The Isle of Man has passed landmark legislation formally recognising data as a legal asset, in a move that could reshape how gambling operators value and monetise their core infrastructure.
Approved by the island’s parliament, Tynwald, the Foundations (Amendment) Bill 2025 introduces a new structure known as a Data Asset Foundation (DAF). The model allows organisations to hold data within a regulated legal entity, giving it formal asset status for the first time.
For the land-based and iGaming sectors, where data underpins everything from player acquisition to risk management, the implications are significant. Operators will be able to place datasets into a DAF, define governance rules around usage, and treat that data as a balance sheet asset, including using it as collateral or within corporate valuations.
The initiative has been developed in partnership with the EDM Association, with each DAF required to include a legal charter, certified governance framework and clearly defined rules on how data can be accessed and used.
The move addresses a long-standing gap. While operators generate vast volumes of high-value data, from player behaviour to fraud detection and trading models, that information has historically lacked formal legal recognition as an asset class.
Industry observers suggest the framework could unlock new financing and commercial opportunities. Operators may be able to leverage structured datasets to secure lending, enter controlled data-sharing agreements or enhance enterprise value in M&A scenarios.
There are also regulatory implications. A formalised structure for data ownership and governance could support more controlled sharing of player data for responsible gambling research, an area under increasing scrutiny from regulators.
Miles Benham, Managing Director of MannBenham and one of the island’s most experienced business lawyers, says that this legislation represents a structural shift for data-driven industries, adding that the framework enables operators to “structure, protect and actively leverage” data assets without relocating core operations, with early use cases already demonstrating significant valuation potential.
The Isle of Man has positioned the framework as a global template, with secondary regulations and a pilot programme already underway ahead of full implementation later in 2026.
For the gambling sector, the message is clear. Data is no longer just operational infrastructure; it is becoming a recognised financial asset, and jurisdictions are beginning to legislate accordingly.
