Chips.gg Weekly Sports Betting Roundup (May 19- May 25)
Welcome back to your weekly whirlwind tour through the ever-surprising world of global sports betting! We’ve got everything from major regulatory crackdowns and esports explosions to Premier League goal-fests and Nigerian pride. Whether you're deep in the sportsbook scene or just tuning in with your morning coffee, this week’s round-up is brimming with twists, turns, and takeaways. Let’s dig in.
Esports Betting Hits $2.5 Billion as Youth Drive the Boom
Move over Messi, esports is the new king of betting. In 2024, esports betting hit a whopping $2.5 billion, attracting over 74 million online bettors. According to Oddin.gg, the average esports bet is $29, nearly 6x higher than football. The reason? Engagement. Fans don’t just watch—they interact.
From betting on first kills to predicting match MVPs, esports has become the go-to betting genre for digital natives. With tournaments streaming to millions and odds flying faster than frag grenades, it’s no surprise traditional sportsbooks are starting to feel the heat.
If your platform isn’t optimised for esports yet, it’s time. The future of sports betting speaks fluent digital.
Hong Kong Eyes Basketball Betting Legalisation
Could Hong Kong be making room for slam dunks in its betting portfolio? Right now, football dominates legal wagering via the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), but basketball is drawing illegal bets in droves. After a public consultation closed on 2 May, the government is weighing whether to legalise basketball betting. Currently, HKJC oversees all legal gambling in Hong Kong, and it’s tightly regulated, profits go straight to charitable causes. If basketball gets the green light, it’s likely HKJC will manage it too. With growing interest and illegal gambling concerns rising, this could be a pivotal year for Hong Kong’s betting ecosystem.
In emerging markets, legalisation isn’t just about money,it’s about steering bettors away from shady waters.
New Betting Market a “Humanitarian Tragedy”
Well, the party didn’t last long. Just months after Brazil opened its shiny new regulated online betting market on 1 January 2025, with 14 companies approved and flashy ads everywhere, Senator Eduardo Girão slammed the brakes. In a fiery Senate session, he demanded a complete ban on all betting, calling it a threat to families and mental health.
Girão, a moral stalwart from Ceará, painted a bleak picture, addiction, debt, social collapse. While some see Brazil’s new iGaming boom as an engine for economic growth, others, like Girão, warn it’s fueling a silent crisis. His speech has reignited debate around the social cost of gambling in a country already grappling with inequality. Brazil’s new market may be booming, but operators must invest in safer gambling infrastructure fast before the moral watchdogs come knocking harder.
Ontario Horse Racing Feels the Burn from Online Gambling Boom
There’s a digital stampede happening in Ontario, and horse racing is getting trampled. Since the launch of Ontario’s iGaming market in April 2022, Home Market Area (HMA) wagering which is the bread and butter of local race tracks has dropped 12.6%. That’s a body blow to an industry built on generations of turf, tradition, and twilight trots.
In 2023, HMA wagering sat at $733 million, but in 2024, that number sank to $686 million. Even worse, the Horse Improvement Program (HIP) which funds the breeding and training of horses gets 60% of its budget from HMA wagering. That’s now dropped from $20.6M to $19.35M, with the 2026 fiscal year looking tight. Andrew Gaughan of Ontario Racing put it plainly: “We're under siege.” Provinces need to balance tech-forward regulation with legacy industries. It’s time for Ontario to rethink how to preserve its homegrown racing heritage without stalling the digital gold rush.
Premier League Finale Brings Goal Rush and Betting Gold
Gameweek 38, the wild finale of the English Premier League, and the stats say you should bet on goals. Lots of them. According to UK sportsbook Midnite, final matchdays historically see a 14.5% spike in goals. Need specifics? The “Over 3.5 goals” market jumps over 30%, while “BTTS” (Both Teams to Score) gets a 10.7% lift.
Home wins surge by 13.3%, and draws tumble, meaning punters love the action. With teams either chasing glory or just having fun, the pitch becomes a fireworks show—and sportsbooks cash in.
If you’re not already building Premier League finale promos, you’re leaving money on the table. Gameweek 38 is a bettor’s paradise.
Denmark Drops Hammer on Match-Fixing
Denmark just said “not on our watch” to match-fixing. The Danish Gambling Authority published a 35-page guide that reads like a masterclass in betting integrity. Operators are now required to monitor suspicious gambling behavior, report anomalies, and overhaul internal systems from HR to IT.
This isn’t just a checklist. The guide demands structural change. Operators must act as gatekeepers of fairness, not just facilitators of bets. Even Greenland, a small player, must implement the same risk-based procedures. Integrity now wears a very official-looking badge. If you operate in Denmark, or plan to, your compliance team better be on its A-game. Integrity isn’t optional anymore.
PointsBet Faces Massive Fine in Australia’s Spam Crackdown
Things got real serious for PointsBet last week. The Australian online gambling giant was hit with a $500,800 penalty, and that’s not pocket change. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) pulled the trigger after finding the company violated spam and gambling self-exclusion laws, signaling a clear “enough is enough” from regulators. What makes this move historic? It’s the first public enforcement under the NSER (National Self-Exclusion Register) rules. That’s a line in the sand, folks.
Even more eye-opening is that PointsBet had to enter into court-enforceable undertakings, not just fines, but legal promises to clean up its act. Over the past 18 months, over $14 million in spam-related fines have been dished out across Aussie businesses. The message is crystal clear: compliance is no longer optional. The ACMA has made it clear that it’s targeting interactive gambling safeguards and misleading spam as core priorities.
Thanks for riding the global sports betting news waves with us!
Catch you next week for more regulation twists, betting booms, and pitch-side sports drama.
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