It Won’t Get Easier. A New Stage of Gambling Regulation is Coming

Markets Don’t Ask, They Set The Terms

Not long ago, the gambling industry operated in a world where lobbying, public consultations or strategic partnerships could actually influence the shape of regulations. Now, we increasingly see the opposite situation, and operators are very often faced with a fait accompli.

Tax rates or advertising rules are now simply announced. Even if some industry voices break through, they rarely have a real impact. It is now up to the operators to adapt.

The beginning of 2025 has already brought significant regulatory changes in the gambling industry. You can read more about them here.

Political Shift in Direction

The tightening of regulations is no accident. In many countries, gambling, especially online, is becoming part of broader debates. About consumer protection, about the impact on mental health, or advertising ethics. Politicians are increasingly using the topic of gambling because it is media-friendly and easy to frame as “protecting citizens.”

Gambling is slowly returning to the category of “uncomfortable industries.” The kind you take a photo with only when announcing a tax increase or another access ban for unauthorized operators.

This trend is not limited to a few countries. Increasingly, we observe tightening regulations. The only difference is the pace. In some places, the process takes months, while in others, it’s a matter of a single decision.

Adapt or Walk Away?

More and more operators are faced with a difficult question: is it worth investing in a specific market? Is it worth taking the risk of entering a market where we are not sure we’ll break through? But even if we do, will changes in regulations eventually be introduced that reduce its attractiveness?

It’s not just about tax rates or license scope. The problem is unpredictability and the high cost of entry. It is difficult to plan a long-term presence and invest significant financial resources if we don’t know what the next year will bring.

In national regulations, we also see another new trend. Countries are beginning to copy from each other solutions that just a few years ago seemed quite extreme. Tax increases, the obligation to use local domains, advertising restrictions, blacklists of offshore operators – all of this is quickly becoming the new norm.

Several companies have already made the decision to step back. Bet365 recently announced it would exit the Chinese market as of March 27, 2025, stating it will shift its focus to regions offering “long-term and sustainable revenue opportunities.” In the Netherlands, rising concerns among operators followed proposals to raise the minimum gambling age for “high-risk” games to 21 and tighten advertising rules. These changes have triggered warnings from some operators about reassessing their presence in the market.

At the same time, some companies are still recovering from difficult bets elsewhere. In the U.S., several operators invested heavily in new state launches only to face slow returns and mounting losses. In Brazil, a promising market required significant upfront spending and still remains in regulatory flux. For many, it’s now a period of licking wounds – and if they’re hit by another wave of regulatory pressure in a different market, the answer to “adapt or walk away” may lean toward the latter.

Flexibility as a Step Toward Survival

In the new reality, it won’t be the one with the biggest budget or the most aggressive expansion who survives. Those who can quickly adapt to changes – both operationally and culturally – will survive.

Adaptation is slowly beginning to mean not only compliance in the legal sense, but also understanding the social, political, and media context. Responsible gaming is no longer just a short note, but a communication necessity. Transparency is becoming the foundation for obtaining and maintaining a license.

Companies that just a few years ago focused on rapid growth and dominance in many regions must now reassess their strategies. Adjusting to current markets with new and planned regulations is slowly becoming impossible on such a wide scale. Now, focusing on partnerships and building trust is a necessity.

Markets Will not Become More Liberal

Of course, one can stick to the narrative that this is just a temporary trend. That after a wave of regulations, a time of stabilization will come. But at this moment, everything indicates that regulations will only continue to tighten further.

Governments have noticed that gambling is not only a form of entertainment but also a source of budget revenue and a potential area of social control.

Additionally, social and media pressure is not weakening. Topics related to addiction, excessive financial losses, or the impact of gambling ads on youth regularly enter the mainstream. And although they are often presented in a simplified way, they have a real impact on regulators’ decisions.

The Future? More Rules, More Oversight, Less Leeway

The gambling industry is entering a period of change. Instead of asking whether a given country will open up to gambling, we must start asking: on what terms and at what cost?

In the end, this doesn’t have to be bad news. For companies that can operate responsibly, transparently, and with a long-term strategy, the new order can be a competitive advantage and strengthen their position. One thing is certain – operators must abandon the illusion that in some markets, they can still cheat the system.

Because, as we can see, the system is becoming increasingly tight. And it doesn’t look like it’s going to let go.