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(AsiaGameHub) -   The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) has imposed a fine on BetMGM due to inadequate anti-fraud and know-your-customer procedures across its betting platforms. Additionally, the regulatory body announced that it has placed several individuals on its involuntary exclusion lists for various reasons, including leaving children unattended while gambling. BetMGM’s Lax KYC Protocols Were Exploited by Fraud Rings The PGCB stated that its members approved a consent agreement presented by the board’s Office of Enforcement Counsel, resulting in a $100,000 fine for BetMGM. The regulatory body explained that the fine stems from BetMGM’s insufficient efforts to prevent fraudulent behavior on its BetMGM and Borgata platforms. These failures included deficient KYC protocols, which allowed certain individuals to create multiple accounts using the credentials of others. The PGCB noted that these fraudulent accounts were most frequently accessed via stolen or fraudulently obtained funds. The consent agreement identified four fraudulent rings that operated for multiple months and collectively wagered nearly $2 million. These were as follows: 1. operated for approximately 25 months until January 2024. A total of 1,567 accounts were created using personal identifying information of other individuals and wagered $229,580. 2. operated for approximately 34 months until November 2024. There was a total of 34 accounts created using personal identifying information of other individuals, resulting in $14,598 of combined wagering. 3. operated for approximately 29 months until November 2023 with 119 accounts created using personal identifying information of other individuals. The ring wagered $895,092 through these accounts. 4. operated for approximately 19 months until December 2023. This ring created 304 accounts using personal identifying information of other individuals and used them to wager $867,910. PGCB Bans 4 Adults from Gambling for Leaving Children Unattended Beyond the fine, the PGCB announced that its members also placed 16 individuals on various involuntary exclusion lists, preventing them from gambling in the state. Four of these were individuals accused of leaving a minor unattended while gambling. One case involved a male patron who left an 11-year-old in a vehicle in the parking lot of Hollywood Casino York for almost an hour. Another man left a 5-year-old in a vehicle—this time in the parking lot of Rivers Casino Philadelphia—for 17 minutes. The third case involved a man who left a 9-year-old in the parking lot at Rivers Casino Philadelphia for over an hour. The final man placed on the involuntary exclusion list left two minors, aged 7 and 12, in a vehicle in the parking lot of Parx Casino for a little over half an hour. The PGCB reminded casino patrons that leaving a minor unattended is strictly forbidden, as it exposes the child to potential risks. Because of this, the board continues to promote its awareness campaign, Don’t Gamble with Kids.   This article is provided by a third-party. AsiaGameHub (https://asiagamehub.com/) makes no warranties regarding its content. AsiaGameHub delivers targeted distribution for iGaming, Casino, and eSports, connecting 3,000+ premium Asian media outlets and 80,000+ specialized influencers across ASEAN.

(AsiaGameHub) -   Washington’s legislative effort to restrict prediction markets shows no signs of slowing, as lawmakers continue their attempts to impose limits on these event contract platforms. The latest example is a bipartisan bill co-sponsored by Reps. Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), which would bar members of Congress, senior federal officials, and other covered government personnel from trading on prediction markets tied to political events and government actions.  Smith and Budzinski introduced the bill on March 25, adding another ethics-focused measure to the growing list of legislation targeting prediction markets.  Named the Preventing Real-time Exploitation and Deceptive Insider Congressional Trading Act, or the PREDICT Act, the bill aims to prevent public officials from leveraging their access to sensitive information for personal gain.  In the press release announcing the legislation, Smith stated:  “Serving the American people is a privilege, not a means to profit. Our common-sense, bipartisan bill will assure Americans that their elected officials’ decisions are driven by merit, not personal gain. I am proud to collaborate with Representative Budzinski to ensure government officials do not profit from the sensitive information they are entrusted with.” The bill follows a series of high-profile trades that anticipated major geopolitical events, including joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and the U.S. military’s capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, drawing scrutiny to insider trading on prediction markets such as Polymarket and Kalshi. Budzinski emphasized these concerns in her statement about the proposed legislation: “In recent months, we’ve witnessed cases where lesser-known traders made significant profits on events ranging from potential conflict with Iran to the duration of government shutdowns, raising valid questions about the use of inside information.”  PREDICT Act Goes Beyond Members of Congress As drafted, the PREDICT Act would not be limited to members of Congress; it would also apply to their spouses and dependent children, congressional staff, the president, the vice president, political appointees, certain senior executive branch officials, and members of the judiciary.  The bill would prohibit these covered individuals from “enter[ing] into an agreement, contract, or transaction that provides for any purchase, sale, payment, or delivery dependent on the occurrence, nonoccurrence, or extent of occurrence of a specific political event.”  While some congressional bills have not specified penalties for violating their provisions, this legislation includes enforceable measures. It states that violators would face a penalty equal to 10% of the value of the prohibited trade and must forfeit any profits, with the funds paid into the U.S. Treasury. The bill also requires ethics offices to publish fines and the reasons for them on a public website. However, the effectiveness of these proposals as deterrents remains uncertain, given that similar legislation—such as the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act, passed over a decade ago—has not resulted in any insider trading prosecutions to date. Congress Keeps Targeting Prediction Markets The PREDICT Act is the latest addition to a rapidly expanding list of federal proposals aimed at regulating the event-contract industry. Here is an overview of other active measures: Public Integrity in Financial Prediction Markets Act: Introduced by Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) in early January, this bill targets officials who trade on government-related contracts while in possession of “material nonpublic information.” End Prediction Market Corruption Act: Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) proposed this bill on March 5 to entirely prohibit the president, vice president, and members of Congress from trading event contracts. DEATH BETS Act: Introduced by Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) on March 11, this legislation seeks to explicitly ban contracts related to war, assassinations, and individual deaths. Prediction Markets Security and Integrity Act: Sponsored by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Andy Kim (D-NJ), this March 11 proposal focuses on consumer protections, age verification, and returning regulatory authority to individual states. Prediction Markets Are Gambling Act: Introduced on March 25 by Sens. John Curtis and Schiff, this bill aims to prohibit CFTC-regulated platforms from listing sports-related or casino-style event contracts. Given the pace of legislative activity, there is no doubt that prediction markets are a focus of Congress. However, with so many bills now in motion, it remains unclear which, if any, will have a realistic path to becoming law.  This article is provided by a third-party. AsiaGameHub (https://asiagamehub.com/) makes no warranties regarding its content. AsiaGameHub delivers targeted distribution for iGaming, Casino, and eSports, connecting 3,000+ premium Asian media outlets and 80,000+ specialized influencers across ASEAN.

(AsiaGameHub) -   Maine legislators have approved a bill that would prohibit credit card use for sports wagering and online gaming. LD 2080 now awaits review by Governor Janet Mills after the Legislature gave its approval on March 25 following Senate passage.  Should the governor sign the measure into law, it would bar operators and management services licensees from taking bets placed with credit cards and mandate that regulators configure systems to block such transactions on mobile applications, digital platforms, and at physical betting sites.  This legislative action occurs as Maine gets ready to launch its newly approved online gaming market and while legislators evaluate additional gambling-related proposals, such as a separate measure to prohibit sweepstakes casinos that remains under consideration.  Representative Marc Malon (D) filed the bill in January under the title "An Act to Protect Consumers by Prohibiting the Use of Credit Cards in Sports Wagering" to safeguard Maine residents from gambling addiction, though the name was subsequently modified to encompass internet gaming.  At that time, Malon described the legislation as a means to balance the economic advantages of legalized gambling with consumer safeguards, stating: "Legal and regulated gaming generates employment and delivers substantial revenue for our state. However, as sports wagering gains popularity and online gaming launches, the Legislature must focus on measures that balance these economic benefits with reasonable protections to prevent Mainers from developing addictions and accumulating debt. This legislation achieves that equilibrium."  Measure Revised and Broadened via Committee Amendment The legislation experienced several modifications before taking its current form as "An Act to Protect Consumers by Prohibiting the Use of Credit Cards in Sports Wagering and Internet Gaming."  Initially submitted in January, LD 2080 originally covered only sports wagering, but an amendment adopted earlier this month extended its reach to include internet gaming and revised its title accordingly.  Under the revised version, operators offering both sports wagering and internet gaming would be prohibited from accepting bets from customers attempting to use credit cards for payment.  The measure would additionally compel regulators to establish rules blocking credit card usage across all betting channels, including mobile platforms and in-person kiosks, thereby strengthening the prohibition through both operational and technical protections. In addition to approving this bill, the Legislature is examining legislation aimed at sweepstakes casinos. Earlier this month, Maine's Senate approved LD 2007, which would prohibit dual-currency online platforms. The concurrent consideration of these measures indicates that lawmakers are increasingly focused on consumer protections as legal gambling expands in the state.  Sector Shifting Away From Credit-Based Betting If LD 2080 is enacted, Maine will become part of an expanding group of states that have prohibited credit card gambling in various forms, including Iowa, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Vermont, Illinois, and Massachusetts. Major operators have also begun eliminating credit card acceptance. In August 2025, DraftKings ceased accepting credit cards for sportsbook and online casino deposits following a $450,000 penalty in Massachusetts for inadequate transaction blocking. FanDuel followed on March 2, discontinuing credit card deposits nationwide for its sportsbook, casino, and racing offerings. These recent developments indicate the industry may be voluntarily adopting standards that prioritize debit-based and direct bank transfer methods.  .  This article is provided by a third-party. AsiaGameHub (https://asiagamehub.com/) makes no warranties regarding its content. AsiaGameHub delivers targeted distribution for iGaming, Casino, and eSports, connecting 3,000+ premium Asian media outlets and 80,000+ specialized influencers across ASEAN.

(AsiaGameHub) -   Congress is considering new legislation that would prohibit Rep. Nikki Budzinski and other members of Congress from participating in prediction markets, specifically certain types of these markets. Prediction Markets and Members of Congress Targeted in the Same Bill The legislation, appropriately named the PREDICT Act, aims to prevent congressional members from trading on particular prediction markets. This latest proposal joins a growing list of similar legislative efforts. The measure is supported by Rep. Budzinski and Rep. Adrian Smith, representing the Democratic and Republican parties respectively, demonstrating bipartisan cooperation on issues like prediction markets. The full name of the PREDICT Act is the Preventing Real-time Exploitation and Deceptive Insider Congressional Trading Act, designed to tackle a major recent concern: the exploitation of insider and classified information for financial gain on these platforms. This action follows several questionable trades related to geopolitical events in Venezuela and Iran. Numerous lawmakers have expressed alarm about the potential sale of classified information to foreign enemies for profit, which could jeopardize national security and American citizens. Both Polymarket and Kalshi have quickly moved to restrict accounts suspected of making such bets, including at least one account that reportedly profited over $400,000 from the early-January U.S. (non-)military action in Venezuela. In an extensive statement, Budzinski commented: "Americans are weary of politicians leveraging their positions for personal benefit, and the growth of prediction markets has amplified these concerns. Recently, we've observed cases where obscure traders have earned huge profits on events from potential war with Iran to the duration of government shutdowns, which rightly raises questions about insider information usage." Insider Information. Threats to National Security and Profiteering Numerous legislators have demanded the elimination of prediction markets where participants might have advance knowledge of outcomes, plus the halt of markets trading on death, war, and crime outcomes – this is the DEATH BETS Act proposed by Rep. Mike Levin. Other legislators have taken an even stronger position against these markets, as Sens. Adam Schiff and John Curtis have introduced the Prediction Markets Are Gambling Act, which aims to completely ban contracts on sporting events. This article is provided by a third-party. AsiaGameHub (https://asiagamehub.com/) makes no warranties regarding its content. AsiaGameHub delivers targeted distribution for iGaming, Casino, and eSports, connecting 3,000+ premium Asian media outlets and 80,000+ specialized influencers across ASEAN.

(AsiaGameHub) -   Gun Lake Casino Resort, a prominent casino in Michigan located in Wayland, has celebrated another significant win, marking the third occasion in five months that a jackpot exceeding $300,000 has been awarded. The casino confirmed this latest payout, with senior VP and general manager Brian Desorah reporting that the winner received their prize from the Ultimate Texas Hold’em game. This marks the first instance in 2026 of a table game jackpot reaching this substantial amount. The two preceding jackpots, both of which surpassed $500,000, were won on slot machines. The occurrence of two such large slot winners is understandable given that Gun Lake Casino Resort features over 2,500 slot machines, providing patrons with a wide selection. Desorah commented that the recent three jackpots awarded within a five-month span represent the most impressive streak he has witnessed in his thirty years of experience in the gaming industry. This article is provided by a third-party. AsiaGameHub (https://asiagamehub.com/) makes no warranties regarding its content. AsiaGameHub delivers targeted distribution for iGaming, Casino, and eSports, connecting 3,000+ premium Asian media outlets and 80,000+ specialized influencers across ASEAN.

(AsiaGameHub) -   A review of TrainwrecksTV’s reported net worth reveals figures that may cause confusion. One report indicates a streaming deal valued at $360 million, spanning a period of 16 months. In a separate claim, the streamer asserts he is owed between $3 billion and $5 billion by a major international gambling company, a figure that is, to say the least, highly unlikely. Now, TrainwrecksTV has shared a new perspective on his financial decisions, stating that he could have generated up to $2 billion by incorporating affiliate codes into his streams but ultimately chose not to. Trainwreckstv returns after a 3-month hiatus and immediately goes on a rant about gambling streamers pushing affiliate codes pic.twitter.com/YkhWGi3Hei— ClipX (@ClipXClipX) March 24, 2026 Trainwrecks previously broadcast on Twitch, but was compelled to transition to Kick following Twitch's platform-wide gambling ban in 2022. Kick is widely recognized as being supported by the proprietors of Stake.com, and the platform has emerged as a significant global streaming entity, offering an alternative to Twitch. Trainwrecks elaborated that by refraining from using affiliate codes, he estimates he forfeited the opportunity to earn $2 billion. The streamer attributes this decision, in part, to ethical considerations regarding the use of affiliate codes, though observers note that he is reportedly compensated by at least one casino with which he collaborates. Recently, there appears to have been a rift between TrainwrecksTV and Stake, with the streamer hinting at a "streamers’ revolution." TrainwrecksTV seemed to express dissatisfaction with the platform, claiming he “played a role in its creation” and was now allegedly not receiving adequate compensation for his contributions. Furthermore, over the years, TrainwrecksTV has been documented as claiming involvement in the platform's establishment, at times suggesting co-ownership, although the company's official Wikipedia entry lists him as a "backer." This article is provided by a third-party. AsiaGameHub (https://asiagamehub.com/) makes no warranties regarding its content. AsiaGameHub delivers targeted distribution for iGaming, Casino, and eSports, connecting 3,000+ premium Asian media outlets and 80,000+ specialized influencers across ASEAN.