Global CrowdStrike Glitch Disrupts Major Online Casino Operations

A widespread technology outage caused by a faulty CrowdStrike update has affected numerous online gambling operators worldwide. The buggy code sent to Microsoft Windows workstations has impacted both digital platforms and brick-and-mortar operations across the globe.

Global CrowdStrike Glitch Disrupts Major Online Casino Operations

A widespread data disruption has sent shockwaves through the online casino industry, leaving major operators scrambling to restore services. The incident, caused by a faulty update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, has affected numerous high-profile gambling sites across multiple countries.

From BetMGM in the United States to Ladbrokes and Coral in the UK, and TAB and Sportsbet in Australia, the outage has highlighted the vulnerability of digital betting platforms to large-scale IT issues.

As frustrated players find themselves unable to access their favorite online casinos, operators are racing against time to resolve the data glitch and resume normal operations.

Affected Operators:

  1. BetMGM: The joint venture between MGM Resorts and Entain has been offline since midnight. BetMGM stated on social media that they are “experiencing temporary issues due to global IT outages” and are working to resolve the problem.
  2. Ladbrokes and Coral: These Entain-owned brands reported technical issues in both retail and online operations. Their websites displayed messages indicating temporary service interruptions.
  3. TAB and Sky Racing: These Australian operators experienced technical issues, with TAB facing a total blackout earlier in the day, impacting both online and retail operations. However, TAB later reported that services had been restored.
  4. Sportsbet: The Flutter-owned Australian bookmaker also reported disruptions to some of its betting services, including customer support.
  5. Sportingbet and bwin: These Entain-owned platforms were also reported to be down.
  6. Potential issues at Paddy Power: While unconfirmed, the outage monitoring platform Downdetector.com showed several reports of technical issues beginning at 9:00 AM.

The impact appears to be more severe in the UK, Western Europe, and Australia, with numerous gaming companies encountering system failures. In the United States, while the disruption seems less widespread, significant operators like BetMGM have been affected.

Simon Clare from Ladbrokes Coral stated,

Like many global businesses, some of our platforms, including Ladbrokes and Coral, are experiencing temporary IT issues. This is due to an update by a third party, CrowdStrike. We are working hard to resolve this, and some systems are back working, and some of our shops are not affected and are back working.

Simon Clare

What is CrowdStrike?

CrowdStrike is a Texas-based cybersecurity firm that provides cloud-based security solutions to businesses worldwide. The company’s Falcon platform is designed to protect endpoints (such as computers and mobile devices) from various cyber threats.

The current issue stemmed from a problem with CrowdStrike’s Falcon Sensor, which monitors the security of large PC networks. Specifically, the company identified a “defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts.” This faulty update, when deployed to Microsoft Windows computers, caused widespread disruptions across various industries, including online gambling.

CrowdStrike has acknowledged the problem and is working on resolving the issue. They have reverted to the previous software version to prevent further disruptions and are actively assisting affected customers in restoring their systems.

As the situation continues to develop, many affected gambling operators are working to restore their services. Users are advised to check the official communication channels of their preferred betting platforms for the most up-to-date information on service availability.