Thailand’s casino legislation could be revived if Pheu Thai forms a coalition with a parliamentary majority, a legal expert said. The expert said the bill could return as early as next year if that happens, but might remain stalled indefinitely otherwise.
The bill’s progress could affect whether operators can pursue casino opportunities in Thailand.
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Philippine lawyer Marie Antonette Quiogue said prediction markets fall within the country’s gambling laws, while PAGCOR has no specific licence category for them. She said real-money services targeting Philippine users would therefore be unlicensed and illegal unless covered by an existing category or new legislation.
Legal expert Tonet Quiogue argued that the Philippines’ PAGCOR can disrupt illegal gambling operations by blacklisting and sanctioning suppliers and service providers that assist unlicensed platforms. She said enforcement action against operators depends on cooperation with law enforcement agencies, including the NBI and PNP.
Japan’s National Police Agency has proposed reducing standard approval fees for pachinko and pachislot machines by about 30%, with revised rates due to take effect on 1 April 2027 if approved. The certification fee for an already type-tested model would fall from JPY4,340 to JPY3,030, while testing requirements would remain unchanged.
Japan’s National Police Agency has proposed reducing standard approval fees for pachinko and pachislot machines by around 30%.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has received dozens of consumer inquiries about prediction-market platforms it does not regulate, a commission spokesperson said. The commission directs those consumers to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, while chair Jordan Maynard told lawmakers that users may confuse such platforms with state-licensed sportsbooks.
A Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) spokesperson said they had personally seen dozens of inquiries about prediction-market platforms outside the regulator’s authority. The MGC tells consumers it does not regulate prediction markets and directs them to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the spokesperson said.
AGSI vice-president Antonio Guitto urged Italy's lawmakers to direct taxes and levies from legal gambling towards public-interest causes rather than general taxation. He said changes to products and more entertainment in physical venues would not, by themselves, improve the sector's public reputation.
AGSI vice-president Antonio Guitto has urged Italy’s lawmakers to earmark taxes and levies from legal gambling for community and public-interest purposes rather than general taxation. He said identifying how the money is used would help the sector regain credibility with institutions and the public.