Penny Pelican

What is Penny Pelican?

Parliament is now considering two competing approaches to online gambling. But neither has produced a licensing framework.

A private members’ bill, 2026/009, was put forward on 20 January by 23 deputies and referred to the General Legislation Committee on 29 January. It would amend the 1974 decree-law to prohibit all online gambling and require internet and payment providers to block it.

MP Yasser Gourari, one of the deputies promoting the measure, told Diwan FM that the bill provides for fines of MAD10,000 to MAD500,000 and prison terms of one to five years. Penalties rise where there is recidivism, involvement of minors or suspicion of money laundering.

What is Penny Pelican?

Earlier this year, the Powerball game launched in the UK, allowing Brits to play for the same uncapped jackpot as their American peers. A few weeks ago, on the other hand, the first Match 5 win in the UK happened. This has now happened again, as Powerball reported another seven-figure payout in the county.

The Monday Powerball drawing had players competing for a jackpot of $314 million with a cash value of $133.8 million. In order to win, players had to correctly match all six winning numbers. The white winning numbers for the September 21 drawing were 2, 7, 9, 17, and 58. The red Powerball, on the other hand, was 20, while the Power Play multiplier stood at 2x.

Unfortunately, a jackpot win did not occur, although the game continued to award smaller prizes to players across the US and UK. As mentioned, a second Match 5 win happened in the UK, where a lucky player succeeded in matching all five winning numbers to redeem a $1 million payout. The drawing did not have a Match 5 + Power Play win of $2 million.

About Penny Pelican

Americans wagered nearly $167 billion on sports in 2025 through regulated sportsbooks, an 11% increase year-over-year, according to data from the American Gaming Association (AGA).

The blurring line between financial investing and gambling has been accelerated by the rise of prediction markets—exchanges offering event contracts that are federally regulated as financial derivatives. U.S. News found that over 40% of active sports bettors now also participate in sports prediction markets.

Financial advisors continue to urge consumers to view sports wagering strictly as entertainment and to only risk funds they can afford to lose.