The comments follow a report in The Australian suggesting Betsson is exploring the acquisition of Yolo Group’s Sportsbet.io and Bitcasino.io brands, potentially valued at less than €50 million. Betsson declined to comment on what it characterized as “rumours or speculative reporting.”
Building Momentum in Regulated Crypto Gaming
In a January interview with iGB, Betsson AB CEO Pontus Lindwall indicated that while “momentum is building” for crypto casino regulation, widespread adoption remains years away.
“The sector is cautiously getting there,” Lindwall said. “In the medium term, I do expect a gradual uptick in regulated crypto offerings. Regulatory frameworks are evolving – for instance, the EU’s MiCA regulations are laying groundwork for how digital assets are handled, and some forward-looking regulators are open to the idea, provided strict AML controls are in place.”
Several jurisdictions are already developing frameworks for cryptocurrency gambling, including Malta, the Isle of Man, certain Canadian provinces, and the United Arab Emirates. The MiCA Crypto Alliance is leading European efforts to simplify regulatory compliance in the crypto industry.
However, Lindwall emphasized that regulated crypto casinos will “remain more of a novelty than the norm” in the short term, with only a handful of jurisdictions explicitly permitting cryptocurrency in licensed online gaming transactions.
Risk Management Remains Priority
Despite confidence in consumer interest among “tech-savvy” bettors, Lindwall indicated Betsson would not rush into the vertical without adequate safeguards.
“Public companies and major operators won’t dive headlong into crypto casinos until they’re confident that risks around money laundering, problem gaming and currency-volatility are mitigated,” he said.
Betsson Group operational CEO Jesper Svensson echoed this measured approach, telling iGB that regulatory stability for crypto casinos should improve as frameworks mature.
“It’s already evolving, as regulation starts catching up with user behaviour,” Svensson said. “This is a natural progression as both the technology and the regulatory landscape continue to mature. Crypto adoption is high in many markets and that’s increasingly extending into entertainment and gaming.”
Regulatory Pressure Mounting on Unregulated Crypto Gambling
The discussion around regulated cryptocurrency gambling has intensified as markets increase enforcement against black market operators, where crypto gambling is popular among younger consumers.
In November 2025, UK Gambling Commission CEO Andrew Rhodes stated that the government could no longer ignore cryptocurrency usage growth among younger demographics, suggesting collaboration to establish a regulatory framework in the UK.
Yolo Group’s Regulated Pivot
The reported acquisition interest follows Yolo Group founder Tim Heath’s September announcement that the company would transition to fully regulated operations. Heath indicated at the time that Yolo would consolidate its Sportsbet and Bitcasino brands into a singular Yolo.com brand.
The UAE has become central to Yolo’s regulated strategy. The company has obtained two gaming-related vendor licences in the newly regulating market for its Hub88 Holdings and Live Online Gaming Services subsidiaries, allowing it to supply iGaming content to the UAE’s regulated market.
Lara Falzon, Yolo Group’s B2B CEO, told iGB last year that the company was “all in” on the UAE.
“Yolo is entering the UAE market with a complete ecosystem offering, live studio experiences, slots and aggregation services,” Falzon said. “Thus, providing a fully connected entertainment platform that can provide quality, safety and innovation to players. This all-in approach builds credibility and trust, which effectively gives us a lot of opportunities as well as a head start when compared to our competitors.”
According to The Australian report, funds from any potential sale of Yolo’s crypto brands could support further investment in its regulated UAE operations.
Source: iGB
