About this app
About Shining Hot 20
A former Connecticut funeral director who stole clients’ prepayments to fund his excessive gambling habit will spend the next seven and a half years in state prison.
Philip Pietras, 52, admitted to stealing from more than 170 people, many of whom are senior citizens who sought to limit the emotional and financial burdens placed on their loved ones by prepaying for their funerals. But instead of placing those funds, meant for caskets and burial services, in escrow accounts, Pietras pocketed the money to gamble.
Pietras accepted a plea deal from the state, and prosecutors expect him to enter a guilty plea on Oct. 23 and be formally sentenced on Jan. 22, 2027.
What is Shining Hot 20?
Published on Monday, after a period of consultation with operators and the gaming ombudsman, the guide clarified expectations around compliance with existing anti-fraud and anti-money laundering regulations without introducing new legal obligations.
While the guide does not impose novel legal duties, it effectively tightens the operational framework that operators must observe to manage player fraud in France.
It has addressed ongoing questions faced by operators regarding when it is reasonable to close accounts, withhold or return player balances, cancel bets, or redistribute tournament prizes deemed fraudulently obtained.
About Shining Hot 20
The state-backed Nederlandse Loterij has ordered the operators of the unauthorised gambling site Skyhills to cease serving Dutch players.
This action came in the wake of a recent court ruling in a separate case involving Lalabet.
On Tuesday, Nederlandse Loterij announced it had sent a cease-and-desist notice to companies and directors connected with Skyhills across several jurisdictions, including Costa Rica, North Macedonia, the United Kingdom, Curaçao, Malta and the Marshall Islands.
