Gamlinked June 2025
June 2025 delivered a wake-up call to the online casino world. Regulatory bodies across the globe ramped up enforcement, targeting not just operators but also affiliates, influencers, and software providers. The message is loud and clear: evolve fast or risk heavy penalties, shutdowns, or being shut out of key markets.
This edition of Gamlinked dives into the most impactful developments shaping the industry’s future. From Alberta’s bold shift toward a competitive gambling model to affiliate crackdowns in Europe, the pressure is on to stay compliant. We also explore South Africa’s new advertising watchdog, which has been inactive for years. If you’re in the game, you’ll want to know what’s changing and how to stay ahead of it.
Alberta: Private iGaming Established Under Bill 48
Alberta just reshaped the Canadian online gambling landscape. With Bill 48 now in effect, the province is opening its doors to private iGaming operators, ushering in a new era of competition.
The Event
On June 4, 2025, Alberta took a bold step into the future of online gambling. The province officially enacted key portions of Bill 48, giving rise to the iGaming Alberta Corporation, a regulatory arm developed in partnership with the Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Commission (AGLC). This marks a significant shift from Alberta’s long-standing monopoly system to a fully regulated, competitive private iGaming market.
The Impact
With this move, Alberta becomes the second Canadian province, after Ontario, to open its doors to private online gaming operators. Global players like DraftKings, BetMGM, and FanDuel now have a chance to enter one of Canada’s fastest-growing digital gambling arenas.
The transition is expected to offer Alberta residents broader gaming options, higher-quality platforms, and competitive bonuses. It will also redirect revenues that once flowed to offshore sites back into the province’s coffers.
The Significance
The passage of Bill 48 is a regulatory milestone. It enshrines Alberta’s commitment to responsible gambling, consumer protection, and rigorous compliance standards. The AGLC and iGaming Alberta will oversee every operator to ensure fair play, transparency, and robust age verification. “We’re creating a secure, competitive marketplace that protects players while encouraging industry growth,” said iGaming Alberta CEO Rachel MacKenzie during the bill’s rollout.
Industry Outlook
The market is expected to go live between late 2025 and early 2026, and the race is on. Prospective operators must act fast! They must submit license applications, prove technical integrity, and align with Alberta’s strict compliance framework. Legal experts warn that non-compliance could mean immediate denial or suspension of market access. Still, the energy is high! Analysts project Alberta’s iGaming sector could generate over $ 1 billion CAD in annual gross gaming revenue by 2028.
South Africa: Establishes Advertising Watchdog and Enhances Responsible Gambling
South Africa is tightening its grip on gambling ads, especially those targeting minors and family audiences. Here are some of the recent developments that usher in a new era of accountability:
Recent Developments
In May 2025, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition officially revived a dedicated advertising watchdog under the National Gambling Policy Council. The move responds to alarming findings from the National Gambling Board showing rampant non-compliance with advertising rules. This is particularly illegal online gambling ads targeting minors and family audiences.
While addressing the parliament, Minister of Trade, Industry, and Competition Parks Tau stated that unlicensed offshore platforms aired during family viewing times. He further noted that most gambling ads appeared during popular shows like MasterChef and Junior MasterChef.
“There is an issue of sponsorship of family-friendly programmes, where major bookkeepers sponsor them. This results in the increase of visibility and frequency of gambling content during shows mostly viewed by minors,”. “There is an intention to ensure that we can regulate online gambling. It is an environment where different provinces have different approaches, with some being more relaxed. We also want to ensure that there is rehabilitation of addicts,”
Tau Stated.
Reviving the Gambling Policy Council
The National Gambling Council has remained inactive since 2018. Its sister regulator, the National Gambling Board, has also been dormant since it was put under administration in 2014. However, the appointment of a CEO and board members last year is one of the bold steps taken to reactivate the board.
Once it becomes fully operational, the board’s primary mandate will be to strengthen the enforcement of gambling laws across all provinces.
Responsible Gambling Summit
Ahead of its November 2025 Responsible Gambling Summit, South Africa-wide regulators (national and provincial) are collaborating closely on ethical ad standards and consumer protections.
The Advertising Regulatory Board’s new “Gambling Advertising Appendix” consolidates and clarifies existing rules. Some of the rules include no ads targeting those under 18, no misleading messaging (e.g., “recover your losses”), and mandatory responsible gambling warnings taking up 10% of ad space.
Compliance Risks
Those who don’t comply with regulations now face serious consequences, including blacklisting and market expulsion. Stiff penalties loom if platforms fail to geo-block unlicensed sites or deploy responsible marketing protocols. MP Toby Chance noted that operators could face 10 years imprisonment for a first offense and 20 years for repeated offenses.
The Bigger Picture
South Africans wagered a whopping R1.1 trillion in 2023/2024. This generated R59.3 billion in Gross Gambling revenue, which is a 25% increase. Betting operations contributed 60%, while casino operations accounted for 29%. Despite these staggering figures, South Africa’s government only collected R4.8 billion in taxes and levies.
Global Trends: Heightened Affiliate and Unlicensed Operator Scrutiny
Ontario Amplifies Affiliate Oversight
At the 2025 Canadian Gaming Summit (June 17–19), Ontario’s AGCO is set to double down on affiliate enforcement. Expect a sharp focus on transparency issues and grey-market promotions, an area that’s already triggered high-profile penalties. Notably, BetMGM faced fines after its third-party affiliates breached AGCO’s strict advertising rules.
The message is clear: operators are now fully accountable for their affiliates’ actions. Regulators will spotlight the need for airtight compliance, geo-fencing, and clear bonus marketing protocols. As AGCO puts it, “If your affiliates cross the line, so do you.” For affiliates and operators alike, the summit signals a serious call to clean house.
Sweden & Netherlands – B2B and Affiliate Clampdowns
In Sweden, Spelinspektionen is now treating software providers and affiliates as gatekeepers. The regulator rolled out eight new B2B software licenses and vowed stricter enforcement, including payment blocks and promotion bans targeting unlicensed casino operators.
In March 2025, Sweden’s Spelinspektionen fined game supplier Yggdrasil SEK 300,000 for providing content to unlicensed operators. The regulator flagged this as a serious breach of B2B licensing terms, reinforcing its crackdown on suppliers indirectly supporting black-market gambling.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands’ KSA is teaming up with tech partners like DigitalOcean to shut down unlawful affiliate domains.
Enforcement Strategy: Affiliates Held Accountable
Across jurisdictions, regulators now view affiliates as direct extensions of operators, co-responsible for compliance. They are known for promoting unauthorized bonus promotions on behalf of operators. That joint liability can trigger bans, fines, or criminal charges. Ontario affiliates have pleaded for clearer rules, but AGCO remains firm. No greymarket indulgence!
Norway: DNS Blocks, Underage Gambling Controls & Anti-Match-Fixing Initiatives
Norway has launched a wave of enforcement actions aimed at making the gambling industry a better place. From DNS blocks and underage gambling probes to an ambitious anti-match-fixing strategy, the country is pushing hard to protect players and preserve integrity.
Illegal Gambling Crackdown
On June 4, the Norwegian Gaming Authority (Lotteritilsynet) initiated DNS blocks on 57 unlicensed gambling sites. This makes it harder for Norwegian players to access offshore, unlicensed platforms from Norwegian territory. The aggressive move follows years of pressure on payment providers and ISPs to cut ties with illegal operators.
The regulator stated that 23 companies are behind the blocked sites. In a statement, Lotteritilsynet lawyer Silje Sægrov Amble said that blocking illegal sites will help reduce gambling harm in the country.
“Blocking illegal websites will help fewer people develop gambling problems. These are the games that have the highest risk. They are designed to get you hooked and you can lose a lot of money in a short time,”
Said Silje Sægrov Amble.
Amble further noted that DNS blocks are being used alongside other techniques to curb illegal operators.
“It is becoming increasingly difficult to be an illegal gambling company in Norway. There are several reasons for this. TV advertising is gone and Norwegian banks are stopping bets and winnings to and from these companies,”
Amble said.
However, Amble noted that more needs to be done to create awareness of which websites are legal. She pointed out that around 50% of Norwegians don’t know which websites are legal.
Underage Gambling Investigation
In late May 2025, state-owned operator Norsk Tipping landed in trouble after a whistleblower accused the platform of allowing minors to fund gambling accounts via Apple Pay and Vipps. The regulator fears this practice not only breaches gambling laws but may also violate anti-money laundering (AML) protocols.
The Norwegian Gambling Authority (NGA) stated that it received a tip-off from the bank that a huge amount had been transferred from the bank of a minor to Norsk Tipping. In a letter to Norsk Tipping dated May 15, NGA asked a series of questions, including the risk assessment carried out when implementing banking methods like Apple Pay and Vipps.
While addressing the issue, Norsk Tipping said that minors don’t create accounts on the platform but may gain access through adult customer accounts.
“The information so far indicates that there are customers who lend or share their customer account with persons under the age of 18 and that it is not the case that minors have been able to establish customer relationships with Norsk Tipping,”
Norsk Tipping stated in a release.
In his part, NGA director Tore Bell said that it’s too early to determine what happened, but they will investigate the matter.
“It is too early to determine what has happened. We will investigate the matter further and have asked Norsk Tipping for more information,”
Bell said.
Match-Fixing Prevention Strategy
Norway has also launched a major anti-match fixing strategy set to run from 2025-2028. This four-year plan is titled “Combating Manipulation of Sports Competitions – A Strategy Plan 2025–2028.” It aims to curb corruption in sports by integrating real-time transaction monitoring, cross-agency cooperation, and mandatory reporting mechanisms for both betting operators and sports federations.
The initiative involves collaboration between Lotteritilsynet, law enforcement, and sports bodies like the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF). Eirik Tysse, a senior advisor at Lottstift, said that the initiative reflects an increasing global push for coordinated action against match-fixing.
“We need to increase knowledge and awareness about the regulations on manipulation in sports competitions,”
Tysse stated.
Compliance Consequences: What Operators Must Do
To operate legally, operators and payment providers must tighten their compliance game. Here’s what they need to do:
- Geo-blocking: Licensed operators and Internet Service Providers (ISP) must implement robust geo-blocking measures. This will prevent Norwegians from accessing unlicensed gambling platforms.
- Age verification: Operators must employ advanced verification tools to ensure no minors can access gambling services.
- AML Practices: Operators must monitor all transactions for unusual patterns and suspicious behaviours. This will help detect money laundering activities.
- Data sharing: Licensed operators must fully cooperate with regulators and sports bodies by providing timely access to betting data and user activity. This can go a long way in supporting investigations into match-fixing and regulatory breaches.
Conclusion: Compliance Becomes Paramount for Online Gambling
June 2025 signaled a turning point for the global online gambling industry. Regulatory heat intensified, expanding well beyond licensing to target financial conduct, underage access, affiliate behavior, and advertising ethics. From Europe’s strict enforcement to Canada’s tightening grip, the message couldn’t be clearer. Compliance isn’t optional; it’s critical!
Operators eyeing new frontiers like Alberta or steering through seasoned markets like Ontario must build compliance into the core of their operations. With regulators scrutinizing every link in the ecosystem, from affiliates to software providers, staying ahead means more than just ticking boxes. It’s about embracing a culture of integrity, accountability, and player protection in an industry where the rules are only getting tougher.