Playtech’s North American presence is strengthened following a partnership with FanDuel
The iPoker provider’s top product is set to become widely accessible in the North American markets following the agreement with FanDuel, and the software supplier has entered a landmark commercial deal, bringing the industry-leading platform into the market under FanDuel, and into its inaugural market of North America.
Playtech’s first ever US poker licensee will see its acclaimed iPoker product roll out on the brand new PokerStars software in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ontario, with MSIGA states of Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania enabling player liquidity between the two states.
Driven by a strong start to 2026, Playtech expects to continue its four-month progress with significant expansion during this year’s FIFA World Cup. Chief Executive Mor Weizer has made the expansion into North and Latin America key aspects of his growth strategy, with Playtech’s Chief Interactive Gaming Officer, Marat Koss commenting; “We have reached an incredible moment which demonstrates we can combine a world-class product like iPoker with world-class partners like FanDuel.”
New Zealand enacts stringent online casino laws for 2026
The government of New Zealand has published its proposed new tough regulations concerning online casinos, to take effect from the 3rd July 2026. The new Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 means firms will have to decide whether they wish to apply for one of the fifteen possible licences. An expression of interest in market entry will cost $19,000, followed by an auction.
Significant changes for operators include:
- Player Protection: Operators are to insist on customers setting a spending limit upon registration, while play sessions of 60 minutes will have to automatically be followed by a 5 minute break. They must also accept self-exclusion requests within 24 hours.
- Identification and Payments: Operators are required to verify player name, date of birth and age prior to enabling the customer account. Also the new rules prohibit the use of credit cards, with players limited to one method of deposit per platform.
- Advertising Restrictions: Advertising has been severely curtailed for firms’ marketing departments, as public transport ads and live television broadcasting ads will not be permitted. Celebrity endorsements and affiliate marketing are now outlawed entirely.
- Game Design: A ban on games which promote compulsive play is to be introduced, meaning functions such as autoplay and multi-slot play will be outlawed.
- Taxes and Reporting: operators must submit returns regarding customer numbers regularly to the state, and pay a quarterly levy equivalent to 3.5% of all profits gained through their online gambling operations.
New Zealand’s crackdown on casino advertisements are modeled on Australia’s tough approach to gambling advertising, and as such the new rules will prove a challenge for operator strategy. These strict rules will be analyzed in detail by potential operators prior to entering the market.
New path laid out by regulators for UK crypto gambling
The UKGC have confirmed that there will be a path forward in regards to crypto payments for British gambling establishments. Following recent regulation developments this marks a significant milestone for both operators and players.
Crypto payments and the UK gambling establishment has been on the table for many years, but a key point arrived in early 2023 when GC Executive Director Tim Miller asked the Industry Forum to investigate how it might be sensible to move forward with crypto payments, and with that, they must meet the key objectives of gambling licensing in the UK.
In February 2026 the Parliament passed the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 Regulations 2026 (FSMA), making it official that cryptoassets will be under the supervision of the FCA, and from 25 th October 2027 the legislation will take full effect. It will be required for all businesses wishing to provide cryptoasset services that they receive specific authorization from the FCA prior to the deadline.
This week we have seen some vital updates from top gambling officials, confirming that there is change to be made, but security should come first and foremost. Speaking at the Gambling Anti-Money Laundering Group (GAMLG) Annual Conference, John Pierce, Director of Enforcement believes that security can even be enhanced using crypto, as long as it supplements the existing AML regulations. He commented that whilst the industry may be impatient to undergo this transformation the GC will proceed with caution, and therefore it will be time-consuming.
Similarly, at the KPMG Gibraltar eSummit, Sue Young, Executive Director for Operations announced that the Industry Forum is working to meet the timeline being set by the FCA, but asked for patience across the industry in ensuring that both business and the customers don’t get themselves into any trouble.
Ultimately we are still lacking an exact date when gambling payments via crypto will be readily available, but we do know for certain now that a regulated route is available, and operators need to be preparing themselves for a future where AML plays a huge part in digital asset gambling.
