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Betting Brands may Shift Focus from Sports to Casino Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Published

6 years ago

April 14, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

COVID-19 has shaken up the world. No one and no business has been left unaffected by the virus, and that includes the betting industry. Land-based casino and betting shops have especially felt the impact of the novel coronavirus, which has forced these establishments to close to help stop the spread of the disease. Even the biggest sports betting brands in the UK have suffered online and offline from the widescale suspension, postponement or cancellation of major sporting events.

There’s no question that as far as the gambling industry is concerned, brick and mortar betting shops and casinos have taken the hardest hit, with one of the worst cases being in Nevada, which shut down every casino on its famous Las Vegas strip back in mid-March. Nevada depends on tourism more than any other U.S. state and is used to catering to tens of millions of visitors annually. Unemployment rates are expected to go up by a minimum of 30% in the state, according to the Nevada Resort Association. This has left many to wonder and worry if Vegas’ big names like Wynn Resorts, MGM Resorts, and Sand Crop. will survive the virus’ economic impact, even with help from the financial relief plan.

That said, the closures caused by the coronavirus have been felt across the industry. For instance, the impact on big groups like GVC has resulted in the company taking steps to do what it can to alleviate the strain that has been placed on its operations. Like other companies, GVC has been working hard to lower costs and re-prioritize activity to preserve free cash while making sure its customers continue to be able to enjoy great experiences. Among these re-prioritisations has been reducing the amount spent on sports content, online sports marketing, and trading costs.

Photo source: Shutterstock

Even online Sportsbook is not Immune to Coronavirus

Naturally, the online gambling industry has a massive advantage over its land-based counterparts. No one needs to social distance online and gambling can be enjoyed safely from home 24/7 via a computer or mobile, whether one is self-isolating or in full quarantine. However, in spite of this fact, online sportsbooks continue to find it a challenge to make the most of the internet advantage.

With no active mainstream sports, online bookies have been forced to fill the void with more emphasis on the virtual world of sports, including animated versions of major horse races like the Grand National, which was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Virtual Grand National, like other virtual races, was a computer-simulated race. It included virtual spectators and virtual ambulances that followed the runners and riders around the courses.

Beyond virtual sports, digital bookmakers have also placed greater focus on eSports as well as other lesser known events. Still, even with the focus on these other events, all online bookmakers have seen a dramatic decline in depositors and increased churn rates because it is simply far too difficult to retain players when the major sports betting markets are at a standstill.

Many of the big name gambling operators have watched the value of their shares suffer from the COVID-19 outbreak. Some of these include:

William Hill shares have dropped by more than half since the 21st of February 2020
GVC Holdings (owner of Ladbrokes Coral) has seen a drop in share prices by more than 20%
Flutter Entertainment (owner of Paddy Power Betfair) has seen its share value tank by over 15%

Sportsbooks May Shift their Focus to Online Casinos

Online casinos, which offer online slots, virtual table, and card games, scratch cards, live casino games, etc. are in much better shape than their sportsbook cousins and that’s because they don’t depend on sports or other major events to continue carrying on with business as usual.

As such, many bookies that also offer a casino platform may consider cross-selling their online casino products to their existing sports betting customers in an attempt to recoup some of the money they’ve lost. This tactic could work as bored housebound punters, who previously focused solely on sports, can be keener to engage in casino entertainment until they can bet on their favorite football matches or horse races again.

Since March, COVID-19 has shut down most economies and sent more than a billion people into lockdown. Like many other businesses considered non-essential, land-based gambling establishments have closed their doors until the outbreak and restrictions ease. While only time will tell how well gambling operators will fare once the worst of the pandemic has run its course, for now, all they can do is focus on their online operations and survive as best they can. For some, online casinos could potentially provide the life raft they need to stay afloat.

Compliance Updates

MGA Representative Appointed Co-Chair of GREF InfoStat Working Group

Published

36 minutes ago

May 26, 2026

Wladimir P.

mga-representative-appointed-co-chair-of-gref-infostat-working-group

Erika Spiteri Bailey, the Senior Executive of Business Intelligence & Data Analytics at the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), has been officially appointed as the Co-Chair of the InfoStat Working Group within the Gambling Regulators European Forum (GREF).

Erika Spiteri Bailey will serve in this role alongside Anssi Airas, representing the National Police Board of Finland.

GREF is a forum for European gaming regulators, facilitating the exchange of views and the development of approaches to common regulatory challenges. Within this framework, the InfoStat Working Group provides a platform for regulators to collaborate and exchange insights on the use of data in support of effective policy development and decision‑making across jurisdictions.

In her role as Co-Chair, Erika Spiteri Bailey will contribute to shaping the group’s work programme and fostering cooperation among members, with a focus on strengthening data‑driven regulatory approaches.

The post MGA Representative Appointed Co-Chair of GREF InfoStat Working Group appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Chris Thornton

GamCare Appoints Chris Thornton as its New Director of Operations

Published

36 minutes ago

May 26, 2026

Wladimir P.

gamcare-appoints-chris-thornton-as-its-new-director-of-operations

GamCare has announced the appointment of Chris Thornton as its new Director of Operations, with overall responsibility for the delivery and performance of GamCare’s national and regional services, including the National Gambling Helpline. Chris joins the Executive Leadership Team at a pivotal time for the gambling support sector.

Chris brings extensive senior leadership experience spanning the NHS, voluntary sector and health commissioning. He joins GamCare from the British Red Cross, where as Director for the North of England and Isle of Man he led multi-disciplinary health and care operations, managing around 100 staff and £3m in annual income from NHS and local authority commissioned services, delivering measurable reductions in emergency department attendance, hospital readmissions and reliance on formal social care.

Chris has built and led services at scale throughout his career. At Primary Care Sheffield he led city-wide clinical services and co-led successful bids worth £22m. At St John Ambulance he created the East Midlands region and grew its charitable output by 365% while reducing costs by 61%. He is a Chartered Companion of the Chartered Management Institute and served for eight years on the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s Fitness to Practise Committee.

Chris Thornton, incoming Director of Operations at GamCare, said: “I’m thrilled to join GamCare at such an important moment for the organisation and for everyone working to reduce gambling harms across the UK. GamCare operates at national scale, running the UK’s only round-the-clock specialist support service for gambling harms, combining the National Gambling Helpline, live chat, online communities and self-guided tools with thousands of structured treatment sessions and prevention and education programmes reaching tens of thousands of people each year.

“That combination of specialist expertise, integrated delivery and frontline impact is rare in any sector, and is shaping how effective support for gambling harms is understood and delivered. I’m looking forward to building on those foundations and to playing my part in ensuring GamCare’s services continue to meet growing demand as the sector evolves.”

Victoria Corbishley, CEO of GamCare, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Chris to GamCare and to the Executive Leadership Team. He brings exactly the combination of strategic and operational leadership that reflects how we work, significant experience of leading complex health and community services at scale, a strong track record of evidencing impact, and a deep commitment to reaching people who are often underserved. I look forward to working closely with him as we continue to deliver and develop our national services.”

The post GamCare Appoints Chris Thornton as its New Director of Operations appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Christer Fahlstedt

Paf Passes Half a Billion Euros for the Benefit of Society

Published

36 minutes ago

May 26, 2026

Wladimir P.

paf-passes-half-a-billion-euros-for-the-benefit-of-society

Paf increased both its revenue and profit during 2025. At the same time, the company has passed a historic milestone – more than half a billion euros has now been distributed for the benefit of society since its foundation in 1966.

The Paf Group’s revenue increased to 214.5 million euro in 2025, compared to 191.7 million euro the previous year, an increase of 12%. The Group’s profit also increased, from 54.3 million to 57.2 million euro.

“The profit improved by five percent, which means that Paf delivered the strongest result in the company’s history. Our figures are positive across all our markets and our physical operations increased revenue by three percent,” said Christer Fahlstedt, CEO of Paf.

During the past year, the number of active customers also increased by 12%, contributing to the positive development.

The annual distribution of Paf funds amounts to 55.5 million euro. This major distribution means that Paf passes half a billion euros in distributed Paf funds. Since Paf was founded in 1966, a total of 527.9 million euro has been distributed for the benefit of society.

“Contributing more than 500 million euro to building a stronger society in Åland is a new milestone in Paf’s 60-year history. Paf has made a remarkable journey from offering local gaming experiences in Åland in the 1960s to introducing gaming onboard ferries during the latter part of the 20th century. With the development of digital gaming since the early 2000s, Paf is today an established operator in several markets across Europe,” said Jan-Mikael von Schantz, Chairman of the Board at Paf.

“It is the result of long-term and successful work carried out with great expertise by Paf’s management and employees,” he added.

Paf funds are used for various projects and organisations that benefit society, including social activities, culture, youth work, sports, environmental initiatives and more.

“We do not take the measures we introduce lightly, it requires a great deal from all of us at Paf when we implement responsible gaming measures that other operators in the industry do not have. At the same time, we are proud to stand by what we believe is the right and responsible way forward,” said Christer Fahlstedt.

In 2025, Paf chose to lower the loss limit to 16,000 euro for all customers and to 6000 euro for young people aged 20–24. This year in February 2026, the general mandatory loss limit was further reduced to 15,000 euro. The latest reduction means that Paf has now halved the original loss limit that was first introduced in 2018.

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