UAE Welcomes Play971 as Its First Online Gaming Brand Summary The United Arab Emirates has licensed its first fully legal iGaming operator, Play971, which is operating under a General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) licence. The brand, owned by Momentum (the parent of The Game lottery), is currently in a soft launch with a full […]
2026 predictions – HR’s 2026 pivot – AI as the humaniser Summary HR and Payroll are set to shift from transactional back-office functions to strategic, experience-led thinkers in 2026. The article argues that AI and predictive analytics will automate routine tasks, enabling HR to focus on skills-based workforce planning, continuous upskilling and personalised employee experience […]
Skill games face scrutiny as Pennsylvania Supreme Court weighs gambling status Summary Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court is hearing a dispute over whether so-called “skill games” — machines commonly found in gas stations and convenience stores — should be classed as gambling devices. State officials, led by the attorney general and Department of Revenue, argue the devices […]
Operationalise Skills to Bridge the Gap Between Learning and Business Impact Summary Harry Chapman-Walker, CEO of Kallidus, argues that organisations must operationalise skills to turn learning into measurable business outcomes. Upskilling and reskilling are now core business drivers — improving productivity, retention, innovation and revenue — but they only deliver when skill strategies are embedded […]
The Impact of Foreign Direct Investment on Firms’ Cash Holdings: Evidence From China Summary This paper uses Chinese firm-level data (annual survey of industrial firms, 1998–2007) and exploits the 2002 FDI liberalisation as an instrumental variable to identify the causal effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) on manufacturing firms’ cash holdings. The core finding: a […]
UK High Court Blocks Media Access to Files in GVC Turkey Investigation Summary Justice Hill on 26 November imposed a reporting restriction preventing media from publishing any material drawn from HM Revenue & Customs or Crown Prosecution Service documents, an earlier CPS summary, or other material linked to the long-running criminal investigation into GVC’s former […]
Industry Turmoil Grows After UK Unveils Sharp Tax Hikes on Digital Gaming Summary The UK government, in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ second budget, has announced steep tax increases on digital gambling. From next April the tax on online casino products rises from 21% to 40%, and from 2027 the rate on digital sports bets will increase […]
It's time for all small businesses to act Summary The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) warns that UK small businesses are frequent targets of cyber crime: around half suffer a cyber incident each year. To help, the NCSC has published the free Cyber Action Toolkit — a straightforward, step-by-step set of actions that builds basic […]
Singapore claims top position in Global Talent Competitiveness Index, first time since launch Summary Singapore has taken first place in the 2025 Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) — the first time it has led the ranking since the index began. Switzerland and Denmark follow in second and third. High‑income economies, especially Nordic countries, dominate the […]
The next chapter of screening: Balancing automation, authenticity and risk in 2026 Summary Roger Clements outlines how pre-employment screening is entering a major evolutionary phase driven by direct data access and AI. The article explains the shift away from intermediary-led checks towards instant, verified data from sources such as HMRC and banking systems (with candidate […]
