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Anger Grows as Football Index Issued New Shares in Players Days Before Major Changes
The troubled online betting firm Football Index continued to “mint” and issue new “shares” in high-profile players just days before an announcement of big reductions in dividends which crashed its market on Saturday. The news is likely to add to the anger and frustration of thousands of Football Index’s customers, who are currently unable to sell their own shares to retrieve money from the exchange without suffering huge losses.
Football Index is a betting site, licensed by the Gambling Commission, but its platform mimics a stock exchange by offering customers a chance to buy “shares” in football players and then paying “dividends” according to their performance on the pitch. Users can also buy and sell shares between themselves using an “order book” system, again similar to one often used on stock exchange.
The value of shares across the exchange plunged on Saturday morning, when the market reopened having been suspended before Friday evening’s announcement that much-reduced dividends would be introduced from early next month.
The firm’s monthly report on the number of shares in circulation, however, shows it sold 15,000 new shares in the eight most popular players on the exchange alone in February and issued nearly 300,000 new shares across the exchange as a whole.
The exchange issued 2400 new shares in Jadon Sancho to add to 921,509 already in circulation. The Borussia Dortmund player traded at an average price of £7 in February, suggesting revenue for Football Index of £16,800 from the new shares.
In all, taking a player’s average price over the month as a guide, Football Index could be expected to have raised up to £75,000 from sales of new shares in just eight players: Sancho, Neymar, Kylian Mbappé, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes, Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford.
Fresh shares were also issued in several more popular players on the site in February, including Lionel Messi, Erling Braut Haaland and Harry Kane. Football Index continued to issue new shares following an announcement by Mike Bohan, its chief executive, on February 18 that he would hold a Q&A session with the site’s users the following week, to discuss ways to improve its service.
The Q&A, seen by most users as a sign of positive moves to improve liquidity and bring some stability to the platform, was subsequently postponed and eventually replaced by a market update on March 5. This revealed Football Index’s new dividend structure, with most dividends reduced to 1p or 2p from a previous maximum of 14p.
The “buy” and “sell” prices of all players dropped dramatically when the market opened a few hours later on Saturday morning. A share in Sancho cost £7.52 on Friday afternoon, but the buy price on Sunday was just 72p.
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GamCare releases Annual Report following record breaking year of support on the National Gambling Helpline
GamCare’s National Gambling Helpline received a record 55,228 calls and online chats from people experiencing gambling harm in 2023-24 – a 25% increase from the previous year – according to the charity’s Annual Report.
In a year marked by uncertainty over the future shape and structure of the gambling harms treatment sector following the previous government’s white paper on gambling reform, the charity continued to prioritise those at-risk of, or currently experiencing, gambling harm.
Of all calls and online chats that were responded to on GamCare’s Helpline in 2023/24, 41,070 (74%) were classed as supportive interventions. This includes supporting people with initial guidance and advice as well as delivering a seamless entry point into structured treatment services, with individuals completing treatment reporting a significant reduction in gambling-related distress and financial harm.
In March 2024, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities published an assessment of the gambling treatment system, highlighting that 57% of individuals engaging in treatment were referred by the National Gambling Helpline. This underscores the Helpline’s critical role in connecting people to the support they need. Over 9,100 free treatment sessions were delivered in the year to April 2024, with an average of just 2.1 days’ wait from point of referral.
GamCare’s targeted programmes aimed at young people, women, and the criminal justice system provided training on how to spot the signs of harms and where to signpost into support for 10,344 professionals, and education for 53,324 young people, children and parents. The Women’s Programme, in partnership with organisations such as Refuge, trained 3,813 professionals to recognise and address gambling-related harm among women.
Margot Daly, Executive Chair of GamCare’s Board, says: “Throughout a challenging year and with heightened demand for our services, GamCare’s staff have got on with the job of preventing harm where possible and treating harm where necessary. While we expect important changes in the gambling harms landscape, we have been determined not to let this uncertainty affect our relentless focus on the people who really matter – those at-risk of or currently experiencing gambling harms.
“I would like to thank and pay tribute to our frontline staff who provide 24/7 support for all those at risk or in distress. I also want to thank GamCare’s senior executive team who have steered GamCare through a period of sustained change, and to my fellow trustees for their guidance, unwavering support and the time each has dedicated to ensuring that the charity stays on course and on mission.
“As we look ahead to how the future of the gambling harms sector is shaped, we are committed to working proactively with the NHS and other partners and commissioners to ensure that people are continually able to receive the right support at the right time.”
The post GamCare releases Annual Report following record breaking year of support on the National Gambling Helpline appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Kambi Group plc (“Kambi”) has during the period 18 December to 23 December 2024 (the “Buyback Period”) repurchased a total of 40,000 ordinary B shares (ISIN: MT0000780107) as part of the share buyback programme, within the mandate approved at the Extraordinary General Meeting on 20 June 2024 (the “Programme”).
The objective of the Programme is to achieve added value for Kambi´s shareholders and to give the Board increased flexibility with Kambi´s capital structure by reducing the capital. The Programme is being carried out in accordance with the Maltese Companies Act, EU Market Abuse Regulation No 596/2014 (“MAR”) and other applicable rules.
During the Buyback Period, Kambi repurchased a total of 40,000 ordinary B shares at a volume-weighted average price of 99.13 SEK. From the beginning of the Programme, which started on 6 November, until and including 23 December 2024, Kambi has repurchased a total of 344,000 ordinary B shares at a volume-weighted average price of 104.94 SEK per share.
During the Buyback Period, Kambi has repurchased shares as follows:
| Date | Aggregated daily volume (number of ordinary B shares) |
Weighted average share price per day (SEK) |
Total daily transaction value (SEK) |
| 18 December 2024 | 10,000 | 100.00 | 999,967 |
| 19 December 2024 | 10,000 | 99.39 | 993,929 |
| 20 December 2024 | 10,000 | 98.86 | 988,588 |
| 23 December 2024 | 10,000 | 98.26 | 982,562 |
All acquisitions have been carried out on Nasdaq First North Growth Market in Stockholm by Carnegie Investment Bank AB on behalf of Kambi. Following the acquisitions and as of 23 December 2024, Kambi’s holding of its own shares amounted to 344,000 and the total number of issued shares in Kambi is 29,903,619 ordinary B shares. Under the Programme Kambi is authorised to repurchase a maximum of 3,127,830 ordinary B shares, up to a maximum amount of €12.0 million.
A full breakdown of all transactions carried out during the Buyback Period is attached to this announcement.
Information on the Programme is available on Kambi’s website, https://www.kambi.com/investors/share-information/
The post Kambi Group plc repurchase of shares during 18 December – 23 December 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
North American Expansion Kicks Off Through Strategic Partnership with Moozi
Golden Matrix Group’s game development division, Expanse Studios, has officially entered the U.S. sweepstakes market, marking a significant milestone in its North American growth strategy. This move is powered by a strategic content partnership with Moozi, one of the most dynamic sweepstakes social casino platforms in the region.
With Moozi now featuring over 50 of Expanse Studios’ top-performing games—including immersive slots, crash games, and table games—this partnership positions GMGI to capture a share of the $5.6 billion U.S. sweepstakes market, projected to more than double to $11 billion by 2025 (Eilers).
Damjan Stamenkovic, CEO of Expanse Studios, commented:
“This partnership signifies our formal entry into the U.S. market, showcasing the innovation and player-first experiences that define Expanse Studios. Collaborating with Moozi enables us to deliver advanced gaming content to a growing audience in North America, a key region for our global growth.”
James Anderson, Moozi’s CCO, added:
“Expanse Studios has set a high bar for engaging and innovative gaming experiences. Their addition to our platform elevates Moozi’s offerings and strengthens our mission to lead the U.S. sweepstakes social casino space.”
This launch underscores Expanse Studios’ commitment to innovation and its long-term growth trajectory in regulated markets. By entering the North American sweepstakes market, Expanse Studios takes a bold step in expanding its footprint while delivering cutting-edge gaming experiences.
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