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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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LEON announces LEON.bet Masters, a new CS2 tournament in Portugal

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LEON continues to strengthen its presence in esports with the launch of LEONBET Masters, a new Counter-Strike 2 tournament set to take place from September 24 to 27 at the SAW Esports Arena in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.

The tournament will bring together 16 teams competing for a €30,000 prize pool and valuable VRS points, which play a key role in qualification opportunities for major international events, including the Singapore Major later this year.

LEONBET Masters will feature a group stage with four groups of four teams, followed by playoffs that will determine the tournament champion. The event is expected to attract some of the strongest Tier 2 and Tier 3 teams looking to improve their rankings and continue their path toward the highest level of professional Counter-Strike competition.

The launch of LEONBET Masters marks another step in LEON’s long-term commitment to esports. Over the past few years, the company has actively supported the competitive gaming ecosystem through partnerships with prominent organizations and by hosting its own tournaments across multiple disciplines. Previous initiatives include the LEON Masters Dota tournament, the LEON Masters Deadlock competition, and the LEON Esports Cup Free Fire, further demonstrating the brand’s investment in developing competitive gaming. 

LEON currently partners with German esports organization GamerLegion, supporting both its Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 rosters. The company also partners with teams such as SAW, one of Portugal’s most recognizable esports organizations, and FlyQuest, further strengthening its presence across key international esports markets. 

By creating LEONBET Masters, LEON aims to provide emerging teams with additional opportunities to compete at a high level, gain valuable ranking points, and showcase their talent on a larger stage.

Additional information about the participating teams, tournament format, broadcast talent, and where to watch the event can be found on the official tournament page here: 

https://leonbetmasters.com/ 

About LEON

LEON is an international sportsbook and online casino brand with over 17 years of industry experience. The company actively supports esports through strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and competitive gaming initiatives, working with organizations and communities across multiple regions worldwide.

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ELA Games reports 201.9% betting volume jump in Greece over two quarters

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ELA Games says it has delivered triple-digit growth in Greece over the last two quarters, reporting an 86.30% increase in active users, a 77.20% rise in turnover, and a 201.90% surge in overall bet counts.

The supplier attributed the results to aligning its content with local player preferences and said its Greece performance has been driven by certified titles focused on visual design and “narrative-led experiences.”

ELA Games named Piñatas Festival, Riches Express, and Flame Fruits Frenzy as its top-three performing titles in Greece during the period.

The company also linked the performance to a new strategic partnership with Fonbet in Greece. ELA Games said the integration creates an exclusive hub for its content and expands access to its catalogue for local players.

Yaroslav Soloshenko, Business Development Team Lead at ELA Games, said: “When we look at the numbers, it is satisfying to see that our regional strategy is paying off in such a big way. We spend a lot of time analyzing what players in specific markets want to see. Our unique design philosophy combined with that regional focus has resulted in proven commercial success across our main European markets, and Greece is a perfect example of that in action.”

The post ELA Games reports 201.9% betting volume jump in Greece over two quarters appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Midnite signs Middlesbrough shirt deal, renews Sheffield United sponsorship

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Midnite has agreed a principal partnership with Middlesbrough FC that will put the bookmaker on the club’s front of shirt for the 2026/27 season. The brand will also continue as principal partner of Sheffield United FC for a second consecutive year, also including front-of-shirt sponsorship.

Midnite said the Middlesbrough agreement will run during the club’s 150th season and will include a supporter-facing activation called “This Season’s On Us”. The company said the initiative will offer prizes including men’s or women’s season tickets, 2026/27 home and away shirts, hospitality tickets and a £25 club shop voucher, with participation described as first-come-first-served via trivia and football challenges.

For Sheffield United, Midnite is launching a new matchday promotion called 2UP. Midnite said if Sheffield United go two goals up in a home league match, “one lucky fan will win the 2UP prize pot”. The Sheffield United 2UP prize fund will start at £10,000 when the season begins in August, with £1,000 added for every home league fixture, according to the company.

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

“The Championship is one of the most viewed football leagues in the world, with some iconic and historical names from English football competing in it. We are looking forward to being a part of the action by partnering with two of the league’s biggest clubs in what should be another thrilling season.

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

“We are also delighted to be Sheffield United’s principal partner for a second consecutive season after a really exciting first year. We’ll be looking to create even more memorable fan experiences in the upcoming season.”

Midnite said the 2UP campaign will run across all of its Midnite-sponsored Championship clubs and referenced a separate front-of-shirt deal announced last month with Wolverhampton Wanderers. The company also highlighted other UK sports marketing activity, including a renewed sponsorship with the World Snooker Tour for the World Snooker Championship and a UK betting and casino partner designation for the 2026 Johnstone’s Paint Masters.

The post Midnite signs Middlesbrough shirt deal, renews Sheffield United sponsorship appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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