Macau’s Financial Intelligence Office (GIF) received a total of 3,752 suspicious transaction reports (STRs) between January and September 2025, marking an 8.9 percent decline from the 4,118 cases recorded in the same period last year.
The decrease was mainly attributed to fewer reports submitted by the gaming sector.
According to GIF data, STRs from games of fortune operators fell to 2,751 cases, down 9.5 percent year-on-year, though they continued to represent the bulk of reports at 73.3 percent of the total.
Reports from financial institutions and insurance companies accounted for 21 percent, or 789 cases, while those from other institutions made up 5.7 percent, or 212 cases.
In the same period of 2024, gaming operators had filed 3,041 STRs, representing 73.8 percent of all reports. The financial sector submitted 843 STRs (20.5 percent), and other institutions 234 (5.7 percent).
The GIF said the overall reduction in STR submissions reflects a moderation in reporting activities from the gaming industry, which remains the primary source of suspicious transaction alerts in Macau’s financial monitoring system.
DigiPlus Interactive Corp., the Philippines’ leading digital entertainment company and operator of BingoPlus and ArenaPlus, announced on October 10th that it has paused the soft launch of its first Brazilian platform, GamePlus, effective the same day.
The company disclosed the decision in a release filed with the Philippine Stock Exchange, describing it as part of a broader strategy to refine its international expansion through deeper cultural adaptation and player insight.
The GamePlus soft launch began on September 22nd, marking DigiPlus’ first foray into Brazil’s newly regulated online gaming and betting market. While the company did not specify the reason for the temporary halt, it emphasized that the soft launch had served as a ‘live learning laboratory’ to capture valuable insights into Brazilian player behavior, entertainment dynamics, and cultural preferences.
“We are taking the strategic step to pause GamePlus in Brazil so we can come back stronger with a digital entertainment offering that is not only locally relevant but also resonates deeply with Brazilian culture and entertainment habits,” said DigiPlus Chairman Eusebio H. Tanco.
According to DigiPlus, findings from the three-week soft launch will guide research and development for a ‘uniquely local’ product experience. Teams in both the Philippines headquarters and Brazil are now working on a self-developed, culturally tailored product line, with a full-scale relaunch scheduled for early 2026.
The company’s entry into Brazil followed its acquisition of a federal license earlier this year through its wholly owned subsidiary, DigiPlus Brazil Interactive Ltda., authorizing operations in land-based and online sports betting, electronic games, live studios, and other fixed-odds gaming activities.
At launch, GamePlus featured over 150 local titles in both free-to-play and real-money formats, with additional content inspired by Brazilian folklore, casual games, and sports themes planned for future release. DigiPlus Brazil Country Manager Graham Tidey previously described GamePlus as “simple, fun entertainment designed specifically for Brazilian players.”
Brazil legalized fixed-odds betting on sports and online gaming in 2023, creating one of the world’s fastest-growing iGaming markets. DigiPlus’ strategic expansion into Brazil marks its first international venture and a key step in its efforts to establish a global presence.
Good Morning. Know your market. But more importantly, know your regulator. According to a new survey, iGaming operators are now more concerned about ensuring compliance and a strict regulatory framework than they are about the competition. New shifts in major jurisdictions have resulted in companies retooling to face a new, more compliant, normal. Also in the regulatory arena, Australia’s media watchdog is further enhancing its efforts to curb problem gambling, but lauds companies’ efforts to crack down on the use of credit and crypto in online gambling.
The increasingly tight regulatory framework is now of more concern to iGaming companies than any other challenge, including competition. According to a new report, nearly 20 percent of all concerns are linked to regulations and compliance. Swift changes to regulations in the Philippines, India, and other markets have had operators on their toes, making sure to march to the right beat.
Every operator can launch, but few can lead. In Asia, leadership is won in the 90 days after go-live, when payments feel effortless, content resonates locally, and every touchpoint builds trust.
Winning Trust, Stopping Fraud. Asia Pacific’s iGaming market is expanding extremely fast, and a new wave of digital-savvy players is pushing demand through the roof. But the rise in adoption has outpaced regulation in many markets, and fraudsters have taken notice.
Every day, AI powers a new business solution—leaving everyone wondering: how far can it go? Is there a limit to what AI can handle, or how many costs it can cut? Most intriguingly, could you launch an online casino using only AI tools? Slotegrator explored the scenario, and its latest report reveals the answers.
Is there anything AI can’t do? Increasingly, the answer looks like “no.” While the AI bubble still might burst, that doesn’t change the fact that the capabilities of AI tools are constantly expanding.
Jessica Millis, CEO at CasinoRIX
Jessica Millis, CEO at CasinoRIX, notes: “We never know where this path will lead, but there will always be something new emerging to unlock human potential. In the near future, we can see that technical and routine work will increasingly be automated through the use of AI in various fields. At the same time, the world is clearly moving toward creativity, personalization, socialization, and performance. As a conclusion, we can say that AI will be an excellent tool for implementing human strategies.
And nowhere is this more apparent than in iGaming.
According to a report by ZipDo in 2025, 83% of gambling businesses use AI tools to enhance the personalization experience of their users. They’ve also found that the game development process is 25% faster with the use of AI-based game design tools and that AI-driven data analytics is able to boost retention rates up to 40%.
So essentially, if you’re not using AI in some capacity, you’re already far behind the competition. But what’s the limit? Is there a line AI can’t cross?
For example, could you use AI to build an online casino from scratch?
Svetlana Kirichenko, Head of Marketing at Slotegrator
Obviously, it’s too big for a single prompt in ChatGPT. There are too many factors at play. How do you use AI for market research? What about choosing a business model for your project? What about the structure, technical specifications, and coding of the platform? Each of these areas, among others, deserve careful consideration.
“We live in an era of AI and machine learning, so it’s no wonder why business owners look for all possible ways to implement this technology — it can save time and cut costs. We’ve seen attempts to delegate different processes to AI, but can it actually set up a whole online casino? This is what we tried to investigate in our new report. Read it and see what we found out,” shares Svetlana Kirichenko, Head of Marketing at Slotegrator.
The report isn’t just a thought experiment. It’s a step-by-step guide with examples, tips about the most useful tools, and example prompts you can feed to AI tools to generate an MVP. And on top of that, the report highlights the limits of AI — the point at which a neural network isn’t enough, and it’s time to turn to a professional.
Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, has launched Trick or Treat Joker, a spooky slot where mischief and mayhem rule the night.
Led by the sinister yet charming Joker, this Halloween-themed release blends spooky visuals with classic fruit symbols for a mischievous twist on conventional gameplay. Pumpkins, cobwebs, bats, and glowing symbols create a haunting setting for an eerie adventure.
The game’s main feature is the Wild Respin mechanic. When a wild appears on reels two, three, or four, it expands to cover the entire reel and triggers a free respin, locking in place while the other reels spin again.
If new wilds appear, they also expand and grant extra respins. Up to three respins can be triggered in one round, giving players the chance to fill the screen with sticky Wilds and land thrilling wins.
Simple, bold, and full of personality, Trick or Treat Joker by Evoplay is ideal for players looking for festive thrills and nonstop entertainment this Halloween season.
Ivan Kravchuk, CEO at Evoplay, said: “At Evoplay, we love putting our own twist on seasonal themes, and Trick or Treat Joker is a daring, fast-paced slot that’s equal parts spooky and fun. With its playful take on classic fruit gameplay and a Joker who’s as unpredictable as the night itself, it’s a great pick for players who want Halloween entertainment with a kick.”
3 Oaks Gaming has launched Must Drop JACKPOT Flame Fruits, a fiery new release that turns up the heat on classic arcade fun.
Bursting with vibrant fruit symbols that spark the thrill of nostalgia, the 3×3 slot blends retro charm with a modern countdown mechanic, offering the chance to win a time-limited progressive jackpot through the dynamic Must Drop JACKPOT promotional feature.
Stripped back to the essence of a traditional slot, Must Drop JACKPOT Flame Fruits celebrates simplicity. Familiar casino slot symbols, including cherries, oranges, watermelons, bells and sevens fill the reels, with every winning combination bursting into flames.
The Must Drop JACKPOT promotional feature delivers a progressive jackpot prize that must be awarded within set time windows each day. Four jackpot windows run daily, each with a live countdown beside the reels, building anticipation as the timer approaches zero.
With crisp retro-inspired graphics and straightforward mechanics, Must Drop JACKPOT Flame Fruits reimagines the classic slot experience while reinforcing 3 Oaks Gaming’s commitment to delivering engaging content across global markets.
Viktoriia Vashukevych, Head of Account Management at 3 Oaks Gaming said: “Must Drop JACKPOT Flame Fruits captures the simplicity of the classic fruit slot experience while enhancing it with the excitement of four daily countdown progressive jackpots. This combination delivers strong appeal and consistent engagement, offering a title that resonates with a wide audience and sustains interest throughout the day.”
Kambi Group has announced a long-term partnership agreement with Glitnor Group, a multi-brand online gaming operator, to deliver its premium Turnkey Sportsbook solution across Glitnor’s expanding portfolio in multiple markets.
Under the terms of the agreement, Glitnor will replace its current B2B sportsbook provider with Kambi’s premium, end-to-end sportsbook technology and services, including its robust betting engine, AI-powered trading capabilities, award-winning Bet Builder product and regulatory compliance expertise.
Kambi’s Turnkey Sportsbook will power the operator’s full portfolio of online brands — which currently includes Lucky Casino, Happy Casino, Flax Casino, and One Casino — in several markets such as Sweden and the Netherlands in Europe and Ontario in the Americas. Founded in 2018, Glitnor is led by an experienced management team comprised of industry leaders and entrepreneurs who founded some of the industry’s most renowned gaming brands.
Werner Becher, CEO of Kambi, said: “We are incredibly pleased to welcome Glitnor Group to the Kambi network following their decision to switch to our award-winning sportsbook. This multi-jurisdictional agreement is a testament to the strength of our premium Turnkey Sportsbook, proven to deliver cutting-edge technology that drives growth, ensures regulatory peace of mind, and creates a world-class betting experience for players.”
Richard Brown, CEO of Glitnor Group, added: “Partnering with Kambi was a clear choice for us as we looked to elevate our sportsbook offering. Kambi’s market-leading technology, proven track record, and unrivaled expertise give us the foundation to deliver a premium, seamless sports betting experience to our players. We’re confident this partnership will enable us to achieve long-term success in our core markets.”
SimplePlay, a premium slot games and top-notch fishing games developer, has announced the launch of its new table game, Vietnamese Fish Prawn Crab.
Vietnamese Fish Prawn Crab by SimplePlay is an easy-to-learn and super fun dice game. It is a widely played game in Vietnam, especially during the Lunar New Year when family and friends meet! Everyone wants to win a round of Fish Prawn Crab during the New Year, as it signifies good luck and fortune in the year ahead!
In Vietnamese Fish Prawn Crab, instead of numbers, symbols are used on the six faces of the die, namely Stag, Cabalash, Rooster, Fish, Crab, and Prawn. Players predict the roll of three dice and bet on symbols or combinations.
There are specific doubles where players bet on the combinations of any two symbols. There are also triples – both specific and any – for players to bet on having the same symbol on three dice and win a huge payout!
The global iGaming industry is entering a new era defined by tightening regulatory landscapes and intense competition, with regulation and compliance now surpassing all other concerns for executives, according to an industry report.
The “iGaming Future 2026: Core Trends and Challenges” report by EvenBet Gaming, an online gaming solutions provider specializing in poker software based on in-person surveys of over 700 professionals, highlights a sector under growing pressure from governments and major technology platforms alike.
Regulation accounts for 19 percent of all pressing issues cited by respondents, followed by Competition at 17 percent, and Responsible gaming issues at 13 percent. This pressure signals a sector shift from aggressive geographical expansion—the primary focus in 2024—to one prioritizing strengthening presence in existing markets.
The report details a fragmented but universally stricter regulatory environment across key global markets, with Asia showing some of the most dramatic shifts. In India, a comprehensive new law prohibits all money-based online games and services, removing the legal distinction between games of skill and chance and introducing penalties of up to three years in jail.
At the same time, the Philippines banned all offshore gambling operators (POGOs) activities while reducing the tax on gross gaming revenue (GGR) for local operators to encourage legalization. In Europe, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) announced a ban on bonuses with wagering requirements exceeding ten times the initial stake, while the Netherlands implemented a complete ban on sports sponsorship by iGaming operators.
Meanwhile, in Latin America, Brazil is regulating its market, imposing a new 18 percent tax on GGR and prohibiting the use of money symbols in advertising, and Colombia introduced a 19 percent VAT on player deposits to increase taxation.
Platform giants impose new restrictions
The regulatory tightening is not just coming from state bodies but also from major private enterprises. In 2025, global technology platforms enacted sweeping policies that significantly restricted how iGaming companies can operate and advertise. Google implemented stricter global rules, requiring mandatory Ads Gambling Certification for each country and domain and explicitly banning personalized gambling advertisements.
Meta (owner of Facebook and Instagram) replaced its previous “whitelist” of approved countries with a blacklist, shifting the full legal responsibility for compliance onto advertisers.
Furthermore, Telegram marked a major policy shift, moving from a crypto and iGaming-friendly platform to one of the most restrictive, implementing a mass deplatforming of gambling bots and channels and adopting a “zero-tolerance policy” for new gambling projects.
To counteract rising customer acquisition costs caused by marketing restrictions and market saturation, the industry is heavily investing in technology and localized marketing. The top three implemented innovations are focused on improving the player experience: Personalized customer experience (21 percent), New game mechanics (20 percent), and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) implementation (19 percent).
Affiliates, in particular, are leading the rapid adoption of AI to generate content, detect fraud, and automate campaign management. Regarding marketing, effective social media marketing is globally the top priority.
However, the report cautions that a uniform strategy no longer works, necessitating localized strategies due to significantly varying platform preferences and successful tactics between regions like Europe and Asia.
Experts predict the iGaming market will face a phase of “severe market selection” in 2026, where only well-capitalized and flexible companies can thrive by combining scale, technology, and operational agility to successfully navigate the complex, fragmented regulatory landscape.
NBA Cares and Sands Cares launched the “NBA Cares x Sands Cares Community Impact Week” on Thursday at The Venetian Arena, in celebration of Macao hosting the highly anticipated NBA China Games 2025, which kick off on Oct. 10 and 12 at The Venetian Arena.
The initiative brings NBA Legends – including Mitch Richmond, Tim Hardaway, Yao Ming, Shawn Marion, and Deron Williams – alongside current players from the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets into the Macao community, using basketball as a bridge to foster compassion and connection.
Running Oct. 8-12, the five-day impact week features a diverse lineup of community events – including a basketball exchange at a local school, distributing boxed lunches in the community, a community basketball carnival, and the “Her Time to Play” clinic – extending NBA Cares’ spirit into the Macao community and promoting mutual support and love.
Patrick Dumont, President and COO of Las Vegas Sands Corp.
Patrick Dumont, President and COO of Las Vegas Sands Corp., said: “Being an active community partner in Macao has been a staple of our efforts here since the opening of Sands Macao in 2004. For more than 20 years, our company and our team members have made giving back to this community, which is full of great culture, tradition, and generosity, among our most important priorities.
“We are delighted to bring this five-day impact week alongside The NBA China Games in Macao, extending care to local youth and those in need. We believe the positive effect of this week on the community and Macao’s reputation as a global destination for leisure and business tourism will be tremendous. We sincerely thank everyone for their enthusiastic support and participation in the Impact Week events.”
Adam Silver, NBA commissioner
Adam Silver, NBA commissioner, remarked: “The NBA China Games will take place tomorrow and Sunday. Today, we invited young people to gather at a top-level venue, The Venetian Arena, to learn from accomplished players and Legends. We hope all participants enjoy this sports exchange and find inspiration through it. We thank Sands China for making these games and events a reality, and we appreciate the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets for making their Macao trip as they prepare for the season. We hope everyone enjoys the games this weekend.”
The event was attended by Yao Ming, Naismith Memorial Hall of Famer and the chairman of the Yao Foundation, along with six players and two coaches each from the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets. During the event, players from the two teams shared their preparations and training tips for the NBA season and for competing in general, and talked about their excitement about playing in Macao, among other topics.
Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets players led a basketball clinic for 60 participants, including students from Lou Hau High School, Sheng Kung Hui Choi Kou School (Macau), and Yuet Wah College Macau, and rural coaches and students from “Her Time to Play”– an NBA Cares initiative promoting girls’ basketball in the Chinese Mainland. The players also teamed up with Sands Cares Ambassadors to pack goodie bags and health kits for the upcoming days of the impact week.
Patrick Dumont (second from left), President and COO of Las Vegas Sands Corp., joins Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets players, local teachers and students, and Sands Cares Ambassadors to pack goodie bags and health kits.
In addition, NBA House – an interactive fan event previously held in Brazil, Canada, France, India, Mexico, the United States, and the United Kingdom – has made its debut in Macao. From now until Oct. 12, fans can enjoy an immersive basketball experience at The Venetian Macao’s Cotai Expo Hall A. The event blends basketball, music, fashion, and cutting-edge technology into one spectacular celebration. Admission is free and registration will allow priority admission. NBA Legends Tim Hardaway, Stephon Marbury, Shawn Marion, Shaquille O’Neal, Mitch Richmond, and Deron Williams will be present for close-up interaction with fans.
A youth basketball challenge, the first event of the Impact Week, was held Oct. 8 at Hou Hau High School. NBA Legend Mitch Richmond and NBA coaches ran a basketball clinic for local students and those from the “Her Time to Play” initiative, culminating in a thrilling five-on-five skills challenge.
Upcoming impact week events include:
Oct. 10 (Friday) – Lunchbox packing and delivery to the community
NBA Legend Tim Hardaway, students and coaches from “Her Time to Play,” volunteers from the Yao Foundation, and Sands Cares Ambassadors will visit the Pou Choi Centre of Fuhong Society of Macao and deliver lunchboxes to the underprivileged in the city.
Oct. 11 (Saturday) – Community basketball carnival
The carnival combines various sports-themed games and exciting performances at the NBA House. NBA Legend Shawn Marion will play basketball with members of local NGOs.
Oct. 12 (Sunday) – “Her Time to Play” clinic
NBA Legend Deron Williams and WNBA player Myisha Hines-Allen will lead a clinic at NBA House, where they will share insights with students from Macao and the “Her Time to Play” initiative, culminating in a five-on-five skills challenge to close the impact week.
These activities, along with other community initiatives by Sands China, are part of the Sands Cares global corporate citizenship programme. With Sands China being an important stakeholder in the local community, the programme is an influential tool that illustrates the company’s unwavering commitment to contribute to society, serving as an important connection between Sands China and local residents.
