Casino News Roundup: Polymarket Signs LIGA MX Deal & UK Black Market Stakes Set To Double
Polymarket Signs LIGA MX Sponsorship Deal In Major Prediction Markets First
Polymarket has become the official and exclusive prediction market partner of LIGA MX in the United States - the first sponsorship deal of its kind between a major sports league and a prediction market platform.
The agreement, announced today alongside Genius Sports, will see Polymarket offer LIGA MX prediction market contracts to eligible US users from the 2026/27 season, beginning with the Campeon de Campeones match on July 25 in Carson, California.
Genius Sports - LIGA MX's official data, streaming, and integrity partner - will provide verified official data from its GeniusIQ platform to support contract creation and settlement.
Polymarket also adheres to Genius Sports' integrity information-sharing processes, giving the league direct visibility into related market activity.
The deal arrives as prediction markets face intense regulatory scrutiny from Congress and state attorneys general - and represents the most significant attempt yet by a prediction market platform to embed itself within the mainstream sports industry.
Those looking for real money slots through fully regulated platforms will find the licensed market continues to offer the most consumer-protected alternative.
UK Black Market Gambling Stakes Could Hit £33 Billion By 2028, BGC Warns
The Betting and Gaming Council has unveiled a five-point action plan to tackle the UK's surging illegal gambling market, warning that black market stakes could more than double from £17billion in 2025 to over £33bn by 2028.
The plan - launched on June 8 - calls on government, the Gambling Commission, social media platforms, search engines, and payment providers to work together to choke off the networks that allow unlicensed operators to advertise, process payments, and reach British consumers.
The five measures include shutting down illegal gambling advertising, blocking unlicensed websites, cutting off payments to illegal operators, penalising companies that enable illegal gambling, and imposing tougher criminal sanctions.
BGC CEO Grainne Hurst described the latest black market figures as "a wake-up call," adding that without decisive action, more consumers will gamble in unsafe environments without access to the safer gambling tools and protections that exist in the regulated market.
Those seeking online casinos should always choose fully licensed and regulated operators.
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Finland iGaming Market Attracts 50 Licence Applications As July 2027 Launch Approaches
Finland's upcoming regulated iGaming market has attracted 50 licence applications since the application process opened on March 1, 2026, according to the National Police Board.
The Finnish market - which launches in July 2027 - will end the state monopoly held by Veikkaus and open the country to licensed competition for the first time.
The strong application numbers signal significant operator interest in one of the last major untapped European iGaming markets, with major international operators understood to be among those applying.
Finland's population of around 5.5 million is considered a high-value market given strong digital adoption and historically high per-capita gambling spend.
The country joins a growing list of European markets - including the Netherlands, Sweden, and Germany - that have moved from monopoly or grey-market frameworks to fully regulated open competition in recent years.
