BGaming has secured a major new partnership with PokerStars
BGaming has partnered with the industry giant PokerStars in a strategic move. This deal marks a key milestone in BGaming’s global growth strategy. Furthermore, it promises significant exposure for the innovative game provider.
PokerStars is owned by Flutter Entertainment, a giant in the igaming industry. Importantly, its platform attracts millions of players every day. Consequently, BGaming content will now reach a vast, engaged audience.
As part of the agreement, PokerStars players get full access to BGaming’s popular portfolio. This includes most popular titles. Additionally, the entire suite of games will be available, spanning BGaming’s three distinct worlds: #Casual, #Classic, and #Entertainment.
Ultimately, this partnership sets a strong precedent for BGaming in 2026. The company continues to expand its worldwide reach and solidify its reputation as a top creative content provider.
Olga Levshina, CCO at BGaming, commented on the deal: “This partnership provides massive exposure for BGaming,” she said. “Moreover, it helps us strengthen our presence in crucial regulated markets. PokerStars has a strong reputation as a leading operator. Therefore, we are thrilled to bring our content to more players globally.”
Earlier, BGaming secured a licence from the Swedish Gambling Authority.
New Zealand to regulate online gambling in 2026
New Zealand is set to transform its online gambling landscape in 2026 through new legislation. The primary goals are to minimise player harm and reclaim significant tax revenue currently lost offshore.
Currently, New Zealanders can legally use overseas casino sites, leading to an estimated NZ$700m–$900m leaving the country each year. However, this unregulated era will soon end. From July 2026, international operators must obtain a local licence or face a complete market ban.
The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) will oversee a competitive auction for just 15 operator licences. Therefore, major global brands like bet365 and 888 are already positioning themselves for a chance to enter the newly regulated market. Each licence will be valid for an initial three-year term.
Taxation is a central pillar of the new framework. The government will introduce a 12% duty on operator revenue in 2026, which will then rise to 16% in 2027. Additionally, a 15% Goods and Services Tax (GST) will apply.
Alongside this, strict advertising restrictions will take effect. Crucially, all gambling advertisements will be banned between 6:00am and 9:30pm. The rules also prohibit promotions by social media influencers and all sponsorship deals.
Finally, the regime prioritises player safety. Mandatory deposit limits will be introduced, and a 1.24% levy on operators will fund problem gambling support services.
The first licences under this new system are expected to be awarded by December 2026.
Brazil’s regulated betting market hits €6bn in first year
In its first full year of operation, Brazil’s regulated online gaming market achieved a gross revenue of R$37bn (€5.96bn) in 2025. According to data from the Ministry of Finance’s Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA), this resulted in a dramatic increase in tax income.
Tax revenue surged to R$9.9bn (€1.9bn), a significant leap from just R$91m in 2024. Additionally, the federal government collected R$2.5bn (€281.1m) in operator authorisation fees. By December, regulators had granted authorisation to 79 companies, and an estimated 25.2 million Brazilians placed bets during the year.
A major priority for the SPA was responsible gambling. Consequently, it launched a Centralised Self-Exclusion Platform in December 2025. This tool saw immediate demand, receiving over 217,000 voluntary block requests in its first 40 days.
The primary reason for self-exclusion was loss of control over gambling and mental health concerns (37%). Next, 25% of users cited worries about personal data usage by platforms. Importantly, the majority of blocks (73%) were for an indefinite period.
Alongside these consumer safeguards, authorities acted against the illegal market. Throughout 2025, the SPA and the Brazilian telecoms regulator, Anatel, blocked access to more than 25,000 unlicensed betting websites. This decisive action helps to channel activity towards the regulated, safer market.
