Galaxy Entertainment Group has confirmed its exclusive interest in an IR project in Bangkok, with an estimated total capital expenditure of $3 billion. Meanwhile, gaming expert Daniel Cheng advises caution for casino investors after Thailand’s Constitutional Court dismissed a petition against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra claiming he attempted to undermine the monarchy and exert control over the Pheu Thai Party. In the UAE, more than half of the $5.1 billion Wynn Al Marjan Island project, the region’s first IR, is said to have been completed.

Galaxy Entertainment Group has expressed its intent to focus solely on a proposed integrated resort (IR) project in Bangkok, despite Thailand’s plan to issue five gaming licenses nationwide, including three outside the capital. Management believes that Bangkok’s status as a premier travel destination offers greater certainty for investment returns. This information was shared by Goldman Sachs after meetings with Galaxy executives in Singapore, where they indicated a willingness to collaborate with local partners.

The Chamber of Deputies of Argentina will debate a federal measure on Wednesday, 27 November, to ban all gambling advertising and sponsorships.

The debate has been expedited after five opposition blocs in Congress united behind the proposal, which aims to prohibit any form of advertising or sponsorship promoting gaming and betting companies.

Civic Committees, tasked with creating a federal framework to address gambling-related harm and pathological behaviour, strongly support the measure. Committees on Addiction Prevention, Social Action, Communications, Criminal Legislation and Families and Youth are finalising policies for a federal bill on gambling protections. The proposed law would supersede existing state regulations.

Strengthening protections for minors is at the heart of the committees’ efforts. This summer, Jorge Macri, Chief Governor of Buenos Aires, banned new gambling licenses after reports revealed that 34% of minors in the city had gambled by bypassing adult verification checks.

The bill proposes strict rules on gambling promotion, including:

• Banning betting company logos on sports jerseys.

• Prohibiting advertisements in digital and traditional media.

• Eliminating welcome bonuses on online gambling platforms.

• Restricting payment methods, such as banning credit systems and social assistance cards for gambling transactions.

The proposal has drawn support from diverse political groups, including Unión por la Patria, Encuentro Federal, the Civic Coalition and left-wing factions. However, the ruling coalition, which includes PRO, La Libertad Avanza and parts of the UCR, advocates for a more lenient approach that would allow sponsorships to continue.

The minority opinion pushes for a broader ban on all forms of gambling advertising and sponsorships, though it lacks detailed guidelines.

Lawmakers face a deadline of 30 November, when a three-month recess begins. They aim to ensure the measure is debated and voted on before the recess.

Sports betting service Tipstrr has bought out its competitor Pyckio, the company founder Damien Fearn has confirmed.

In a post on LinkedIn, Fearn also declared that the company has regained a 100% stake in Tipstrr.

“We’ll continue to work on exciting projects with Planet Sport as commercial partners. The Tipstrr team enjoyed being part of the network and we can all say we learned a lot during the time we spent with the team in Leeds,” he said.

“Still, it’s an exciting time for Tipstrr – and we’ve really hit the ground running with the acquisition of Pyckio. We’re now working on combining the best aspects of each platform to create the ultimate offering for sports bettors with Mark Rees leading the development.”

He added that the team was “actively looking for other acquisitions in the space.”