All posts tagged: advance

Tennessee lawmakers advance bill targeting online sweepstakes casinos

Tennessee lawmakers advance bill targeting online sweepstakes casinos

Published by skeptic

Tennessee lawmakers are taking another step toward tightening rules on online gambling, advancing legislation that targets sweepstakes-style casino platforms officials say are misleading residents. House Bill 1885, introduced by Rep. Scott Cepicky, moved forward Tuesday (March 31) after clearing a House panel with a recommendation for passage. The proposal now heads to the House Finance, Ways, and Means Committee, where lawmakers will weigh its financial impact before deciding whether to move it further along. UPDATE: Tennessee HB1885 targets illegal gambling, including #sweepstakes-style operations. Now recommended for passage and sent to Finance committee @RWW pic.twitter.com/dgStu5s8Ku — Suswati Basu (@suswatibasu) March 31, 2026 The push comes as Tennessee joins a growing list of states examining or proposing restrictions on sweepstakes casinos. Regulators and law enforcement officials have raised concerns that these platforms blur the line between legal promotions and real-money gambling. How the Tennessee sweepstakes casino bill defines illegal activity The online gaming model relies on virtual currencies. Players can buy those currencies or receive them through bonuses, then use them to play casino-style games. In some …

First Hydrogen expands deal to advance next-generation unmanned ground vehicle

First Hydrogen expands deal to advance next-generation unmanned ground vehicle

Published by skeptic

The updated Letter of Intent (LOI) grants the company exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialise a patented unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) designed for both autonomous and remote operations. An unmanned ground vehicle is a land-based robotic system that operates without an onboard human, relying on remote control or autonomous navigation. These systems are increasingly used in security surveillance, military operations, hazardous environments, and material handling. AI is reshaping unmanned ground vehicle capabilities Artificial intelligence is playing a central role in the evolution of unmanned ground vehicle systems, particularly in defence applications. Systems that once focused on passive monitoring are now being developed as active, responsive platforms. Advances in AI are enabling sensor fusion, real-time target recognition, and autonomous response capabilities. This is becoming increasingly relevant as drone swarms and high-speed aerial threats drive demand for faster, more adaptive ground-based support systems. Hybrid-powered UGV designed for all terrain The UGV under development will use a hybrid energy system combining solar, battery, and hydrogen fuel cell technology. This configuration is intended to provide extended runtime, low …

Maryland lawmakers advance gambling bills targeting sweepstakes and college prop bets

Maryland lawmakers advance gambling bills targeting sweepstakes and college prop bets

Published by skeptic

Maryland lawmakers are pushing forward a trio of gambling bills aimed at tightening rules and going after illegal operators. House Bill 518 passed the House without opposition on March 18 and is now under review in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, along with two related proposals focused on unregulated online markets and sweepstakes-style gaming. Regulators have already shown they are willing to act, ordering two casinos to immediately halt certain activities over compliance issues, signaling a tougher stance across the state. Maryland House advances sweepstakes and college prop bet restriction bills HB 518 focuses on curbing problem gambling and placing new limits on certain wagers. It directs the State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission to take a more hands-on role, stating that “the Commission shall adopt regulations that are intended to reduce or mitigate the effects of problem gambling.” The rules must include “a voluntary exclusion list of individuals with gambling problems who have requested to be excluded,” along with “a simple mechanism” for people to sign up for a set period. In most …

Kentucky lawmakers advance sweeping gaming bill, raising betting age limits

Kentucky lawmakers advance sweeping gaming bill, raising betting age limits

Published by skeptic

Kentucky lawmakers are moving forward with a wide-ranging bill that would overhaul how the state regulates fantasy contests, sports betting, and charitable gaming, with the proposal now sitting in the Senate for further consideration. The measure, known as House Bill 904, passed the House on March 19 with a 79–15 vote. It reached the Senate the next day and was sent to the Committee on Committees. Sponsored by Rep. Michael Meredith and Rep. Matthew Koch, the legislation would increase the authority of the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation while laying out detailed rules across several gaming sectors. We interrupt your regularly scheduled March Madness tweets with an update from Frankfort: the House just passed a bill to raise the legal betting age from 18 to 21 and ban prop bets on Kentucky college athletes, among other measures. Senate next. The bill: https://t.co/n0VGlbK0dX — Lucas Aulbach (@LucasAulbach) March 19, 2026 The bill hopes to introduce a new system to regulate fantasy contest operators. It gives the state corporation power to license and supervise these businesses, …

Florida lawmakers advance bill targeting illegal gambling properties with stronger penalties

Florida lawmakers advance bill targeting illegal gambling properties with stronger penalties

Published by skeptic

Florida lawmakers have formally enrolled Senate Bill 168, a measure that expands the state’s public nuisance law to include properties used for illegal gambling and removes limits on fines tied to those violations. The bill was ordered on Tuesday (March 17), after passing both chambers with wide margins, including a 112–0 vote in the House on third reading. In recent months, Florida regulators have stepped up actions targeting unauthorized gaming, including a recent crackdown that led to the seizure of more than 600 illegal gambling machines. State officials say those operations often run in storefronts or back rooms, generating significant unregulated revenue while skirting oversight. How gambling enforcement and penalties will shift under new Florida nuisance law SB 168 revises the list of activities that allow a property to be declared a public nuisance. The enrolled text adds locations used as gambling houses to that list, placing them alongside other recurring criminal uses already covered under state law. According to the bill summary, the measure is “revising the list of places that may be declared …

Gibraltar lawmakers advance sweeping gambling reform bill to replace 2005 law

Gibraltar lawmakers advance sweeping gambling reform bill to replace 2005 law

Published by skeptic

Gibraltar has taken the first formal step toward overhauling its gambling laws, with a new bill introduced in Parliament on Wednesday (March 18). The proposal begins the process of replacing the territory’s long-standing 2005 framework with a broader and more modern system. Lawmakers will now move the bill through its next stages, including a second reading, detailed committee review and a final vote. If it clears those hurdles, it will go forward for Crown assent before becoming law. Framework update for Gibraltar gambling bill The legislation redraws how gambling is licensed, monitored and enforced in Gibraltar. It is designed “to repeal the Gambling Act 2005 and to make new provision for the licensing, regulation and supervision of gambling.” The new structure puts a licensing Authority and a Gambling Commissioner at the center of oversight, backed by defined goals such as protecting consumers, maintaining market integrity and tackling financial crime. The scope of regulation is also set to widen as well. The rules would extend beyond operators to include marketing affiliates, software providers and certain ownership …

BWXT and ORNL partner to advance US uranium enrichment

BWXT and ORNL partner to advance US uranium enrichment

Published by skeptic

BWX Technologies and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have formalised a partnership aimed at strengthening domestic uranium enrichment capability for defence purposes. The organisations recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlining cooperation on the Domestic Uranium Enrichment Centrifuge Experiment, commonly known as DUECE. The initiative supports a broader effort by the Department of Energy to rebuild a reliable domestic supply of enriched uranium that can be used in national security missions. Federal officials have identified this capability as a priority as the United States seeks to reduce dependence on foreign enrichment services for sensitive defence-related materials. The agreement formalises the collaboration that has been developing around the DUECE project and establishes a framework for further research, engineering development, and the eventual deployment of the enrichment system. Commenting on the partnership, Stephen Streiffer, ORNL laboratory director, said: “This MOU solidifies our shared commitment to the DOE’s vital defence priorities by combining ORNL’s innovative centrifuge designs with BWXT’s proven industrial expertise. “Together, we’re restoring a capability the US hasn’t had since 2013 to enable a secure …

EU awards Mantle8 €2.06M to advance natural hydrogen tech

EU awards Mantle8 €2.06M to advance natural hydrogen tech

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European natural hydrogen exploration company Mantle8 has secured €2.06m in funding from the Just Transition Fund to support the development of a suite of technologies designed to locate and analyse natural hydrogen resources. The project will be based in Grenoble and forms part of a broader natural hydrogen research and innovation initiative worth €4.84m. The grant sits within the FEDER/FSE+/JTF 2021–2027 programme, administered by the Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The funding programme aims to strengthen industrial capabilities in regions undergoing structural change linked to the energy transition. Mantle8 will use the funding to increase the maturity of several core technologies that underpin its natural hydrogen exploration platform. The company’s development plan focuses on advancing subsurface imaging, geochemical analysis and modelling tools to support the identification of hydrogen-bearing geological systems. Emmanuel Masini, CEO and Founder of Mantle8, commented: “This funding allows us to strengthen the core technologies that underpin our entire platform. “It gives us the means to scale our tools, improve their robustness and move closer to industrial deployment.” Scaling key exploration technologies The project centres on …

Six UK startups join ESA incubator to advance space technology

Six UK startups join ESA incubator to advance space technology

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Six companies have joined the European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre UK (ESA BIC UK) programme, highlighting the growing role of space technology in addressing challenges both in orbit and on Earth. Through ESA BIC UK, these emerging companies focused on space technology will gain access to technical facilities, research expertise and funding designed to help early-stage ventures commercialise advanced technologies. The incubation programme is operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) in partnership with the UK Space Agency and the University of Leicester. Participants receive support to develop products that can be deployed in space missions while also generating applications for industries on Earth. The latest cohort reflects a growing trend in the sector: startups adapting space technologies to solve real-world problems, from managing orbital debris to detecting wildfires more quickly. DeepTech Catalyst expands the UK space innovation pipeline ESA BIC UK operates within STFC’s broader DeepTech Catalyst network, which supports startups across sectors including biotechnology, healthcare, quantum computing and space. Since its launch in 2011, the network has assisted more than …