iGaming News Roundup, Aug 29 – Sep 4: Kalshi loses in Nevada, Lottomatica takes CIRSA, Sorare frozen

Courts and regulators set the week's agenda. The Ninth Circuit let Nevada apply its gambling laws to Kalshi's sports contracts on August 28, a Michigan judge blocked the same markets on September 1, and New Jersey petitioned the Supreme Court on September 2.

Away from the courts, Lottomatica agreed to absorb CIRSA, Polymarket lined up a $1 billion raise, and Flutter opened a review of 100 Paddy Power shops. Caesars shareholders vote on the Fertitta takeover on September 22.

Crypto Casinos

• A Duel-sponsored fight card at an Orlando arena drew condemnation after attendees gave Nazi salutes and displayed a swastika flag, the Washington Post reported on September 2.
• Cronos halted its blockchain on August 30 after an exploit at the Tectonic lending app estimated at $75 million. Cronos is linked to Crypto.com.
• A joint Josimar investigation published September 1 found empty offices and unpaid winners behind Curaçao's licensing overhaul, reporting that the reform left much of the island's offshore betting machinery in place.
• Rainbet turned on Robinhood Chain deposits and withdrawals in ETH on September 2, the operator said on X, adding the network alongside its existing chains for player funding.

Regulation & Enforcement

• The UK Gambling Commission suspended the operating licences of BresBet and Bet St George on August 28, citing suspected anti-money-laundering and social-responsibility failures; both remain under review, per the regulator's notice.
• The National Crime Agency froze about $13.6 million of Premier League money tied to sponsor Sorare during an investigation into alleged third-party criminality, Decrypt reported on September 1; Sorare denies wrongdoing.
• A Brazilian Senate committee approved restrictions on betting advertising and sponsorship on September 2, covering influencers and high-risk products, with fines reaching R$2 billion (currently ~$2 billion); the bill still needs a plenary vote.
• Chile's telecoms regulator ordered ISPs to block 42 unauthorised gambling sites within 48 hours on September 1, a list that includes Stake, BC.Game and BetFury, per Subtel's notice.

Prediction Markets

• The Ninth Circuit ruled on August 28 that federal commodities law does not pre-empt Nevada's gambling rules for Kalshi's sports contracts, rejecting the platform's broad preemption theory and deepening a circuit split (our coverage).
• A Michigan judge barred Kalshi's sports event contracts on September 1, ordering licensed third-party geofencing and setting penalties of $500,000 a day for noncompliance, per the injunction order.
• New Jersey asked the Supreme Court on September 2 to decide whether states may regulate sports event contracts, the first state petition on prediction markets, per the attorney general's filing.
• Kalshi permanently banned George Santos on August 31 over what it called unlawful insider trading, imposing a $71,356 penalty; it is the platform's first lifetime ban, per AP.

Streamers

• Vegas Matt sent a 17-page demand letter to an anti-gambling advocate on August 27, alleging defamation over criticism of his gambling content, according to documents published by GamblingTruth.
• FanDuel voided bets and sanctioned an account after podcaster Bill Simmons said on air that he places wagers through others; the Massachusetts Gaming Commission opened a review on September 1, per Front Office Sports.
• Jackson Felt moved from Rainbet to 1win on September 2, per DegenHighs; 1win enabled Solana deposits and withdrawals a day later, the operator said on X.

Industry & Trends

• Lottomatica and CIRSA agreed an all-share merger on September 2, a combination reported at about €2.8 billion, creating what the companies call the second-largest listed gambling group, per the CNMV filing.
• Flutter opened a review of up to 100 Paddy Power shops on September 3, putting roughly 400 jobs at risk across the UK and Ireland, per Focus Gaming News.
• More than 1,300 workers at Encore Boston Harbor struck on September 4 over wages and benefits after contract talks stalled, the Teamsters said.
• Polymarket is raising $1 billion at a reported $21 billion valuation in a round led by Trump Jr.-linked 1789 Capital, Bloomberg Law reported on August 31.

Also noted: Entain left the FTSE 100 in the September index review, confirmed September 2. Bally's finance chief Mira Mircheva resigned on September 3; president George Papanier takes the role temporarily. Macau's August gross gaming revenue fell 1.2% year on year to $2.71 billion.

Next week: Caesars shareholders vote on Fertitta's $17.6 billion takeover September 22; the CFTC meets tribal leaders September 14; Brazil's advertising bill awaits a Senate floor vote.

Treat gambling as entertainment you pay for. 18+, and if it stops feeling like entertainment, help exists at BeGambleAware and GamCare.