Latest News
BGC Members Make Record Horserace Betting Levy Contribution
Betting and Gaming Council members are expected to contribute a record £105m in levy payments to the Horserace Betting Levy Board for last year, new figures reveal.
The figure, provided by the independent Horserace Betting Levy Board, is an increase of £5m on the previous year.
As a result of this record additional funding from bookmakers, the HBLB announced an increase of £3.2m in its prize money contribution for 2024 versus 2023, from £67.3m to £70.5m.
It is the third year in a row that Levy contributions have increased, from £97m in 2021/22, to £100m in 2022/2023 and now £105m in 2023/2024.
According to the Horserace Betting Levy Board, the £105m total is derived from the receipt of provisional end of year submissions from most Levy-paying bookmakers.
Michael Dugher, Betting and Gaming Council CEO and Acting Chair, said: “This record contribution to the Levy is extremely welcome news and demonstrates once again the enduring, mission critical support regulated betting provides British horseracing.
“Despite a double digit decline in horserace betting turnover over the past five years – and a double digit decline in racecourse attendances – this shows that levy contributions and prize money are both up, and it once again provides a timely reminder that racing could not survive without the record financial support that is flowing from betting.
“Our members remain committed to the long-term success of horseracing, and the huge economic contribution it makes across the country, especially in rural communities.
“Attention must now turn to how we challenge vested interests, introduce real change and reform the sport, ensuring we reverse the current decline and provide racing with a genuinely long term sustainable future.”
Horseracing is the second biggest spectator sport in the UK, second only to football, with around five million people attending approximately 1400 fixtures annually across 59 racecourses.
However, the sport has been in decline in recent years. In 2007, 17% of the population enjoyed horserace betting the previous year, but that fell to 10% in 2018, while racecourse attendances have dropped by 14% since 2019.
Meanwhile, horserace betting turnover for April to December 2023 is down 17% vs the average for the same period across the last five years.
The BGC has made significant efforts to lessen the impacts on racing as a result of the Government’s White Paper on gambling reforms, particularly on the issue of affordability.
Earlier this month the BGC announced a new voluntary industry Code on Customer Checks which raises standards, while reducing the need for requests for private financial documents.
Developed jointly with the Gambling Commission and backed by Government, this Code will operate as a voluntary interim scheme – bringing consistency across the regulated sector for operators who adopt it – until the frictionless financial risk assessments set out in the Government’s White Paper can be developed, tested and implemented.
While this Code delivers progress on resolving the issue of intrusive document checks, it does not offer a complete solution. So, the BGC and GC are now actively working on a new Code on Anti-Money Laundering checks, which also trigger requests for documents.
The BGC is currently working with the British Horseracing Authority and government to resolve a settlement on a new voluntary Levy to support horseracing.
It is estimated BGC members contribute around £350m a year to British horseracing in Levy, media rights and sponsorship deals.
Meanwhile the wider regulated betting and gaming sector supports 110,000 jobs, generates £4.2bn in tax and contributes £7.1bn to the economy.
Each month around 22.5m adults in Britain enjoy a bet, whether it’s buying a lottery ticket, having a game of bingo, visiting a casino, playing online or having a wager on football, horseracing and other sports.
The most recent NHS Health Survey for England estimated that 0.4% of the adult population are problem gamblers.
The post BGC Members Make Record Horserace Betting Levy Contribution appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
ai game recommendations
Vegangster Integrates ZingBrain AI for Smart Game Recommendations Across Operator Lobbies
Vegangster has integrated ZingBrain AI‘s smart lobby personalisation into its platform, adding a new layer of game discovery for players across Vegangster-powered brands.
Casino lobbies now feature AI-driven recommendation sections tailored to each player’s preferences, much like those on Spotify or Netflix. Players see personalised rows such as “Picked for You”, “Because You Like…” and “Try Other Games With Similar Mechanics”, which point them to relevant titles. These recommendations can also be presented directly in Vegangster’s own Scroll & Play feed, giving each player a personalised discovery experience in a well-known format.
According to ZingBrain AI’s published results, smart lobby personalisation delivers a 5–15% uplift in GGR and turnover, 10–15% more games played, and a 5–10% increase in player active days, while cutting time spent on lobby management by 80%.
Michael Oziransky, Chief Product Officer at Vegangster, commented:
“ZingBrain works hand in hand with our own Scroll & Play feed: the engine decides which games are right for each player, and Scroll & Play puts them in front of them as gameplay clips they can watch and jump straight into.”
In practice, this changes how the lobby works for both sides. A player who keeps coming back to crash games sees fresh titles with similar mechanics instead of the same generic top grid, and players returning after a break land in a lobby built around what they already love. Operators, meanwhile, stop curating lobby positions by hand: a new game release reaches the players most likely to enjoy it from day one, without competing for a banner slot.
Another application of the engine is provider cost optimisation. Operators set priority levels for individual providers and games based on deals, campaigns, or new launches, and ZingBrain applies those priorities to personalised recommendations. In A/B tests across four brands, this redirected up to 20% of turnover and GGR to more profitable titles, with no drop in player performance.
The integration is now available to all Vegangster operator clients.
About Vegangster
Vegangster provides a full iGaming platform built for speed, scale, and operator control. Its turnkey, white-label, and sweepstakes solutions bring casino and sportsbook content, payments, CRM, compliance, and social features together in one mobile-first system. With Vegangster, operators can launch quickly and grow with confidence.
About ZingBrain AI
ZingBrain AI is an easy-to-integrate AI performance platform for the iGaming industry, providing smart lobby personalisation, player analytics, and churn and GGR predictions for online casinos and sportsbooks. The company is ISO 27001 certified and works with 60 live brands worldwide.
The post Vegangster Integrates ZingBrain AI for Smart Game Recommendations Across Operator Lobbies appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
BC.GAME
BC.GAME names Guillermo Ochoa brand ambassador for Mexico push
BC.GAME has signed Mexican footballer Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa as a brand ambassador to support its growth strategy in Mexico through BCGAME.mx.
The company said Ochoa will front football-led brand activity, including local promotions and fan engagement campaigns designed for Mexican audiences. BC.GAME positioned the partnership as part of its continued investment in what it described as the regulated Mexican market.
Kar Kheng Giam, CEO of BC.GAME, said: “Mexico is an important market for BC.GAME, and localisation is central to how we build meaningful relationships with users.
“Guillermo Ochoa is more than an outstanding goalkeeper. He is a figure who genuinely connects with Mexican football fans across generations, and that makes him an ideal ambassador for BCGAME.mx.
“As we continue to invest in our platform for the Mexican market, we want to work with partners who understand the culture, passion and community around football. Ochoa’s profile, professionalism and connection with fans make him a natural fit for BC.GAME.”
Ochoa said: “I am very happy to partner with BC.GAME at such a special time for Mexican football.
“Football has always been about passion, community and shared experiences. I look forward to working with BC.GAME and BCGAME.mx to connect with fans in new ways.”
BC.GAME said the agreement comes during a “landmark summer” for football across Mexico, the United States and Canada, and described the signing as part of a broader sports entertainment strategy spanning football, esports and entertainment partnerships. The company also said responsible gaming remains an important part of its platform experience in markets where it is permitted to operate.
The post BC.GAME names Guillermo Ochoa brand ambassador for Mexico push appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Latest News
Tom Horn Gaming ships Royal Ruby FeatureStorm slot worldwide on 14 July 2026
New Hold & Win title adds a collection meter, Bonus Buy options, and max win of 13,920x on a 5×3, 9-payline setup.
Tom Horn Gaming will launch Royal Ruby FeatureStorm worldwide on 14 July 2026, adding a new Hold & Win slot to its portfolio.
The game runs on a 5×3 reel layout with nine paylines and is positioned as a high-volatility release. Tom Horn Gaming said the title offers a maximum win potential of up to 13,920x the stake and is built around its Hold & Win FeatureStorm mechanic.
In the base game, a collection meter above the reels fills as Ruby symbols land. According to the company, completing the meter can trigger one of seven bonus combinations that include collectors, multipliers and jackpots, while landing three Ruby symbols triggers the Hold & Win Bonus Game immediately.
During the bonus, Ruby symbols convert into locked Value Coins on a 5×3 grid, with three respins awarded and the counter resetting when new symbols land. Tom Horn Gaming said Collector, Multiplier and Jackpot symbols can interact during the feature, and the game includes two Bonus Buy options: 50x total bet for direct access to the Hold & Win bonus, or a 120x option that “guarantees all three special symbols are active from the outset.”
Ondrej Lapides, CEO at Tom Horn Gaming, said: “Royal Ruby FeatureStorm builds on the enduring appeal of Hold & Win gameplay while introducing a collection mechanic that keeps players engaged throughout every session. Combined with rewarding bonus interactions and strong win potential, the game delivers an experience that resonates with players while offering operators a valuable addition to their content portfolios.”
The post Tom Horn Gaming ships Royal Ruby FeatureStorm slot worldwide on 14 July 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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