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BGC Warns Permanent Industry Damage Following Delay in Casino Reopening

Published

4 years ago

August 4, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

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.

European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

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.”

Latest News

ELA Games Signs Exciting Partnership with Rootz to Introduce Its Portfolio to New Audiences

Published

6 hours ago

November 25, 2024

George Miller

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Reading Time: < 1 minute

Ela Games signs strategic partnership with Rootz

ELA Games is excited to announce its new strategic partnership with Rootz, an iGaming platform that focuses on exciting tech and automation.

Rootz is an all-encompassing iGaming solution built to help operators manage all aspects of their online casinos and power the brands of the future. Some innovative brands in the Rootz portfolio include Wildz, Chipz Casino and many more.

This strategic partnership will see ELA Games’ catalogue being hosted on many of Rootz’s brands. As a result, more players can experience ELA Games’ unique and innovative games like Cash Crab, Joker Cashpot and more. With many of the studio’s games implementing engaging gamification engines, Rootz’s brands can experience increased player acquisition, retention and engagement.

David Fall, ELA Games’ Business Development Manager and spokesperson, commented on the partnership, “We’re proud to announce this significant strategic partnership and are excited about the positive implications it will have on our growth. ELA Games will increase its market presence by being hosted on Rootz’s various platforms, and Rootz will experience increased player engagement from our innovative games. This partnership will prove to be a mutually beneficial one and a meaningful development for our studio.”

Sam Brown, Rootz’s CEO, added, “At Rootz, our players come first, so we’re always thrilled to augment our lobbies with top-quality casino content, like the titles in ELA Games’ catalogue. We’re sure our players will enjoy them, and we look forward to this mutually beneficial collaboration.”

ELA Games continues to experience expansive yet sustainable growth, as evidenced by this recent significant partnership. The studio continues its commitment to producing games with attractive UI and design that enhances the player experience.

The post ELA Games Signs Exciting Partnership with Rootz to Introduce Its Portfolio to New Audiences appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Latest News

CryptoWins Celebrates One-Year Milestone with Birthday Month Bonuses and New Slot Launch: Wild Alaska

Published

8 hours ago

November 25, 2024

George Miller

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

This month marks the one-year anniversary of CryptoWins, a cutting-edge cryptocurrency-only casino that has quickly made an impact in the gaming world since its debut.

To celebrate, CryptoWins is rolling out a month of birthday bonuses and gifts for both new and returning players. Earlier this month, players already enjoyed an 80% VIP Match bonus, and the celebration continues with even more rewards, including a 66% match bonus for players who’ve made at least one deposit during the month, as well as a $20 freebie!

To kick off its birthday month, CryptoWins.com has introduced its latest video slot, Wild Alaska, created by Slotland Entertainment. This high-energy 5×3 slot game is packed with adventure and features a max multiplier of 750x, a $20 max bet, and 20 paylines. A standout feature is the Free Spins round, where all winnings are tripled, and Grizzly Wilds become Extended Wilds, giving players even more opportunities for massive payouts.

“This milestone wouldn’t be possible without the support of our incredible players. To show our gratitude, we’ve released a month of exclusive bonuses and a cool new game,” said Michael Hilary, CryptoWins manager. “We’ve built CryptoWins around the values of transparency, fairness, and player freedom. Our provably fair gaming technology ensures every player can verify game results for complete peace of mind, while our no withdrawal limits policy allows players to enjoy our platform to the fullest.”

In keeping with its commitment to providing regular rewards, CryptoWins has continued to deliver ongoing promotions throughout the year, including reload bonuses and cashback offers. The casino also boasts a dedicated VIP loyalty program, designed to reward consistent play with exclusive perks.

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAY GIFT BONUSES:

1/ THANKSGIVING $20 FREEBIE
Available Nov 26 – Dec 1

* $20 free
* Max cashout: 3x
* Valid for: SE all games
* Wager: 37x
* BONUS CODE: BIGTHANKS

2/ 66% LOYAL MATCH
Available Nov 26 – Dec 1

* 66% for players who deposited at least once in November
* Redeem: 1x per day
* Valid for: SE all games
* Wager: 35x
* BONUS CODE: LOYAL66

The future is bright for this forward-thinking cryptocurrency online casino, and players can look forward to even more developments in the months ahead.

CryptoWins, a cryptocurrency casino operated by Slotland Entertainment offers 500+ games from Slotland Entertainment S.A. and eight other game providers: ELA Games, EvoPlay, Felix Gaming, KA Gaming, Rival Gaming, SmartSoft, Spinthon, and Vibra Gaming. Fast deposits and withdrawals are done using Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ether, Monero, Tether, Binance Coin, and USD Coin. Support is available around the clock via live chat and email.

The post CryptoWins Celebrates One-Year Milestone with Birthday Month Bonuses and New Slot Launch: Wild Alaska appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Compliance Updates

Wyoming’s First Mile-Long Racetrack Set to Launch in the Mountain West

Published

8 hours ago

November 25, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

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The Wyoming Gaming Commission has approved Wyoming’s first mile-long horse racing track for 16 live race dates in 2025, as well as simulcasting and related activities. While the first racing season at Thunder Plains Park will feature temporary structures, the essential components, including barns, racing officials’ tower, video patrol towers, and spectator areas, will be in place.

The track, located 10 miles east of Cheyenne at Thunder Plains Park, will host its inaugural race day on Friday, August 1, 2025, with additional race days to follow on August 2, 3, 8-10, 15-17, 22-24, 29-31 and September 1. Dates are subject to change per the Wyoming Gaming Commission.

With its convenient location along I-80, the track is set to draw racing fans from neighboring states in the mountain west region, as well as local fans from Cheyenne and surrounding areas.

“As a fifth-generation Wyomingite, being able to bring this track to our state carries a lot of meaning,” said Ryan Clement, managing partner at Thunder Plains. “Thunder Plains sees an incredible opportunity to create a positive impact not only on the Wyoming horse racing industry but also the area’s economy, in terms of new job opportunities and tourism revenue.”

Through partnerships with elite industry veterans and horsemen, Thunder Plains looks forward to bringing high-quality, high-caliber racing to Laramie County.

“We’ve established a strong partnership with 1/ST, North America’s preeminent Thoroughbred racing, entertainment and pari-mutuel wagering company,” said Clement. “They’ve set the standard for horse safety across the nation, and we’re looking forward to bringing that strong emphasis on safety and track protocols to Wyoming.”

Of the partnership with Thunder Plains, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY’s Senior Vice President Jeff True said he sees exciting opportunities ahead.

“1/ST has a long history of operating premier racetracks and premier racing events across the country. We are thrilled to be entering the Wyoming horse racing market together with our local Wyoming partners, and we look forward to lending our expertise to help grow Wyoming horse racing.”

For all simulcasting operations, 1/ST will leverage the expertise of its affiliates at Monarch Content Management, AmTote International, and PariMAX.

“Our racetrack will be operated with numerous horse safety and welfare protocols in place,” Clement said. “The track itself, being a mile long and eighty feet wide, dramatically improves horse and rider safety. Throughout track design and construction, we collaborated with Dennis Moore, a renowned track surface specialist, to ensure the safest, most high-quality racing surface.”

Moore’s professional history includes designing and building world-class racetracks across the county, as well as consulting on track safety projects at racetracks across the country and around the world. Moore’s projects have included the racing surfaces at Santa Anita Park, Del Mar, Lone Star Park, Remington Park and in Dubai, among others.

Future plans at Thunder Plains Park include building a regional equestrian center and establishing a high-altitude horse training and breeding program.