Brazil’s betting ban, UK tax debates and global crackdowns
Weekend conversation corner - 23 October
Welcome to season two, episode forty of Weekend Conversation Corner, brought to you by Focus Gaming News! I’m Oliver, joined as always by my co-host Charlotte, bringing you a concise overview of the week’s most impactful headlines shaping the global gaming industry.
In this episode, we unpack six major developments from around the world:
- Greece's Enforcement Push: The Hellenic Gaming Commission recruits 40 new staff and deploys AI tools to tackle a €1.8bn black market and social media promotion.
- Italy's Retail Stagnation: Gambling operators demand urgent interim measures as concessions near expiration without long-promised regulatory reforms.
- Latin American Alarm Over Brazil: A sudden ban on fixed-odds betting and online casinos raises serious concerns over regulatory stability across Latin America.
- UK Tax Hike Demands: 90 Labour MPs call on Chancellor John Healey to raise Machine Games Duty to 40 per cent, sparking fears of widespread high-street venue closures.
- Trinidad & Tobago Age Restrictions: Senate approval raises the legal minimum age for gambling from 18 to 25.
- France's H1 Revenue Boost: French gambling revenue reaches €5.66bn in the first half of 2026, buoyed by an 11% surge in online betting during the FIFA World Cup despite retail slumps.
Join Oliver and Charlotte as we break down what genuinely matters in gaming this week!
