The Taliban government of Afghanistan has banned chess due to concerns that it violates the country’s strict laws around gambling. According to AFP News, the Taliban believe that chess is subject to gambling, going against the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law introduced in 2024. A spokesperson for the Afghan Sports Directorate, Atal Mashawani, told AFP that the …
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Unibet ‘chess proposition’ triggers Norway drama
A potential tie-up between Norges Sjakkforbund (NSF) – Norway’s Chess Federation – and online bookmaker Unibet may turn into a political showdown for multiple national stakeholders. Norwegian media reports that NSF has been approached by Kindred Group Plc’s flagship sportsbook property Unibet, offering the federation a NOK 50 million (€5m) partnership – Norwegian Chess’ biggest ever sponsorship. Reacting to the news, …
Read More »Unibet expects big returns from chess revival
Supporting its sponsorship of the FIDE World Chess Championship held at The College London (9-28 November), Unibet details that it will cater the most comprehensive chess markets inventory for its customers. This August, Unibet marketing confirmed that it had become the first betting operator to sponsor a FIDE championship as Norwegian chess master Magnus Carlsen faces American challenger Fabiano Caruana over a 12-round …
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