New York Turns to Biometrics to Address Underage Gambling and Responsible Gaming Risks
As online sports betting continues to scale across the U.S., New York is taking a harder look at how digital gambling platforms verify age, manage risk, and protect vulnerable users. In remarks to ESPN, Governor Kathy Hochul outlined a new set of proposals that would strengthen safeguards in the nation’s largest online sports betting market, […]
PicPay’s Bold Move: Can Brazil’s Biggest Digital Bank Disrupt Sports Betting?
Brazil’s PicPay, one of the country’s largest digital banking and payments platforms, is positioning itself to enter the regulated fixed-odds sports betting market — a move that signals a deeper convergence between fintech and iGaming in Latin America’s most closely watched market. In 2025, PicPay filed an application with Brazil’s Secretariat of Prizes and Betting […]
Player Acquisition in LATAM Is No Longer a Marketing Game
For years, Latin America was considered a marketing-driven growth market. Bonuses, affiliates, aggressive media buying, and, more recently, influencers were viewed as the primary levers for acquiring players. That logic is now outdated. In regulated and semi-regulated LATAM markets, player acquisition is no longer won through marketing creativity alone. It is increasingly decided by compliance […]
NFL Betting Promotions and Player Performance: Are Odds Markets Shifting After Strong Seasons?
BetMGM’s NFL Betting Promotions—a 20% first-deposit match up to $1,600 tied to Wild Card weekend—looks like a straightforward customer-acquisition play. But it also offers a clear lens into how modern sportsbooks actually compete: not just on pricing, but on incentives that influence what bettors wager on, how often they bet, and which markets absorb the […]
Federal Judge Blocks Tennessee From Stopping Kalshi — A New Front in the Prediction Market Wars
A federal judge’s temporary restraining order (TRO) blocking Tennessee from enforcing its cease-and-desist against Kalshi is more than a procedural win for one platform—it’s another signal that the U.S. is drifting toward a high-stakes jurisdictional showdown over whether sports event contracts are federally regulated derivatives or state-regulated gambling. The immediate takeaway: prediction markets are no […]
The 39-Player Betting Scandal That Will Change How College Basketball Is Regulated Forever
By Stephen Crystal, Founder & CEO, SCCG Management The federal indictment unsealed this week detailing a point-shaving scheme involving 39 college basketball players across 17 Division I programs is not just another sports scandal. It is a structural warning. One that exposes how far college athletics has drifted into a monetized, bet-driven ecosystem without the […]
New York Prediction Markets Face a State-Level Reckoning with Bill S8889
New York prediction markets are entering a defining moment as lawmakers move to assert state-level oversight, potentially reshaping how event-based trading platforms operate, market themselves, and coexist with existing gambling and financial frameworks. New York Prediction Markets at a Regulatory Crossroads At a high level, New York’s latest legislative push signals that prediction markets are […]
Alberta iGaming Officially Opens for Registration — Why Early Movers Will Shape the 2026 Market
Alberta iGaming opens today as the province officially begins accepting iGaming registration applications, marking the formal start of Alberta’s transition into a regulated online gaming market set to launch later in 2026. As of January 13, 2026, amendments to the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Regulation are now in force, allowing the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and […]
AGA and IGA Take Prediction Markets to Congress, Targeting Event Contracts Through Crypto Legislation
By Stephen Crystal – Schedule A Meeting with me at ICE 2026 AGA and IGA challenge prediction markets as gaming industry leaders push Congress to curb sports-related event contracts through crypto market-structure legislation. Why the AGA and IGA Are Challenging Prediction Markets At a high level, this escalation reflects growing concern from both commercial and tribal […]
Virginia HB 271 Gaming Commission and Prediction Markets: What the Bill Could Mean for the Commonwealth
Virginia HB 271 proposes creating a dedicated Gaming Commission to oversee all legal gaming and evaluate the emerging role of prediction markets in the state. The bill aims to centralize regulatory authority, strengthen oversight, and study innovative platforms before defining their legal status.