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BGC Warns Permanent Industry Damage Following Delay in Casino Reopening

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The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has warned that the UK Government’s last-minute reversal of plans to allow casinos to reopen on August 1 has dealt a wrecking ball to the industry, from which it may never recover.

The casino sector employs more than 14,000 people across the UK in 125 casinos and a further 4000 in the supply chain. Casinos also paid over £300 million each year in tax before the lockdown.

With casinos across England forced to remain shuttered, the BGC warns that up to 6000 jobs may be permanently lost.

In a letter to Chancellor Rishi Sunak MP on July 31, BGC described the decision to keep casinos closed as “highly illogical, inconsistent and deeply damaging to those businesses and the thousands of staff they employ.”

BGC has also rejected the Prime Minister’s categorisation of casinos as “higher risk” during his Downing Street briefing. Casinos have spent weeks and invested millions of pounds to ensure their premises are covid-secure, with measures such as perspex screens, sanitisation equipment and sophisticated track and trace systems, as well as introducing strict social distancing measures and hygiene protocols.

BGC Chief Executive Michael Dugher said: “The Government are swinging a wrecking ball right through the middle of our industry and large scale job losses, which ought to be unnecessary and avoidable, now look inevitable unless ministers act fast.”

“Casinos are a small but fundamental part of our leisure, hospitality, entertainment and tourism industry. They employ over 14,000 people across the UK and indirectly support another 4,000 jobs in the supply sector, and last year casinos paid over £5.7 million in tax per week.

“The ongoing cost of remaining in a holding pattern to reopen is clearly not sustainable, with more jobs and livelihoods being put at risk with every last minute change and delay to reopening.

“The Job Retention Scheme has helped but our members will now be forced to pay National Insurance and pension contributions on top of salaries in August while they remain closed. As furlough payments are phased out, there will be no flexibility for casinos to adapt to the new working and leisure environment and I now fear that many thousands of jobs could be lost.

“We made the all necessary preparations for safe reopening and we were given the green light by Public Health England on the basis of the significant investment made by operators, and having been told by the Government themselves that casinos posed a ‘negligible’ risk compared with the tens of thousands of other places that they have been reopened.”

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Groove says its aggregator library passes 20,000 casino games

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Groove says it has surpassed 20,000 casino titles on its aggregation platform, up from 15,000 games two years ago. The company said the library now includes content from more than 150 providers and is available to partners worldwide through a single API.

According to Groove, the portfolio spans slots, instant wins, table games, crash games, live dealer and arcade-style content, alongside “emerging verticals including sweepstakes and crypto-native content.” The company said the catalogue is delivered through “one API, one back office, one pipeline,” and positioned the milestone as a curated expansion rather than a volume play.

Rachel Tourgeman, Head of Partnerships at Groove, said: “Twenty thousand games is a number. What matters is what sits behind it…She added: “We don’t add studios for the sake of volume. We add them because they bring something distinctive: a mechanical innovation, a visual language, a player-engagement hook that our operators can’t get elsewhere. Our partners trust us to curate, not just collect. That trust is why we keep growing, and why the quality curve keeps rising alongside the quantity curve.”

Groove pointed to recent integrations including KingMidas Games (150+ mobile-first titles), Urgent Games and Bryogames, which it said offers “proprietary mathematics with real-time RTP customisation.” For operators, Groove said the full library is accessible via Groove Command, its centralised back-office product, with tools including content matching, regional segmentation and automated tournaments.

Yahale Meltzer, Co-Founder and CEO of Groove, said: “The aggregation space is crowded with platforms that offer ‘access’ and little else,” adding: “Twenty thousand games through a single API is not just scale. It is a statement.” Meltzer also claimed Groove’s “technology stack with predictive auto-scaling, atomic transactions, real-time compliance mesh” supports execution “across fragmented regulatory landscapes with precision.”

The post Groove says its aggregator library passes 20,000 casino games appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Mega Casino launches Bragg Gaming slot 10 Hot Diamond Desire as exclusive

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Mega Casino has launched 10 Hot Diamond Desire, a new online slot developed by Bragg Gaming, as an exclusive title available only to Mega Casino players.

According to the companies, the release is intended to strengthen Mega Casino’s exclusive content line-up in the UK online casino market. Bragg Gaming said the game was created by its in-house development team and combines classic slot features with modern mechanics and a diamond-themed design.

The exclusive launch also extends the commercial relationship between the supplier and operator. Mega Casino already offers Bragg Gaming titles including Down The Chimney and Sevens & Suns.

Dom Aldworth, Head of Brand Marketing at Kinetic Digital said:

“Exclusive content remains a key pillar of our strategy and 10 Hot Diamond Desire is a great example of the kind of launch we want to bring to Mega Casino players. The game delivers a compelling experience while giving customers access to something genuinely unique. We’re pleased to be working with Bragg Gaming on this exclusive release and look forward to expanding our portfolio of exclusive content even further in the future.”

The post Mega Casino launches Bragg Gaming slot 10 Hot Diamond Desire as exclusive appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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OS Studios names Ishaan Arya country manager to lead India expansion

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OS Studios has appointed Ishaan Arya as Country Manager for India, tasking him with leading the agency’s expansion across newly established hubs in Bengaluru, New Delhi, and Mumbai. The appointment was announced on 25 June, 2026 in Bengaluru.

OS Studios, a Project Worldwide agency, said it recently entered the Indian market and will deploy its ‘Fan Z’ approach for brands looking to engage with gaming, esports and live events audiences in South Asia. The company said the expansion will leverage the infrastructure and production capabilities of sister agency George P. Johnson (GPJ) India.

“The future of gaming will be shaped by the communities that care about it most, and few markets embody that more than India,” said John Higgins, CEO of OS Studios. “To build something meaningful, you have to be part of the culture, not looking in from the outside. Ishaan understands that better than anyone. He’s exactly the kind of leader we want building the future of OS Studios in India.”

In the role, Arya will oversee operations, drive strategic brand partnerships, and scale local capabilities, according to the company. “Brands are investing heavily in Indian gaming, but true fan experience is too often an afterthought,” said Rasheed Sait, Chief Growth Officer for India and South Asia at Project Worldwide. “Alongside GPJ India’s experiential footprint, OS Studios will set a new standard for fan engagement in the region.”

Arya previously co-founded The Esports Club and most recently served as Vice President of Partnerships at Nodwin Gaming, where he led Comic Con India. “A massive gap remains between brand intent and authentic community engagement in India,” said Arya. “I’m thrilled to leverage Project Worldwide and GPJ India’s operational strength to build culture-defining experiences for brands and fans alike.”

The post OS Studios names Ishaan Arya country manager to lead India expansion appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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