May Newsletter | Waterhouse VC is seeing more individuals and teams attempting to build serious betting operations, with AI acting as the catalyst. The question is whether AI helps new teams get close enough to compete, or simply makes the strongest groups more efficient.
@tomwaterhouse
https://t.co/JBulcEpuli
The Austrian iGaming market is set for a shake-up, with a leaked document outlining a long-awaited move away from its current monopoly and allowing multiple licensees into the online casino market.
Madrid Stock Exchange-traded Cirsa has reported Q1 2026 results.
-Operating revenues reached €623m (US$722.9m), increasing 8% year-on-year.
-EBITDA rose to €193.9m (Q1 2025: €178.8m).
-Net profit rose to €44.6m (Q1 2025: €28.1m).
-Sports betting turnover was up 19.7%.
-Casino turnover rose 23.9%.
The Ed Craven and @BijanTehrani owned global online casino and sportsbook operator, @Stake, has continued its LatAm expansion with its latest launch in Argentina.
Stake has secured a licence to operate in the Province of Buenos Aires in Argentina.
May Newsletter | Waterhouse VC is seeing more individuals and teams attempting to build serious betting operations, with AI acting as the catalyst. The question is whether AI helps new teams get close enough to compete, or simply makes the strongest groups more efficient.
@tomwaterhouse
https://t.co/JBulcEpuli
Denise Coates’ bet365 has registered its online casino and sportsbook in Alberta ahead of the province’s regulated iGaming launch on July 13.
The wagering giant has completed registration for both its online casino and sportsbook platforms.
We hosted a Webinar with Leon Lanen, CEO and Co-founder of Spinlab Studio.
Lanen gives us a demo of the platform showing how Spinlab provides operators with a solution to go to market quickly and with a fully featured casino platform.
https://t.co/oVUkKNmrEM
The New York State Gaming Commission has reported the data for the week ending May 24.
Handle was $486.6m, GGR was $48.1m, a 9.9% hold.
FanDuel held $175.7m, GGR $20m, a 12.7% hold DraftKings held $156.9m, GGR $14.4m, a 9.2% hold
In this interview with Juliette Saly on @ausbiztv, @tomwaterhouse discusses DraftKings founder Matt Kalish’s recent comments, saying prediction markets are years away from competing with traditional sportsbooks. Tom covers the advantages and disadvantages facing prediction markets as they compete against traditional wagering operators.
Tom and Juliette also look at Kenneth Dart, who recently became Flutter Entertainment’s largest shareholder. Dart is also Evolution AB’s largest shareholder.
In this interview with Andrew Geoghegan on @ausbiztv, @tomwaterhouse discusses the arms race among US sports betting operators to create “Super Apps” that integrate sportsbook, iGaming and prediction market products in one platform.
Tom and Andrew then cover one of the world’s most successful professional gamblers and pioneers in betting models and proprietary data, Tony Bloom.
Social sports betting and daily fantasy operator Betr founded by Jake Paul has acquired Ascent Capital Management Inc, an introducing broker (IB).
The move that will enable it to fast-track a prediction-market launch at some point in 2026.
May Newsletter | Waterhouse VC is seeing more individuals and teams attempting to build serious betting operations, with AI acting as the catalyst. The question is whether AI helps new teams get close enough to compete, or simply makes the strongest groups more efficient.
@tomwaterhouse
https://t.co/JBulcEpuli
The New York State Gaming Commission has reported the data for the week ending May 17.
Handle was $423.4m, with GGR $52.2m
FanDuel held $154.7m, GGR $23.5m, a 15.2% hold DraftKings held $139.2m, GGR $16.1m, a 11.6% hold
Waterhouse VC Analyst Oscar Silver was recently a speaker at @SBCGAMINGNEWS Summit Canada 2026.
Oscar spoke on the Fragmented Rules, Hidden Risks: Tackling Grey Market Gambling in Canada panel.
Polymarket's US subsidiary, QCX LLC, has submitted a request to the CFTC for a new sports-trading product that combines multiple event outcomes into a single, parlay/multi-style bundled contract.
The request would allow traders to combine two or more sporting event contracts.
Sportsbet has appointed long-time executive Douglas Brown as its new chief executive.
Long-serving executive Barni Evans will take on an expanded role leading Flutter’s Asia-Pacific expansion.
Brown has been at Sportsbet since 2015, holding roles including chief operating officer, chief product officer and chief growth officer.
Podcast | @tomwaterhouse was recently on iGaming Daily with Charlie Horner @SBCGAMINGNEWS.
Tom covers the impact of regulation and taxation on online gambling, investment strategies in B2B iGaming suppliers, US prediction market and more.
https://t.co/eky8uPzeJl
Banijay Group has reported Q1 2026 results.
-The Group reported revenue of €1.15b (US$1.33b),up 9% year-on-year.
-Adjusted EBITDA reached €196.6m, an increase of 5.4%
-Net income rose 18.1% to €56.9m
-Sports betting & Gaming revenue rose 17.3% to €433.1m
-Sportsbook revenue rose 14.4% to €326.5m
-Casino revenue grew 28.0% to €70.2m
May Newsletter | Waterhouse VC is seeing more individuals and teams attempting to build serious betting operations, with AI acting as the catalyst. The question is whether AI helps new teams get close enough to compete, or simply makes the strongest groups more efficient.
@tomwaterhouse
https://t.co/JBulcEpuli
Waterhouse VC is hosting a webinar tomorrow with Leon Lanen, CEO of Spinlab Studio.
We'll cover what differentiates Spinlab in an increasingly competitive iGaming platform market, including a live product demo, and a high-level perspective on developments in the iGaming sector.
📅 Tuesday 27 May, 2026
🕐 5:00pm – 5:45pm AEST
Open to wholesale investors. Register below to join live or receive the recording.
https://t.co/z2kqIoBJPc