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Betting Shops in England Eligible for Grants of up to £6000 a Site in £5B Recovery Plan
The UK Betting & Gaming Council (BGC) has welcomed the announcement ahead of Wednesday’s Budget that non-essential retail businesses such as betting shops will be eligible for direct cash grants of up to £6000 per site, although the bookmaker trade body has reiterated its call for an extension of business rates relief for a further year.
Details of the grant scheme came as part of a series of announcements ahead of Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s annual budget speech, in which he is set to reveal a new grant scheme totalling £5 billion to aid the recovery of high-street businesses in England.
Nearly 700,000 shops, restaurants, hotels, hair salons, gyms and other businesses in England will be eligible for “restart grants,” to be distributed directly to firms by local authorities from April. It will replace the current monthly grant system.
Under the budget plans, non-essential retail will be eligible for direct cash grants of up to £6000 to help them start trading again when allowed to do so, while hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym businesses in England – which will remain closed for longer under the government’s roadmap out of lockdown – will be able to apply for grants of £18,000 per site.
“The BGC would warmly welcome any additional support for betting shops, be that business rates or grants, particularly giving the pressure independent betting shops are under,” a spokesman for the BGC said.
Racecourses and bookmakers in England were given a clear set of dates to work towards for reopening last week when prime minister Boris Johnson gave the first details of a timetable for leaving lockdown.
Non-essential retail, which has for most of the pandemic included betting shops, will form part of phase two of the plan, with April 12 the provisional date for reopening if vaccination rates rise and hospitalisations drop sufficiently.
BGC chief executive Michael Dugher has written to Sunak ahead of the budget setting out a five-point plan for more business support to “unlock the power of the high street and drive economic growth.”
Dugher said in his letter: “With premises shut for much of the past year, this would help protect jobs and remove a major financial pressure on businesses that have suffered a significant loss of income during the pandemic.”
Dugher pointed to the fact that licensed betting offices had been severely impacted by the various regional and national lockdowns over the past ten months, with revenues for this sector falling by 45% in 2020.
The letter also seeks assurance that funding for devolved administrations is made available to all business sectors in need. While businesses in England and Northern Ireland have benefited from business rates relief since last April, the Scottish and Welsh governments took the decision not to provide support for gambling companies.
“The UK Government’s backing for business stands in stark contrast to the refusal of the devolved administrations in Wales and Scotland to offer business rates relief to our members,” states the letter.
“This has sadly had a disproportionate impact on our smaller independent businesses, many of them family run, which have faced making staff redundant and an uncertain future.”
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Premium esports betting solution supplier expands presence in the growing Brazilian market
DATA.BET has successfully concluded its first-ever stand appearance at BiS SiGMA Americas 2025, one of the largest iGaming events in the region, held on April 8-10 in São Paulo, Brazil. The event took place in Transamerica Expo and brought together over 17,500 participants.
The company made a strong impression with its dedicated expo booth, where representatives engaged with local operators and business partners to discuss development opportunities in the growing LatAm market. DATA.BET showcased its comprehensive suite of solutions, including an updated Single Page Application (SPA), along with tools that are also adapted for local betting projects, including Scoreboards, Pitch Tracker, and Streaming – all designed to enhance user engagement with the platform and optimize their betting experience, particularly for mobile devices.
Alongside a bar serving exclusive cocktails that capture the spirit and vibe of Brazil, DATA.BET fleshed out its interactive stand with cosplayers dressed as Jinx and Ahri – popular characters from League of Legends, one of the top games among LatAm fans. This creative approach helped visitors immerse themselves in the iGaming atmosphere while exploring the company’s extensive portfolio of esports disciplines, events, and betting markets.
Natalie Loshatynska, Head of PR & Marketing at DATA.BET, commented: “Our stand debut at BiS SiGMA Americas allowed us to connect with Brazilian operators at this major event, learn about their specific needs, and introduce our iGaming solution. We saw great interest in esports from visitors. Latin America is a key market with huge growth potential for our niche. We’re excited to bring our products to this dynamic region, and the positive reaction confirms our decision to take part in BiS SiGMA Americas was right.”
The post DATA.BET Makes Successful Stand Debut at BiS SiGMA Americas 2025 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
In a bold move set to shift the foundation of iGaming, the creators behind some of the industry’s most advanced AI tools are preparing to unveil a next-generation platform — and they’re doing it with style.
On Tuesday, May 6th at 20:30 CET, Valletta’s iconic 200 Old Merchants Street will be transformed for one night only into a live, immersive showcase of what’s next. The strictly invite-only gathering will bring together top-tier media, industry leaders, developers, and innovators for the debut of a powerful new end-to-end AI system built specifically to reshape how games are imagined, created, and brought to market.
“This isn’t just another tool — it’s a paradigm shift in how we think about building games,” said Mark Flores Martin, CEO of XGENIA. “Everything from speed to quality to who gets to create and what — it’s all about to change.”
Designed to radically streamline the development pipeline, the system bridges the gap between creative vision and execution. It eliminates inefficiencies, replacing outdated workflows with a unified platform for concepting, building, and refining games with AI, at unprecedented speed — all while enhancing creative freedom and control.
Adding to the moment’s significance, the Prime Minister of Malta is expected to attend, reinforcing the nation’s commitment to innovation and AI in its leadership role in the future of iGaming.
Those interested in attending the event or receiving early access details can join a waitlist at https://lu.ma/7le61lye
The post XGENIA to Unveil AI Set to Reshape the Future of iGaming appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Inspired Entertainment, Inc., a leading provider of B2B gaming content, systems, and solutions, is delighted to announce the launches of Piggy Winner™ and Gold Mine Fortune™ in the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Malta iGaming jurisdictions.
Piggy Winner
Piggy Winner™ is a fun, pig-themed slot game that builds on the success of Inspired’s ever popular Golden Winner™, combining the playful visuals of two popular slots, Big Piggy Bank™ and Prize Piggy Win & Spin™, into a vibrant slot experience. Featuring a dynamic 5×3 reel layout with 10 win-lines, the game features Inspired’s Cash Collector mechanics giving players an exciting chase to big rewards.
Players can trigger the Free Spins Bonus by landing three bonus scatters, unlocking 10 Free Spins with the chance to collect cash-filled Piggy Banks using the hammer feature. Additional gameplay enhancements include the Gamble feature, Fortune Spins, and Fortune Bet, which increases the likelihood of triggering Free Spins and unlocking up to 50 spins. For instant action, Bonus Buy provides direct entry into the bonus round for a premium.
With medium volatility and a fast-paced format, Piggy Winner offers players an exciting pig-tastic adventure filled with tasty wins.
Gold Mine Fortune
Gold Mine Fortune™ is a gold miner-themed slot game inviting players on a high-stakes mining adventure with its ‘three bags’ mechanic, represented above the reels by the red Wild, golden Prize Pot, and blue Multiplier minecarts. Featuring thrilling base play and multiple Free Spins bonuses, the game offers a wealth of opportunities for big wins.
Players can unlock up to three Free Spins Bonus features, with the potential to trigger them together for the ultimate Mega Free Spins Bonus. Expanding reels, cascading golden nuggets, and lucrative multipliers heighten the excitement, while features like Bonus Buy, Fortune Bet, and Gamble provide additional ways to enhance the gameplay.
With its action-packed bonus rounds, Gold Mine Fortune offers players a rewarding adventure where every spin has the potential to strike gold.
Claire Osborne, VP of Interactive at Inspired said, “We’re excited to launch Piggy Winner and Gold Mine Fortune this spring. With its exciting mechanics, Piggy Winner forms part of Inspired’s growing portfolio of pig-themed content, while Gold Mine Fortune paves the way as the first of our gold mine-themed game. Both are standout slots that showcase our commitment to delivering high-quality, engaging games. We’re confident players will love these new releases, and we look forward to bringing even more exciting titles to the market this year.”
These latest additions reinforce Inspired’s dedication to innovation and entertainment, offering captivating gameplay and rewarding experiences for casino players worldwide.
The post INSPIRED LAUNCHES PIGGY WINNER™ AND GOLD MINE FORTUNE™ ONLINE appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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