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What is Mafia Gold?
The arrests come amid a surge in burglaries targeting Illinois’ vast network of nearly 50,000 video gaming terminals.
Illinois Gaming Board data obtained earlier this year by the Chicago Sun-Times revealed that 502 gaming-related burglaries had been reported through June 22—already topping the 473 recorded during all of 2025. More than $1.5 million was stolen during the first half of 2026 across more than 100 municipalities.
The attacks have shown little sign of slowing. Earlier this month, law enforcement noted that a single crew is suspected in coordinated burglaries across Wheeling, New Lenox, and Peotone, where masked offenders armed with sledgehammers hit gaming venues within a 24-hour span.
What is Mafia Gold?
Other clubs that hold agreements with unlicensed operators include Chelsea (8XBet), Tottenham Hotspur (VSBet) and Nottingham Forest (FUN88).
Entain highlighted data from H2 Gambling Capital that warned black market stakes in the UK are expected to nearly double from £17 billion ($22.7 billion) in 2025 to over £33 billion by 2028.
Entain emphasised offshore operators do not employ the same player protection measures and anti-money laundering standards that licensed companies must.
About Mafia Gold
Instead, it proposed a risk-based approach. It suggested lighter controls on use cases such as coding assistants, but strong checks on customer-facing functions, particularly those involving fraud and responsible gambling.
Kenneth Brincat, CEO of the MDIA, said companies needed “practical ways” to better understand where AI fits within their businesses.
“Trust is fundamental to the responsible adoption of AI. As its use becomes increasingly embedded across the gaming sector, organisations need practical ways to understand where AI is being used, manage the associated risks and ensure that accountability and human oversight remain firmly in place,” he said.
