Regulating the Game – Ad Bans, EU Taxes and College Betting

Weekend conversation corner - 20 February

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 7 of the Weekend Conversation Corner, proudly brought to you by Focus Gaming News. Join your hosts, Oliver and Charlotte, as we filter through the noise to bring you a focused and engaging overview of the week’s most crucial global gambling developments.

This week, we discuss Romania's bold legislation to raise the legal gambling age from 18 to 21, debate a newly proposed harmonised igaming tax across the European Union, and break down the Washington State Senate's approval of in-state college sports betting. We also look at Svenska Spel's impressive digital revenue growth following the closure of its land-based casinos, and the French regulator's pushback against excessive advertising during the 2026 World Cup.

Here is our question for you this week: With the chairman of the Dutch gambling regulator warning that blanket advertising bans might just drive players to illegal, unlicensed operators, are strict ad crackdowns actually doing more harm than good?

Tune in with Oliver and Charlotte to unpack the stories that are defining the narrative and impacting policies worldwide. Stay informed, stay motivated, and keep gaming on!