Ethiopia’s Lottery Service suspended the licences of 22 sports betting firms on 4 December, following information from the National Intelligence and Security Service. The suspensions will remain until the criminal investigation concludes; the service said further companies could be reviewed as the inquiry expands.
Operators face suspended licences pending the investigation’s conclusion, with further reviews possible.
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The UK Advertising Standards Authority banned a Casumo digital advert after finding that it breached social responsibility rules. The advert encouraged consumers to increase their participation in gambling, the ASA said.
The ASA banned a Casumo ad that encouraged “socially irresponsible” behaviour. The advertising watchdog’s AI monitoring system detected the advert.
Brazil's Ministry of Justice requested the removal of 348 Instagram profiles it said promoted illegal betting, with those accounts reaching more than 150 million followers. Since 25 September, authorities have identified more than 60,000 websites, profiles and channels linked to illegal gambling; the ministry's figures do not necessarily represent completed removals.
Brazil's Ministry of Justice has requested the removal of 348 Instagram profiles used to promote illegal betting. The accounts have more than 150 million followers, the ministry said in a statement dated 9 November.
Turkish authorities detained 121 people pending trial in an illegal betting investigation spanning 39 provinces on 3 November. Reports said investigators initially targeted 194 suspects and arrested 169; 45 were released under judicial supervision and three without restrictions. Police used the AVCI analysis system to examine online communications and identify possible links among suspects.
Sweden's Spelinspektionen issued an immediate ban against an offshore platform serving Swedish consumers without a local licence. The regulator said the company had not indicated it would remove Swedish-language content or provided concrete information on blocking Swedish IP addresses and other access routes.
Sweden's Spelinspektionen has imposed an immediate ban on an offshore gambling platform following continued social media marketing. The regulator said the decision was intended to protect consumers because the platform offered services in Sweden without a local licence.
Goiás Civil Police launched Operation Máquina de Fraudes to investigate a group suspected of cybercrime, bank fraud, money laundering and illegal online betting across seven Brazilian states and the United States. Authorities plan to execute 12 preventive arrest warrants and 27 search warrants, while courts ordered the freezing of nearly R$40 million in assets and funds. Police link the group to more than 200,000 suspected frauds; financial intelligence reports identified more than R$10 billion in transactions over five years.
Goiás Civil Police have launched Operation Máquina de Fraudes to investigate a group suspected of cybercrime, bank fraud, money laundering and illegal online betting. The investigation spans seven Brazilian states and the United States.