Grand Melee

About Grand Melee

Kalshi has imposed strict protocols for customer sign-up, which includes proof of US residency, along with a US tax identification number. The operator also requires traders to complete a robust know-your-customer check before trading on its site.

Per a nine-page member agreement issued by Kalshi in June, users are required to acknowledge that they are prohibited from trading on event contracts if domiciled in roughly three dozen countries. Australia, by way of the ASIC ban, received inclusion on the list. Under the agreement, Kalshi reserves the right to deny users access to its platform in the restricted jurisdictions.

In a statement released in August, ASIC Commissioner Alan Kirkland wrote that users who opt to engage with overseas operators may miss out on “protections” afforded to them on Australian soil. Another regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority, banned Polymarket from operating nationwide in 2025. According to the agency, Polymarket violated the Interactive Gaming Act of 2001 by accepting in-play betting on sports events.

What is Grand Melee?

Score Media announced that it is selling five million shares, fewer than previously expected. The company had changed gears with its public launch, announcing last week a reverse split that would cut out some of the available shares while increasing the per-share price. It has already found support, with underwriters Canaccord Genuity, Credit Suisse, Macquarie Capital and Morgan Stanley able to purchase another 15% on top of the initial five million shares. Should they exercise that option, there would be a total of 5.75 million shares available. The underwriters have 30 days to make up their minds, which will give it time to see how the market reacts. 

Several gaming entities have jumped into public trading recently, most notably, DraftKings. It saw a huge response when it launched its IPO last year, and Score Media hopes it can see a similar response. With operations in Canada, Colorado, Indiana and New Jersey, heavy interest is not out of the question, and the company is ready to capture a larger piece of the market. It added in its announcement, “[Score Media] currently expects that the net proceeds of the offering will be used to fund working capital and other general corporate purposes, including the continued growth and expansion of theScore Bet’s operations in the United States and Canada by supporting the multi-jurisdiction deployment and operation of theScore Bet and user acquisition and retention in jurisdictions where theScore is, or will be, operating.”

Trading on over-the-counter markets, Score Media was worth $30.59 at the end of the day yesterday. If it is able to sell all 5.75 million shares, even at $30.50, it could earn as much as $175.375 million. However, the company said in its IPO filing that it will offer the shares at $36.52, hoping to raise up to $183 million. If it succeeds, the market value would be right at $1.8 billion. Those interested in following the company on the NGSM can select the SCR ticker, the same ticker Score Media uses on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

About Grand Melee

A cross-party committee covering gambling in the House of Lords has recommended a comprehensive ban on gambling advertising across the UK, identifying a reduction in marketing reach as the most effective measure to combat gambling-related harm in Great Britain.

Published on 17 September, the House of Lords Liaison Committee’s follow-up report revisits their 2020 inquiry into the social and economic effects of the gambling industry, with a focus on advertising, marketing and sponsorship. 

The committee concluded that current evidence justified taking “meaningful steps” against the sector, including a comprehensive advertising ban, to reduce exposure especially among children and vulnerable groups, and to curb problem gambling.