Latest News
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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OddsMatrix, EveryMatrix’s sportsbook and odds feed business, has further enhanced its premium sports content offering by partnering with micro-markets provider Kero Gaming.
The collaboration will see OddsMatrix integrate Kero’s suite of traditional and contextual football led micro markets into its sportsbook and feed coverage, with basketball, baseball, and American football to follow later this year.
These rapid micro-markets will broaden OddsMatrix’s coverage of 170,000+ monthly live betting events and 650+ bet types across its ‘always-on’ sportsbook.
Kero content will supplement OddsMatrix’s existing multi-sport Fast Markets product offering sportsbook and odds feed customers real-time, instant betting options across a variety of individual game moments.
By blending its proprietary Fast Markets with Kero’s micro-betting output, OddsMatrix will further empower its growing, global tier-1 client base with a differentiated and dynamic live betting offering.
Tor Skeie, CEO, OddsMatrix, said: “Integrating with Kero Gaming adds another layer to our comprehensive premium sportsbook and feed coverage.
“Kero have been fundamental figures in the growth of micro-betting and we are thrilled to integrate their content into our ‘always-on’ sportsbook.
“We’re passionate about empowering our loyal customers with technology, tools and content that enable them to differentiate, and this partnership will help support that goal.”
Tomash Devenishek, CEO, Kero Gaming, said: “Collaborating with EveryMatrix is a natural fit for Kero, as both companies share a commitment to delivering best-in-class solutions for operators and bettors alike.
“This partnership enables us to integrate our cutting-edge micro-betting technology with EveryMatrix’s powerful platform, creating new opportunities for engagement and excitement.”
The post OddsMatrix grows micro-market coverage with Kero Gaming integration appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Rapidly Expanding Content provider takes players on a trip to Wonderland in Alice WonderLuck
Popular iGaming content provider BGaming is thrilled to announce the launch of Alice WonderLuck. Inspired by the whimsical world of Lewis Caroll’s iconic novel, Alice Wonderluck invites players to conjure up some magic on the reels.
Alice WonderLuck plunges players into a vibrant reimagining of Wonderland, where a series of familiar characters are given a fresh, digital makeover. The classic tale’s creative and slightly off-kilter atmosphere has been brought to life perfectly with an enchanting soundtrack.
Adding to the slot’s immersive experience, Alice is positioned by the reels and will react to in-game events. She is on hand to support players whenever they need it, helping to drive engagement and keep them in the thick of the action.
The fantastical world of Alice in Wonderland is renowned for its mystery and surprises, and BGaming has tapped into this with the game’s Mystery Symbol feature. The symbols can land during any base game spin, heightening anticipation and creating suspense. They can also turn into Golden Mystery symbols, triggering the Coin feature with different multipliers and Collect symbols.
At the start of the Free Spins round, players enter the Choose Card round. Here, they encounter 16 face-down cards and can turn a select number over to uncover additional features, including extra spins, low Mystery symbols, high Wilds, or multipliers.
Alice WonderLuck emphasizes player choice, offering two differently priced bonus buy features for an improved entertainment experience. For 100x their stake, players can trigger the spins with at least three extra features, and for 250x, they will be triggered with five.
Players who enjoy high stakes will also love the optional Try Your Luck game before the Free Spins game.
While many of these gameplay features may appear familiar, the beauty of Alice WonderLuck is that it provides a new perspective on them.
If the captivating gameplay isn’t enough to lure players down the rabbit hole, then the game’s powerful math model will be. Alice WonderLuck conjures up a maximum win of 10,000x of the stake and an attractive 97.00% RTP.
Yulia Aliakseyeva, Chief Product Officer at BGaming, said: “We are all huge fans of Alice in Wonderland at BGaming and have wanted to create a slot around the theme for a long time.
The magical world of the story lends itself perfectly to online slots, and it has allowed our team to get creative with the gameplay. We’ve blended familiar features with a fresh perspective, creating an enchanting game with some brilliant winning potential.”
The post Dive Into the Rabbit Hole with BGaming’s Alice WonderLuck appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
Step onto the Court with “Hoop Champion” A Revolutionary Basketball-Themed Game from Gaming Corps
Gaming Corps introduces a brand new, innovative mechanic X-MY-WAY™ in the adrenaline-fueled Hoop Champion
Gaming Corps, a publicly listed game studio based in Sweden, is proud to announce the release of Hoop Champion. This new game also marks the debut of the innovative new X-MY-WAY™ mechanic.
Get ready for an action-packed gaming journey like no other as Gaming Corps invites players to step into the vibrant world of basketball with Hoop Champion, a revolutionary new game. Crafted for casino lovers and online gamers, this title fuses thrilling basketball action with unmatched gambling mechanics, providing a truly distinctive and exciting gameplay experience.
Hoop Champion isn’t just another game, it’s a next-level experience that puts players on the court where every move counts.
Hoop Champion allows players to take charge of their gameplay through the innovative “X-MY-WAY” mechanic. They can select their strategy, whether opting for safe midrange shots or daring high-reward three-pointers for a chance at substantial payouts. Each position on the court brings its challenges, offering different payout opportunities that keep the game engaging, similar to a real basketball experience.
With the possibility of a 1,000x multiplier, players can aim for impressive rewards. The decision lies with them: they can choose to go for the 25x multiplier right away or take a more cautious approach with smaller multipliers like 1.1x. Players have control over how their multiplier grows with just a few clicks, deciding when to cash out or continue for that big 1000x win. This adaptability and personalisation ensure that the experience fits their strategy and risk tolerance, allowing them to play at their own pace.
Connor Blinman, Head of Games at Gaming Corps said: “Hoop Champion is our fresh take on a game blending skill and decision-making with good old-fashioned luck.
“This revolutionary mix allows players to feel more involved in the gameplay, making every decision impactful and we can’t wait to see how players respond to this fantastic new title from our superb games team.”
The post Step onto the Court with “Hoop Champion” A Revolutionary Basketball-Themed Game from Gaming Corps appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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