Fishin Bonanza

About Fishin Bonanza

Jesper Kampmann Madsen, the founder of London-based tech firm Trace2Trace, is building technology to map the networks behind illegal gambling. Madsen, 35, and born in Denmark, knows what it means to be on the other side of the screen: as his decision to fight illegal gambling stems back to his own addiction, he tells iGB.

He was a teenager when he started gambling habitually. For several years, it remained entertainment. Then, when he was in his early twenties, came a large win on a foreign unlicensed gambling site: around €22,000.

“I remember gambling all of it back the same day because they couldn’t pay it out in full immediately,” he says.

What is Fishin Bonanza?

What the president does not acknowledge is that the government relies on revenue from the sector. In just the first seven months of 2026, BRL8.747 billion generated by sports betting has already flowed into public coffers. The Federal Revenue Service estimates the total could reach BRL16 billion by the end of the year. In 2025, nearly BRL9 billion was collected from sportsbooks.

The burning question is where such funds will come from if Lula shuts down the betting industry. Yet, no one points out to him that players will simply migrate to the illegal market. Betting will continue to exist, but without formal tax revenue, oversight or player protections.

It will be up to the government to effectively curb the illegal market so the regulated sector continues to generate taxes and jobs while upholding responsible gambling practices. By riding the wave of criticism against betting companies, the government is diverting attention from the true cause of household indebtedness.

What is Fishin Bonanza?

The founder of a collapsed British “shadow bank” accused of misappropriating £1.3 billion (US$1.7 billion) was reportedly a prolific high roller who bet up to £60,000 ($80,000) per roulette spin at London’s exclusive casinos.

Paresh Raja’s mortgage lending company, Market Financial Solutions (MFS), collapsed into administration in February amid allegations of massive financial irregularities.

A source familiar with Raja’s gambling habits told The Telegraph he was a regular visitor to the upmarket Palm Beach Casino and Colony Club in Mayfair, one of London’s most affluent districts.