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PointsBet has begun the registration process to operate in Alberta’s iGaming market
As a result of the announcement, PointsBet can now begin the process of setting up its digital stall across the province and fire up its marketing efforts to sway a new crowd of potential bettors.
The green light from the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) has enabled the latter part of PointsBet’s setup and operations.
PointsBet expands in Canada
The news, published as an official statement by PointsBet, indicates that, in the wake of the MIXI takeover saga, the brand is looking to expand in a nation that has already provided 26% growth for the company.

One interesting thing about the forthcoming Alberta iGaming market is that operators can start signing up customers when they apply for a license. No deposits yet, though. Here, for example, is @PointsBetCanada announcing AB pre-reg is now open for customers: pic.twitter.com/tANclBf89H
— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) February 3, 2026

“The company is proud to have built an authentically Canadian sportsbook, supported by Canadian employees and designed specifically to address the needs of the Canadian market,” read the release.
Non-Executive Chair of PointsBet Holdings Brett Patton had said that 2025 had “been one of significant transition and strategic reshaping” in the wake of MIXI becoming the controlling shareholder.
This included a tug-of-war between existing minority shareholders, MIXI and Betr, but the shareholders chose the former, and the Australian Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) approved the deal.
Group CEO and managing director, Sam Swanell, shared in a November 2025 statement, “The PointsBet Group had a strong year delivering $11.2 million of positive Normalised EBITDA, the positive result being the first in the Group’s history.”
PointsBet is growing in Alberta
“Alberta’s move toward an open, competitive iGaming framework is a positive step for Canadian players, offering more choice and consumer protections in a safe and regulated environment,” said Scott Vanderwel, Chief Executive Officer of PointsBet Canada.
The North American market has proven fruitful, and the brand hopes to continue its success in the westernmost province of Canada.
“We’re excited to introduce our innovative, Canadian-focused sports betting and online casino products to Alberta residents, supported by industry-leading speed, responsible gaming tools, and local expertise.”
Featured image: PointsBet
The post PointsBet starts Alberta iGaming registration after AGLC regulatory approval granted officially appeared first on ReadWrite.

Betting and stats giant Underdog has launched a new team parlays feature to rival the growing trend of multi-pick wagers on event contracts.
A traditional Same Game Parlay (SGP) in the licensed sports betting world includes lines from one game, and when stacked, gives higher odds.
Multiple-event pick wagers have long been a staple of regulated, state-licensed betting involving the outcomes of multiple team events. This could be the moneyline for multiple NBA, NFL, and MLB matchups, for example.
Underdog’s team parlays are an attempt to compete with state-regulated sports markets and to offer multiple cross-sport team picks in a single outcome, in addition to the existing team picks feature in the app.
Underdog launches team parlay feature
In a post on X, Underdog shows three basketball teams and one NFL team as part of a single outcome parlay.

Team Parlays are live!
You can now combine up to 4 team picks in a single entry pic.twitter.com/SRueAw4Pzk
— Underdog (@Underdog) February 2, 2026

Underdog teased this feature as part of its team-up with Crypto and allows account holders to make what would traditionally be an accumulator-style parlay, but with the predictions partner Crypto’s bespoke status.
We reported on the deal pairing the sports and fantasy powerhouse with the CFTC-regulated Crypto. Underdog founder and CEO Jeremy Levine made a forward-looking statement about the company’s roadmap for prediction market wagering.
“While still new and evolving, one thing is clear: the future of prediction markets is going to be about sports, and no one does sports better than Underdog.”
Future of multi-pick team parlays
In addition to Levine’s views, Crypto’s Travis McGhee, Managing Director and Global Head of Capital Markets at Crypto.com was “thrilled” at the possibilities that could come out of the deal.
“We were the first to offer sports events contracts, and our technology partnership with Underdog will provide more access to CDNA’s innovative offerings.”
This team parlay builder seems to be one of the earmarked innovative offerings, but with increasing pressure on federally regulated markets, it may be either the future Levine spoke of or another toe across a state-regulated line.
Featured image: Underdog
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The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration in Ireland, Jim O’Callaghan, has officially signed an order which will see the gambling authority begin issuing remote and in-person betting licenses.
This comes after the recently formed Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) opened its first public consultation to seek opinions on the proposed licensing regulations back in April 2025.
The gambling regulators are the ones responsible for issuing licenses and collecting money for the fund. Now, this newly signed order will come into effect on Thursday, 5 February.
Along with the authority being able to start this process, it also commences the enforcement, oversight and complaints mechanisms that are central to the new licensing framework.
Minister Jim O’Callaghan has signed an order and provides update on Ireland-based gambling licenses
Speaking on the update, which is long coming, Minister O’Callaghan said: “Today marks another important step towards replacing Ireland’s outdated gambling laws with a streamlined and simplified licensing framework.
“This reflects the nature of modern gambling and takes into account the harms associated with problem gambling, by providing safeguards to protect people from those harms, especially children.”

The GRAI published its Statement of Strategy for 2025 – 2027 today, setting out its strategic priorities over the next three years as it establishes a robust regulatory and licensing regime for the gambling sector and delivers on its public protection mandate. pic.twitter.com/0oReqX9dkx
— Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (@GambRegIRL) October 15, 2025

The minister confirmed the authority can issue licenses for new entrants as soon as is feasible and can license remote operators from 1 July 2026 and in-person operators from 1 December 2026, when their existing licenses expire.
“The Act provides the Authority with the necessary enforcement powers to take appropriate and focused action where licensees fail to comply with licensing terms, conditions and regulations, and to deal with unlicensed operators, those operating without the correct licence, or those in contravention of the terms of a licence issued by the Authority.”
The commencement order means the GRAI has been given robust investigative powers, allowing for administrative sanctions of fines of up to €20 million or 10% of a licensee’s turnover, whichever is the greater, to be imposed on licensees, where they are found to be in contravention of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024.
Featured Image: Via GRAI X account
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The City Attorney of San Francisco, David Chiu, has issued a statement as they say they are cracking down on gambling and drug dens that allegedly front as convenience stores.
This update also comes as the San Francisco Board of Supervisors is looking to expand the nighttime safety ordinance that prohibits certain retail stores in high-traffic, ‘drug market areas’ from operating late at night.
In the last year and a half, the City Attorney’s Office has sued or shut down nine stores that allegedly violated the nighttime safety ordinance or engaged in other illegal activity. “These convenience stores were magnets for drug activity, and, in some cases, the stores were selling illegal drugs themselves,” said City Attorney Chiu in his newly-released statement.
“Most businesses contribute positively to our neighborhoods, but a handful of late-night retail establishments, like the ones we have shut down, attract significant criminal activity.
“The nighttime safety ordinance has been helpful in putting these stores on our radar and giving us additional tools to shut down problematic businesses. SFPD has been an incredible partner in this work to eradicate drug activity and protect our communities.”
He continued to say they are looking forward to working with the community and utilizing the nighttime safety ordinance further if the Board of Supervisors pass legislation to extend and expand it.
Nine stores shut down in San Francisco, statement says
The nighttime safety ordinance was originally passed in July 2024 and was developed in partnership with Tenderloin neighbors as part of a strategy to disrupt open-air drug markets.
Once passed, a two-year pilot program began, prohibiting certain retail stores in areas of the Tenderloin from operating between 12:00AM and 5:00AM. Generally speaking, the ordinance applies to convenience stores and corner stores, rather than restaurants, bars, or event halls.
The SFPD Chief Derrick Lew has also weighed in on the situation too: “The San Francisco Police Department is committed to keeping our streets clean and safe, and that includes cracking down on businesses violating the Nighttime Safety Ordinance or engaging in other illegal activity.”
“We will continue to be relentless in our enforcement against illegal drug markets in every way imaginable. Thank you to City Attorney David Chiu and our other city partners in this crucial work.”
Featured Image: Via the City Attorney of San Francisco
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BetMGM shared a business update on Wednesday (February 4), stating that 2025 turned out better than expected, and the company is moving firmly toward profitability.
For the 2025 fiscal year (FY 2025), BetMGM posted net revenue of $2.8 billion, up 33% from the year before. That growth came from strong performances across both sides of the business. iGaming revenue climbed 24%, while online sports betting jumped a sharp 63%. The company credited better player engagement, product improvements, and a more disciplined approach to managing players for the gains.
Profitability also took a big step forward. BetMGM reported EBITDA of $220 million for the year, a $464 million improvement compared with 2024, officially shifting the business out of the red and into positive earnings territory.
The momentum was especially strong in the fourth quarter. Net revenue hit $780 million, up 39% year over year, with online sports betting revenue nearly doubling after a 93% increase. The boost was helped by higher player activity in December and more favorable betting results than the same quarter last year. BetMGM was also able to return $270 million in cash to its parent companies during the fourth quarter.
BetMGM FY 2025 ‘turning point for business’
Chief Executive Officer Adam Greenblatt characterized the year as a turning point for the business. “2025 was a record year for BetMGM, outperforming expectations with the execution of our refined strategy coming together at scale,” Greenblatt said in a press release. He added that “BetMGM’s meaningfully improved profitability and material EBITDA generation now sees us returning cash to our parent companies and marks a clear inflection in our growth trajectory.”

We’re officially live in Missouri
Shout out to @Chiefs Kingdom for celebrating with us outside Arrowhead on Sunday, especially @moneybomusic! pic.twitter.com/0hotfYyTsS
— BetMGM (@BetMGM) December 8, 2025

On the operations side, BetMGM said it made noticeable improvements to its platforms over the year. Apps are reportedly running faster, reward tracking is clearer, and players now have access to newer betting tools like live same-game parlays and cash-out options. The company also continued to expand geographically, launching online sports betting in Missouri on day one, December 1, which brought its total footprint to 30 legalized U.S. states.

@BetMGM announced a suite of cutting-edge features for its mobile app ahead of football season. The enhanced experience offers players a faster, more seamless way to build wagers, place bets and earn rewards.
https://t.co/KuPC2uKBlL
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER pic.twitter.com/zxKR1S9OTi
— BetMGM News (@BetMGMNews) August 20, 2025

In terms of market position, BetMGM reported a 13% share of gross gaming revenue across active markets. That included a strong 21% share in iGaming and an 8% share in online sports betting, keeping the company firmly among the leading digital gaming brands in the U.S.
User growth was steady but not explosive. Average Monthly Actives increased 4% year over year, which BetMGM said was expected given its more selective approach to acquiring new players. Instead of chasing volume, the focus has been on higher-quality customers.
While user growth was modest, net gaming revenue per active player rose much faster. In other words, BetMGM made more money from the players it already had, due to better monetization and more efficient betting behavior, rather than relying on rapid customer expansion.
BetMGM future outlook
Looking ahead, the company expects net revenue of $3.1 billion to $3.2 billion in FY 2026, with Adjusted EBITDA between $300 million and $350 million. Management also said it remains confident in reaching $500 million in Adjusted EBITDA by FY 2027.
BetMGM also flagged a change in how it will report financials starting in 2026. Under its joint venture agreement, the company will begin paying “Parent Fees” to MGM and Entain. The fees will be recorded as operating expenses, which is why BetMGM plans to emphasize Adjusted EBITDA, defined as EBITDA before those Parent Fees, so results remain comparable with earlier years.
While the company says this change should give clearer insight into cash flowing back to its parent companies, it does add some complexity for investors and analysts trying to compare future results with past EBITDA figures.
Overall, the FY 2025 results suggest BetMGM has reached meaningful scale and tightened up its financial discipline after years of heavy investment and losses. Moving into positive EBITDA and returning cash to its parents marks a major milestone in a U.S. online gaming market where consistent profitability has been tough to achieve.
That said, the outlook isn’t without risks. Continued success depends on favorable betting margins, stable regulations, and BetMGM’s ability to keep player value high without ramping up costly promotions again. With customer growth slowing and competition heating up across legalized states, the big question is how well the standout parts of 2025’s performance hold up if market conditions become less forgiving.
Nevertheless, as Greenblatt stated, “the strong underlying metrics and health of the business continue to reinforce our confidence in our outlook as we enter the next phase of growth.”
Featured image: BetMGM
The post BetMGM reports record FY 2025 results, but questions remain on sustainability appeared first on ReadWrite.