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

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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.

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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:

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  • 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.

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SolutionsHub Promotes Zita O’Kelly-Hills to Head of Operations Amid Continued Growth

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SolutionsHub is pleased to announce the promotion of Zita O’Kelly-Hills to Head of Operations, a leadership role central to delivering operational efficiency and scalable business infrastructure across its expanding portfolio.

A former legal professional, Zita brings a unique combination of expertise, operational insight, and leadership maturity to the role. Since joining SolutionsHub, she has steadily expanded her remit—taking on increasingly complex responsibilities in areas such as treasury, governance, and regulatory coordination. Her promotion recognises her significant contributions and the critical role of operations in SolutionsHub’s continued growth.

As Head of Operations, Zita will oversee the day-to-day functioning of the group and lead the refinement of internal systems and processes, while ensuring alignment with the strategic objectives set by the Board.

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Zita’s background in legal services informs her disciplined, process-oriented approach, while her aptitude for optimising workflows and driving cross-functional collaboration has already resulted in meaningful improvements to the company’s internal efficiency and governance capabilities. In addition to overseeing essential operational functions, she continues to play a key role in supporting clients with complex governance requirements.

“Zita’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for SolutionsHub,” said Nick Wright, Chief Operating Officer. “Her attention to detail, governance expertise, and ability to bring structure to fast-moving environments make her an invaluable part of our leadership team. This promotion not only recognises her past performance but underscores the central role operations plays in keeping SolutionsHub agile, compliant, and future-focused.

It strengthens our operational foundation and positions us to support growth across both established and emerging service areas.”

The post SolutionsHub Promotes Zita O’Kelly-Hills to Head of Operations Amid Continued Growth appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Brazil

Brazilian Ministry of Sports and IBIA sign sports betting integrity agreement

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The Brazilian Ministry of Sports and the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) have signed a sports betting integrity cooperation agreement. This partnership will enable the sharing of information concerning suspicious betting activity connected to Brazilian sports and support collaboration on integrity-related investigations.

The agreement brings together the governmental body tasked with safeguarding the integrity and development of Brazilian sport, and the largest international betting integrity monitor for private operators in the world. Leading industry data and intelligence company H2 Gambling Capital has forecast that IBIA covers more than 70% of Brazil’s licensed remote gambling market.

According to ‘The Availability of Sports Betting Products: An Economic and Integrity Analysis’ study published last year, the sports betting regulatory regime in Brazil is projected to create $34bn (R$191.7bn) in sports betting turnover by 2028. With this increased growth comes a greater responsibility to protect customers, sports and betting operators from match-fixing.

A key element of the new Brazilian regulatory framework is the requirement that operators seeking a licence must join an independent sports integrity monitoring body. This licensing requirement is helping to strengthen IBIA’s capacity to monitor, assess and protect betting transactions in Brazil’s regulated sports betting market and maintain the integrity of Brazilian sporting events.

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Minister of Sport, André Fufuca, said: “Today we are signing a milestone in the fight against match-fixing in Brazilian sport. Integrity must be a constant principle when it comes to transparency, ethics and, above all, the correctness of sports results. With these agreements, we will have more than enough instruments to curb this practice and guarantee greater transparency in competitions. Thus, athletes, clubs, organizations, fans and the entire population will be able to fully trust in the fairness of the results and, with this, will have peace of mind to develop the full potential of Brazilian sport.”

Khalid Ali, IBIA CEO, said: “IBIA welcomes this important partnership with the Brazilian Ministry of Sports. As the market grows, so too does the responsibility to ensure that robust integrity safeguards are in place. This agreement will ensure that information on suspicious betting is swiftly shared with the Ministry to support effective integrity actions. This includes access to detailed, account-level data available only through IBIA’s unique network.”

IBIA is a globally recognised non-profit organization that seeks to safeguard the integrity of the sports and betting sectors by fighting betting related match-fixing and fraud. It provides a free integrity monitoring service to sports governing bodies, regulatory authorities, government ministries, and law enforcement agencies that, importantly, has no potential conflicts created by the provision of competing commercial services, enabling all parties to efficiently and effectively cooperate in investigating, prosecuting and deterring sports betting related match-fixing.

IBIA monitors over $300bn per annum in betting turnover across more than 140 sports betting brands globally, making IBIA the largest betting integrity monitor of its type for private operators in the world. The association’s unrivalled access to detailed global customer transactional data has, and will continue, to play a pivotal role in protecting the Brazilian sports betting market and sporting events from corrupt activity. IBIA recently released its global alert data for the first quarter of 2025, detailing that 63 cases of suspicious betting were reported to the relevant authorities.

The post Brazilian Ministry of Sports and IBIA sign sports betting integrity agreement appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Gaming Awards

Wazdan wins Industry Innovation of the Year at SBC Awards Americas 2025

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Wazdan, the leading gain-focused developer known for its innovative approach to iGaming content, has been awarded Industry Innovation of the Year (North America) at SBC Awards Americas 2025.

The award recognises the company’s consistent efforts to develop solutions tailored to the specific demands of the North American market, combining latest technology with an understanding of local player preferences.

For years, Wazdan has delivered products that not only meet regulatory requirements but, above all, respond to user expectations in terms of gameplay, personalisation, and high-quality entertainment.

Wazdan continues to expand its presence across North America, forming strategic partnerships with leading operators and tailoring its titles to meet the regulatory requirements of individual jurisdictions. The company’s growth in the region is driven by locally focused innovation and a long-term collaborative strategy.

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Attendees of SBC Summit Americas 2025 are invited to meet the Wazdan team who are situated at Stand D650, ready to showcase its latest solutions and award-winning products.

Izabela Słodkowska-Popiel, Head of Account Management for North and Latin America, said: “Innovation is not a one-off initiative, it’s a mindset that guides us at every stage of product design and delivery. Receiving the Industry Innovation of the Year award confirms that our focus on technological solutions and user-driven design is a proven formula.

“This recognition marks another important step in Wazdan’s growth and highlights the company’s strong and ever-expanding presence in one of the most dynamic iGaming markets.”

The post Wazdan wins Industry Innovation of the Year at SBC Awards Americas 2025 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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