The British government has unveiled proposals to consult on a possible ban on sports sponsorships by unlicensed gambling operators, as part of a broader crackdown on the black market.
Under the proposed measures, unlicensed operators could be prohibited from sponsoring UK sports teams, including Premier League clubs. Ministers are reportedly “deeply concerned” about the risks posed by the unlicensed gambling market, according to a press release issued on February 23 by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS). The government said that unlicensed operators fail to comply with regulations intended to safeguard consumers, such as compulsory financial vulnerability checks, responsible advertising standards, and others.
Several football clubs currently maintain partnerships and advertising deals with unlicensed operators, a situation that the DCMS has confirmed is not illegal. However, the government noted that because UK consumers could be exposed to these risky sites, there is a compelling argument for prohibiting this type of advertising altogether.
It could be argued that the most recent considerations are part of a broader push from UK authorities to curb black market gambling. Recently, for example, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) scrutinized Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, for allegedly not stopping illegal gambling ads.
However, despite the UKGC’s efforts, this still may not be enough to have a significant impact on the black market, which had reportedly pocketed over GBP 100 million just on 2025’s Boxing Day alone.
Officials Support the Decision
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is one of the supporters of this new proposal. According to her, fans should have confidence that the platforms they use are properly regulated and provide appropriate protections when placing a bet. She added that it was wrong for unlicensed gambling operators to sponsor some of the country’s largest football clubs, arguing that such partnerships increase the operators’ visibility and could steer supporters toward sites that fail to meet regulatory standards.
Fiona Palmer, chief executive of GamStop Group, which helps individuals struggling with online gambling, said that any effort to stop unlicensed operators from gaining exposure through Premier League sponsorships would be a positive measure for consumer protection.
Gambling Minister Baroness Twycross has also been a supporter of a stronger reaction to illegal gambling. She explained that the government is well aware of the real harm unregulated gambling can inflict by exploiting vulnerable individuals and leaving consumers without the protections they are entitled to.
Scrutiny of the gambling industry in the UK has also had an impact on legal offshore companies as well. Earlier this month, several large offshore gambling sites frequently used by UK players shifted their operations to a new licensing framework under Curaçao jurisdiction, a move that comes as campaigners, journalists, and regulators pay more attention to these sites.
Ronnie O’Sullivan will be competing in the 2026 Seniors Snooker Championship and the World Snooker Championship within just weeks of each other; the 50-year-old won his first world title 25 years ago and looks to add another accolade to his name
Last Updated: 23/02/26 3:44pm
Ronnie O’Sullivan will be going for his eighth world title and first Seniors world title this spring
After a record-equalling seven world titles, Ronnie O’Sullivan will be making his debut on the senior world stage in May at the 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship.
However, the 50-year-old is still expected to play in the main World Championship, which finishes just two days before the seniors starts, with both events taking place at the Crucible.
Ronnie O’Sullivan tried to defend his first Masters title against Steven Hendry in 1996 as the youngest winner of the title at 19-years and 69 days
He joins an impressive seniors line-up that includes 2015 world champion Stuart Bingham, 12-time women’s world champion Reanne Evans and former Masters and UK champion Matthew Stevens.
Chairman Jason Francis branded O’Sullivan the “most commercially valuable player the sport has ever seen” and that he expects The Rocket’s participation to drive ticket sales even higher.
The seniors tournament will take place May 6-10, being prefaced by World Championship from April 18-May 4.
O’Sullivan relocated to Dubai last year but will spend April and May in Sheffield as he also attempts to win an eighth world title when he appears in his 34th consecutive World Snooker Championship.
TwitterDue to your consent preferences, you’re not able to view thisPrivacy Options
Changes to the seniors tournaments rules have meant players ranked in the world top 64 are eligible to take part with several having taken the opportunity.
With four title wins, the most successful player in the seniors is Jimmy White, with the 10-time ranking event winner also slated to take part.
This comes 25 years after O’Sullivan won his first World Snooker Championship which he won in his 10th year of being a professional at the age of 25, as he seeks to add yet another record to his CV.
UK vehicle production has plummeted to its lowest level since 1952, marking a 15.5% decline from the previous year.
The decline was driven by a perfect storm of structural changes and unexpected crises. A major factor was a massive cyberattack on Jaguar Land Rover in September, which paralyzed the computer networks of Britain’s largest automotive employer. The attack forced factories to sit idle for over a month, causing a production backlog that took months to resolve.
Restructuring across the industry further hampered volumes. The closure of Vauxhall’s historic Luton plant in March led to a 62% crash in commercial vehicle production. Additionally, major players such as Nissan and JLR temporarily halted output of ageing models to retool their facilities for a decarbonized future.
International trade barriers have also taken a heavy toll on an industry where 78% of cars are destined for export. Sales to the United States were dampened by new 10% tariffs, while “increasingly protectionist” proposals from the European Union threaten future access to the UK’s largest export market. High energy costs also continue to make the UK a more expensive place to build cars compared to international rivals.
Despite the gloomy headlines, there are significant positives within the data. Production of electric and hybrid vehicles rose by 8.3% last year, accounting for a record 41.7% of total output. The successful launch of the new electric Nissan Leaf in Sunderland and seven upcoming EV models from other manufacturers offer a clear pathway to recovery.
The SMMT remains “optimistic but realistic” about the future, predicting that production will return to growth in 2026. Experts believe that if the government delivers on its Modern Industrial Strategy – driving down energy costs and securing tariff-free trade – UK production could exceed one million units by 2027.
Says SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes:
“2025 was the toughest year in a generation for UK vehicle manufacturing. Structural changes, new trade barriers and a cyber attack that stopped production at one of the UK’s most important manufacturers combined to constrain output, but the outlook for 2026 is one of recovery.
“The launch of a raft of new, increasingly electric, models and an improving economic outlook in key markets augur well. The key to long-term growth, however, is the creation of the right competitive conditions for investment; reduced energy costs; the avoidance of new trade barriers; and a healthy, sustainable domestic market.
“Government has set out how it will back the sector with its Industrial and Trade strategies, and 2026 must be a year of delivery.”
Gaming and betting giant Entain has unveiled a revolutionary new horseracing product that will change how fans of the sport interact with the sector. The new product will allow racing fans to create horseracing parlays exclusively on the operator’s Ladbrokes and Coral brands.
Entain Delivers an Exciting New Product
In its official announcement, Entain described its new “Racing Bet Builder” product as a “first-of-its-kind innovation.” The new product will be available to players of Ladbrokes and Coral in the UK and Ireland and will be accessible through their online sportsbooks, as well as at retail betting locations.
Entain elaborated that the Racing Bet Builder will allow users to combine multiple selections from the same event into a single wager. This will allow them to create a broader, personalized bet where they choose the outcomes they wish to bet on, rather than relying on pre-set accumulators.
Entain acknowledged that the release of this new product responds to the rapidly growing popularity of parlay products. The operator said that these types of bets have been increasingly popular among sports fans and are likely to appeal to horseracing enthusiasts too due to the simplicity, flexibility, personalization, and control they offer.
The gaming company teased that its Racing Bet Builder will sport a bespoke interface and will allow players to build personalized bets that combine markets such as win, place in various positions, and winning distance.
Horseracing parlays can reach odds of up to 100,000/1, potentially turning even small wagers into huge paydays.
Capturing the Beauty of Racing and Betting
Jamie Crossfield, Entain UK’s sportsbook director, commented on the launch of the new product, saying that it seeks to emphasize the beauty in the variety of outcomes.
The beauty of race day is the variety of outcomes – from underdog stories to photo finishes. Racing Bet Builder captures that excitement and gives customers more freedom to back their instincts. It’s a smarter, more satisfying way to bet on racing.
Jamie Crossfield, sportsbook director, Entain UK
The new product is already available across Coral and Ladbrokes’ online sportsbooks, as well as at retail shops and via in-shop self-service betting terminals.
Entain concluded that players who wish to take their excitement even further can combine Racing Bet Builder selections with other sports markets through Bet Builder+.
The government has identified a legal basis which it believes can be used to allow UK military to board and detain vessels in so-called shadow fleets, BBC News understands.
Russia, Iran and Venezuela have all been accused of operating ships without a valid national flag to avoid sanctions on oil.
It is understood there are plans for the armed forces to use these powers, in what is being described inside government as a ramping up of action against the ships.
It is not known exactly when the first UK military action might occur.
Two oil tankers subject to US sanctions were reportedly spotted sailing east through the English Channel towards Russia on Thursday.
The UK has already imposed sanctions on more than 500 alleged shadow vessels, which it believes are helping to fund hostile activity, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Ministers say that action taken by the UK and its allies has forced around 200 ships off the seas, most of which will have been operating without a legitimate flag.
Ship flagging is the process used to register a vessel to a specific country, which then allows it to travel in international waters and offers it certain protections under law.
The government believes the new legal mechanism they have identified could be applied to any sanctioned vessels not legitimately flagged.
Officials say this would have included the Marinera tanker, which was seized last week.
The Marinera, a Venezuelan-linked ship previously known as the Bella 1, was stopped by the US Coast Guard as it travelled through the North Atlantic ocean between Iceland and Scotland.
The Ministry of Defence said the US asked the UK for assistance, and that RAF surveillance aircraft and a Royal Navy support ship RFA Tideforce took part in the operation.
Defence Secretary John Healey said the action was “in full compliance with international law”, adding the UK “will not stand by as malign activity increases on the high seas”.
Healey told MPs on Wednesday that the government was “stepping up action on the shadow fleet, developing further military options and strengthening co-ordination with allies”.
It is understood that identifying this legal mechanism was one of the further military options that Healey was referring to.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “The defence secretary set out in parliament this week that deterring, disrupting and degrading the Russian shadow fleet is a priority for this government”.
They added: “We will not comment on specific operational planning”.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said on Sunday that the number of insurance checks were being increased, with more than 600 ships stopped while sailing close to the British Isles.
Vessels not legitimately flagged generally have no insurance, which experts have warned could lead to a crisis if they were involved in an incident like an expensive oil spill.
But Alexander said it would not be appropriate to say how many alleged shadow vessels were known to have sailed in UK waters.
She told Sky News: “Providing you with that information only helps one person and that is President Putin.”
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC)’s annual report for 2024/25 indicates that the regulator is facing a challenging transitional year as it tries to expand its responsibilities while dealing with rising costs and increasing political scrutiny. The Commission underlined two key events that shaped the year: the transfer of the National Lottery’s fourth license to Allwyn UK and the steady implementation of reforms under the Gambling Act review.
Expenses Rose Significantly
Financially, the scale of the UKGC’s increased responsibilities is difficult to miss. Operating costs surged to GBP 60.3 million ($80.98 million), representing a 49% year-on-year increase. Increased staffing accounted for much of this rise, with the number of employees up by more than 11% to 416 by the end of March 2025. Staff costs alone reached GBP 27.8 million ($37.34 million), up from GBP 24 million ($32.24 million) in the previous year.
Despite the increased spend, the Commission ended the year withGBP 10.9 million ($14.64 million) in reserves. Income from license fees increased slightly to GBP 27.9 million ($37.48 million). However, this sum was not enough to offset the increased costs. GBP 29.1 million ($39.09 million) in grant-in-aid funding related to National Lottery duties, more than double the amount drawn down the year before, helped narrow the gap.
UKGC CEO Andrew Rhodes was optimistic, arguing that 2024/25 set the groundwork for further improvements in consumer protection and crime prevention. Despite this confidence, the regulator remains locked in two legal challenges brought by The New Lottery Company over the fourth license process, with a trial that has been ongoing since October 2025.
The Regulator Remains Committed to Customer Protection
On the operational side, the regulator significantly ramped up enforcement actions. The UKGC took enforcement action in 24 cases, resulting in GBP 4.2 million ($5.64 million) in penalties. Meanwhile, the Commission issued over 500 cease-and-desist notices to unlicensed operators alongside hundreds of warnings to affiliates. Over 95,000 illegal gambling URLs were removed, reflecting a more aggressive digital enforcement strategy.
We have continued to make significant progress in tackling illegal online gambling through our upstream work with third parties in finance, payment services, and internet service providers.
Andrew Rhodes, UKGC CEO
The report also provides a broader compliance snapshot. Around a third of licensees achieved a “good” rating for consumer protection, with just below 40% rated satisfactory. However, nearly 20% showed significant deficiencies. Performance was better regarding fair and open requirements, where more than 73% earned good ratings.
The substantial work done in 2024-25 gives the Commission a great opportunity to make further steps forward in our work to make gambling safer, fairer, and crime-free.
Andrew Rhodes, UKGC CEO
Looking ahead, the Commission does not show signs of slowdown. Its immediate priorities remain completing the White Paper reforms, tightening marketing rules, and enhancing customer care. Coming on the heels of a challenging 2025, the regulator aims to transform its prior investments into measurable gains in safety, fairness, and trust in the broader gambling sector.
According to a warning from the UK’s Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), the country’s gambling black market is expected to have taken advantage of Boxing Day betting activity, with up to GBP 100 million (about $135 million) potentially staked outside the regulated sector.
BGC Estimates Over GBP 100 Million Spent in Illegal Bets on Boxing Day
Industry analysis drawing on data from H2 Gambling Capital indicates that the black market already handles billions of pounds in illegal gambling stakes each year. The BGC calculated the expected GBP 100 million in spending by taking into account that Boxing Day represents about 1% of total annual betting activity.
The BGC’s warning underscores growing concern that the UK’s recent Budget could further accelerate the expansion of the harmful illegal black market. Earlier this month, the BGC criticized the autumn budget, saying that the proposed tax increases on gambling could lead to industry-wide job cuts and also push bettors further into the black market.
The Government’s own forecaster, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), has acknowledged that the tax changes are expected to cut projected revenues by around one third by 2029–30, as consumers shift their behaviour away from regulated betting and towards illegal operators, leading to an estimated GBP 500 million (approximately $677 million) shortfall in tax receipts next year.
Industry Experts Warn About the Issues
BGC chief executive Grainne Hurst said that Boxing Day is one of the busiest days of the year for sport and betting, and warned that the illegal gambling black market is preparing to profit significantly. She added that this money flows directly to criminal operators who provide no consumer protections and contribute nothing in taxes.
Hurst also warned that if higher taxes make regulated betting less appealing, the illegal black market will be the primary beneficiary, with negative consequences for consumers, employment, and public finances.
Licensed operators must comply with stringent requirements on player protection, affordability checks, and anti-money laundering, while also contributing billions of pounds to the UK economy and providing vital support to British sport and racing. In contrast, the harmful illegal black market operates beyond the reach of the law, targeting UK consumers without regulation, accountability, or tax payments.
The BGC has called on policymakers to work closely with the licensed sector to ensure that consumer protection measures, including those currently being introduced, do not unintentionally push customers towards unregulated and unlawful markets.
New ScienceDirect research is raising uncomfortable questions about the scale of gambling-related risk in the UK. The data offers a detailed look into how many people will fall under the government’s upcoming financial risk checks. The study is based on a large amount of open banking data and comes just months before the checks become mandatory for all operators in February 2025.
Young Males Were More Likely to Take Risks
Last year, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC)’s white paper laid the groundwork for enhanced harm prevention measures. The plan requires betting firms to perform “light-touch” checks on players who lose GBP 150 ($ 201) or more within a rolling 30-day period. The process should be seamless, leveraging indicators such as bankruptcy filings or outstanding debts rather than full affordability assessments.
Our dataset helps establish a pre-policy baseline and characterizes the population whose gambling patterns would have originally triggered these checks.
ScienceDirect research
Despite the UKGC’s ambitions, the number of gamblers who actually cross this threshold, or what distinguishes them from the wider population, remained unknown. Researchers thus analyzed bank transactions of more than 243,000 gamblers spanning over a year. Their findings paint a troubling picture, as nearly 25% of the gambling population would have activated the new checks.
This group, labelled Exceeding Threshold Gamblers, accounted for roughly 92% of all cash spent on gambling. The study characterizes these individuals as predominantly young males with spending patterns that were significantly more intense than those of their peers. The study’s authors note that the data suggest potential vulnerabilities that warrant closer oversight.
Previous Data Highlights Concerning Trends
Researchers used cluster analysis to divide the high-spending group into three subtypes. Approximately 50% of the high-spending group were categorized as diversified spenders whose gambling expenses appeared proportional to their income. The remaining groups revealed concerning findings. They revealed players whose play appeared less controlled, more volatile, or more tightly linked to periods of financial strain.
Beyond assisting with the implementation of such checks, such data can also be useful for research investigating this policy and the population it might impact.
ScienceDirect research
These findings align with other studies that indicate growing pressure in the UK gambling market. In November, an AskGamblers report revealed that nearly 50% of UK gamblers are hiding or downplaying their betting. A third admitted they would rather lose their money rather than ask for help, while a quarter said they would wait until losing GBP 100 ($134) in a single week before seeing a therapist.
Leading charity Gamble Aware also highlighted the weight of gambling stigma and rising problem gambling rates. The charity also pointed to the prevalence of advertising, with 62% of respondents saying gambling promotions felt unavoidable. Taken together, the data suggest a tougher environment than regulators or operators may have anticipated, hinting that the line between casual play and dangerous behavior may be blurrier than expected.
The UK government has taken a decisive step toward addressing gambling harm, announcing a new GBP 30 million ($39.71 million) fund for voluntary and community groups. The initiative, spearheaded by the Department of Health and Social Care, marks the first phase of a two-year program that aims to bridge the gap between the existing funding framework and the upcoming statutory levy system.
The Measure Seeks to Address Short-Term Deficiencies
According to a recent Next.io report, officials outlined the plan during an information session on October 26, announcing that the expression of interest period is now open and will run until January 9. Applications will be accepted from January 12, with grant decisions expected in early spring. The first installments should be available starting in April.
The fund will have three components. The first focuses on direct prevention work, primarily programs that reach out to people and communities before harm escalates. Another portion of the funds will go toward innovation, experimenting with new approaches, or adapting successful models from other sectors. The third will help bolster organizations with staffing, training, and systems, allowing them to scale up. Groups can apply for amounts ranging from GBP 5,000 ($6,600) to GBP 2 million ($2.65 million).
The announcement seeks to address growing concerns in the sector. Numerous non-profit organizations have warned of rising financial distress as they await clarity on when the statutory levy money will begin flowing. Distribution also remains a contentious topic. Some charities claim that the competition for limited funds has led to friction and accusations within the field.
New Tax Increases Could Lead to a Spike in Harm
According to government officials, applicants must commit to achieving an “industry-free funding status” by 2030. Although the expectation has raised questions for organizations that still depend on industry donations to survive, officials noted they would adopt a pragmatic view for the next two years. Funds from the National Lottery will not count as industry money during this period, though that position may be reevaluated.
Starting in April 2026, however, the rules will become stricter. Any organization that receives money from the fund must not accept contributions from gambling operators. The Government Grants Management Service will help facilitate the transition with the Find a Grant portal, introducing a new digital system to streamline monitoring and reporting after 2026.
This development coincides with significant upheaval in the gambling sector due to the recently unveiled gambling tax rise from 21% to 40%. Experts are concerned that this tax increase may push more players to unlicensed sites, increasing the risk of harm and putting even more pressure on the already hard-pressed organizations. The new fund will thus be invaluable in bolstering the country’s harm prevention infrastructure before the statutory levy takes full effect.
Gambling companies in the United Kingdom are spending excessively on advertising. This is the message sent by The Guardian, a media publication, that has taken a look at the sector firms’ advertising practices, finding that the majority of them are still marketing aggressively to consumers.
The Jury Is Out on How Much Gambling Firms Spend on Ads
According to the media, companies have spent $2.6 billion on various forms of advertising, but the real figure may be significantly larger, as pinpointing the exact marketing spend for a sector so large proves challenging.
The Guardian estimates that gambling firms can be spending closer to $3.27 billion if anything on advertising, with these expenditures set to remain high. Exact accounts of gambling ads spending diverge when taking information from various sources.
The Betting and Gaming Council, which has mostly lobbied for a more moderate approach to gambling regulation, argues that the real number is closer to $1.31 billion. Meg Hillier, the chair of the influential Treasury select committee, has similarly disagreed with the current status quo and arguments against raising taxes on the industry, which is now a likely scenario under UK Treasury Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
According to Hillier, the fact remains that contributions to the budget are lower than the money the industry is spending on advertising, and thus any argument that taxes may become unwieldy under a proposed new bump should be taken with a grain of salt.
The BGC has objected to this assessment, explaining that tax rises make land-based operations unsustainable and that the regulated market loses further ground to the offshore market, which is not constrained by the same regulatory changes and rules.
Jobs at Risk, Gambling Ads Spending Figures Blown Out of Proportion
The BGC estimates that as many as 40,000 jobs may be lost as a result of a new tax hike. Other lawmakers, such as Labor MP Alex Ballinger, have been similarly critical.
“Perhaps gambling firms should think about cutting back on adverts that nobody wants to see before pushing back against paying fair taxes on their vast profits, particularly given the harms they cause.”
The BGC has insisted that these claims are a gross misinterpretation of the facts. The trade group insists that the spending, excluding lotteries, is indeed no greater than $1.32 billion and that it has indeed been reduced over the years.
In many churches, often strapped for cash, the switch to a heat pump may be borne from necessity. Staff at St. Peter Mancroft Church in Norwich, which already had solar panels, opted to make the jump to a heat pump system when one of their old gas boilers failed.
“The church decided this was a good time to try and commit to it,” says Nicholas Jackson, from architectural design firm Nicholas Vanburgh Ltd. Jackson is also a fabric officer for the church. Last year, two table-like, upward-facing air source heat pumps were installed in a small yard next to the 15th-century building. These connect to an Edwardian cast iron radiator system, and the heat pumps are currently running at a COP of 4.
The church also opted for a battery storage system. Jackson says he’s still unsure of exactly how the heat pumps will cope during a really cold spell—one gas boiler remains as a backup.
“We were very blessed to be one of the early adopters on some of this stuff,” says Reverend Edward Carter, the vicar. He adds that within the church is an “Earth Chapel,” intended to focus Christian minds on the importance of the environment. “We’re trying to say something to the City of Norwich here, and maybe to the wider world,” says Carter.
Churches are far from the only community-centric buildings in the UK currently reengineering how they do things. Village halls, covered markets, and public transport hubs are also, in some cases, putting in solar panels, LED lighting, and electric-powered heating systems.
For certain believers, though, the spiritual component of decarbonization is key. There’s something deeper at work here, and perhaps enthusiasm like this could accelerate society’s broader transition towards cleaner technologies. Knott’s opinion is that Christians should be motivated, by scripture itself, to look after the planet.
“We’re not jumping on the bandwagon,” he says. “This has been a message for 2,000 years.”
“At least people need a laugh right now,” the Scottish joker Kevin Bridges sighs when asked why he chose now to make his North American debut.
“I always considered coming over,” Bridges continues. “I even joked about it a bit on stage on the timing of coming to the US. But usually, I think comedy thrives in times like this when people need some escapism. I give my take as an outsider, and it seems to be well received, so it is fertile ground for comedy with everything that is going on in your country.”
After 20 years in the business of joke telling, the 38-year-old Bridges has truly reached high highs in the comedy industry of his native United Kingdom.
“Part of why I came to the state is I’m not that known here,” the warm-voiced comic explains, hyping up his single night at Cullen Performance Hall on Saturday, Nov 8. “So in a way it is quite good to not have immense pressure, where as in the UK, I’m playing in arenas with 10,000 or 11,000 people. It can be hard to improvise. But over here, the venues can be like 800 to 1000.”
“So for me,” he continues, “it’s a bit like going back in time. But what is good is I have the experience and I can go back to enjoying these slightly smaller rooms, and the show is much more live because I’m trying things out and experimenting. I’m enjoying the fresh crowds and the challenge of being in a brand new country with my own take on everything.”
While Bridges has proven to be a smash on social media, he prepares the audience to prepare for his thick accent and rapid fire delivery. “The audience is probably initially taken aback by my accent,” he admits. “I’ve tried to soften it a little bit, but not be a fraud. The Scottish people are probably like, ‘why is he talking like that – is he taking elocution lessons?’
“The challenges have made me, forgive the cliché, really appreciate stand up again: the idea of getting an idea during the day and trying it out at night. American audiences have been very enthusiastic and receptive.”
Describing his perspective is tough for the young comic, but he essentially breaks his act along the lines of two types of bits. “My comic style, I try to keep it fairly topical, fairly current – and also personal stuff. I’m always talking about whatever is going on in the world, and also my own life. I started at 17, and I used to talk about being a teenager and being overweight. I lost weight, and my whole life has been documented through stand up. I’m a father to a 4-year-old, and I’m a husband approaching 40.“
While many U.K. comics approach their stand-up specials from the foundations closer to the one-person show, Bridges sets expectations that this show at least will be closer to traditional stand-up, with bits on all subjects open to him. “I try to find funny angles, I don’t say I need to have a comedy routine about this subject,” he explains. ”Instead, I have this joke about deodorant, so that finds it way into the show. I have a funny joke about my son. So I find the jokes, and I place them. Certainly a theme or overarching narrative begins, [but] it’s trial and error where I work it out in comedy clubs, and there’s an hour or so of stuff coming together, a fairly organic product.”
One unique distinction that 90 percent of touring headliners might envy, but Bridges has the rare distinction of having had his filmed stand-up specials released in movie theaters. “That’s right, seeing your face up in the cinemas was pretty exciting,” he says of the thrill that few American comics beyond Eddie Murphy or Kevin Hart have had in America. “It was pretty well received, and it was totally different rather than just release it as a [streaming] special.
“I think it’s only when you are going to the cinema do you remember how fun going to the cinema is. We’re so saturated by all these streaming services, last night me and my wife say down and are just browsing and browsing for hours – but don’t watch anything! There’s something about going to the cinema and somebody else has decided what you are watching for the night that takes the pressure off!”
An underrated element too is how much funnier a comic play in a room full of people, be they at a live concert or in the cinema. “People who went, some admitted to being a little anxious since COVID to be going to live events, but they really enjoyed this kind of happy medium where they are still with people, but much smaller setting to see it in this communal experience.”
In some ways, this return to smaller venues for Bridges has been like a wish-fulfillment. With the pressure lifted, he discovered his perfect environment for stand up comedy. “When you’re on the way up and you’re playing venues that size, there is a lot of pressure. But as you say, looking back, I don’t know if I enjoyed that stage in my career. So getting back to that experience and actually taking it in? I think between 1,000 and 2,000 is actually the perfect size for stand up. When it gets bigger, it can still be good – but 1,000-2,000 is really that sweet spot.”
While this North American leg has taken the Scott all over, he’s doing more than bringing laughs – he’s checking off American bucket list items left and right.
Here’s Bridges Top 4 To-Dos:
1. Texas-Sized Meal: “I have done BBQ in Austin, Texas and it was 91 degrees. So before the show, I think I gave myself sunstroke and gout in one go.”
2. Meet an American Icon: “The other [night], there was Steve Van Zandt, from Bruce Springsteen’s band and The Sopranos. My agent has seen them 3 or 4 times, so I would like to walk over and say hello and what a huge fan I am. So meeting Steve Van Zandt was immediately on the bucket list.”
3. Witness an American Past Time Up Close: “I would quite like to see any American sport, go and watch something live. Basketball? Baseball?”
4. Test His Endurance: “The Hollywood sign! I don’t know if I can put up with the traffic just to see something. But [if I hike it], I’ll just collapse onstage. Pretty hard to balance being a good tourist and being there for the audience.”
Bridges performs on Saturday, November 8 at 7:30 p.m. at Cullen Performance Hall, 4300 University. For more information, visit cph.evenue.net. $46-69
The UK government appears determined to press on with its plans to hike taxes for gambling operators despite warnings from industry leaders that such measures could harm jobs, drive players toward unregulated websites, and reduce funding for British sport. Lawmakers are considering a proportional system with higher taxes for more harmful types of gambling.
Online Gambling Can Be Especially Addictive
A recent report from the Treasury Select Committee urged the government to resist what it described as “industry scaremongering” and to impose a tax rate that reflects the growing social harm from online betting games. The report comes just weeks before Chancellor Rachel Reeves presents her first Budget as the UK faces mounting pressure to address a sizeable fiscal deficit.
The cross-party committee, chaired by Dame Meg Hillier, stated that online gambling now constitutes almost half of the UK’s total gambling revenue. The report notes that while traditional betting, such as horse racing and bingo, can usually be enjoyed safely, online casino games and virtual slots have created a new generation of high-frequency, high-loss gambling.
Online betting games are extracting huge amounts of money from people who have been funnelled into the most addictive, harmful corners of the industry via their love of sports, or the occasional game of bingo.
Dame Meg Hillier, Treasury Select Committee chair
The committee’s findings are based on months of evidence sessions examining how to strike a balance between tax policy, economic growth, and social responsibility. MPs dismissed arguments that higher taxes would push consumers toward unregulated operators, instead recommending harsher crackdowns against illegal offshore sites.
Gambling Operators Attempted to Downplay the Commission’s Concerns
Gambling industry representatives remain firmly opposed to any potential tax hikes. Grainne Hurst, chief executive of the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), argued that regulated gambling is already one of the UK’s most heavily taxed sectors, contributing £4 billion ($5.27 billion) annually to the Treasury and supporting over 100,000 jobs. She cautioned that a tax hike could have rippling consequences for the broader economy.
Hurst also informed MPs that the industry invests heavily in safer gambling practices like affordability checks, stake limits, and data-driven monitoring systems. However, the Treasury Committee remained unconvinced. Its report criticized the industry’s claims that gambling caused no social harm and pointed out that gambling platforms exploit player data and behavioral patterns to encourage longer play and higher losses.
The impacts of problem gambling in our communities are plain to see, and the industry’s boldfaced claim to our inquiry that it does no social harm is staggering.
Dame Meg Hillier, Treasury Select Committee chair
Reeves’s upcoming Budget could clarify whether online casino and slot games will face a higher tax rate compared to sports betting. Treasury sources have suggested that MPs are considering leaning toward a more graduated system based on the relative risk of harm. With the government showing no signs of yielding to industry pressure, the days of uniform gambling taxation may be numbered.
British police said Sunday that two people remain in life-threatening condition after a mass stabbing attack on a London-bound train the previous evening. Police also said they do not consider the attack to be a terrorist incident.Overnight, police said nine of the 10 people injured were in a life-threatening condition. British Transport Police Superintendent John Loveless said four of those have now been discharged and that one other person had arrived at the hospital on their own, taking the number injured in the attack to 11.He also said that the two people arrested remain in custody and confirmed that they were born in the United Kingdom. One is a 32-year-old Black British man, the other is a 35-year-old man of Caribbean descent, he said.“There is nothing to suggest this is a terrorist incident,” Loveless said.On Saturday night, bloodied passengers had spilled out of the long-distance train when it made an emergency stop in the town of Huntingdon, 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of London, where dozens of police waited, soon after multiple stabbings were reported onboard.The police force said that “Plato,” the national code word used by police and emergency services when responding to what could be a “marauding terror attack,” was initiated. That declaration was later rescinded but no motive for the attack was disclosed.The attack took place as the train from Doncaster in northern England to London’s King’s Cross station was about halfway through its 2-hour journey and approaching Huntingdon, a market town a few miles northwest of the university city of Cambridge.Passenger Olly Foster told the BBC he heard people shouting “run, run, there’s a guy literally stabbing everyone,” and initially thought it might have been a Halloween prank. But as passengers pushed past him to get away, he noticed his hand was covered in blood from a chair he had leaned on.Emergency services, including armed police and air ambulances, responded quickly as the train drew into Huntingdon. The attack appears to have been contained swiftly after the train arrived at the station, and police officers wearing forensic suits, with a police dog, could be seen on the platform.British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his “thoughts are with all those affected” after the “appalling incident.”Paul Bristow, the mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said he had heard of “horrendous scenes” on the train.London North Eastern Railway, or LNER, which operates the East Coast Mainline services in the U.K., confirmed the incident had happened on one of its trains and said there would be major disruption on the route until Monday.
British police said Sunday that two people remain in life-threatening condition after a mass stabbing attack on a London-bound train the previous evening. Police also said they do not consider the attack to be a terrorist incident.
Overnight, police said nine of the 10 people injured were in a life-threatening condition. British Transport Police Superintendent John Loveless said four of those have now been discharged and that one other person had arrived at the hospital on their own, taking the number injured in the attack to 11.
He also said that the two people arrested remain in custody and confirmed that they were born in the United Kingdom. One is a 32-year-old Black British man, the other is a 35-year-old man of Caribbean descent, he said.
“There is nothing to suggest this is a terrorist incident,” Loveless said.
CHRIS RADBURN
Emergency personnel inspect a train at the Huntingdon, England, train station in Cambridgeshire after people were stabbed Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025.
On Saturday night, bloodied passengers had spilled out of the long-distance train when it made an emergency stop in the town of Huntingdon, 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of London, where dozens of police waited, soon after multiple stabbings were reported onboard.
The police force said that “Plato,” the national code word used by police and emergency services when responding to what could be a “marauding terror attack,” was initiated. That declaration was later rescinded but no motive for the attack was disclosed.
The attack took place as the train from Doncaster in northern England to London’s King’s Cross station was about halfway through its 2-hour journey and approaching Huntingdon, a market town a few miles northwest of the university city of Cambridge.
Passenger Olly Foster told the BBC he heard people shouting “run, run, there’s a guy literally stabbing everyone,” and initially thought it might have been a Halloween prank. But as passengers pushed past him to get away, he noticed his hand was covered in blood from a chair he had leaned on.
Emergency services, including armed police and air ambulances, responded quickly as the train drew into Huntingdon. The attack appears to have been contained swiftly after the train arrived at the station, and police officers wearing forensic suits, with a police dog, could be seen on the platform.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his “thoughts are with all those affected” after the “appalling incident.”
Paul Bristow, the mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said he had heard of “horrendous scenes” on the train.
London North Eastern Railway, or LNER, which operates the East Coast Mainline services in the U.K., confirmed the incident had happened on one of its trains and said there would be major disruption on the route until Monday.
A migrant sex offender who was mistakenly released from prison has been deported from UK, the government has announced.
Hadush Kebatu was convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman in Epping while living in an asylum hotel, but was mistakenly set free by prison staff last week, before being brought into custody again on Sunday.
He arrived in Ethiopia on Wednesday morning having left the UK on a flight on Tuesday night.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: "Last week's blunder should never have happened - and I share the public's anger that it did. I would like to thank the police for rapidly bringing Mr Kebatu into custody and the public for their vigilance."
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.
Did the British really join in on the Oct. 18 “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump? A social media video tries to make you think they pulled off a coordinated nighttime spectacle.
A video shared in an X post with more than 154,000 views as of the afternoon of Oct. 20 showed protesters forming an illuminated human banner spelling out “No Kings.”
“This No Kings protest in the UK against Trump and his Nazification of America is amazing,” the X user wrote Oct. 18.
Other users on X and Instagram also shared the video.
(Screengrab of X post)
Sign up for PolitiFact texts
A couple of things in the video give away the verdict.
The footage has a Veo watermark on the bottom-right corner. Veo is Google’s artificial intelligence video generating model, which can create videos up to 8 seconds long that include audio. This matches the time frame of the X video (without counting the TikTok watermark at the end).
V.S. Subrahmanian, a professor at Northwestern University’s Security and AI Lab, added, “The visual rendering of the words ‘No Kings’ appears unusually pristine and uniform.”
While a human banner during the “No Kings” protests made an appearance Oct. 18 on Ocean Beach in San Francisco, it was during the day and included text saying, “No Kings YES on 50,” a reference to the Proposition 50 question about California’s congressional redistricting.
Other countries participated in the “No Kings” protests, including England, Canada, Germany and Portugal. We found no footage similar to what’s in the X post from the UK.
The video originated on a TikTok account that says it’s “covering the news you need to see.” The account has shared other AI generated videos. For example, on Oct. 19 it shared an almost identical video claiming to show footage from Washington, D.C.’s “No Kings” protests. Back in June, for the first weekend of “No Kings” protests, the account shared another AI generated video of a Philadelphia crowd.
The video doesn’t show a real “No Kings” protest in the United Kingdom. We rate it Pants on Fire!
Elon Musk loves responding to posts on X with heart emojis. He’s sent dozens this year alone, often in response to people praising his cars or directly to his mother’s posts.
But this week, Musk sent a heart emoji to Tommy Robinson, the far-right Islamophobic activist from the United Kingdom. Though Musk largely ignored UK politics this year while working in the US government at his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), he appears to be back across the pond, spending his money and using his platform to elevate far-right extremists.
“A HUGE THANK YOU to @elonmusk today. Legend,” Robinson wrote on Monday, following the first day of his two-day trial for a charge related to counter-terrorism law at Westminster Magistrate’s Court in London. Robinson claimed this week that Musk had funded his defense.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was charged under the Terrorism Act after he refused to give police access to his cell phone in July 2024 while trying to leave the UK. Prosecutor Jo Morris told the judge this week the police believed “there may be information relevant to acts of terrorism” on the phone at the time. Robinson has pleaded not guilty and claimed the stop was unlawful. A decision in this case is due next month.
In a video posted on X ahead of the trial this week, Robinson said Musk had agreed to fund his defense. Robinson did not say how much Musk was contributing to his defense fund, but Mark Stephens, a prominent British solicitor who has in the past served as legal counsel for Julian Assange, tells WIRED that if he were covering Robinson’s entire defense, Musk’s bill would come to “easily half a million pounds [$665,000], maybe more with appeals.”
Robinson and Musk did not respond to requests for comment.
Musk posted incessantly about British politics at the beginning of the year, until his focus was consumed by DOGE. But, following his stormy departure from Washington, Musk’s focus on Europe is once again creating chaos. WIRED analyzed data provided by BrightData that shows a significant dropoff in the number of posts Musk made about the UK after January of this year. After he left DOGE in May, Musk’s posts about the UK increased dramatically again in August.
Experts believe Musk’s current outpouring of support for the UK’s far right is part of a possible concerted effort to destabilize the region politically to prevent onerous regulations—such as the EU’s Digital Services Act or the UK’s Online Safety Act—being used to punish X.
The United Kingdom has arrested an individual believed to have ties to a GBP 8 million sports betting scheme. While the man remained unnamed, officials noted that he might have participated in fraud related to the matter.
The Man Was Released on Bail
The man in question was described as a 37-year-old man, whose name remained undisclosed for legal reasons. The London Metropolitan Police officials explained that the arrestee is believed to be connected with Rory Campbell’s failed betting fund.
Officials elaborated that the man in question was arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation.
London’s Metropolitan Police added that the man was eventually bailed pending further inquiries.
Campbell’s Scheme Sought to Multiply Investors’ Money by Making Lucrative Bets
As mentioned, the man is believed to have had ties to the sports betting syndicate of Rory Campbell, the son of Alastair Campbell, a Tory Blair-era spin doctor. Rory Campbell swayed investors with promises of a robust mathematical model that could give him an edge over other bettors, allowing him to place lucrative bets.
The scheme attracter many veteran investors, some of whom were no betting slouches either. Campbell senior also backed his son’s initiative. In total, roughly 50 people invested between GBP 10,000 and GBP 500K in the scheme. Overall, Campbell’s syndicate managed to collect GBP 8 million.
In 2023, however, investors encountered difficulties withdrawing their money even though the fund insisted that they had made an average return of investment of 8% a year. Campbell reassured investors that everything was okay and that they could receive their funds in full by the end of July 2024. However, Campbell later changed that, telling them to expect a return of roughly 50-65%.
In December 2024, Campbell claimed that the scheme had collapsed as sportsbooks in Asia had refused to pay out his winnings. Shortly after that, investors reached out to the police. One civil case against the scheme’s mastermind sought to retrieve the GBP 266K plaintiffs had invested, although reports say that it only managed to retrieve a fraction of that money.
Ofcom has slapped 4chan with a £20,000 ($26,700) fine for failing to comply with the internet and telecommunications regulator’s request for information under the UK’s Online Safety Act of 2023. The regulator has released an update for 11 of the investigations it opened after the first of its online safety codes became enforceable in March this year. Apparently, 4chan has ignored its requests for a copy of its illegal harms risk assessment and to provide information about its qualifying worldwide revenue. This is the first fine Ofcom has handed down under the new law, which was designed to prevent children from accessing harmful content online and which has prompted websites like Reddit and X to put up age verification measures.
When the regulator launch its probe into 4chan in June, it said it received complaints about illegal content on the anonymous online board. It doesn’t exactly come as a surprise that 4chan refuses to give the regulator information about the risks of illegal content on its website: Back in August, the service filed a lawsuit against Ofcom, arguing that the enforcement of the UK’s Online Safety Act violates Americans’ freedom of speech. “This fine is a clear warning to those who fail to remove illegal content or protect children from harmful material,” said Liz Kendall, the UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology. The regulator is also imposing an additional penalty of £100 ($133) per day on 4chan until it complies with its requests for information.
Ofcom has announced the results of other investigations, as well, such as finding “serious compliance concerns” with two file-sharing services that have now deployed an automated tool that can detect and quickly remove uploads with child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Four other file-sharing services that were also under investigation for CSAM chose to geoblock access from UK IP addresses instead, so the regulator closed their cases.
