Latest News
BGC Members Make Record Horserace Betting Levy Contribution
Betting and Gaming Council members are expected to contribute a record £105m in levy payments to the Horserace Betting Levy Board for last year, new figures reveal.
The figure, provided by the independent Horserace Betting Levy Board, is an increase of £5m on the previous year.
As a result of this record additional funding from bookmakers, the HBLB announced an increase of £3.2m in its prize money contribution for 2024 versus 2023, from £67.3m to £70.5m.
It is the third year in a row that Levy contributions have increased, from £97m in 2021/22, to £100m in 2022/2023 and now £105m in 2023/2024.
According to the Horserace Betting Levy Board, the £105m total is derived from the receipt of provisional end of year submissions from most Levy-paying bookmakers.
Michael Dugher, Betting and Gaming Council CEO and Acting Chair, said: “This record contribution to the Levy is extremely welcome news and demonstrates once again the enduring, mission critical support regulated betting provides British horseracing.
“Despite a double digit decline in horserace betting turnover over the past five years – and a double digit decline in racecourse attendances – this shows that levy contributions and prize money are both up, and it once again provides a timely reminder that racing could not survive without the record financial support that is flowing from betting.
“Our members remain committed to the long-term success of horseracing, and the huge economic contribution it makes across the country, especially in rural communities.
“Attention must now turn to how we challenge vested interests, introduce real change and reform the sport, ensuring we reverse the current decline and provide racing with a genuinely long term sustainable future.”
Horseracing is the second biggest spectator sport in the UK, second only to football, with around five million people attending approximately 1400 fixtures annually across 59 racecourses.
However, the sport has been in decline in recent years. In 2007, 17% of the population enjoyed horserace betting the previous year, but that fell to 10% in 2018, while racecourse attendances have dropped by 14% since 2019.
Meanwhile, horserace betting turnover for April to December 2023 is down 17% vs the average for the same period across the last five years.
The BGC has made significant efforts to lessen the impacts on racing as a result of the Government’s White Paper on gambling reforms, particularly on the issue of affordability.
Earlier this month the BGC announced a new voluntary industry Code on Customer Checks which raises standards, while reducing the need for requests for private financial documents.
Developed jointly with the Gambling Commission and backed by Government, this Code will operate as a voluntary interim scheme – bringing consistency across the regulated sector for operators who adopt it – until the frictionless financial risk assessments set out in the Government’s White Paper can be developed, tested and implemented.
While this Code delivers progress on resolving the issue of intrusive document checks, it does not offer a complete solution. So, the BGC and GC are now actively working on a new Code on Anti-Money Laundering checks, which also trigger requests for documents.
The BGC is currently working with the British Horseracing Authority and government to resolve a settlement on a new voluntary Levy to support horseracing.
It is estimated BGC members contribute around £350m a year to British horseracing in Levy, media rights and sponsorship deals.
Meanwhile the wider regulated betting and gaming sector supports 110,000 jobs, generates £4.2bn in tax and contributes £7.1bn to the economy.
Each month around 22.5m adults in Britain enjoy a bet, whether it’s buying a lottery ticket, having a game of bingo, visiting a casino, playing online or having a wager on football, horseracing and other sports.
The most recent NHS Health Survey for England estimated that 0.4% of the adult population are problem gamblers.
The post BGC Members Make Record Horserace Betting Levy Contribution appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Johannesburg venue rebrands as 10bet Ellis Park under new partnership agreement.
Ellis Park Stadium has signed a five-year naming rights agreement with sportsbook brand 10bet, rebranding the Johannesburg venue as 10bet Ellis Park.
10bet Africa Marketing VP Michelle Colborne said: “We are incredibly proud to announce 10bet as the official naming rights partner of Ellis Park Stadium,” adding, “This is more than a naming rights agreement; it is the start of an exciting journey with a stadium that has played such a powerful role in South African sport.”
Ellis Park Stadium Managing Director Pieter Burger said the deal marks “a fresh and exciting chapter for the stadium,” adding: “We are delighted to welcome 10bet into the Ellis Park family as our official naming rights partner.”
10bet brand ambassador and former Springbok Butch James said: “Ellis Park has always been one of the most iconic stadiums in world rugby, and it’s fantastic to see 10bet committing to such a significant partnership.”
The parties said the partnership will focus on improving the matchday experience and, “in partnership with the relevant stakeholders,” supporting the inner-city project around the stadium precinct.
The post Ellis Park Stadium signs five-year naming rights deal with 10bet appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
New 5×5 cascading-reels title adds Wild Mushroom chain reactions, multipliers and a Free Spins feature with a Feature Buy option.
PG Soft has released Monkey’s Wild Party, a new video slot set on a 5×5 grid with cascading reels, increasing multipliers and Wild Mushroom symbols that convert adjacent monkey symbols into wilds.
The title’s core mechanic centres on Wild Mushroom symbols that can appear in any spin. When a Wild Mushroom lands, any Gorilla, Baboon or Marmoset symbol touching it horizontally or vertically transforms into its Wild Monkey equivalent. Additional monkey symbols that land on a Wild Monkey can also convert, creating chain reactions across the grid.
After wins are paid, Wild Monkey symbols that contributed to a win become Wild Mushroom symbols in the next round. PG Soft also says there is a chance for an extra Wild Mushroom symbol to be added to the reels at the end of any spin. In the base game, the multiplier starts at x1 each spin and increases by one after each winning combination, following the payout and cascade.
The Free Spins feature triggers with three Free Spin symbols anywhere on the reels and starts with eight free spins, with two extra spins awarded for each additional Free Spin symbol. The multiplier resets to x1 at the start of the feature and increases by one after every winning cascade. A +1 Spin symbol awards an extra free spin during the feature. Players can also access the feature via a Feature Buy option at the displayed price, with PG Soft stating potential wins of up to x10,000 of the initial bet.
PG Soft’s spokesperson commented: “Monkey’s Wild Party is a riot of colour and mischief, taking players into an enchanted jungle where every spin sparks a fresh wave of wild reactions. The Wild Mushroom mechanic is the key to the game, with the climbing multipliers in Free Spins ensuring rewards build with every spin.”
The post PG Soft rolls out Monkey’s Wild Party slot with wild-conversion mechanic appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Collinge joins as Executive Vice President – Group Business Development & Strategic Partnerships, bringing 20+ years across retail and online gaming.
Soft2Bet has appointed Ryan Collinge as Executive Vice President – Group Business Development & Strategic Partnerships, adding him to its senior leadership team.
In the role, Collinge will focus on supporting Soft2Bet’s growth plans and strengthening relationships with operators and entertainment brands, the company said.
Andrew Cochrane, Chief Commercial Officer at Soft2Bet, said: “Ryan brings the commercial judgement, industry relationships and operational experience needed to support Soft2Bet’s growth. His appointment strengthens our executive team as we expand our work with leading operators and global entertainment brands.”
Soft2Bet said Collinge brings more than 20 years of commercial, product and operational experience across retail and online gaming, including work with private equity-backed start-ups and multinational gaming groups. The company added that his background includes global sales, commercial strategy and business development, along with iGaming content, product development and studio management.
Soft2Bet also pointed to Collinge’s experience in the casino content vertical, which it said will support client needs analysis and solution optimization.
The post Soft2Bet hires Ryan Collinge as EVP for business development and partnerships appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
content-supply6 days agoMillion Games launches Skull King’s Treasure with partner studio Arcane Pixel
-
Africa6 days ago
Booming Games renews Hollywoodbets Durban July activation partnership
-
Alberta7 days ago
Octoplay secures conditional Alberta iGaming supplier approval from AGLC
-
Canada7 days ago
What Canadian Slot Players Are Really Comparing in 2026: Payout Speed, Interac and RTP Transparency
-
Africa6 days ago
SpringbokCasino ties July free spins to ‘Minions in the Wild’ campaign
-
Casino Content7 days ago
SkillOnNet adds ODDSworks casino content across Ontario sites
-
Evoplay6 days ago
Evoplay launches Safari Coins slot with fixed jackpots and collector mechanic
-
GGPoker6 days ago
GGPoker opens satellites for WSOP Circuit CDMX México 2026
