Industry News
Paddy Power Co-founder Accuses Industry of Scaremongering Over Tax Hike Warnings
The co-founder of Paddy Power has accused industry chiefs of scaremongering after they warned new gambling taxes could push punters towards the black market.
Stewart Kenny, who resigned from the bookmaking giant in 2016 and has since become a vocal critic of the sector over problem gambling, claimed it was a red herring. He admitted using the “black market” argument during his time in charge, adding: “I’m embarrassed to admit this…we knew it was way exaggerated but it is the perfect way of saying ‘the government will lose money’ – but in fact it won’t.”
Among those issuing the black market warning is Paddy Paddy’s now owner.
His comments came as top bosses launched a fightback in the wake of calls for Chancellor Rachel Reeves to hike gambling taxes to fund welfare spending and tackle harmful gambling. It follows another round of bumper results from some of the industry’s big players who, together, are forecast to rake in profits of £4billion globally this year.
Peter Jackson, chief executive of Paddy Power parent company Flutter, which recently predicted annual profits would surge by around 40% to £2.45billion, said: “it’s really important (to) keep customers in the legitimate market where we can make sure we can look after them.”
Sean Wilkins, finance chief at William Hill owner Evoke, which analysts estimate will make £362million this year, said higher taxes will “only lead to a growth in the black market.” And Stella David, chief executive of Ladbrokes owner Entain, warned of “the law of unintended consequences”.
Pressure is growing for the government to use a consultation on updating the tax treatment of bookmakers to hit the sector with fresh levies. The Office for Budget Responsibility has forecast current levies will bring in £3.8billion for the Treasury this financial year.
The post Paddy Power Co-founder Accuses Industry of Scaremongering Over Tax Hike Warnings appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Behind The Gloves has formed an official Advisory Board as it moves from event-led activations to what it describes as a scalable, long-term business and community.
The board includes Michael Brady, Founder and Chairman of Bede Gaming and Chairman of Connexus Group; Rob Fell, CEO of RiskCherry; and Katie Byers, former SVP of People and Capability at Light & Wonder.
According to the organisation, the appointments are intended to support expansion into new verticals including corporate wellness programmes, brand partnerships and future digital products.
Behind The Gloves said it plans to continue operating as a “business for good” by reinvesting a portion of profits into community initiatives and charitable causes.
Lee McFarland, Founder of Behind The Gloves, said: “The foundation of our Advisory Board reflects Behind The Gloves’ commitment to building a strong business that can expand globally and reach more people than ever.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Katie, Rob and Michael to the Board and look forward to leveraging our industry’s unmistakable energy to support good causes and deliver accessible activities for all fitness levels on a larger scale.”
The post Behind The Gloves forms Advisory Board to scale beyond event activations appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
LuckyCasino has gone live in Spain, LCKY Group confirmed, marking the brand’s entry into the regulated market.
The operator said LuckyCasino is the second brand in the LCKY Group portfolio to operate in Spain, following OneCasino. The company positioned the launch as part of its long-term growth plans and noted the brand has previously operated in Sweden.
LCKY Group said the Spanish-facing offering includes more than 2,000 games, alongside localised offers and payment methods. It also claimed the catalogue includes “many LuckyCasino exclusives.”
Mark Schram, MD B2C Central & South Europe at LCKY Group, said: “Everyone at LuckyCasino is looking forward to showing off the mix of variety and innovation that’s made our platform such a huge hit elsewhere.
“With Spain being a key market for us going forward, we’re excited to build on the success LCKY Group has already enjoyed in the country with OneCasino, and we expect our vast selection of content will prove hugely appealing for Spanish customers.”
The post LuckyCasino launches in Spain as LCKY Group expands B2C footprint appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Evoplay has launched Season of Legends, a year-long network campaign built around four seasonal phases, starting with a spring edition carrying a €512,000 prize pool. The spring phase launched in March and runs across March, April and May.
The studio said the new format follows its previous Big Adventures network campaign and is designed to drive sustained engagement through a more structured seasonal approach. Each season runs for three months with new mechanics and prize pools.
A new mechanic, Infinity Prize Drops, will run daily throughout each month and is not tied to tournament windows. The spring edition also includes a Tournament and Wheel of Fortune, each operating in four monthly phases: 1st- 5th, 9th- 13th, 17th- 21st, and 25th- 29th.
Evoplay said the €512,000 spring prize pool will be distributed across the three-month period via a consolidated leaderboard spanning participating operators. Players earn points through qualifying spins on selected Evoplay titles including Hot Triple Sevens, Piggy Bank: 3 Pots Bonanza, and the Penalty Shoot-out series.
Diana Larina, Head of Marketing at Evoplay, said: “Season of Legends marks the next evolution of our network campaigns. With Big Adventures, we saw just how effective long-term engagement can be, and this new format takes that even further.
“By introducing seasonal structure and mechanics like Infinity Drops, we’re giving operators the tools to maintain consistent player activity, rather than relying on short-term spikes. This is just the beginning, and we’re excited to build momentum throughout the year.”
The post Evoplay rolls out Season of Legends campaign with €512,000 spring prize pool appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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