Industry Updates

PayCools is positioning itself to work with the Philippines’ regulated gaming industry after receiving accreditation from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), opening a route for the payment services provider to serve gaming businesses operating under the regulator’s framework.

Indonesia has expanded its online gambling crackdown, directing banks to investigate or block 39,923 accounts suspected of links to illegal betting.

India’s Supreme Court has rejected 10 review petitions challenging online gaming restrictions in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, leaving its May 2026 judgment unchanged as a separate challenge to national legislation remains pending.

Vietnam will allow casinos and other regulated gaming businesses to verify customers through the national VNeID application from November 15, 2026, while retaining customer record-keeping, eligibility checks and security requirements.

Hokkaido may skip Japan’s 2027 integrated resort application round as site selection and required procedures threaten its casino resort bid timeline.

Vietnam will introduce new administrative penalties for betting, casino and electronic gaming violations on December 5, 2026, with organisational fines reaching VND200 million under Decree No. 391/2026/ND-CP.

Hippos ATG has secured a Finnish gambling licence covering horse racing betting, sports betting and online casino games ahead of the country's regulated market launch on 1 July 2027. The joint venture between ATG and Suomen Hippos is preparing to enter the market as Finland introduces competition in selected gambling sectors.

New Jersey is strengthening online gambling safeguards by requiring licensed casinos and sportsbooks to identify potentially at-risk customers, conduct assessments and apply structured interventions. The rules also restrict promotional communications at specified intervention stages, increasing operators' responsibilities for customer protection and compliance.