NEXT.io iGaming Digest – 5 August 2025
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The World's iGaming Community
✈️ Spribe wins a key UK court battle, Imagine Live reveals new expansion plans, and US lawmakers confront gambling harm in the military.
Also in this edition: Illinois tightens its marketing rules, Intralot loses a major contract, and ESPN Bet pushes deeper into fantasy integration.
Read on for the biggest stories below 👇
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1. SPRIBE secures UK High Court injunction against Aviator
SPRIBE has won an interim injunction from the UK High Court barring Aviator LLC from launching its own version of the Aviator crash game in the UK market.
The case, which stems from a wider intellectual property dispute, pits Spribe against Aviator LLC, a company owned by Georgian businessman and ex-Adjarabet owner Temur Ugulava, who claims ownership of the globally popular crash game.
Spribe founder David Natroshvili welcomed the decision, reiterating the company’s global ownership of the Aviator game since its 2018 creation.
➡️ Read the latest court ruling
2. Imagine Live CEO outlines roadmap of smart innovation and global growth
Imagine Live Group CEO Martin Martirosyan, PhD has shared his 2025 vision in a wide-ranging interview with NEXT.io, highlighting the company’s bold ambitions and unique positioning in the live casino space.
Upcoming launches include Lucky Wheelionaire, a simplified wheel-based gameshow designed for broad appeal, and a scalable Blackjack product developed in response to operator demand.
Behind the scenes, new studios in Bucharest and planned expansion into Spain and Latin America reinforce the group’s global scaling plans.
➡️ Dive into Martirosyan’s full vision for the future of live casino
3. Pragmatic Play Sports: Inside the sportsbook powering DAZN Bet and QuinnBet
In the latest episode of Connected with Pragmatic Solutions, host Ashley Lang sits down with Gareth Crook, Senior Vice President of Sports at Pragmatic Play, to unpack how the company is reshaping sportsbook infrastructure.
Crook highlights how Pragmatic Play Sports offers complete trading control, access to all official betting data via a single contract, and scalable managed services; features that have helped the brand succeed in challenging markets like Spain, Germany, and the UK.
Real-world examples from DAZN Bet and QuinnBet showcase the product’s performance.
➡️ Watch the full episode to hear what’s next for Pragmatic Play Sports
Looking to make business in emerging European and LatAm markets?
➡️ Ask us about the NEXT Retreats happening in Cyprus and Mexico this Autumn
4. US Senate advances funding for gambling addiction research in military
The US Senate Appropriations Committee has approved a provision within the FY2026 Defence Appropriations Bill that would, for the first time, permit federal funding to research gambling addiction among military personnel.
Data from the Defence Department’s 2022 survey revealed that 1.6% of active-duty personnel and 1.7% of reservists screened positive for gambling problems, despite no dedicated research funding to date.
The National Council on Problem Gambling praised the move, with board president Derek Longmeier stating it will empower researchers and military clinicians to better understand and address the issue.
➡️ Follow this legislative push to reshape military gambling research
5. Illinois enacts sweeping gambling advertising restrictions
The Illinois Gaming Board has implemented new rules targeting gambling advertising and marketing across casino, sports betting, and video gaming terminal operators.
The measures aim to curb exposure among young people and vulnerable populations.
Illinois Gaming Board Administrator Marcus Fruchter said the updates are designed to create a more ethical and standardised marketing environment across Illinois’ gambling sector.
➡️ Track how these new rules reshape operator marketing in the state
6. Intralot loses Maryland lottery contract after procurement review
Greek supplier Intralot has lost a major decade-long contract to provide the Central Monitoring and Control System for the Maryland Lottery and Gaming.
Initially selected as the preferred bidder on 15 July, Intralot was later deemed non-compliant with state procurement law, particularly regarding subcontracting requirements.
MLGCA director John Martin stated that the review process ensures only fully compliant proposals advance.
Intralot expressed great surprise and claimed its local subcontracting allocation exceeded the required minimum. The company says it will pursue legal action, asserting its bid was technically and financially superior.
SCIENTIFIC GAMES is now the recommended provider, although the final decision remains pending.
➡️ Keep an eye on legal fallout and final outcomes in Maryland
7. Dutch gambling revenue drops amid tax hikes and strict regulation
The Netherlands’ gambling tax revenue for 2025 is falling well short of government targets, according to new data released by trade association Vergunde Nederlandse Online Kansspelaanbieders (VNLOK).
Online operators, representing 70% of the regulated market, reported a 25% drop in GGR compared to H1 2024, a decline that has pushed tax intake down to just 83% of last year’s levels, despite an increased tax rate.
VNLOK chairman Björn Fuchs attributed the slump to high taxation and overregulation, which he said are driving players toward unlicensed sites.
Land-based revenue is also in decline, with Brancheorganisatie VAN Kansspelen citing a 7% drop and warning that further losses are likely once venue closures are factored in.
The Netherlands Gambling Authority confirmed that almost half of online gambling revenue now flows to illegal operators. Meanwhile, Legal Protection Secretary Teun Struycken has called for a coordinated EU crackdown on black market sites.
➡️ Monitor how the Dutch government responds to this fiscal shortfall
8. ESPN Bet launches FanCenter to personalise fantasy football betting
PENN Entertainment, Inc has unveiled FanCenter, a new ESPN Bet feature designed to integrate personalised betting with ESPN Fantasy Football.
Aaron LaBerge, Chief Technology Officer at Penn and a former Disney executive, said FanCenter introduces a new level of personalisation.
The product launch comes ahead of a pivotal NFL season for Penn, amid concerns that underperformance could threaten its $2bn licensing deal with Disney.
➡️ Watch how ESPN Bet leverages media and tech to retain market share
9. SOFTSWISS backs wildfire relief efforts in Cyprus through TechIsland
SOFTSWISS has joined forces with TechIsland® to support communities affected by the recent wildfires in Cyprus.
Founder Ivan Montik emphasised the company’s commitment to moral responsibility, stating that SOFTSWISS is proud to be part of the TechIsland initiative.
The move continues a pattern of global humanitarian action from SOFTSWISS, including prior relief campaigns in Brazil and Poland.
➡️ See how the industry is stepping up to support disaster-affected regions
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