This week brought a sharp contrast in regulatory direction. Brazil and Chile both moved further towards closing their online markets to private operators, Bulgaria's government approved a near-total advertising ban, and the European Commission set out consumer rules that will reach gambling marketing and game design. In Great Britain, the Gambling Commission widened its fight against the illegal market and published new data on young people and gambling, while Allwyn announced a significant restructuring of its sportsbook and instant-win interests.

Brazil's betting ban stays in force until March 2027

Congress President Davi Alcolumbre extended Provisional Measure 1.394/2026, the measure President Lula issued on 25 September to ban sports betting and online gambling, by a further 60 days. The extension was published in the Official Gazette on 11 November. Because the clock stops during the parliamentary recess, the measure is now expected to remain in force until early March 2027. The joint committee that must review it had still not been installed at the time of reporting, and dozens of amendments have been tabled, several of which seek to restore licensed betting and casino. Separately, Supreme Court Justice Luiz Fux has suspended lower-court challenges until the court rules on whether the measure is constitutional. If the measure lapses, operators that paid R$30 million for five-year licences would need to reapply.

What it means for operators: Brazil remains closed for at least another quarter, so licence holders should plan for prolonged uncertainty and keep exit, refund and re-entry scenarios under review.

Chilean Senate committee votes to block a private online market

Chile's Senate Economy Committee voted three to one, with one abstention, to approve two amendments that would rule out a regulated private online betting market. One would prohibit operating, offering or advertising online betting platforms, treat any platform taking bets from Chile as operating there, and require internet providers, app stores and payment firms to block access and transactions. The other would also exclude private licensing and allow courts to block illegal sites permanently, with heavy penalties in serious cases. The vote sidelines the government's October proposals for five-year licences and new taxes. The committee is due to merge the two texts before the bill passes to the Senate Finance Committee and then the full Senate.

What it means for operators: Companies that have registered for VAT in Chile in anticipation of licensing should reassess their exposure, as the legislative route is now tilting towards prohibition backed by payment and app-store blocking.

EU Digital Fairness Act targets influencers, profiling and loot boxes

The European Commission published its proposed Digital Fairness Act on 11 November, a broad consumer protection package intended to replace the 2005 Unfair Commercial Practices Directive. For gambling, the key provisions would bar influencer marketing of products that cannot lawfully be advertised under EU or national law, require clear disclosure of promotional content, and ban profiling-based targeted advertising where a trader knows with reasonable certainty that the consumer is a minor or where it relies on sensitive personal data. Paid loot boxes would be prohibited in products aimed at children, and other variable reward systems would need to disclose odds and offer tools to switch them off. The proposal must now go through the EU legislative process.

What it means for operators: Marketing teams, affiliates and agencies should start mapping influencer contracts and personalisation practices against the draft, as liability is expected to extend across the whole marketing chain.

Bulgaria moves towards a near-total gambling advertising ban

Bulgaria's Council of Ministers approved draft amendments on 11 November that would prohibit gambling promotion across television, radio, print, websites and outdoor media, with limited exceptions for certain sports, cultural, health and education sponsorships. Affiliates would be subject to the same restrictions as licensed operators. The package also proposes a new state fee structure from 2028, a minimum monthly fee of at least €100,000 for online betting operators, a requirement for foreign operators to have a permanent establishment in Bulgaria, and online betting licence fees of €400,000 for five years. The draft now goes to Parliament. The government had rejected a similar approach in July over black market concerns.

What it means for operators: Bulgarian licence holders face higher fixed costs and a requirement for local substance, so business cases and marketing plans for the market will need to be revisited once Parliament settles the final text.

Gambling Commission steps up action on illegal operators' money

Marking the first Illegal Gambling Awareness Week, led by the International Association of Gaming Regulators, the Gambling Commission said it is widening its focus from taking down illegal websites to targeting the payments, advertising, game and sportsbook supply, and assets behind illegal operators. Executive Director of Operations Sue Young warned illegal operators that "we are coming after you, your business and your money." The Commission reported that in 2026/27 so far it has issued more than 1,000 cease and desist notices and referred 7.8 million URLs to search engines, and that more than £40 million in suspected criminal funds has been referred to partner agencies since January. The Betting and Gaming Council separately claimed illegal bookmakers could take around £500 million in bets over the current jump racing season, although it did not explain how the figure was calculated.

What it means for operators: Licensed operators and B2B suppliers should expect closer scrutiny of who they supply and who they pay, and should be ready to share intelligence and evidence with the Commission on request.

New data on young people and gambling in Great Britain

The Gambling Commission published its Young People and Gambling 2026 report, based on responses from 3,867 pupils aged 11 to 17 in England, Scotland and Wales. It found that 26% had spent their own money on gambling in the past year, mostly on activities that are legal for their age such as arcade machines and private bets, while 5% had spent their own money on age-restricted gambling. The proportion who had never gambled rose to 74% from 69.6% the previous year. The Commission stressed that the results are self-reported estimates and should be read alongside other evidence, and some commentators questioned the reliability of the methodology.

What it means for operators: With Safer Gambling Week starting on 16 November, operators should expect continued focus on age verification and on how advertising and social media content reach younger audiences.

Allwyn takes sportsbook technology in-house and full control of IWG

Allwyn agreed a €50 million perpetual licence for Kambi's sportsbook source code, payable over three years, as it builds a common in-house sportsbook platform. Kambi will support the transition, after which a dedicated Kambi team is expected to join Allwyn. Allwyn also agreed to buy the remaining 30% of Instant Win Gaming for around $120 million, taking full ownership of the lottery-focused instant-win games supplier, with completion expected in the first quarter of 2027.

What it means for operators: Moving from a supplier relationship to owned technology shifts responsibility for platform controls, change management and supplier oversight in-house, which licensing authorities will expect to see reflected in governance and notification arrangements.

Key takeaways

• Prohibition is back on the agenda in Latin America: Brazil and Chile are both moving away from licensing, so market entry and exit planning in the region needs regular review.
• Marketing rules are tightening across Europe: The Digital Fairness Act and Bulgaria's draft ban both extend liability to affiliates and influencers, making oversight of the full marketing chain a board-level issue.
• Illegal market enforcement is following the money: The Gambling Commission's focus on payments, suppliers and assets means licence holders should check their own counterparties and be prepared to support enforcement work.

If you would like support with licensing, compliance frameworks, governance or independent assurance in any of these areas, contact the Global Gaming Solutions team.

Sources

• NEXT.io: Brazilian Congress extends betting ban voting deadline to March 2027
• iGamingToday: Brazil's Congress extends betting ban provisional measure by 60 days
• iGaming Business: Chilean Senate committee backs online gambling ban
• NEXT.io: Chile senators back online gambling ban in blow to government plans
• iGamingToday: Everything the EU Digital Fairness Act has to say about gambling, loot boxes and more
• iGamingToday: Bulgaria approves full ban on gambling advertising
• Gambling Commission: Commission ramps up action against illegal gambling profits and assets
• iGaming Business: Black market set to take £500 million on jump racing season, BGC warns
• NEXT.io: Gambling Commission reports fall in underage gambling participation
• Gambling Commission: Latest survey estimates published on young people and gambling
• iGaming Business: Allwyn to bring sportsbook tech in-house, take full ownership of IWG