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These were your headlining stories in the world of gambling and sports Monday morning February 23, 2026.
Kalshi Drops "March Madness" Filing Amid NCAA Pressure
Trademark protections still carry weight in emerging wagering markets and Kalshi's withdrawal underscores that established sports brands like “March Madness” remain tightly controlled.
While the branding has changed, Kalshi continues to offer tournament related contracts, keeping it in the conversation during one of the busiest betting periods of the year.
From RG:
Importantly, the platform has not stepped away from offering markets tied to the men’s basketball tournament itself. Instead, it has recalibrated its presentation. As Selection Sunday approaches and national interest in the bracket begins to build, the episode underscores a broader reality: even as new wagering adjacent products emerge, established sports brands still control how their intellectual property is used.
Source: RG.org
Unlicensed gambling companies set to be blocked from sponsoring UK sports teams
In 2026, 11 Premier League clubs have a betting company as their main shirt sponsor. Four of the 11 in Bournemouth, Fulham, Burnley and Wolves all have main shirt sponsorships with betting websites owned by TGP Europe, which has lost its British licence.
This came after an investigation found TGP Europe failed to ‘carry out sufficient checks on business partners’ and breached ‘anti-money laundering rules’. The four clubs, along with Newcastle United, were warned by the Gambling Commission last year they could be ‘liable to prosecution’ should they continue promoting the company’s brands.
Stake, the shirt sponsor of Everton, and W88, lost its UK licence last year, with TGP Europe previously operating the site as part of a white-label arrangement.
UK Culture Minister Lisa Nandy said: “When placing a bet on the big match, fans deserve to know the sites they’re using are properly regulated, with the right protections in place.
“It’s not right that unlicensed gambling operators can sponsor some of our biggest football clubs, raising their profile and potentially drawing fans towards sites that don’t meet our regulatory standards.”
Source: Sports Pro
- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
