KicKr, and ReBet all pulled out after being identified as illegal sports gaming platforms. Earlier in the year, Legendz and Sportzino withdrew their sports betting products, although Legendz still offers casino style games to players in Tennessee.

Blazesoft’s Sportzino exits Tennessee after cease-and-desist order https://t.co/pF3mTWW3eg
— Tennessee Sports Wagering Council (@tnswac) September 22, 2025

Even though Tennessee has not passed a specific ban on sweepstakes gambling, regulators are increasingly applying current laws to sweepstakes based sports betting models, and it appears that it might be issuing cease-and-desist orders either way.
With the pressure rising, some operators are choosing to leave on their own rather than risk fines or legal trouble. VGW has already ended Chumba and Luckyland Casino play for users in New Jersey, and it has also stopped offering sweepstakes play in New York.
Featured image: VGW
The post VGW ends Tennessee sweepstakes play as state intensifies scrutiny of operators appeared first on ReadWrite.

The launch of FanDuel Predicts could be just around the corner, as a ‘special executive report’ lists potential sports event contracts for as soon as December 6.
When FanDuel’s introduction into the predictions market was announced, it was explained that the company would be doing so in partnership with derivatives marketplace CME Group. In an X post, the company announced it would be “coming this December,” but no exact date was listed.

Coming this December, CME Group is launching prediction markets with @FanDuel. Through the new FanDuel Predicts app, customers will have the ability to trade event contracts on global benchmarks and economic indicators, with sports outcome contracts available in non-online sports…
— CME Group (@CMEGroup) November 12, 2025

Now, though, a report by the CME Group was filed on November 18 which has the subject heading of: “Initial Listing of Event Contract Swaps on Pro Basketball Games, Pro Football Games, Pro Football Season Championship, College Football Games, Pro Hockey Games, and Men’s College Basketball Games.”
Report filed by partner CME lists FanDuel Predicts debut for first weekend of December
The report further states that “pending all relevant Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) regulatory review periods, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (“CME” or “Exchange”) will list Event Contract Swaps on…” followed by a list of sports with the date of Saturday, December 6, 2025 being the first.
On this date, it states the event contracts on a number of states, including Atlanta, Boston, Brooklyn, Charlotte, Chicago, and several more, alongside a ‘CME Globex and Clearing Code.’
Further down the report, in the contract specifications, it suggests these are ‘effective’ from December 6 and states the trading hours intention: “The Exchange intends to avail 24-hour trading, 7 days a week inclusive of up to two 2-hour maintenance periods per week from 3:00 A.M. Eastern Time/ET – 5:00 A.M. ET on Saturday and Tuesday.”
“In addition, there will be a one (1) minute trading halt each day from 5:00 P.M.ET to 5:01p.m. ET that will serve to advance the trade date.”
Since the initial announcement, however, on 12 November, neither FanDuel or the CME Group have shared further insights into when the app will come to fruition.
Featured Image: Via FanDuel press release
The post New sports contracts suggest FanDuel Predicts could begin to roll out as soon as the first week of December appeared first on ReadWrite.