RABAT – July 11, 2025 — Morocco has taken a decisive step toward accelerating its digital transformation with the launch of the national 5G license bidding process, officially announced by the National Agency for Telecommunications Regulation (ANRT). The move positions the Kingdom to be among the first North African countries to implement large-scale 5G infrastructure.

The bidding round, open to domestic and international telecom operators, comes as Morocco prepares to expand high-speed mobile connectivity to 25% of the population by 2026 and an ambitious 70% by 2030—a timeline aligned with the country’s strategic preparations for co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

An ANRT spokesperson stated:

“The deployment of 5G is a cornerstone of Morocco’s digital sovereignty strategy. It will enhance industrial productivity, support innovation in education and health, and empower Moroccan citizens and businesses with next-generation connectivity.”

A National Infrastructure Priority

The 5G initiative forms part of Morocco’s broader Digital 2030 Agenda, which emphasizes inclusive access to high-speed internet, digital entrepreneurship, and cloud infrastructure across all regions—from urban hubs to rural provinces.

Industry experts expect that 5G rollout will create tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs, particularly in construction, network engineering, cybersecurity, and application development. The government has also confirmed that spectrum allocations will be accompanied by investment requirements for nationwide deployment and innovation partnerships.

Smart Cities, Green Networks

Telecom operators bidding for 5G licenses are expected to integrate energy-efficient infrastructure, including green base stations powered by solar and wind. The technology is seen as foundational for Morocco’s smart cities framework, enabling applications in autonomous transport, precision agriculture, logistics, and smart governance.

“The timing is strategic,” said a senior analyst at North Africa Telecom Forum. “With the 2030 World Cup on the horizon, Morocco has a chance to leapfrog into the next era of connectivity and showcase digital leadership on a global stage.”

Investor and Public Engagement

To ensure transparency and fair competition, ANRT has published a full regulatory framework for 5G licensing on its official website, inviting stakeholder feedback and prequalification by September 2025. License awards are expected to be finalized by Q1 2026, allowing for initial network deployment in key metropolitan areas such as Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech, and Tangier.

Morocco’s three incumbent mobile operators—Maroc Telecom, Orange Maroc, and Inwi—are widely expected to participate in the bid, though international technology partnerships may shape the competitive landscape.

LONDON – July 9, 2025 — Flutter Entertainment plc (NYSE: FLUT), the global leader in sports betting and iGaming, has confirmed it is conducting a formal internal investigation following a cybersecurity incident that compromised personal data belonging to a significant number of UK-based customers across its Paddy Power and Betfair platforms.

The breach, which was recently detected by internal systems, resulted in unauthorized access to user information including usernames, email addresses, and the first lines of home addresses. Flutter has not disclosed the exact number of customers affected but acknowledged that the incident involves a “substantial portion” of its UK customer base.

A spokesperson for Flutter UK & Ireland stated:

“Immediately upon identifying the breach, we notified the relevant data protection and gambling regulatory authorities. A full-scale investigation was launched in collaboration with leading external cybersecurity experts. Ensuring the security and privacy of our customers remains our highest priority.”

The company emphasized that there is no evidence, at this stage, to suggest that financial data or account credentials such as passwords were compromised. Nevertheless, the company is urging customers to remain vigilant and to monitor their accounts for any suspicious activity.

According to Flutter’s 2024 Annual Report, the group operates 4.2 million average monthly active players across the UK and Ireland through its various brands, including Paddy Power, Betfair, Sky Betting & Gaming, and Tombola.

Both the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and the UK Gambling Commission have acknowledged that they are aware of the incident and are in communication with Flutter regarding the ongoing investigation.

Cybersecurity professionals have expressed concern over the increasing frequency of data breaches within the gaming and betting sectors, which handle vast volumes of personal and behavioral data.

“The betting and gaming industry is a high-value target for cybercriminals,” said Dr. Karen Atwood, a cybersecurity consultant at the Centre for Digital Trust. “While payment data may be encrypted, the exposure of contact and residential information still presents serious risks for phishing, fraud, and social engineering.”

Flutter has initiated a review of its security infrastructure and data protection protocols to strengthen its cyber resilience. The company has also pledged to implement additional safeguards across all its platforms to prevent future incidents.

As the investigation continues, Flutter stated it would provide further updates to regulators, customers, and stakeholders in accordance with transparency obligations and evolving findings.

In a rare public admission of a cyber breach, Russian developers behind a popular custom firmware used to militarize civilian drones have confirmed their systems were compromised in a targeted cyberattack. The firmware, known as “1001”, has been widely used to convert off-the-shelf drones for military deployment in Ukraine.

The announcement was made via the Telegram channel “Russian Hackers – To the Front”, which serves as a hub for pro-Russian tech volunteers supporting battlefield innovation. The developers disclosed that unidentified hackers breached their server infrastructure, manipulated operator interfaces with false messages, and eventually disabled the software distribution platform altogether.

“This was a deliberate sabotage of our ability to push firmware updates to the front lines,” the group stated.

The “1001” firmware was reportedly installed on over 200,000 civilian drones as of March 2025, enabling functions such as GPS spoofing resistance, improved flight autonomy, and payload deployment—key adaptations for repurposing drones into battlefield tools.

The cyberattack is particularly notable not just for its technical disruption, but also for being openly acknowledged by a Russian military tech entity—a rare move in a nation known for tight information control and cyberwarfare opacity.

Cybersecurity analysts believe this intrusion could have strategic implications on the battlefield. “Drones are playing an increasingly pivotal role in tactical warfare, especially in reconnaissance and precision strikes,” said Dr. Lena Kovalsky, a drone warfare researcher. “Disrupting the software supply chain is a powerful form of asymmetric warfare.”

It remains unclear who orchestrated the attack. While some observers suspect Ukrainian cyber forces or allied hacktivist collectives, no group has yet claimed responsibility.

This incident highlights the growing vulnerability of dual-use technology—civilian tech adapted for military purposes—and raises questions about the security and ethics of open-source warfare platforms.

As the war in Ukraine continues to evolve, so too does the digital battlefield, where firmware lines are just as critical as front lines.