Welcome to this week’s edition of ONSEC iGaming News Weekly Digest, brought to you by the ONSEC team.
Curated for digital casino operators, sportsbook executives, affiliate managers, and cybersecurity professionals, this edition delivers sharp insights into the strategic shifts, regulatory pressures, and security risks transforming the iGaming industry. We explore Apollo’s $6.3B mega-merger, Super Group’s full exit from the U.S. market, and North Carolina’s unexpected betting boom. You’ll also find critical updates on legal crackdowns from Michigan to Brazil—and new waves of cyberattacks targeting customer data and helpdesk systems across top casino brands.
Trends and Analytics
- Apollo Completes $6.3 B Acquisition of IGT Gaming & Digital and Everi
The 2 July closing forges a content-plus-payments powerhouse spanning 1,000+ slot titles, cashless wallets, and game cabinets—putting Apollo’s new unit in direct competition with Light & Wonder for omni-channel share. Analysts say the scale could speed Apollo’s planned IPO or SPAC spin-out in 2026. Source: IGB - Super Group to Exit All U.S. iGaming States
Betway-owner Super Group will pull out of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, citing “capital-return hurdles,” yet raised 2025 revenue guidance to >$2 billion driven by stronger ROW margins—underscoring how U.S. tax pressure is reshaping operator footprints. Source: Yogonet - Push Gaming Drops Fish ’n’ Nudge Big Catch
Launching 9 July, the sequel adds locked-net symbols, reel multipliers, and revamped free spins—a “players-first” design aimed at extending session times without pushing RTP below 94 %. Source: AGB - North Carolina Handles $6.64 B in First-Year Sports Bets
FY 2025 handle smashed early projections, with $647 M in gross revenue and $116 M in tax—three years ahead of the $100 M milestone lawmakers expected, spotlighting the revenue upside of rapid mobile roll-outs. Source: IGB
Law and Regulation
- Michigan Issues 19 Cease-and-Desist Orders to Offshore Casinos
The MGCB on 2 July warned BUSR, Cherry Gold, Wager Attack and 16 others to quit serving local players or face ISP blocking and civil penalties—part of a wider U.S. crackdown on unlicensed sweepstakes models. Source: Michigan Gaming Control Board - Multiple U.S. States Tighten or Expand iGaming Rules
OddsShark’s 4 July roundup notes NJ’s sweepstakes bans, Louisiana/Mississippi enforcement moves, and iCasino bills advancing in Maine and Massachusetts, signalling divergent but active legislative cycles. Source: Odds Shark - Brazil Senate Schedules Casino-Legalization Vote
A long-debated bill to license land-based casinos, bingo halls, and Jogo do Bicho heads to plenary vote after committee passage on 7 July, potentially unlocking a multi-billion-euro resort market. Source: Gaming America - Karnataka (India) Proposes Online Gaming & Betting Authority
Draft amendments tabled 9 July would ban chance-based games for money yet license skill-based iGaming, creating a dedicated regulator empowered to audit, fine, and suspend operators. Source: The Times of India
Hacks and Data Breaches
- Flutter Breach Exposes Paddy Power & Betfair Customer Data
On 8 July Flutter disclosed that usernames, emails, and partial addresses were accessed; payment data and passwords were unaffected, but the operator has forced credential resets and notified the ICO. Source: IGB - FBI Warns Scattered Spider Now Hitting Airlines
The same social-engineering crew that crippled MGM and Caesars in 2023 is exploiting help-desk MFA resets to breach carriers, highlighting cross-sector risk for hospitality-and-travel enterprises. Source: Public Gaming - CrowdStrike Logs Q2 Surge in Scattered Spider Incidents
A 2 July advisory details new BYOVD kernel-driver tactics and “voice-phish-then-encrypt” playbooks, urging operators to harden help-desk ID-verification and disable legacy SMS MFA. Source: CrowdStrike
Final Words
As the iGaming ecosystem evolves at breakneck speed—with multibillion-dollar mergers, tightening regulatory frameworks, and increasingly sophisticated cyber threats—staying ahead demands constant vigilance. From the U.S. market exits and Brazil’s legalization push to advanced social engineering campaigns targeting operators, this week’s developments highlight both immense growth potential and rising risk exposure. If this digest brought value to you, share it with your team and partners. Collective awareness and proactive defense are the foundation of a stronger, safer, and more competitive iGaming industry.
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