SPORTS BETTING OPERATOR
VOLUME 008 ISSUE 025
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EDITOR’S LETTER
WHAT THE REGULATED MARKET CAN SEE
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etting that can be observed can be policed. Betting that cannot be observed carries on regardless. In this issue we have six thought provoking features. I found one main industry argument told six ways. Khalid Ali puts it most directly. On 25 September, Brazil banned fixedodds betting and online gaming, 21 months after opening a market that had licensed more than 80 operators, required customer identification and built a national self-exclusion system. H2 Gambling Capital estimates that R$25 billion of activity could move to unlicensed operators. Demand does not disappear with a Provisional Measure. Only the ability to see it does. IBIA’s Q3 report shows what that is worth. Sixty-seven alerts, eight sports, 24 countries, with table tennis accounting for 20 and every one of those falling outside ITTF competition. The alerts exist because licensed operators hold account-level records and are obliged to report what looks wrong. Push the activity offshore and the alerts fall. That is not a safer sport. It is a darker one. Marko Mitevski’s piece on the NBA reaches the same place from the opposite direction. Jontay Porter was caught because licensed sportsbooks flagged the wagers and passed them on. The league’s commercial embrace of betting created the exposure. The regulated market supplied the evidence. Katherine Baker, Samir Patel and Diego Troncoso of Holland & Knight show where the burden now sits. An Volume 8: Issue 025
RIGHT: Mark McGuinness, Editor in Chief, Sports Betting Operator
operator running AI agents will be asked what the model was built to do, what the bettor was told, and what it can produce on request. Their line is the one I would pin above a compliance desk: tracking to protect is required, tracking to sell is prohibited. Two features deal with visibility of another kind. Nick Mills tells Peter White how RMG is using tracking data and broadcast innovation to make racing easier to follow and to bet on, while the sport waits on Machine Games Duty in the Budget. A rise to 40% could cost racing £92 million a year. Mallory Reynolds-Trout describes affiliates rebuilding their own discovery as zero-click SPORTS AI answers take apart BETTING OPERATOR the search economy they were built on. A LEADER TRUSTED BY THE WORLD. Visibility is not a compliance cost in this industry. It is the asset. Thank you to all our expert contributors. VOLUME 008 ISSUE 025
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Mark McGuinness Editor in Chief Sports Betting Operator 3
CONTENTS
VOLUME 008 - ISSUE 025 CONTACTS Publisher – Peter White peter@outsourcedigitalmedia.com Guest Editor – Mark McGuinness mark@outsourcedigitalmedia.com
3 EDITOR’S LETTER What the Regulated Market Can See. Betting that can be observed can be policed. By Mark McGuinness 6 RACING’S BETTING REVOLUTION Racecourse Media Group CEO Nick Mills on rights to 2033, in-play betting and international growth. By Peter White
Editor EMEA – Damien Connelly damien@outsourcedigitalmedia.com Las Vegas Correspondent – Ryan Slattery ryanslats@gmail.com Associate Editor EMEA – Andrew Behan a.behan@librasgroup.com Designer – Stewart Hyde www.de5ign.co.uk Tel: 44 (0) 1892 740869 W: www.sportsbettingoperator.com
Editorial Policy: The views and opinions expressed in Sports Betting Operator remain principally the views of contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or publishers. The publishers wish to avoid inaccuracies and, whilst every precaution has been taken to ensure that information contained in this publication is accurate, no liability is accepted by the editor or publishers for errors or omissions, however caused. Unless otherwise stated, articles appearing in this publication remain the copyright of the publishers and may not be reproduced in any form without the publisher’s written consent. Printed in the UK by Pensord Press.
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12 SMARTER HOUSE, SAME RULES Katherine A. Baker, Samir Patel and Diego Troncoso of Holland & Knight on AI agents and the laws that still apply 22 THE NBA’S GAMBLING BALANCING ACT How the league is trying to regulate sports betting without losing its integrity. By Marko Mitevski 30 RE-ENGINEERING THE GAME Mallory Reynolds-Trout on Day Zero matchmaking and Safe-Traffic badges in Barcelona. By Damien Connelly 37 BRAZIL’S BETTING BLIND SPOT Why prohibition threatens to push R$25bn towards unlicensed operators. By Khalid Ali, CEO, IBIA 40 BEYOND THE PITCH IBIA’s Q3 report records 67 alerts across eight sports, and shows why monitoring must look past football sportsbettingoperator.com
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FEATURE: RACECOURSE MEDIA GROUP
RACING’S BETTING REVOLUTION Peter White Interview for Sports Betting Operator with Nick Mills, CEO of Racecourse Media Group.
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ith long-term media rights secured through to 2033, Racecourse Media Group (RMG) is positioning itself for the next chapter in the evolution of British and Irish racing. In this exclusive interview with Sports Betting Operator Publisher Peter White, Nick Mills, CEO of RMG, discusses the opportunities ahead, from in-play betting, Bet Builders and advanced tracking data to AI, digital audiences and international expansion. He also explains how RMG’s shareholder-owned model delivers 6
value back to racing, why closer collaboration with betting operators is essential for sustainable growth, and how innovation can help secure the sport’s future in an increasingly competitive betting and media landscape. RMG has secured long-term rights extensions through 2033 with 33 racecourse shareholders. What does that give you the freedom to do now that you could not have done with shorter-term rights certainty? The renewals are hugely significant because they provide long-term certainty for both RMG and our racecourse shareholders. They sportsbettingoperator.com
FEATURE: RACECOURSE MEDIA GROUP represent a strong vote of confidence in our model, our strategy and the direction we are setting for the business. Having rights visibility through to 2033 allows us to invest with much greater confidence in areas that require a longer payback period. That includes product innovation, data, international growth, digital audiences and technology. Rather than thinking shorter cycles, we can build products and partnerships that create value over the next decade. We are moving towards a period increasingly focused on growing betting turnover and engagement. The renewals allow us to make those investments knowing that the value created will ultimately flow back to our racecourses. Perhaps most importantly, they allow us to focus on building racing’s future. Everything we are doing is about ensuring racecourse media rights remain relevant, valuable and competitive in a rapidly changing betting and media landscape. RMG recently refreshed its vision of “Working for Racing’s Future”. What does that mean in practice? After more than 20 years with RMG, I naturally have a deep personal connection to both the business and the sport. RMG was created by racecourses in 2004, and their trust and input continue to underpin everything we do. That collective ethos sits at the heart of our vision, which is fundamentally about collaboration across racing. I want RMG to be visible, accessible and proactive. We work closely with partners such as SIS, ARC, Tabcorp, 1/ST and ITV, as well as stakeholders representing trainers, owners, jockeys and breeders. Strong relationships are the foundation of a healthy sport. Volume 8: Issue 025
RIGHT: Nick Mills, CEO of Racecourse Media Group
I am confident that the industry increasingly sees RMG as a collaborator with racing’s long-term interests at heart. Our former Chair, Conor Grant, often described RMG as a ‘force for good’, which captures the role we want to play. Ultimately, working for racing’s future means being open and engaged, bringing people together and ensuring that our decisions strengthen the sport for racecourses, participants, broadcasters, betting operators and fans alike. What does the next phase of growth look like for RMG? It is a combination of maximising the value of the rights we already manage, developing innovative new products and continuing to expand internationally. Those opportunities do not exist in isolation, and the most exciting growth will come where they overlap. We are increasingly focused on creating products that genuinely help operators grow betting turnover and engagement. That is why we are investing heavily in areas such as inplay betting, Bet Builders, self-service 7
FEATURE: RACECOURSE MEDIA GROUP term returns for racecourses? As sports rights become more competitive and economics come under pressure, that alignment becomes a genuine advantage. It means we can take a long-term view, invest patiently and ensure the value created remains within the sport.
betting terminals, RaceiQ, Coursetrack and our next-generation Content Scoreboard. Internationally, we are seeing exciting opportunities through World Pool, Racing1, Hong Kong and the Middle East. We have made real progress with partners such as Dubai Racing Club and Bahrain Turf Club, and we are well positioned in markets such as Abu Dhabi following the legalisation of betting. The common thread is creating more value from the content our racecourses already own, while opening new routes to market and reaching new audiences. RMG’s shareholder-owned model is unusual in sports media. Why is that important? I think it is becoming more relevant than ever. Most sports rights businesses have external shareholders or investors who participate in the value created. Our model is fundamentally different because the racecourses own the business and receive 100% of the profits. Since inception, RMG has returned £1.5 billion to racecourses, including £118.4 million in 2025. That alignment is incredibly powerful because every strategic decision starts with the same question: how do we maximise long8
Where do you see the biggest opportunities to grow betting turnover? The biggest opportunity is making racing easier to engage with and easier to bet on. Today’s customer expects richer data, deeper insight and more engaging products. That is why we are investing in areas such as in-play betting, Bet Builders, derivative markets, self-service betting terminals and RaceiQ. We are also investing heavily in presentation. Broadcast is no longer just about televising a race. It is about helping customers understand races, identify betting opportunities and stay engaged throughout the customer journey. That is why we have introduced innovations such as additional camera angles, drone coverage, enhanced data integration and improved bookmaker-facing products. We believe there is significant untapped potential in the threeminute decision window before a race, when the majority of bets are placed. Better data, more engaging content and smarter technology can help customers make more informed decisions and deepen their engagement with the sport. How do you balance extracting more value from bookmakers while helping them remain successful? The answer is partnership. We have always viewed ourselves sportsbettingoperator.com
FEATURE: RACECOURSE MEDIA GROUP as a long-term partner to bookmakers rather than simply a rights supplier. We recognise the significant regulatory, taxation and commercial challenges operators are facing. The best outcome for everyone is to grow the overall pie. That means working collaboratively to build products that improve margins, increase engagement and attract new customers. Our in-play product, Bet Builder proposition and RaceiQ integration are all examples of innovations designed to create mutual value. If operators are successful, racing benefits. Equally, if racing remains a compelling betting product, operators benefit. Our interests are closely aligned, and we need to continue working together accordingly. What role will technology, tracking data and AI play in the future of racing betting? We are only scratching the surface of what is possible. Racing generates a huge amount of rich, real-time data, and we are only beginning to understand the opportunities that creates. Coursetrack has supplied GPS tracking data for a decade at some of the world’s highest-profile race meetings, with ultra-low latency of under 250 milliseconds and sub-10cm in-race accuracy. Since operating across Britain and Ireland from 2023, RaceiQ has made that data accessible through clear, engaging metrics for broadcast, digital and on-course audiences. The next phase is to integrate that Volume 8: Issue 025
information much more deeply into bookmaker products and customer journeys. We want data to drive better storytelling, more informed pricing models, more personalised experiences and smarter betting prompts. AI also has an important role to play. In the near term, it will help operators and rights holders process, interpret and distribute data more effectively. Longer term, it has the potential to create entirely new betting experiences, stronger personalisation and more sophisticated products. Ultimately, technology should make racing simpler, more engaging and more relevant for modern customers. How do you attract younger audiences without alienating traditional racing fans? It is not an either-or choice. The challenge is not choosing one audience over another; it is creating an ecosystem that serves both. 9
FEATURE: RACECOURSE MEDIA GROUP the collaboration across the sport to secure long-term free-to-air coverage is enormously important.
The key is meeting audiences where they are while remaining authentic to the sport. Younger audiences consume content differently. They expect shortform video, social-first storytelling and digital engagement. Through Raceday TV, we are approaching 2bn video views since launch. What began as a creative experiment has become one of the most-watched horseracing social platforms in the world. Its strength lies in capturing the authentic moments around a raceday: the excitement, personalities, atmosphere and stories that do not always make it onto traditional broadcasts. Particularly encouraging is the way it reaches audiences racing has historically found difficult to engage. For example, 62% of Raceday TV’s TikTok audience is female, underlining the channel’s ability to broaden racing’s appeal. Jockey Club Racecourses has also reported a 50% rise in tickets sold to 18-to-24-yearolds, citing Raceday TV as a key factor. At the same time, traditional fans continue to value high-quality broadcast coverage through Racing TV and ITV, which provide expert analysis, compelling storytelling and exceptional visibility for the sport. ITV remains racing’s best shop window – 117 days are broadcast on the network – and 10
Is social content primarily an acquisition tool, or can it become a commercial business in its own right? Today it is both, but audience acquisition remains the primary objective. The greatest strategic value lies in introducing new audiences to racing and creating future fans, racegoers and bettors. That is particularly important given changing media consumption habits and the competition for attention. That said, we are already seeing meaningful commercial opportunities emerge. Racing TV’s YouTube revenues doubled in 2025 through bookmaker sponsorship and partnerships, while Raceday TV is a hugely attractive brand to be associated with. So, while audience growth comes first, I absolutely believe social and digital content will develop into an increasingly important revenue stream in its own right. Where are the biggest international growth opportunities? If I had to identify the two regions with the greatest long-term potential, they would be the Middle East and Asia. Hong Kong continues to be tremendously important through World Pool, while the opportunities emerging across the Gulf are significant. We have spent more than 15 years building relationships in the region through production, broadcast and distribution partnerships, and the opening of regulated betting in Abu Dhabi demonstrates how those markets are evolving. Racing1 is also creating new opportunities by bringing together rights holders from different parts of sportsbettingoperator.com
FEATURE: RACECOURSE MEDIA GROUP the world to offer a more compelling proposition to international operators. Working alongside HBA Media, we are also seeing strong global demand for the Crown Jewels Racing package. It comprises 20 of the world’s most prestigious races, each supported by a 60-to-90-minute live programme, and reaches up to 40 broadcasters on the biggest racedays. It provides the sport and its sponsors with a powerful international showcase, while encouraging occasional buyers to become full-package partners and some networks to extend their racing coverage. Clearly the more eyeballs on our racing, the more everyone benefits. British and Irish racing remains a premium global product. Our job is to make it as easy as possible for operators to consume, distribute and monetise that content wherever they are in the world. What are the main hurdles facing the sport, and how is RMG helping to address them? There are obviously significant economic and regulatory headwinds facing both betting operators and racing. The last Budget created real pressure for bookmakers, which inevitably affects racing, and we await the treatment of Machine Games Duty in the forthcoming Budget. Independent analysis suggests that an increase to 40% could cost racing £92 million a year. We have therefore been working closely with the BHA, the Betting and Gaming Council, analysts and operators themselves to put racing’s case forward. It has required a unified approach, and time will tell how successful the sport has been – but I don’t think we could have done more. Gambling advertising is another issue on the horizon that will similarly require a fully joined-up response. Volume 8: Issue 025
Welfare and safer gambling also remain front and centre. We must continue demonstrating the exceptional care racehorses receive, and Racing TV has an important role to play in telling those stories. When it comes to betting, while most people bet safely, one problem gambler is one too many. Racing TV is part of RAIG, and we are wholeheartedly committed to responsible practice. Our focus is on creating a more engaging, entertaining and informative customer experience, rather than encouraging irresponsible behaviour. Better products, richer data, stronger content and improved customer experiences can all increase engagement without compromising player protection. A healthy, sustainable betting sector is in everyone’s interests, and racing’s longterm future depends on getting that balance right.
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FEATURE: HOLLAND & KNIGHT
SMARTER HOUSE, SAME RULES The House Gets Smarter: AI, Sportsbooks and the Laws That Still Apply. By Katherine A. Baker, Samir Suresh Patel and Diego J. Troncoso
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ambling law was built on four distinctions that artificial intelligence (AI) is erasing. The house took the bets it was
told the bettor, and each must now be applied to an AI Agent whose conduct no legislature, regulator or court had in view. This article discusses three bodies of
offered – now it recommends them based on patron betting history. An advertisement reached thousands at once – now a million private messages carry one claim. The VIP host was a person – now an algorithm ranks the patron. The website displayed the terms – now it answers back. Today, licensed operators run each of these functions through AI agentic systems (AI Agent) that write and target promotions, rank players for offers and, separately for intervention, recommend the bet, build the parlay, and field questions about bonuses, withdrawals and limits. The rules survive the change because none of them turns on the technology. Each asks what the operator did and what it
law that apply in this context. Gaming regulation asks what purpose the AI Agent serves: whom it may target, what the operator must analyze for signs of harm and what it may never do with that data. Consumer protection law asks what the AI Agent represented and treats every statement to a bettor as the operator’s own. The Lanham Act asks whether it used trademarks without a license.
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Where the Law Stands Gaming regulators are just beginning to incorporate AI-specific requirements into their rules for licensed gaming operators. Massachusetts was one of the first to closely study this issue via an AI task force. Its sports wagering sportsbettingoperator.com
FEATURE: HOLLAND & KNIGHT data regulation requires every operator to analyze patron data for problem gambling and report to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission every six months and prohibits the use of patron data in promotions, including based on AI or similar technology that the sports wagering operator knows or should know would make sports betting more addictive. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has been investigating this very issue in the real world and recently issued a letter to its sports wagering licensees requesting information on how they are deploying AI tools. In October, the New York State Gaming Commission proposed a sports betting rule that would restrict the use of AI and other generative systems to personalize promotions, bonuses, odds, betting limits, messages, and product and wager recommendations. Though not specifically directed to AI, New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement since 2023 has required online gaming operators to analyze play data for signs of harm. A proposed federal bill, the SAFE Bet Act, prohibits the use of AI to track patron behavior, send personalized promotions or create high-frequency microbetting products. This legislation is pending in U.S. House of Representatives and Senate committees but has nonetheless become the template for bills in Illinois and New York. Consumer protection laws provide a direct avenue for claims based on misleading statements to bettors. Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Act and state unfair and deceptive practices statutes generally do not require widespread dissemination, meaning an individualized misleading message can still create consumer protection risk. AI generally raises two theories. The Volume 8: Issue 025
RIGHT: Katherine A. Baker
first is deception by omission, such as leaving out the margin, playthrough terms or fact that the bettor is talking to a bot. The second is substantiation: An objective claim needs a reasonable basis before it runs, even if no person wrote it. Operators should document support for every claim type the engine can make and tell bettors when they are dealing with AI. Federal courts have split on whether a sportsbook application is a product with a design duty, the Pennsylvania decision is on appeal, and 2026 complaints plead algorithmic engagement as a design defect and breach of the operator’s privacy notice. A 2026 trademark decision has put the Lanham Act on operator agendas. Chatbot statutes take effect January 1, 2027.
Marketing and Personalization In 2026, a sports governing body sued a licensed sportsbook over the use of its tournament logo, insignia and names (Marks) as menu categories, market labels, promotional graphics and metatags. This is the 13
FEATURE: HOLLAND & KNIGHT
only reported Lanham Act decision between a governing body and a sportsbook since 2018. Bettors who saw the Marks on the sportsbook were likely to assume the governing body sponsored or endorsed it, and attaching famous Marks to gambling against their owner’s stated wishes was likely to tarnish them. The sportsbook’s defense, that it used the names only to identify the games being bet on, failed: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has never adopted it, and the court found the names unnecessary in
team, event and athlete names at scale, writing them into labels, graphics and metadata that no one reviews before publication. Each unlicensed use is a potential false association claim by the rights holder and dilution claim where the Mark is famous, and the metatag holding extends the exposure to text no bettor ever sees. The rights holder is not the only party the engine can hand a claim. A generated promotion is an advertisement, and every variant is the operator’s own representation to the bettor who receives it, subject to the
any event because other platforms labeled the rounds generically (round of 16, round of 8, semifinals), and the sportsbook itself had used the event’s generic name on social media. Using the Marks anyway, pervasively and throughout the tournament, was treated as intent to trade on the association. Marks in metatags and search engine optimization counted as overlapping marketing channels. The restraining order was denied only because the governing body had waited more than six months to seek it. The decision reaches every operator running an AI Agent as a generative marketing engine. Left to itself, the engine will use league,
same rules as a billboard: no guarantee of success, no wager described as free of risk, no implication that the chances of winning rise with time or money spent, and no misleading statement about the likelihood of winning. Personalization multiplies that exposure rather than diluting it: A consumer or regulator suing under a state unfair-practices statute needs only the message the bettor received, and the AI Agent’s uplift dashboards, which record how many bettors acted on each claim, supply the materiality a deception claim requires.
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Practices that address this exposure: • Generate Only from an Approved Library. Claims come from a substantiated library and Marks sportsbettingoperator.com
FEATURE: HOLLAND & KNIGHT from an approved list tied to the operator’s data and sponsorship licenses; comparative claims are barred or tied to a verified odds feed. • Log Every Output, Metadata Included. Maine already requires five-year records of every targeting parameter used in directed advertising; a timestamped log of every output satisfies the regulator and answers a rights holder. • Treat Uplift Reports as Records. Conversion and incremental-handle dashboards are discoverable and prove materiality; they belong in the compliance file.
RIGHT: Samir Suresh Patel
Analytics Pending bills would seemingly prohibit the analytics that regulators require for harm detection. The SAFE Bet Act would bar 1) using AI Agents to track an individual’s wagers, 2) create an offer or promotion targeting a specific individual, and 3) create a gambling product such as a microbet. Illinois has copied all three provisions and New York the first two. The template answers itself: The same bill requires
to reach a promotion AI Agent reaches 20 years of marketing analytics, and the operative test is the purpose the model serves. The difficulty is that one feature store serves both purposes: Deposit frequency, session length, loss chasing, late-night play and escalating stakes feed the risk model and the VIP model alike. The VIP host is the human precedent, scrutinized by the
an affordability check before an operator accepts wagers above $1,000 in 24 hours or $10,000 in 30 days, and no such check runs without continuous tracking of individual behavior. The line the bill draws: Tracking to protect is required, tracking to sell prohibited. Massachusetts has written that line into regulation, which forbids three principal uses of patron data in promotion: 1) any algorithm or AI expected to make the platform more addictive, 2) any targeting keyed to a patron’s use of limits or other responsible gaming tools, and 3) any targeting keyed to a patron’s actual or predicted income, medical status or occupation. The regulation does not define AI; any definition broad enough
Massachusetts Gaming Commission in October 2025 and the U.S. Congress in 2024 and 2026. Whatever the duty analysis, the proof is the same: The risk model flagged the player on Tuesday and the promotion engine sent a boost on Wednesday. That proof is being assembled. A leading news publication recently reported that one operator’s promotional AI Agents scored bettors by expected loss per promotion and that, according to former employees, work on a model to flag at-risk bettors had been sidelined. Eleven days later, a Massachusetts class complaint pleaded those reports as breach of contract: The operator’s privacy notice promised to use patron
Volume 8: Issue 024
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FEATURE: HOLLAND & KNIGHT
data to assess responsible play, and the data was allegedly used for the opposite purpose. On October 9, 2026, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission asked every operator in the state whether risk indicators feed any marketing model, whether losses or rising wagering frequency make a promotion more likely and whether it could explain why a given patron received a given promotion on a given date. Suitability concerns are the elephant in the room. Massachusetts is leading the way in investigating how AI is being used by gaming operators to target and influence consumers, and other states are following suit. The results are likely to influence future rulemaking. The control that answers the regulator, court and plaintiff is a one-way valve: The responsible gaming system may veto marketing, and marketing may never read it (Figure 2). In practice: • Separate Access. Role-based access on the feature store; no risk score or harm indicator appears as a feature in any promotional AI Agent. • Suppress at Send Time. The AI Agent checks the suppression list (self-excluded patrons, limit-setters, cooling-off periods, at-risk flags) at Volume 8: Issue 024
send time, not campaign build, and logs every decision. • Act on Every Flag. A named owner, periodic validation with falsenegative review and an intervention workflow. • Bind the Vendors. Analytics vendors may not reuse harm data, marketing tools are barred from responsible gaming fields, and affiliates receive no behavioral data.
Insights and Recommended Bets In certain contexts, the house recommending a bet is nothing new. Lottery quick picks and racetrack handicapper tip sheets are part of gambling history. What is new is the personalization model: specific wagers handpicked for specific customers based on betting history. Relevant from a legal standpoint, when the house recommends a bet, it stops being a passive counterparty and starts giving advice. One operator introduced a generative assistant in March 2025 to help users find or construct bets and research statistics. Under the Massachusetts and Maine advertising rules, an in-app insight with a one-tap bet slip is a promotion, and 17
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FEATURE: HOLLAND & KNIGHT every “value play,” “edge” and “sharp side” the assistant emits is a statement about the likelihood of winning, subject to a billboard’s prohibitions, including the ban on purported experts paid by a team or governing body. For three decades, the cases rejecting a casino’s duty to a compulsive gambler rested on a house that merely took the bets the patron chose: The Seventh Circuit found no duty to enforce a self-exclusion request, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit found none for an online sportsbook and its VIP hosts under New Jersey law. A recommendation agent ends the passivity those holdings assumed, and negligent misrepresentation and assumedduty doctrines await the party that volunteers advice. A sportsbook that recommends bets recommends its own products, the conflict a broker faces recommending its firm’s own investments and one the securities industry has already worked through: Since 2020, Regulation Best Interest has required such a broker to exercise care in forming the recommendation, disclose the conflict, and eliminate sales contests and quotas that push the proprietary product. Gaming law has no counterpart. The conflict is sharpest when bets get recommended: A parlay earns the sportsbook several times the margin of a straight bet, an AI Agent tuned to revenue steers bettors toward parlays, and presenting the highest-margin product as the “insight” without disclosing the margin is deception by omission under the FTC standard. Practices (Figure 3): • Adopt a Written Recommendation Policy. It states what the AI Agent optimizes and what it may not and routes every output through the advertising filter. Volume 8: Issue 024
RIGHT: Diego J. Troncoso
• Disclose the Margin (and Everything Else You Can). Implied probability or margin appears with each recommendation – the gaming equivalent of a conflict disclosure. Clear disclosures are a shield against consumer protection claims. • Ground Every Statistic. Each figure is verified against the operator’s official data feed before display; model vendors warrant grounding and indemnify hallucinated claims. • Review the Margin Mix. Every recommendation is logged with its inputs, and the margin mix is reviewed against the operator’s baseline, the first number a regulator or plaintiff will request.
Customer Service Chatbots The chatbot binds the operator. A Canadian tribunal rejected an airline’s argument that its chatbot was a separate legal entity responsible for its own words, treated the bot as part of the airline’s website and held the airline to the bot’s misstatement about a fare. U.S. law reaches the same result: The bot is the operator’s agent, and its false statement to 19
FEATURE: HOLLAND & KNIGHT
a consumer is a deceptive act under the FTC standard and every state unfair-practices statute. The sportsbook version goes like this: a bonus described without its playthrough, a 24-hour withdrawal that takes five days, a promotion called “risk-free” because the AI Agent learned the phrase on the open web. Massachusetts requires an operator to explain promotion terms clearly and adhere to them;
a conversational AI Agent must disclose that the user is talking to AI and run a protocol referring suicidal ideation or self-harm to a crisis service and, from July 1, 2027, report annually to the attorney general. A violation is a deceptive trade practice carrying a civil penalty of up to $20,000. The disclosure patchwork resolves to the strictest state’s standard. Washington’s
a disclaimer that the bot’s answers are not binding buries the material fact rather than curing it. The failure that matters most is self-exclusion. Regulations allow a patron to tighten limits faster than loosen them. A decrease takes effect immediately in Massachusetts and by the patron’s next login in New Jersey while an increase waits until the existing limit period has run. A generative bot that receives “I need to stop” and answers with the deposit offer it was tuned to promote has breached that rule, committed an unfair act and written the exhibit for the next complaint. From January 1, 2027, the operator of
companion-chatbot statute spares a customer service bot only if it neither sustains a relationship across interactions nor elicits emotional responses, Utah requires disclosure on a clear request, and California bars an undisclosed bot from incentivizing a purchase. Chat logs also hold account, financial and responsible gaming data, so routing them through an outside model vendor implicates the Massachusetts limits on third-party sharing. And patrons will ask the bot to credit an account or waive a requirement; a model that can be talked into it has issued a binding statement.
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sportsbettingoperator.com
FEATURE: HOLLAND & KNIGHT The governing design rule is an asymmetry (Figure 4): • Easier to Stop, Never Easier to Spend. The AI Agent may execute any action that makes stopping easier (set a limit, start a cooling-off period, selfexclude) and none that makes spending easier; credits, bonus grants and term changes go to a human. • Ground Every Answer. Answers draw only on the filed terms for the detected jurisdiction, with the controlling terms linked and AI identification to the Colorado standard. • Keep the Transcript In-House. Vendor terms bar training on transcripts, carry accuracy warranties and indemnity for misstatements, and confirm gaming vendor registration state by state.
Conclusion Each function erases a distinction the law relied upon: The house that merely took bets now recommends them specifically on a personalized basis, the advertisement has become a million private messages, the VIP host has morphed into an AI Agent, and the gambling website answers back. The old rules survive because they turn on purpose and representation rather than technology, and regulators and courts need not look inside the black box of AI. They will query what the AI Agent was built to do, what the bettor was told and what the operator can show. With study, gaming commissions and legislators will begin to refine the rules of the game to close unintended gaps that leave consumers vulnerable. The next inquiry will not ask whether a sportsbook uses AI. It will ask the sportsbook to harness the AI systems that are now ubiquitous and take ownership over its continued compliance with regulatory regimes.
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Volume 8: Issue 024
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FEATURE: MARKO MITEVSKI
THE NBA’S GAMBLING BALANCING ACT How the NBA is trying to regulate sports betting without losing its integrity. By Marko Mitevski
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ith another NBA season kicking off, basketball is entering an era in which sports betting is no longer just something happening on the perimeters of the league. It is becoming a part of the league’s commercial system. This leads to an unusual paradox. There are large financial and commercial reasons for the NBA to support sports betting. Legal betting is growing exponentially, sportsbooks are among the largest advertisers and commercial partners, and betting is providing evermore ways for fans to connect with basketball. 22
And from the other side, each new betting market introduces another possible undermining of the sport. Betting that one team will win is one thing. Betting that a certain player will get 20 points, 8 rebounds or 6 assists is a lot more complicated. The more focused the betting market, the smaller the pool that can be exploited. The league is seemingly not trying to turn back the hands of the legalization of sports gambling. Rather, it is trying to construct a regulation structure for what is now too big to address. That means tracking wagering, limiting specific markets, educating players and staff, collaborating with sportsbooks and regulators, and sportsbettingoperator.com
FEATURE: MARKO MITEVSKI relying on technology to detect suspicious activity. It’s whether the NBA can continue to cash in on the expanding sports betting industry without endorsing gambling that erodes trust in the sport.
From an opponent of gambling to a participant The NBA’s current relationship with sports betting is rooted in a critical legislative change in the United States. In 2018, the Supreme Court struck down various sections of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, this way allowing individual states to legalize and oversee sports betting. This decision changed the face of American sports. For at least thirty years, gambling has been universally seen in the major professional leagues as a menace. Why? Because if you could make money “fixing” games there was always an incentive to do so. But the act of legality made for a different estimation. Leagues might see the benefits of being part of a regulated marketplace rather than seeking to keep gambling part from professional sports. The NBA might cooperate with sportsbooks, provide official licensing data, house bookmaker sponsorships and embed betting within their online services. This creates significant commercial opportunities. A multibillion-dollar industry, the U.S sports-betting market is a lucrative business and basketball is mainly lucrative for sportsbooks. Coaches and players provide lots of opportunities for sportsbook bets through a game. Any NBA contest is not just a 48-minute war in which one of the two contestants wins. Points, rebounds, assists, 3-pointers, steals, blocks, fouls, turnovers, and Volume 8: Issue 025
scores of other statistical categories. Add live betting into the mix, and there are even more options. It is very attractive from a business angle. From an integrity stand point, it is a lot more complex.
Why the growth of betting creates an integrity problem The key offering of the NBA is competition. Fans must also be convinced that when players and teams are playing and indicating that they are trying to win, that they really are trying to win. Also, that the game stats are real. Sports betting does not necessarily endanger that principle either. While millions of people can legally place wagers on events and have no effect on their outcome. What is the problem? Where any person having involvement with the contest has an incentive to impact an outcome or to disclose secret information to a party that stands to financially benefit. And it does not necessary mean that will impact which team will win the game. That is one of the biggest transformations resulting from the tremendous growth of player proposition wagering. If an individual sought to fix a whole NBA game, he would need to have control over multiple players and another coach or official. Breaking a single statistical category, or navigating would be easier. A player may intentionally shoot fewer shots. A player may exit the game with an apparent injury. Someone having a knowledge of secret injury data might inform a bettor that a player will probably not play up to his usual standards. 23
FEATURE: MARKO MITEVSKI The final result can be totally valid and the presented betting market can still be rigged.
The Jontay Porter scandal exposed the problem The most relevant example is the Jontay Porter case. In April 2024, the NBA imposed a lifelong ban on Porter after concluding that he broke the league’s gambling regulations by leaking sensitive information to bettors, restricting his involvement in games for betting reasons and betting himself on NBA games from another person’s account. It revealed the fear of particular markets of individual players. Before the game in March 2024, Porter shared details about his condition with a person he knew to be an NBA bettor. This person then placed an $80,000 proposition wager that Porter would be under a certain point total. Porter only registered for three minutes before being subbed out. The anomalous betting activity resulted in the bet being frozen it was not paid. In addition, the NBA investigation uncovered evidence that Porter had made 13 or more bets via a joint account on NBA games between January and March 2024 for a total value of $54,094. The bets were not on games in which Porter took part, but still were a serious breach of the league’s rules on gambling. The questionable activity was flagged by licensed sportsbooks and a third-party group tracking legal wagering markets ahead of being escalated to the NBA. This showed how both aspects of the current betting debate were presented. Official betting offers opportunities for wrongdoing, but however legal 24
sportsbooks generate data that can assist the investigators in detecting anomalous behavior. Commissioner Adam Silver recognized exactly this first paradox when the NBA revealed the extent of Porter’s suspension, commenting that “...legal sports betting offers transparency that might alert us to potential problems, while simultaneously raising questions about whether current regulation is sufficient.” So, the Porter case was no longer a question of a personal use of disciplinary power. It was a warning to the structure of modern NBA betting.
Player props are particularly difficult to regulate These proposition bets have a real hold in the NBA. Player props, bring the focus away from the final score of the game, and onto specific statistical events that transpire. Or, a player can manipulate the outcome without actually fixing the game. This leaves the league in an awkward position. And if the NBA decided to veto all of the players, proposition market that in theory, could be represented if someone wanted it, it would be a hit to a number of the most popular things offered by sportsbooks. Fans would miss some bets, and some of the wagering would go to non-regulated sources. This is still advantageous to the un honest bettor and anyone else who might have insider information on the game or player. So, the league has to either accept or reject markets based on the risk involved. That story only added to the debate. It prompted more conversations about restrictions on player props, more exactly largely involving two-way players and the like, where it’s arguably sportsbettingoperator.com
FEATURE: MARKO MITEVSKI
more obvious that the ability of a person’s stat to be manipulated is higher. This is perhaps the most difficult market to regulate. Still, banning a market it will not necessarily eliminate the demand. For fans wanting to bet on the stats of an NBA player, they would be disappointed to see, when
For instance, suppose that an under-the-radar player gets a flood of wagers on one specific stat just before an event. That does not necessarily imply that something unlawful occurred. The player could just be on a lucky streak. Perhaps traders are pricing in real information into the betting market. Or
narrowed down to state sanctioned sportsbooks, that they are eager to place that wager. That is why the NBA altogether has been seeking to watch and control betting rather than stay away from it.
they could have just guessed right. But if such tend to happen while a player suddenly leaves the game, or an undisclosed injury, or unusual statistical occurrence, then the events take on a different significance. This is why contemporary monitoring for sports integrity relies more and more on detecting trends of patterns. The NBA has connections to companies that provide data and integrity monitoring and the league has been putting more focus on collaboration with the league, sportsbooks, and other partners. The aim is to basically develop a warning system. The earlier criminal activity is spotted, the quicker
Monitoring suspicious betting activity Data is one of the most critical resources that the NBA has at its disposal. Sports books know where the bets are coming from, how much is being wagered, and when the betting activity changes abruptly. Integrity-monitoring agencies are also able to collect this information and identify patterns worthy of investigation. Volume 8: Issue 025
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FEATURE: MARKO MITEVSKI investigators can establish whether there is a valid explanation or if serious crime is involved.
Injury information has become extremely valuable Managing the injury data is the other great difficulty. The value of that information has been altered by sports betting. If a bettor finds out hours before the others that a star player is going to miss the game, that piece of information can be worth a lot of money. Unexpected player availability shifts can have a major impact on the betting lines, point spreads, totals, and player props. This gives an incentive for insiders to disclose. So, the problem not only covers players. Those who can be of interest to bettors are coaches, trainers, physiotherapists, doctors, administrators, and any other employees. This is one of the reasons that may explain why regulatory issues in the NBA gradually settled on information management. The NBA has stated that it is starting to review its policies on gambling education as well as others due to the evolving climate.
Protecting players from bettors There is yet another aspect to the betting problem that needs to be looked at. The athletes are also potential victims of the betting culture. Imagine what occurs when a player takes a badly missed free throw. A fan might be angry that the team lost without sports betting. With betting, the emotional process can become a lot more personal. A bettor who eventually loses cash when a player misses the free throw, goes under a scoring prop, or logs 26
an additional rebound may choose to place the blame squarely on the athlete. And social media escalates that. Players can be sent abusive messages within minutes of playing, and threats and abuse related to gambling losses have been reported. That could be a big problem for the NBA. There should not be these levels of psychological pressure on players. More recently, the league and other major professional sports organizations have sought to restrict the threats athletes face from gambling. This is essential because integrity involves more than just ensuring players do not cheat. It is also to make sure that gambling does not contribute towards creating an environment where the players are made to feel threatened, intimidated, or pressured.
Advertising creates another contradiction The League’s interaction with betting extends beyond the on-court action. Bookmakers are professional sports’ significant commercial partners. The league maintains official gaming relationships and has partnered with DraftKings and FanDuel. Those connections make money, and them for all those basketball fans. But they are also an almost insurmountable PR challenge. The NBA would like gambling to be visible enough to have a commercial value. At the same time, it also has to promote responsible gaming. That’s a lot of balancing. As a result, the league and sportsbook industry have already contributed in supporting these responsible sports-betting advertising guidelines, including bans on ads designed to mislead or market to sportsbettingoperator.com
FEATURE: MARKO MITEVSKI
prospective customers who are not legally eligible to bet. It’s the balancing act of pushing a commercial product and discouraging non-stop use.
The NBA benefits financially from betting This is probably the least comfortable topic of the whole discussion. The NBA itself is not a neutral arbitrator standing outside of sports-betting. It takes advantage of growth in the industry. Bookmakers are interested in NBA fans. The NBA want strong relationship and commercial agreements with sponsors. Betting content can be embedded within broadcasts. Fans are more emotionally invested in the games if they have financial interests involved. Everything increases in value. But it does also mean the NBA has to police an industry of which it gains. Which can’t help but create a little frisson. The league demands that sportsbooks make money, but it cannot be allowing commerciality to influence the markets that are offered. Volume 8: Issue 025
It yet desires fans to gamble within the law, but it must simultaneously prevent legal gambling from competing against and damaging competition integrity. It’s seeking highly detailed information made available to the public, but it must also keep private data from being exploited by insiders for commercial gain. It is also not always easy to reach these goals simultaneously. So, the NBA is not merely supposed to control betting. To control gambling without disconnecting ourselves from the economy.
Federal oversight could become more important The other flaw in the current system for American sports betting that exists is that it is still regulated on a state-bystate basis. These matters could differ greatly across different jurisdictions. Different states have different laws, different protections for consumers and different priorities when it comes to betting markets. 27
FEATURE: MARKO MITEVSKI
But the NBA is one league. The game is in New York, but anyone in the country can see and bet on it. A suspicious betting pattern may include people from different states and several different sportsbooks. Which is not good news for coordination. Adam Silver has said more forcefully that this could be addressed with
The NBA’s biggest dilemma - Regulate without pushing betting underground
federal oversight. In 2026 Silver had backed the concept of a federal sports-betting commissioner with subpoena and investigative authority. He said that authority could have something the NBA does not. Yes, that is a very critical difference. An NBA can review breaches of the league’s own regulations. It has the ability to suspend or ban players. Yet, the league does not have the same powers to investigate as federal law enforcement. A centralized federal authority could coordinate information between sportsbooks, sports leagues, states, and law enforcement agencies. That could be crucial as the world of betting evolves.
bettors may turn to illegal or offshore operators. That creates another problem. Legal sportsbooks are monitored. They maintain records. They have regulatory obligations. They can report suspicious transactions. Illegal operators may not provide the same level of transparency. This creates one of the great paradoxes of sports-betting regulation. Sometimes allowing a controlled and monitored betting market may actually provide more protection than trying to eliminate the market altogether. That is one reason the NBA has focused so heavily on regulation rather than prohibition. The league appears to recognize that betting demand already exists.
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There is a strong argument for restricting the riskiest betting markets. But there is also a major argument against excessive restrictions. If legal sportsbooks stop offering a betting product that fans want, some
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FEATURE: MARKO MITEVSKI The challenge is ensuring that as much of that activity as possible occurs within a system that can be monitored.
The NBA’s relationship with sports betting will probably become even more complicated during the 2026-27 season and beyond. Professional sports leagues have come a long way since trying to keep gambling as far away from their games as possible. Now they are commercial partners. Betting insights are included in the media ecosystem. Player props are huge for community engagement. They’re raising new questions for regulators. And that technology is now enabling us to track this betting activity on a level that would have been a pipe dream just a decade ago. The case of Jontay Porter showed that insider information can be used to take advantage of legal betting markets. But further investigations and regulatory concerns indicate that this is not just a problem with one gambler or one particular bet.
thorough player education, safeguards against bettor harassment, collaboration with federal and state authorities, and the use of increasingly advanced technology. The league must also understand the boundaries of its power. A federal statute could grant investigators authority the NBA does not have, and increased collaboration among leagues, sportsbooks, and regulators could help spot gambling rings that operate across state lines. In the end, the number of bets and how much money sportsbooks bring in will not be what determines whether NBA sports-betting regulation is successful. It will be determined through fans’ ongoing perception that the game is authentic. That principle is at the core of professional sports. Fans have the right to take issue with the decisions made by officials. They have the right to criticize a manager. They have the right to moan about a player. But, they have to be convinced of the players’ competitiveness, and that the
Meanwhile, the legal betting system itself has helped to detect suspicious activity. That is the dilemma for the NBA to resolve. Revenue can be created, but it can also generate financial incentives that were not present before, for individual plays, statistics, and hidden pieces of information. The NBA because of this cannot choose solely between ‘integrity’ and ‘betting’. It must find a way to protect both. The most effective strategy will likely require multiple layers: improved sportsbook monitoring, stricter controls on vulnerable markets, improved management of injury information,
stats being produced on court are real. For the NBA, this expansion is both an enormous opportunity and a significant threat. The league has bought in to the business because the market is too big to be ignored. Now it must ensure the enterprise never gets big enough to ruin the game. The 2026-27 season becomes a reality in that environment. The NBA no longer has to debate the issue as to whether sports betting should even be a part of the league. That discussion has been settled. The real question is much harder: How much can the NBA incorporate betting before the betting begins to alter the reputation of the game.
Can the NBA balance business and integrity?
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FEATURE: IGB AFFILIATE 2027
IGB AFFILIATE 2027: RE-ENGINEERING THE GAME From ‘Day Zero Matchmaking’ to ‘Safe-Traffic’ Trust Badges: Event Director Mallory Reynolds-Trout outlines ‘what’s new’ at the reengineered iGB Affiliate Barcelona 2027. By Damien Connelly
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s the iGaming affiliate landscape evolves, innovation, compliance and quality partnerships are becoming increasingly important to sustainable growth. Ahead of iGB Affiliate Barcelona 2027, Event Director Mallory Reynolds-Trout outlines the event’s re-engineered approach, from AI-driven matchmaking and new networking formats to trusted traffic verification and the changing dynamics of player acquisition. In this interview, she discusses how the show aims to connect operators and affiliates, tackle emerging industry challenges and unlock new opportunities in an increasingly competitive market. What can visitors and exhibitors look forward to at iGB Affiliate Barcelona 2027? We have created a re-engineered show floor that’s been designed directly around the mechanics of modern digital acquisition. As the era of predictable desktop search arbitrage ends, iGB Affiliate 2027 serves as the strategic transition hub where the global community re-tools, re-platforms, and secures sustainable scale. Rather than attempting to singlehandedly solve complex industry headwinds, our role is to unite the right decision-makers, high-volume 30
ABOVE: Mallory Reynolds-Trout, Event Director
powerhouses, and new-era creators to address them directly. Key features include The Content Stage (Hall 8.0) which is a carefully curated educational calendar tackling critical themes, including Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), owned audience discovery, workforce restructuring, and rebuilding operator-affiliate data trust. In addition, the show represents a High-Energy Marketplace (Halls 8.0 & 8.1) comprising a vibrant floor layout featuring exhibitor booths, operator anchors, and central community hubs. sportsbettingoperator.com
FEATURE: IGB AFFILIATE 2027 What are the main new features and developments planned for the 2027 show? We will be introducing a number strategic initiatives designed to streamline access and elevate dealmaking. Day Zero Matchmaking on Monday 18 January follows a closed-door, pre-show matchmaking format. Features include “FiveMinute First Dates” which is a rapid speed-networking session pairing hand-picked senior affiliates and operator leader, rolling straight into “The Second Date” for private, uninterrupted follow-up networking and drinks. The Balanced Dual-Hall Floor Layout consists of Hall 8.0 (Ground Floor) which will house a high-energy mix of exhibitors, Tier-1 operator anchors, tech providers, and affiliate networks which will appear alongside central features including the Content Stage, MeetMe Area, iGB Hangout, Affiliate Lounge, and VIP Area. Hall 8.1 (Upper Floor) comprises high-energy exhibitor booths spanning tech providers, affiliate networks, and operators, creating an active, high-
established jurisdictions. We have respondedby shifting the show’s focus toward multi-surface discovery, owned media retention, and non-traditional channels. Our 2027 content calendar brings these issues to the floor via targeted sessions including Google Moved the Goalposts which explores how sports betting affiliates convert rented search reach into owned media assets such as apps, direct communities, Telegram/ WhatsApp, and CRM. Beyond Betting analyses how prediction markets, real-money apps, and alternative sports-prediction channels open up entirely new acquisition pathways.
traffic commercial showcase. We have also created the ‘SafeTraffic’ Trust Badge which is a brand verification system that recognises exhibitors who meet strict legal compliance and age-gating standards, in the process giving operators instant confidence when sourcing traffic. In terms of practicalities the North Access Entry (Hall 8) ensures direct, friction-free entry to the show floor.
matching operators with affiliates holding verified pipelines of highdepositing players in newly regulated jurisdictions. The MeetMe Area & Affiliate Lounge (Hall 8.0) consisting of centralised touchpoints engineered for curated introductions and direct contract negotiations. AI-Driven App Matchmaking which utilises the official event app’s advanced algorithms to match operators and affiliates based on geographical alignment, compliance standards, and traffic type.
How is iGB Affiliate responding to changes in the global sports betting affiliate market? The global sports betting market faces a squeeze from search engine volatility, zero-click AI answers, and tightening promotional restrictions across Volume 8: Issue 025
What opportunities will the event offer affiliates looking to establish new partnerships with betting operators? iGB Affiliate 2027 provides a highdensity environment to connect directly with decision-makers from global affiliate programs and Tier-1 operators spread across both halls. Opportunities include: Pre-Qualified “LTV Speed-Dating” Zones (Hall 8.0) featuring dedicated meeting tables
How is artificial intelligence changing affiliate marketing, and how will this be reflected at the show? AI has evolved from cheap content 31
FEATURE: IGB AFFILIATE 2027
generation into a core driver of search visibility, operational efficiency, and workforce transformation. Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and zero-click answers are fundamentally changing how content earns citation, forcing affiliates to adapt. At the show, this evolution is reflected across our content agenda and show floor in a number of activations including: Beyond the AI Buzzwords Playbook Crossfire:
Which emerging markets do you expect to attract the greatest interest from affiliates and operators in 2027? We expect interest to concentrate on expanding markets across Latin America (LatAm), dynamic Central and Eastern European (CEE) territories (including Poland, Ukraine, and Romania), and emerging opportunities in North America and APAC. The show floor features specific networking zones designed to connect international brand leaders with
where four leaders share live, practical playbooks addressing real business challenges across search, VIP intelligence, operations, and analytics, demonstrating real ROI before an audience vote. ’Cyborg’ Marketer Workshops & GEO Masterclasses are handson sessions demonstrating how affiliates combine AI automation for scale with human editorial trust. Interactive Compliance & Workflows comprise show floor features demonstrating how AI is being applied to real-time age-gating diagnostics, antifraud detection, and workflow optimization, alongside AI matchmaking in the official app.
regional specialists holding compliant, verified pipelines in these growth areas.
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How is iGB Affiliate helping businesses navigate changing regulations and responsible marketing requirements? Navigating zero-tolerance regulations and licensing frameworks are now core commercial requirements. iGB Affiliate Barcelona brings the industry’s brightest minds together through dedicated features and main-stage debates: Regulatory Content Panels: sessions such as “Licence to Influence” analyse expanding affiliate accountability drawing on examples such as Bulgaria’s licensing framework and sportsbettingoperator.com
FEATURE: IGB AFFILIATE 2027 European influencer restrictions. “Short-Term Revenue or Long-Term Value?” explores how responsible gaming practices protect traffic quality. The “Safe-Traffic” Trust Badge recognises compliant, age-gated exhibitors on the show floor to make sourcing trusted traffic straightforward and transparent. What advice would you give firsttime visitors looking to maximise their time at iGB Affiliate 2027? Here’s a strategic five-point plan to help attendees make the most of their time at iGB Affiliate Barcelona: Pre-Book via the Event App: Complete your profile early to unlock AI matchmaking and schedule meetings in the MeetMe Area or Affiliate Lounge before arriving. Arrive via North Access (Hall 8): Access is exclusively through the North Entrance of Fira Gran Via, so plan transport directly to Hall 8 to avoid long walks. Explore Both Halls: Map your route across Hall 8.0 (for operator anchors, main content stage, VIP hospitality, and central hubs) and Hall 8.1 (for highenergy show floor networking and exhibitor booths). Target Specific Agenda Sessions: Identify key sessions on the Content Stage that address your specific operational hurdles – whether GEO optimization, capital investment, or regulatory shifts. Print Tickets in Advance: If possible, print your ticket at home to save time on arrival. What networking opportunities and initiatives will help attendees develop new business relationships? iGB Affiliate 2027 offers structured networking touchpoints across the entire venue footprint. Specific networking opportunities include Volume 8: Issue 025
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FEATURE: IGB AFFILIATE 2027
Day Zero Matchmaking (Monday 18 Jan) our high-speed, closed-door introductory rounds (“Five-Minute First Dates”) followed by private networking drinks (“The Second Date”). The MeetMe Area & Affiliate Lounge (Hall 8.0) are centralised, dedicated meeting environments for structured B2B discussions and discreet contract negotiations. The iGB Hangout (Hall 8.0) represents an informal community hub on the ground floor designed for spontaneous peer-to-peer connection
by mirroring main-stage topics, such as LTV data transparency and responsible marketing, across your stand messaging and promotional campaigns.
and the VIP Area (Hall 8.0) as the title suggests is an executive hospitality space dedicated to Tier-1 operators, high-scale affiliate founders, and strategic buyers.
year-round catalyst for industry growth, technical enablement, and trusted partnership As traditional desktop search merges with mobile apps, creator networks, AI answer engines, and nontraditional channels, iGB Affiliate will continue evolving alongside the digital media landscape. We will continue providing Tier-1 powerhouses and new-era publishers with the strategic war rooms needed to build durable enterprise value and trusted, compliant player acquisition models.
How can exhibitors and sponsors make the most of their presence at iGB Affiliate 2027? They can maximise ROI by engaging actively with our commercial tools: this involves using the official app ahead of time to invite pre-qualified affiliates and book meetings in advance. Complete compliance verification prior to the show to display the Trust Badge, which signals transparency to visiting operators and align with the Content Themes Volume 8: Issue 025
What are your long-term ambitions for iGB Affiliate, and how do you see the event evolving over the next few years? Our ambition is to consolidate iGB Affiliate’s position as the undisputed home of the global iGaming affiliate community, serving as the primary
To register for iGB Affiliate Barcelona, the home of the iGaming affiliate community, visit: iGB Affiliate Barcelona: Jan 19–20, 2027 35
TIME TO SPORT Sports Marketing & Betting Calendar More info: boomerang-partners.com/sport-calendar-2026
FEATURE: IBIA
BRAZIL’S BETTING BLIND SPOT Why prohibition threatens to push R$25bn towards unlicensed operators and weaken the intelligence that protects sport. By Khalid Ali, CEO, International Betting Integrity Association A 21-month reversal On 25 September 2026, Brazil imposed a nationwide ban on fixed-odds betting and online gaming through Provisional Measure 1.394/2026. It came just 21 months after the country opened its regulated market. The central question is not only what the future holds for regulated betting operators, but also how to preserve the legal safeguards protecting sport and consumers when demand for betting continues.
What Brazil had built In less than two years, Brazil licensed more than 80 operators, required customer identification, established a national self-exclusion system and targeted illegal betting sites and payments. Crucially, licensed operators were required to monitor suspicious wagering, report concerns and participate in independent integrity monitoring. That intelligence created a route for alerts to reach regulators, sports bodies and law enforcement, providing signals that can warrant further examination for potential manipulation. IBIA rated the Brazilian pre-ban regulatory framework 77 out of 100, between Portugal (68) and Great Britain (86). That is notable progress for a young market, even one where advertising rules, player protection and enforcement still needed work. Volume 8: Issue 025
ABOVE: Original figure retained: H2 Gambling Capital market estimates (Brazil briefing, p.2).
Demand does not disappear H2 Gambling Capital estimates that, without a legal alternative, around R$25 billion in betting activity, approximately 60% of the previously regulated market, could migrate to unlicensed operators, while the remaining 40% would no longer be placed. In this scenario, the illegal market could grow from roughly R$17 billion to R$42 billion. Although these are only forecasts, and not measured post-ban outcomes, they illustrate the potential scale of the shift.
Regulation created visibility The value of the Brazilian betting framework was more than the number of licences issued. A number of safeguards and provisions were put into place: licensed operators could verify identities, assess customer betting behaviour, had to report 37
FEATURE: IBIA
suspicious patterns and be part of an international or national monitoring body. A prohibition threatens to remove those safeguards and move that activity outside the reporting system, making it harder to trace accounts, investigate manipulation and protect consumers.
When fewer alerts mean less visibility IBIA recorded 25 suspicious betting alerts on Brazilian sporting events in 2025, the first full year of regulation,
ABOVE: Original figure retained: IBIA country-report comparison (Brazil briefing, p.2).
BELOW: Added from Q3 report: pre-ban market and oversight indicators (p.5).
against an annual average of approximately 11 alerts in 2021–24. The increase is consistent with stronger monitoring and reporting, not proof that more matches were manipulated. An alert indicates suspicious betting detected by operators and reported to the relevant authorities. It is not a final finding of sports manipulation, but it can be actionable intelligence prosecutors use to investigate potential match-fixing cases. Also, only looking at the raw number of alerts is not a simple measure of how safe a competition is. Indeed, if more betting is handled offshore, the reporting obligations and access to verifiable customer data that make alerts and investigations possible are weakened. From 2021 to 2025, IBIA recorded 68 alerts involving Brazilian sport across eight sports, including 51 in football. A clear increase of reported alerts was recorded in 2025, thanks to the visibility and the measures in place of the regulated sports betting market which opened that year.
BRAZILS REGULATED MARKET: 1 JANUARY 2025 – 25 SEPTEMBER 2026
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FEATURE: IBIA
A decline in alerts after prohibition could therefore signal reduced oversight, rather than reduced wrongdoing. This will be to the detriment of the integrity of sports, which will be put at risk due to the lack of these early warning signals. Consumers will lose out too: they will see the legal market disappear, and with it safeguards such as mandatory customer identification, the national self-exclusion system and controls on deposits and payments. They will also lose a licensed operator that can be held accountable for how it treats its customers.
Improve regulation, do not abandon it Brazil’s regulated market was not without shortcomings. Advertising controls, player safeguards and action against illegal operators all required further attention. But these are reasons
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ABOVE: Original figure retained: IBIA suspicious betting alerts, 2021–2025 (Brazil briefing, p.5).
BELOW: Added from Q3 report: three integrity safeguards jeopardised by prohibition (p.7).
to improve oversight, not remove the mechanism that makes it possible. IBIA calls on Congress to reconsider the prohibition through the ordinary legislative process, supported by an open industry dialogue, a clear risk assessment and a published impact assessment. Mandatory suspicious betting monitoring, independent integrity bodies and cooperation with public authorities should be preserved. Enforcement should concentrate on unlicensed providers, while gambling-related harms are tackled through targeted measures within a regulated market. The choice is ultimately ensuring a legal offer that can be seen, assessed and acted upon, or favoring the illegal offer that continues beyond the reach of those safeguards designed to protect sport and consumers.
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BEYOND THE PITCH IBIA Q3 Integrity report highlights the importance of a wider sports betting offer for integrity monitoring
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IBIA’s Q3 2026 Integrity Report recorded 67 suspicious betting alerts across eight sports and 24 countries around the world. These findings reveal the breadth of competitions that require effective monitoring and information sharing.
A wider front line for integrity Of the 67 alerts IBIA reported to the relevant authorities, 20 concerned table tennis (30%), followed by 15 suspicious alerts on football (23%), 11 on tennis (16%), 9 on cricket (13%) and 8 on esports (12%). Greyhound racing accounted for two, while basketball and badminton recorded one each. The mix represents a marked change 40
from Q2, when football accounted for 25 alerts and table tennis for just three. Such shifts should not be read as proof that manipulation is increasing or decreasing in any particular sport. They do, however, reinforce a fundamental point: regulated operators and integrity monitoring must cover a diverse and changing range of events, markets and competition structures to be able to have the wider visibility and identify suspicious activities. The greater the number of events offered within the regulated market, the greater the opportunities to monitor betting activity, identify suspicious patterns and take appropriate action. All 20 Q3 table tennis alerts related to events outside International Table sportsbettingoperator.com
FEATURE: IBIA
Tennis Federation (ITTF) competitions. IBIA has established integrity agreements covering a number of private table tennis tournaments, providing a direct channel for alerts to be assessed and acted upon quickly. That engagement shows why integrity coverage cannot be limited to recognised international tours or the most visible fixtures on the calendar. The table tennis offering across the
in South America (9%), two in North America and one in Asia. Across the quarter, alerts related to sporting events in 24 countries, alongside eight esports alerts classified as global (as event locations can be transnational). The distinction matters: these regional figures describe the location of the sporting events concerned, not necessarily where customers placed bets. A match in one country can attract suspicious wagers from accounts in several others, and no single operator or national regulator sees the full picture. Detection depends on pooling betting data across borders so that patterns invisible in one market become clear when viewed together.
Cricket and tennis underline the need for breadth
regulated market involves a large number of matches. The number of alerts in Q3 should be viewed in this context, meaning that the suspicious activities reported are actually a small percentage of the total number of events available.
The geographical picture is particularly clear in cricket. Eight of its nine Q3 alerts concerned events in Belgium, with the remaining alert linked to the United Kingdom. In tennis, nine of the 11 alerts concerned European events, while two related to Africa. Three tennis cases were submitted
What matters is what happens once unusual activity is detected. Each alert is assessed against the sporting context and passed to the bodies with the authority and knowledge to examine it. The task for monitoring networks is therefore not simply to count alerts, but to ensure that relevant intelligence reaches those able to act on it.
to the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) as intelligence reports because they involved events outside the traditional professional tours, but the players involved may nevertheless fall within the scope of the Tennis AntiCorruption Program. The variation in competition locations and governance structures reinforces the need for reporting
The geography behind the numbers Europe accounted for 43 alerts, or 64% of the Q3 total. That figure was shaped in part by the concentration of table tennis, cricket and tennis events recorded in the region. Seven alerts concerned events in Africa (10%), six Volume 8: Issue 025
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FEATURE: IBIA
procedures that account for sporting context and direct intelligence to the appropriate bodies.
An alert is the start, not the verdict The 67 alerts in the third quarter were nine fewer than the 76 recorded in Q2. That comparison should be approached with caution. Quarterly totals are affected by the events taking place, the sports and markets covered, and the information available to monitoring systems. A lower total does not establish that sport has become safer, just as a higher figure does not prove that more matches have been manipulated. IBIA reports suspicious betting activity to relevant authorities; an alert is not evidence of a proven offence. Further investigation may be required to explain unusual patterns or establish grounds for action. The Q3 total may also be revised following ongoing investigations. In those investigations, operator intelligence is often decisive: customer accountlevel betting records, timing and stake patterns held by regulated operators provide the evidential detail that allows sports bodies, regulators and law enforcement to move from suspicion to proof.
Why scale and cooperation matter The diversity of Q3 alerts illustrates the importance of international monitoring arrangements grounded in operator 42
intelligence. IBIA’s membership spans more than 90 companies and over 200 betting brands. Its network monitors more than 1.5 million sporting events annually across more than 80 sports, analysing customer activity linked to over US$300 billion in global betting turnover each year. Scale is valuable when it connects unusual wagering behaviour with sport-specific assessment and trusted intelligence sharing among operators, regulators, sports bodies and law enforcement. Looking beyond headline fixtures The message from Q3 is straightforward: safeguarding sports betting integrity requires vigilance well beyond football and the best-known professional competitions. From table tennis events in Central and Eastern Europe to regional cricket and tennis events, effective protection depends on broad monitoring coverage, careful interpretation of alerts and trusted channels for information exchange. The priority remains clear: detect unusual activity, assess it rigorously and ensure legitimate concerns reach those positioned to investigate them. sportsbettingoperator.com
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