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Casinos in England to Reopen on August 1

Published

6 years ago

July 20, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that casinos in England can re-open on 1 August after more than four months in lockdown. The PM’s decision has been welcomed by the industry standards body the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) as a major boost for the tourism and hospitality sector.

The trade body has urged the devolved administrations to “show their hands” and end the uncertainty for the 2000 employees who work in Scottish and Welsh casinos who still have no end to lockdown.

Casinos in England employ more than 12,000 people and contribute nearly £300 million in tax to the Exchequer. Casinos also play a vital role in the tourism economy contributing nearly £4 million a week.

The betting and gaming industry – which employs over 70,000 people across the U.K. and contributes over £3 billion a year to the Treasury – has introduced a range of strict COVID safety measures which have already seen betting shops and bingo halls re-open and now casinos in England will follow soon.

Betting and Gaming Council Chief Executive Michael Dugher said:

“After four long months of lockdown, it’s fantastic to see casinos will reopen safely for business again on 1 August. I am delighted that they can now play their part in supporting the recovery of the tourism and hospitality sector.

“BGC casino members went the extra mile to meet strict COVID guidelines some weeks ago but were left in the dark as to when they would be allowed to reopen. I’d like to thank DCMS Secretary of State Oliver Dowden, Minister Nigel Huddleston and the many cross-party MPs who supported us and worked hard to secure a reopening date.

“Britain’s casinos employ thousands of people and pay millions in tax, and they were one of the few remaining leisure and hospitality businesses to remain closed.

“The uncertainty has been awful for the 12,000 people who work in casinos in England and we now call on Scottish and Welsh governments to follow suit and permit casinos to reopen without delay. The devolved administrations owe it to the 2,000 employees who work in Scottish and Welsh casinos to end this uncertainty and help them return to work.”

Brand Partnerships

Midnite signs as Middlesbrough FC principal partner for 2026/27 season

Published

3 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

midnite-signs-as-middlesbrough-fc-principal-partner-for-2026/27-season

Midnite has agreed a partnership with Middlesbrough FC that will see the UK bookmaker become the club’s principal partner and front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2026/27 campaign, which Middlesbrough describes as its landmark 150th season.

The companies announced the deal alongside a fan activation at Riverside Stadium on Thursday, July 9, branded “This Season’s On Us”. The initiative offered supporters prizes including 2026/27 season tickets, 2026/27 shirts, match tickets, or a £25 club shop voucher, with fans required to answer Middlesbrough trivia and complete a football challenge.

Middlesbrough former players Craig Hignett and David Wheater attended the event, and, according to the company, took bonus attempts on behalf of participants who missed out.

Andrew Mook, Midnite’s Head of Brand Marketing, said:

“Middlesbrough have a storied history and we’re delighted to announce this partnership during such a monumental year with the club celebrating their 150th anniversary.

“It was great to see so many Middlesbrough fans at the “This Season’s On Us” activation, we hope they enjoyed taking part and meeting club legends, with David Wheater hitting top bins on several occasions and allowing fans to win big with season tickets.

“We can’t wait to get to Riverside Stadium in August to kick-off a new season and we’re excited to say that we have plenty of new and captivating campaigns planned.”

Lee Fryett, Middlesbrough FC Chief Commercial Officer, added:

“We’re delighted to welcome Midnite as our new Principal Partner.

“We’re looking forward to working closely with Midnite to develop engaging campaigns, content and unique experiences that bring our fans even closer to the club.

“We’re confident this partnership will provide real value for our supporters while supporting our ambitions both on and off the pitch.”

The post Midnite signs as Middlesbrough FC principal partner for 2026/27 season appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

AGCO

ThrillTech secures AGCO supplier licence for Ontario launch

Published

3 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

thrilltech-secures-agco-supplier-licence-for-ontario-launch

ThrillTech has been awarded a Gaming-Related Supplier licence by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), clearing the company to launch in Ontario’s regulated market.

The licence allows ThrillTech to deploy its opt-in side bet jackpots technology with regulated online casino, sports betting and lottery operators across the province.

Benjamin Bradtke, Co-Founder of ThrillTech, said: “Securing our AGCO licence is a major step in our mission to transform how jackpots are delivered at scale across regulated markets. This latest certification is testament to our robust technology and trusted compliance frameworks, allowing us to continue our global growth trajectory. We are thrilled to bring our proven, compliant jackpot technology to Ontario, empowering locally licensed operators to uplift revenue without cannibalising existing spend.”

The company said its “ThrillPots” mechanics sit as an independent, player-funded side bet and do not alter the underlying game’s return-to-player mathematics.

ThrillTech said the Ontario approval enables its existing multinational partners that also operate in the province to launch its side bet jackpots locally, while it also holds talks with potential new operator partners. The company lists its regulated footprint as including the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Romania, Malta, Gibraltar, Brazil and Peru.

The post ThrillTech secures AGCO supplier licence for Ontario launch appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

AGCO

ThrillTech wins AGCO supplier licence to enter Ontario market

Published

3 hours ago

July 15, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

thrilltech-wins-agco-supplier-licence-to-enter-ontario-market

ThrillTech said it has been awarded a Gaming-Related Supplier licence by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), clearing the company to offer its side-bet jackpot technology to regulated online casino, sports betting, and lottery operators in Ontario.

Benjamin Bradtke, Co-Founder of ThrillTech, said: “Securing our AGCO licence is a major step in our mission to transform how jackpots are delivered at scale across regulated markets. This latest certification is testament to our robust technology and trusted compliance frameworks, allowing us to continue our global growth trajectory. We are thrilled to bring our proven, compliant jackpot technology to Ontario, empowering locally licensed operators to uplift revenue without cannibalising existing spend.”

The company said its ThrillPots product lets operators add player-funded, opt-in side-bet jackpots on top of existing games, without changing gameplay or the underlying return-to-player (RTP) calculations. ThrillTech positions the mechanic as a way to drive incremental engagement and revenue.

ThrillTech said the Ontario licence enables existing multinational partners that also operate in the province to roll out ThrillTech-powered jackpots locally, and added it is in discussions with potential new operator partners. The company listed other regulated jurisdictions it serves as the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Romania, Malta, Gibraltar, Brazil, and Peru.

The post ThrillTech wins AGCO supplier licence to enter Ontario market appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.