The FBI urged US consumers to use only licensed online gambling operators in an alert dated 17 December. The agency said unregulated sites offer no guarantees of fair play or withdrawals and may expose customers to theft, extortion and violence; some are linked to organised crime and terrorist networks.
Operators face public warnings that illegal gambling sites can expose customers to financial and personal risks.
The day’s most important stories, free. One email a day.
Banks in Türkiye, including Ziraat Bankası, Türkiye İş and Garanti BBVA, have begun warning customers about unlicensed gambling sites and related transfers, reportedly as part of an action plan outlined by Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç. The reported plan would require banks to block payments to and from such businesses, flag them to authorities and provide account details requested by law enforcement within 10 days.
Malta’s Gaming Authority said on 31 August 2026 that it has no connection with 11 online gambling domains identified during August. It said references to MGA licences on those sites are false and urged consumers to check authorisation before gambling.
The Malta Gaming Authority warned consumers that several websites are falsely presenting themselves as licensed or recognised by the regulator. The MGA identified manekicasino-dot-bet, dragonaracasino-dot-uk-dot-com and slot-hunter-dot-at as active, and said it has no connection to those sites.
It was reported that ASIC urged Australians to avoid offshore prediction markets. The regulator said users may lose money without the safeguards available through licensed domestic markets.
Brazil’s Sports Ministry published social-media guidance urging people who choose to bet during the World Cup to do so responsibly and check that operators are authorised, the report says. The video warns against illegal sites and says federally regulated platforms use the “.bet.br” domain.