The US continues to lead the regulatory changes this week as both Pennsylvania and New Mexico take a stance against gambling, each in its own way.
On the other side of the pond, the Netherlands is preparing to tighten the ropes around licensed operators with further restrictions, this time in relation to advertising.
Story of the Week
The US: Skill Games Reclassified as Slots in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court has delivered a landmark ruling that places skill games (terminals found in bars, convenience stores, and truck stops) as slot machines under existing state law. As a result, they must comply with Pennsylvania’s licensed gaming framework.
The decision ends nearly a decade of legal maneuvering by manufacturers such as Pace-O-Matic, who had argued the devices required genuine player skill and therefore fell outside casino-gambling statutes.
Thousands of unlicensed terminals now face removal or re-authorization, while Pennsylvania’s licensed casino sector stands to recover market share it has long argued was being undercut by unregulated competition.
Americas
The lawsuit sees CFTC oppose New Mexico enforcing gambling laws on prediction market operators it licenses at a federal level. The action crystallizes a jurisdictional argument that operators such as Kalshi and Robinhood continue to push: that CFTC-regulated event contracts are financial instruments, not wagers, and states have no authority to regulate them as the latter.
A ruling in the CFTC’s favor would effectively preempt any state-level attempt to classify prediction markets as gambling, with implications across the nation.
Europe
Netherlands – The Dutch government proposes to ban online gambling advertising and bonuses entirely.
The proposal is among the most aggressive restrictions yet contemplated in a regulated EU market.
Advertising restrictions were part of the Netherlands’ initial legislation on online gambling, which launched in 2021. But this new package goes further by eliminating operators’ ability to promote bonus offers, a feature often regarded as a core customer-acquisition tool.
Asia-Pacific
South Korea – The Korea Communications Standards Commission ordered the blocking of 1,280 illegal sports betting sites ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, covering markets across football, baseball, UFC, boxing, and ice hockey.
The scale of the enforcement action reflects a significant demand for sports wagering in a jurisdiction where the only legal sports betting product is the state monopoly Sports Toto.
What to Watch
- Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board guidance – The PGCB is expected to publish an enforcement roadmap for skill game operators following the Supreme Court ruling.
- CFTC v. New Mexico preliminary hearing – The District Court for the District of New Mexico will schedule an initial hearing on the CFTC’s request for an injunction.
- Dutch advertising ban consultation – The Dutch government is expected to open a formal consultation period on its proposed advertising and bonus restrictions.
