How to Direct Traffic to Betting and Gambling: July Report

Publication date: 1 August 2025

July 2025 marked significant shifts in the global gambling industry, with various countries implementing key legislative changes affecting betting and gambling sectors differently. 3S.INFO has compiled a comprehensive analysis covering these transformations, detailing essential updates for online casino operators and bookmakers. This review will be particularly helpful for professionals in the gambling industry, helping them stay updated on the latest global trends in betting and gambling regulation.

iGaming Licensing News in 2025

Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) announced on July 1 that companies registered on the island but lacking a local license are violating the law. This affects even operators holding permits from other jurisdictions — now classified as illegal under the National Gambling Ordinance (“LOK”). CGA stresses that having foreign licenses misleads both players and gambling industry affiliates.  

Malta has tightened financial requirements for the gambling industry. On July 2, the Maltese regulator MGA introduced updated capitalization rules for licensed operators. While minimum capital sizes remained unchanged (40,000 EUR for B2B and 100,000 EUR for B2C companies), all license holders are now required to maintain a consistent positive balance of equity. Upon detecting capital deficiency, it must be restored within six months. These new rules aim to enhance operators’ financial resilience and protect consumers’ interests. 

EU strengthens age verification controls in online gambling. On July 14, the European Commission unveiled updated guidelines aimed at protecting minors in the digital environment, highlighting risks associated with online gambling. Standard age verification is no longer sufficient. Operators must adopt more robust age identification mechanisms. The document also introduces a blanket ban on loot boxes (reward cases) for individuals under 18 years old. 

Where Will Gambling and Betting Be Permitted? 

In July, Ireland laid out licensing requirements ahead of its new regulatory system scheduled for implementation in 2026. According to the National Gambling Regulator (GRAI), betting operators will be categorized into three license types: online platforms, land-based premises, and intermediation services. Licenses for casino operations and lottery organizations will be available later. The licensing fee will be determined through a multilevel system, based on the operator’s actual or forecasted turnover. 

The New Zealand government submitted a historic bill, the “Online Casino Gambling Bill,” which would introduce a licensing system for online casinos in the country for the first time. According to the proposal, between 2026 and 2029, no more than 15 licenses will be issued for three years, extendable to five years. Each operator can secure up to three licenses, with an obligation to launch their platform within 90 days post-approval. Financial stipulations include a licensing fee of 12% of gross operator revenue for the first three operational years. Serious penalties, up to 3 million dollars, await violations of licensing conditions. Special emphasis is placed on player protection, mandating age verification (minimum 18+) and strict limitations on advertising to prevent minor access. The bill awaits its first reading and public hearings in the Select Committee by end-2025. If passed, the licensing regime aims to commence in early 2026, marking a watershed moment in New Zealand’s gambling regulation.

Gambling Regulation: Everything Is Under Control! 

Kazakhstan is developing a unified betting tracking system to transform the gambling regulation. The new platform will grant regulators full access to all transaction histories, facilitating timely resolution of disputes between players and operators, including account suspensions and payment delays.

Extra emphasis is placed on safeguarding vulnerable populations. The system will automatically restrict access to minors, civil servants, military personnel and individuals with unpaid debts, employing biometric identification for this purpose.

The unified betting tracking system will substantially boost efforts against the illicit sector, blocking up to 1,000 illegal websites daily instead of the current 20,000 per year. This measure ensures that only verified operators from the official “whitelist” remain active in the market.

Peru has established a specialized agency to regulate online gambling. Within the reform of gambling legislation, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) formed a new division — the Office for Licensing Online Operators. This marks the beginning of forming a comprehensive regulatory system for Peru’s digital gambling market. The agency will be responsible for authorizing and registering operators functioning in the online segment.

Ukraine implements digital control system for gambling market. Ukraine’s State Gambling Regulator “PlayCity” is collaborating with the Ministry of Digital Transformation to develop an innovative platform for online stake monitoring. The new system will track accepted and canceled stakes in real-time, recording paid-out winnings. The new system aims to ensure transparency among licensed operators and combat the illegal gambling market. 

New Advertising Rules for Betting and Gambling: July 2025

Denmark introduces new restrictions on gambling advertisements. Denmark’s gambling regulator, Spillemyndigheden, announced updated requirements for gambling operator marketing on July 15. 

• All advertising formats (SMS campaigns, banners, radio, podcasts) must now clearly specify the terms and limitations of offers.
• Strict definitions have been introduced for cashbacks, loyalty programs and gaming challenges.
• Extra focus is placed on rules for promoting enhanced odds.
• It is forbidden to attract inactive customers with special offers.
• Criteria for evaluating operators’ social media content have been clarified.
• Bonus cap remains at 134 EUR, with revised wagering conditions specified.
• Before launching any advertising campaign, checking the self-exclusion registry (ROFUS) is mandatory.

Lithuania has introduced partial restrictions on gambling advertising ahead of a full ban in 2028. Starting July 1, Lithuania implemented new rules significantly curtailing gambling promotion capabilities. Operators can now display only officially registered brand elements,  strictly confined to their offices, betting parlors and official websites. Direct links to bookmaker websites are prohibited in digital advertising. Gambling-related content can only be published in specialized media targeting the appropriate audience. These measures represent an interim step preceding the full ban on gambling advertising, set to take effect in 2028.

Casino and Bookmaker Winnings: How Much Tax Do You Need to Pay? 

Philippines plans to sharply increase online gambling taxation: a proposed hike to 30-40% of gross gaming revenue (GGR), significantly higher than the current 25%. Authorities note that about 60% of the online gambling market operates in the shadow sector. The government expects budget revenues to reach $3.49 billion this year. Discover more on How to Direct Traffic to the Philippines: Case Studies, Tips, and Hacks for Gambling and Betting in our new 3S.INFO review.

Romania is preparing a large-scale tax reform for the gambling sector. Romania’s new government has proposed a radical transformation of the gambling industry’s tax system, potentially yielding over 1 billion euros annually for the state’s coffers. License fees will surge by nearly 30%, and the tax rate for online operators will rise from 21% to 27%. Instead of a fixed 3% tax on winnings, a progressive scale ranging from 10% to 40% will be introduced. 

On July 1, the U.S. Senate approved the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which, starting in 2026, will significantly reduce tax deductions for players. Currently, players can deduct losses up to the amount of their winnings. Under the new rules, only 90% of losses will be deductible.  This decision will particularly hurt professional players: poker players, bettors and others for whom gambling is their primary source of income. Now, they’ll have to pay taxes even with zero profit. For example, if a player had a 100,000-dollar win and a 100,000-dollar loss, they previously had a zero taxable base. Under the new rules, only 90,000 dollars of the loss will be deductible, and taxes will be charged on the remaining 10,000 dollars of “income” that doesn’t actually exist. However, the bill was later blocked as some legislators were unaware of its inclusion in the voting package. 

Promotion of Casinos and Bookmakers: Platform and Service Updates

In July, Meta (recognized as an extremist organization in Russia) revamped its gambling advertisement policy, adopting a new control system. The corporation updated its policy, now placing full responsibility on advertisers to comply with local laws. Instead of a former “whitelist” of permitted countries, a “blacklist” of banned jurisdictions has been introduced, encompassing 16 markets: Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Pakistan, Vietnam, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan, South Korea, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Mongolia, and Azerbaijan.

Key Changes:

• Advertising approval process has been streamlined through Meta Business Suite.
• Permits can now be valid for multiple countries simultaneously.
• Ads for social casinos with virtual currencies are only allowed for users aged 18+.
• If virtual assets can be converted into real money, full authorization is required, similar to traditional gambling. 

Starting July 14, Google began displaying gambling advertisements in Ukraine. Ads will appear across all Google services, including Search, YouTube, Google Play, and the Affiliate Advertising Network. To place ads, operators must hold a license from the Ukrainian regulator PlayCity and undergo Google verification for each type of gambling activity.

In Brazil, Google has begun publishing gambling apps. Aposta Ganha became the first legal Brazilian bookmaker with an application on Google Play. Other Brazilian operators (7K, Cassino, and H2bet) are now also available in the official app store.

Exciting Gambling & Betting: That’s Interesting! 

Argentina introduces an educational program for bloggers noted for advertising illegal gambling websites. In July, Buenos Aires launched an educational initiative for influencers caught promoting illegal betting sites and casinos. This project serves as an alternative to criminal liability within the context of restorative justice. Participants are required to publish warning videos in their Instagram Stories for three consecutive days and share educational content in their main profiles for at least one month. For more details, read our new iGaming Overview of Argentina: Laws, Target Audience, Advantages, Case Studies, Tips. 

Amid rapid changes in betting and gambling verticals, access to verified information becomes a key competitive edge. The official 3SNET Telegram channel offers exclusive access to the latest market analytics and news. Subscribe to stay informed about crucial developments and trends in the iGaming world.