GameVelvet: Dominoes, Spades

About GameVelvet: Dominoes, Spades

Entain cut down its Ladbrokes retail estate in Ireland by over a third in April, amid reports it had withdrawn from discussions to sell its entire Ladbrokes retail estate in the market.

Last week, Bet365 also cut more than 300 jobs in response to the UK’s tax increase.

Kathryn covers bitesize breaking news with a primary focus on EMEA and US legislation. A proud North Walian, fluent Welsh speaker and lifelong Wrexham FC fan – long before Hollywood came calling.

About GameVelvet: Dominoes, Spades

Prosecutors allege that five suspects had operated internet-based gambling services without the required German licences from at least July 2021. The volume of bets placed on these platforms reportedly exceeded €5.8 billion between mid-2021 and the end of 2023. 

In addition to illegal gambling, investigators suspect extensive tax evasion, with a projected tax shortfall of about €77.6 million for 2024.

The DSWV, representing licensed sports-betting operators, broadly welcomed the law enforcement action as a necessary response to the illegal market’s growth and associated risks. 

What is GameVelvet: Dominoes, Spades?

The 2026 tournament demonstrated why Kambi believes this total integration of AI is necessary. Sportsbooks are no longer built primarily around match results and traditional pre-match markets. Bettors increasingly expect to construct wagers around individual players and specific moments within a game.

The number of Bet Builder bets on the 2026 World Cup doubled compared to the 2022 tournament, with the increase particularly pronounced in-play, where seven times as many live Bet Builders were placed. They accounted for 22% of all live bets, compared with just 3% four years earlier.

‘Meeting these modern expectations through manual trading is no longer realistic at scale’