The post Polyfill Domain Linked to Huge Network of Fake Gambling Sites appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News.
]]>An open-source JavaScript library empowered websites to enable outdated browsers to run features contained in newer browsers. The potential benefit of such a feature, however, became tarnished when a company named FUNNULL purchased Polyfill.io and used the domain to push malware to potentially millions of websites and their visitors.
it appeared to be a ‘laughably bad’ attempt at monetization”
The original Polyfill author warned users that he never owned the Polyfill.io domain. He recommended that websites remove the code completely to avoid just the sort of scam that new domain owners now used the code to implement. Though no one is quite clear why the attack was put into motion, TechCrunch reports that “Willem de Groot, the founder of Sansec, wrote on X at the time that it appeared to be a ‘laughably bad’ attempt at monetization.”
According to a researchers’ report from Silent Push, malware injections were used to “redirect visitors to that malicious network of casinos and online gambling sites.”
Zach Edwards, a senior threat analyst and one of the researchers who worked on the Silent Push report, told TechCrunch: “It appears likely that this ‘online gambling network’ is a front,” adding that FUNNULL is “operating what appears to be one of the largest online gambling rings on the internet.”
the websites were designed “to impersonate online gambling and casino brands”
The scam was hardly sophisticated. The Silent Push report said that around 40,000 mostly Chinese-language websites were hosted by FUNNULL, with all of them utilizing domains that appeared to be automatically generated, each made up of what looked like random letters and numbers. The websites were designed “to impersonate online gambling and casino brands, including Sands, a casino conglomerate that owns Venetian Macau; the Grand Lisboa in Macau; SunCity Group; as well as the online gambling portals Bet365 and Bwin.”
Chris Alfred, a spokesperson for Entain, Bwin’s parent company, told TechCrunch: “… [the company] can confirm that this is not a domain we own, so it appears the site owner is infringing on our Bwin brand, so we will be taking action to resolve this.”
Edwards told TechCrunch that FUNNULL appears to be using their operation for what the FUNNULL developer’s GitHub describes as “money-moving,” which Edwards believes refers to money laundering. Edwards said: “And those sites are all for moving money, or is their primary purpose.”
TechCrunch made repeated attempts to contact representatives at FUNNULL, but each attempt came up empty or frustrated. TechCrunch reports that FUNNULL’s website “lists an email address that does not exist; a phone number that the company claims to be on WhatsApp, but could not be reached; the same number which on WeChat appears to be owned by a woman in Taiwan with no affiliation to FUNNULL; a Skype account that did not respond to our requests for comment; and a Telegram account that only identifies itself as ‘Sara.’”
While Sara initially responded to TechCrunch’s request for comment, the response was not substantial, saying only that they “did not understand” and then terminating the conversation.
the next attack could be “much worse”
TechCrunch warns that while the attack this time was limited to installing malware and redirecting users to fake gambling and casino websites, the next attack could be “much worse.”
TechCrunch said: “These kinds of supply chain attacks are increasingly possible because the web is now a complex global network of websites that are often built with third party tools, controlled by third parties that, at times, could turn out to be malicious.”
Next time, the attack could install even more malicious programming, such as ransomware, wiper malware, or spyware.
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]]>The post Swedish Gambling Regulator Deemed Inadequate After Audit appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News.
]]>Sweden’s National Audit Office, the Riksrevisionen, has stated that the country’s gambling regulator, the Spelinspektionen, is failing in several of its duties.
the Spelinspektionen was found to be “less effective than desirable”
The audit was commissioned to determine the results of the first five years of legal and regulated gambling in Sweden. Since the new gambling act was passed in 2019, the Spelinspektionen was found to be “less effective than desirable”.
The audit found a series of persistent issues with the regulator, including a mismanagement of resources and a lack of follow-ups after taking action against operators.
One of the main themes of the report was the Spelinspektionen’s poor resource use and inefficient time management priorities.
License application reviews and government assignments were considered to have been prioritized over other important tasks,
Hedvig T?ngdén, the project leader on the audit, stated: “In this situation, it is particularly important that the supervisory resources are used where they bring the most benefit.”
“To achieve this, the Authority needs to base its supervisory planning on systematic risk analysis. This is not currently the case.”
the regulator had only followed up cases on one solitary occasion since 2019
Another major shortcoming that was highlighted was following up with operators who had been subjected to regulatory supervision. After decisions were made, the regulator had only followed up on cases on one solitary occasion since 2019, raising serious questions over whether its decisions are actually being enforced.
The audit’s conclusion listed several recommendations for improvement, including incorporating long-term plans into supervision actions, a risk management-based approach to resource allocation, and providing regular reports to the Riksdag, Sweden’s main decision-making body.
Responding to the audit, the Director General of Spelinspektionen Camilla Rosenberg said: “We welcome the National Audit Office’s review, and since the re-regulation [we] have carried out ongoing change work and still have work to do.”
A lack of funding has been a persistent complaint by the regulator, who also acknowledged their own shortcomings. Last year, this led to a budget increase of SEK 2.4m ($227,764), which Rosenberg hopes will help address the issues.
“Several issues are still awaiting resolution in court. The Authority has also received increased budget funds for 2024 that we requested, which is a decisive factor in being able to develop the business further.”
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]]>The post Ecuador Removes Restrictions on Sports Betting Advertising appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News.
]]>Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has lifted a country-wide ban on sports betting advertising.
Noboa, who took office in January and is seen as broadly pro-business, lifted the ban which had been in place since 2023.
The ban had been controversial, particularly among sports organizations such as the Ecuadorian Professional Soccer League (LigaPro), which were denied a crucial revenue stream from the advertisements.
The move breaks from a general trend in the global regulatory landscape as many countries seek to implement and enforce restrictions on gambling advertising. The issue has become contentious ahead of the upcoming Australian election, while in the United Kingdom, Premier League soccer clubs have voluntarily agreed to phase out gambling shirt sponsorship.
a grey market has emerged to fill the void
The lifting of the advertising ban comes as part of a new overall regime concerning gambling in Ecuador. Gambling has been banned since a 2011 referendum, leading to a familiar situation in much of South America where a grey market has emerged to fill the void.
While the country is still short of a fully licensed and regulated market, there have been moves in that direction, with a system implemented earlier in the year requiring operators to register with Ecuador’s revenue services and pay tax on their earnings.
Noboa is expected to continue moving toward legalization, although there remains significant opposition in Ecuador. Earlier in the year, the President also floated the idea of legalizing casinos, although the idea was ultimately withdrawn.
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]]>The post Macau Probes Alleged Venetian Casino Entry Fee as HKJC Lottery Sales Banned appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News.
]]>Authorities in China’s Special Administrative Region (SAR) of Macau have announced an investigation into alleged entry fees into Venetian Macao.
According to the Macau News Agency, a trending thread posted to the Chinese equivalent of Instagram over the weekend stated that MOP200 (US$25) was required to gain entry to Venetian Macao.
alleged casino entry charge levied upon bettors arriving on group tours
As of Tuesday morning, the post had attracted over 530 comments and spurred Macau’s Government Tourism Office (MGTO) to commit to probing the alleged casino entry charge levied upon bettors arriving on group tours.
In another gaming twist for Macau, the recently passed gambling crimes bill has an immediate impact on one of the oldest institutions in the SAR. News emerged over the weekend that sales of tickets for the Mark Six lottery run by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) will result in fines or a maximum of two years in prison.
The Mark Six lottery sale ban will directly affect family-run and small to medium businesses, and by extension, the HKJC.
Macau lawmaker Ron Lam argued that Mark Six lottery tickets were “often sold by small local shops that did not engage in organized illegal operations.” Macau’s Government Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong Weng Chon, however, overruled Lam, stating a ban was needed “to prevent young people from easily accessing lottery tickets.”
The ban has already snared a married couple after they were found selling 58 Mark Six tickets at their corner shop. According to Focus Asia Pacific, the couple has allegedly made MOP1,960 ($245) in profits since the pair started selling the HKJC lottery tickets in February.?
Also on Macau’s hot topics list is the alleged Venetian Macao entry fee scam. Director of MGTO Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes told the media Sunday she was aware of the allegations and that investigations were underway.
Macau travel agencies may have been spreading misinformation
Fernandes’ comments suggest her organization believes that Macau travel agencies may have been spreading misinformation. If this is the case, Fernandes warned, “fines will be imposed as a primary punishment.”
The MGTO head added the censure “could potentially impact” travel agencies wishing to renew their licenses. Plus, Fernandes said, unauthorized tour guides found to have been involved would incur separate penalties.
According to Macau Business, the MGTO head urged travelers to avoid low-budget tours, which she attributed as the source of such long-running issues like the alleged Venetian Macao scam.
Such tours to Macau are mostly routed from the mainland China province of Guangdong.
A Legislative Assembly committee is mulling new legislation aimed at combatting the “zero-cost” tours, with operators facing penalties from MOP50,000 ($6,218) to MOP70,000 ($8,741). The discounted tours often depend on visitors making purchases to generate commissions, which, according to media reports, “could result in coerced purchases or even disputes during the process.”
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]]>The post UKGC Targets Prize Draws as It Previews Combative Spring 2025 Black Market Report??? appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News.
]]>The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has fired a warning shot at unregulated gambling markets ahead of its announcement that it will publish its report on the black market sector in the spring of 2025.
UKGC CEO Andrew Rhodes revealed the UK government’s gambling regulator is mustering multiple forces to tackle the black market with the immediate target being unregulated “prize draws and competitions.”
Ahead of its 2025 report, the UKGC has published a new “evidence-led” methodology paper outlining its strategy to identify and take down unlicensed online gambling operators.
introduction of a new cease-and-desist process”
According to reports, “a key development will be the introduction of a new cease-and-desist process” aimed at firms offering illegal prize draws and competitions. This is an area of prime concern for UK government agencies, including HM Revenue and Customs and the National Crime Agency.
The UKGC CEO on Monday asserted the regulator will uphold its “corporate strategy to increase investment, resources, and capacity to tackle illegal gambling,” which the UK government views as an economic threat and a crime impacting society.
As such, the body has set out its priorities for 2025, which include improving its processes to combat illegal markets more effectively.?
“We are committed to making it difficult to provide illegal gambling at scale to consumers in Great Britain,” Rhodes stated. Central to the UKGC’s 2025 strategy is data-driven action and collaboration.
“The partnerships we’ve built with international regulators, technology partners, and search engines are already delivering results, and we’re determined to keep up this momentum,” Rhodes emphasized.
The results Rhodes is talking about is recent victories the regulator has enjoyed against unlicensed operators via blocking URLs, denying payments, and making illegal online sites inaccessible.
255 websites taken down
According to the Commission, collaboration with technology partners, international regulators, and other parties has seen it issue over 750 cease-and-desist notices. In addition, more than 78,000 URLs have been flagged up and removed by Google and Microsoft, with 255 websites taken down.
“By using data analytics to improve our enforcement efforts, we’re not just reacting to the problem, but proactively targeting illegal operators,” Rhodes said.
According to media reports, the UKGC has built on its successful collaboration with Google by developing a working relationship with Microsoft and its platforms, such as Yahoo Finance and Bing, to remove black market gambling content from search results.
The Commission added that it will up its engagement with enforcement bodies like the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit and strengthen links with payment providers “to disrupt illegal transactions.”
The UKGC will also commission research into discovering why some bettors use unregulated operators and what motivates their choices.
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]]>The post Illegal Blackjack Game Organizer Breaks Ankle Jumping From Second Floor to Try Evade Police appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News.
]]>A man who allegedly ran an illegal blackjack game in Malaysia broke his ankle after jumping out of a second-floor window to try to escape police when they raided the gambling den.
seized playing cards and over RM52,800 ($12,269) in cash
Law enforcement surveilled the property for about a week before executing a search warrant in the early hours of Monday, arresting 19 people for gambling offenses. They also seized playing cards and over RM52,800 ($12,269) in cash.
The police chief explained in a press conference that the man who jumped out a back window broke his ankle, and they believe he was running the game with his girlfriend. The suspect was taken to the hospital for treatment.
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]]>The post Finance Advisor States UK Bankers Decline Mortgage Loans Over Small Soccer Bets appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News.
]]>A UK mortgage advisor has revealed banks based in the country have recently declined housing loan applications from solvent individuals over soccer bets, even if it’s the occasional wager.
?even if it’s just the odd flutter”
According to Sky News, Right Choice Mortgages advisor Joe Childes stated he’d recently seen banks nixing applications based on betting transactions on clients’ bank statements, “even if it’s just the odd flutter.”
Childes said he’d seen applications declined not only where applicants have separate accounts for placing wagers, “but even just those who bet on the [soccer] at the weekend.”
“Gambling transactions can be questioned by the underwriter, or in some cases we have seen straight declines with no grounds for appeal.”
Childes cited a case where his clients had made a joint application: “had no forms of credit in the background and were asking for a mortgage of less than 50% loan-to-value ratio, but were declined twice.”
The mortgage advisor said the pair never applied for a bank overdraft and had ￡5,000 ($6,511) in their current account. Childes added the refusals were based on soccer bets only. “Affordability for the level of transactions seen is not a concern.”
The advisor posited if banks would nix applications by applicants who “excessively drink or smoke” or even clients who pay cash at sportsbooks to place bets.
“If the client can afford the spending, is it right to dictate how they use their hard-earned money?”
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]]>The post BlockDance Faces €840,000 Fine From Dutch Regulator appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News.
]]>BlockDance BV has been warned that it could face a fine of up to €840,000 ($910,800) if it does not immediately cease operations in the Netherlands.
The Dutch gambling regulator De Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) launched an investigation into the company and determined that it was illegally offering games of chance without a correct license across two different sites.
The sites, bc.game and bcgame.lu, denied access to Dutch gamblers following a previous inspection from the KSA, after which the regulator informed them that they would not face any penalties.
players were able to create accounts, make deposits, and gamble on games of chance
However, after further monitoring, the sites were once again accessible in the Netherlands, and players were able to create accounts, make deposits, and gamble on games of chance. As a result, BlockDance will now face the fine after all.
The penalty will increase if the operator does not block all access from the Netherlands within four weeks of receiving the order.
The company will be subject to a fine of €280,000 ($303,858)?for every week that it remains operational and accessible by players in the Netherlands, up to the maximum fine of €840,000.
With a penalty payment order, illegal offers are often quickly stopped.”
“The Netherlands has a regulated gambling market to better protect players. We, therefore, take tough action against illegal offers. With a penalty payment order, illegal offers are often quickly stopped. Providers can also be fined for the period in which the illegal offer was available,” read a statement from the KSA.
The issuance of a potential fine is the latest move in a series of crackdowns on illegal gambling sites in the Netherlands, with many cases dating back to before the introduction of a regulated market in 2021.
Last month, some operators faced court challenges to provide refunds to gamblers who lost money on the sites when they were offered before acquiring the relevant license in the Netherlands.
And at the start of this month, new restrictions limited gamblers to a maximum monthly deposit of €700 ($775), with proof of income required for any exception to be made.
With the stern restrictions likely to increase the appeal of unregulated gambling sites, the KSA will have its hands full and face increasing challenges in denying Dutch gamblers access to the sites.
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]]>The post UK Culture Secretary Refutes Gambling Tax Raid Reports appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News.
]]>The UK Secretary of State for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has given those whose livelihoods depend on gaming a boost. She has claimed widely-covered reports that the government is planning a major tax hike in gambling taxes are untrue.??
essentially calling it fake news
DCMS Secretary Lisa Nandy poured cold water over a weekend report in The Guardian that the Labour government was considering a ￡3bn ($3.90bn) tax raid on the gambling sector, essentially calling it fake news.?
“You can’t believe everything that you read in the papers,” Nandy replied on Thursday to a question regarding the tax hike rumors as she joined fellow DCMS ministers in a House of Commons question time on Thursday.
Not only did Nandy scoff at the rumor, she also made a point of stressing Labour was aware of the value of the gambling industry and its importance to the UK economy.
The DCMS Secretary added the government was also aware of the joy the gambling sector brings “to many, many people, and the employment prospects that it offers to people in every nation and region of the United Kingdom.”
Nandy’s words take some of the sting out of the alleged misreporting that led to almost ￡3bn ($3.92bn) being wiped off the value of UK gambling stocks.
Monday’s stock shocker came after high-profile executives including Flutter Entertainment’s Peter Jackson, Betting and Gaming Council’s Grainne Hurst, and the British Horseracing Authority’s (BHA) Julie Harrington warned the tax hikes could cause the gambling industry serious harm.?
Nandy was asked what plans Labour had to reform gambling tax and affordability checks
Nandy’s responses to questions in House of Commons question time appeared to play down the execs’ fears of a Treasury tax hike, while she also had reassuring words for the BHA and the horseracing industry in general. Government support for the horseracing sector is up for debate in parliament next week and, as such, Nandy was asked what plans Labour had to reform gambling tax and affordability checks.
According to The Racing Post, the culture secretary confirmed the Thursday debate in Westminster Hall while asserting the horseracing industry is worth ￡4bn ($4.3bn) to the economy and that her government “certainly takes it incredibly seriously.”
Nandy reinforced her horseracing background by stating The Tote, a firm owned by a consortium of 150 investors that operates the world’s largest online pool betting website, was based in her Greater Manchester constituency of Wigan.
The fact that the firm is headquartered in the Manchester-born Nandy’s constituency, she stated, gives her: “an insight into the industry, which I have had a relationship with for many years.”
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]]>The post West Ham’s Lucas Paquetá Calls Out FA Insider Leaks as Betting Case Rumbles On appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News.
]]>West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paquetá is still awaiting the outcome of an English Football Association (FA) investigation into allegations that he intentionally got yellow cards during four Premier League games.
an internal investigation to identify who gave information to media outlets
The Brazilian took to social media on Thursday to express his frustrations about the leaking of confidential details regarding the probe. He called on the association to conduct an internal investigation to identify who gave information to media outlets.
The 27-year-old explained how many news reports in Brazil and England, citing a source close to the matter, contain misleading and inaccurate information which he said “appears designed to undermine my position.”
Paquetá believes these inaccurate reports make it difficult for him to receive a fair hearing. He concluded the message by maintaining his innocence and expressing his desire to clear his name.
The investigation into his alleged match-fixing began in August 2023, and the FA charged him in May with numerous offenses. He reportedly faces a lifetime ban from the game if he is ultimately found guilty following a hearing in March 2025. The Brazil international continues to play for West Ham, scoring twice so far this season in the league.
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]]>The post INTERPOL’s Illegal Soccer Betting Operation Led to 5,100 Arrests and Seizure of $59m appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News.
]]>INTERPOL has revealed the results of a worldwide crackdown on illegal soccer gambling, which resulted in over 5,100 arrests and the seizure of $59m.
The SOGA X operation took place in June and July to specifically combat illegal online betting on the UEFA 2024 tournament; the police organization worked alongside law enforcement in 28 nations and territories.
rescue of hundreds of human trafficking victims
Some other positive outcomes of the operation were the closure of thousands of illegal online platforms, the uncovering of major money laundering operations, and the rescue of hundreds of human trafficking victims.
INTERPOL helped dismantle a gambling operation in Vietnam that handled $800,000 per day and used an intricate network of e-wallets and bank accounts to manage the payments. Another major win was in Thailand, where raids on two locations led to the seizure of assets worth more than $9m.
The biggest case of human trafficking was in the Philippines, where the authorities helped over 650 victims who were given false promises of employment at a scam center that also focused on illegal gambling. These people had to work against their will.
Talking about the success of the operation, INTERPOL Police Services Executive Director Stephen Kavanagh said it was not possible without “global information sharing and significant efforts by law enforcement authorities on the ground.”
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]]>The post Irish Lawmakers Pass Landmark Gambling Legislation After 17 Years of Discussions appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News.
]]>Irish lawmakers have finally passed landmark gambling legislation to transform a sector worth up to €8bn ($8.7bn) annually. Legislators have discussed updating gambling regulator for 17 years. Minister of State James Browne began working on the newly passed Gambling Regulation Bill in 2020 before introducing it in 2022.
will introduce significant protections for the public
Talking to the lower chamber on Wednesday following the passage of the bill, Browne referenced the “extraordinary amount of work” that went into the “complex” legislation that will introduce significant protections for the public in what was previously a largely unregulated sector of the country.
The bill now heads to the desk of President Michael D. Higgins for him to consider and officially sign into law.
A wave of new alterations is coming to Ireland’s legislation for gambling, a framework that hasn’t changed significantly since 1956. One of the biggest moves is the creation of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) to look after the licensing of operators and oversee compliance. It will also have scope to suggest additional changes to legislation as it sees fit and issue fines of up to €20m ($21.7m).
a ban is also coming into place on social media ads
Restrictions on advertising will prohibit gambling ads on broadcast media between 5:30am and 9pm, while a ban is also coming into place on social media ads. People will need to opt in to receive other types of online marketing messages. The bill also bans incentives like free bets, hospitality, and VIP treatment.
Operators can no longer sponsor sports teams or organizations, while a new social impact fund will allocate resources from gambling companies to finance important addiction-related education and treatment programs.
Not everyone is happy, including industry stakeholders who warn of the negative impact the bill will have on what is a major sector in Ireland. Horse racing in particular relies heavily on gambling-related advertising and a betting levy.
Some major broadcasters, such as Racing TV, are on record saying they will likely shut down their Irish operations as it wouldn’t be economically viable to have a separate feed that doesn’t contain gambling ads. Sky Sports Racing revealed last week it plans to have a separate feed.
Legendary Irish poker player and tournament organizer Fintan Gavin aired his concerns in an exclusive interview with VegasSlotsOnline News about the lack of clarity in the bill regarding payout limits for poker tournaments.
The legislation implements a €10 ($10.86) max stake and payout cap of €3,000 ($3,258) on games like blackjack, roulette, and slots, without clarifying if poker falls under this bracket. He emphasized how important annual poker festivals are to the country and is “hopeful that the regulators will recognize this.”
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