Wild Hearts

What is Wild Hearts?

Tim Miller, who resigned from the UK Gambling Commission earlier this year, has stepped down from the GREF board and has relinquished his role as treasurer. 

Miller served on the forum for several years and was a key UK figure during a period when the Gambling Commission implemented extensive reforms to online gambling regulation and affordability checks. GREF expressed its gratitude for Miller’s contributions during his tenure.

Jean-Michel Costes has also left the board after concluding his role at France’s Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ). 

About Wild Hearts

Since joining the Ministry of Finance in 2024, he has been directly involved in implementing Brazil’s betting regulatory framework. His work has focused particularly on monitoring authorised operators, combatting the illegal market and strengthening controls to prevent money laundering and the financing of terrorism, as well as coordinating enforcement actions with other government agencies and private sector stakeholders.

“Fabio’s appointment brings an important South American perspective to the IAGR board of trustees at a time when regulators worldwide are facing similar transnational challenges,” said IAGR President Ben Haden.

“Brazil has undergone an ambitious regulatory transformation in an extraordinarily short period, and his experience at the heart of this process will provide valuable insights to the regulators within our global community.”

What is Wild Hearts?

As with California, sports wagering is illegal in Texas. Greg Abbott, a three-term governor, is up for re-election in November, along with Dan Patrick, his lieutenant governor. Patrick, who vehemently opposes sports betting, also serves as president of the Texas Senate in his current role. Several attempts to legalise sports wagering since the 2018 PASPA decision have been foiled under Patrick’s leadership.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is in the middle of a heated US Senate campaign against Democratic challenger James Talarico. Paxton will be succeeded as Texas AG by state Senator Mayes Middleton, a Republican from Galveston, or his Democratic opponent Nathan Johnson, a state senator from Dallas.

State Senator Bob Hall represents Senate District 2 in Texas, a district that contains parts of Dallas. Hall, 84, did not see a distinction between event contracts and sports wagers, noting that the former is just dressed up in a different manner.