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BGC Members Make Record Horserace Betting Levy Contribution

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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.

BLAST

Fortnite Championship Series Major 1 Summit heads to Düsseldorf for the first time

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Epic Games and BLAST have today announced that the first Fortnite Championship Series (FNCS) LAN of the year is heading to Düsseldorf, Germany for the very first time.

The Fortnite Major 1 Summit will take place live inside the PSD Bank Dome on May 30 and 31, 2026. In the heart of Western Germany, Fortnite will take over the state-of-the-art PSD Bank Dome Arena, home of the Düsseldorfer EG hockey team, for two days of thrilling Fortnite action.

The top duos from all seven regions will battle live to be crowned Fortnite Major 1 Summit champions, take home a share of the $1,000,000 prize pool, and secure a spot at the Fortnite Global Championship later this year.

As one of Europe’s largest gaming markets and a frequent host of international esports tournaments, Germany has long played a central role in the global competitive scene. Located in the country’s most populous state and one of its most connected regions, Düsseldorf provides a fitting backdrop for the first FNCS LAN of the competitive season.

Tickets go on general sale March 2 at 4 AM ET / 10 AM CET on Eventim. More ticket information can be found here: Eventim Fortnite Major 1 Summit

The post Fortnite Championship Series Major 1 Summit heads to Düsseldorf for the first time appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Alex Green Vice President Games at ZEAL

Wunderino Adds ZEAL’s Premium Slots as Partnership Kicks Off

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ZEAL Instant Games, part of the ZEAL Group and an online gaming provider, has initiated a new partnership with Wunderino, a prominent online slot brand in Germany. As a part of the collaboration, Wunderino is enhancing its entertainment portfolio with a forthcoming increasing range of ZEAL slots. The initial titles are now active and accessible to players on Wunderino.de.

Increased diversity for gamers – enhanced exposure for premium titles.

The new collaboration brings evident benefits for both firms: Wunderino is boosting its online gaming selection with ZEAL content, further solidifying its status as an innovation-focused provider in the German iGaming sector. Simultaneously, ZEAL Instant Games leverages Wunderino’s robust brand visibility and influence, reaching new audiences.

At launch, well-known titles like “The Bookmaker,” “Treasure Volcano,” and “Vegas Blaze” are included in the first batch of games already offered. The objective is to enhance the portfolio by adding more new games in the upcoming months.

Comments regarding the partnership

“With Wunderino, we are gaining a partner that has stood for entertainment, dynamism, and a strong brand identity for many years,” says Alex Green, Vice President Games at ZEAL. “Integrating our titles into one of the most popular platforms in Germany is another important step in making our portfolio accessible to even more players and driving our strategic expansion.”

Wunderino adds: “ZEAL Instant Games stands for creative content, high quality, and reliable performance – all values that perfectly match our brand,” says Susanne Forsman, Group Chief Gaming Officer at Wunderino. “The new ZEAL slots will help enrich our offerings and provide our users with additional exciting experiences. We are very excited about the joint launch and what lies ahead.”

The post Wunderino Adds ZEAL’s Premium Slots as Partnership Kicks Off appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Hubster AI

Vegangster’s Hubster AI Enables Brands to Launch Without a Single Support Ticket

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Vegangster has introduced Hubster AI, a built-in conversational assistant designed to simplify platform setup and daily operations for operators. The tool allows clients to ask practical questions about platform features and receive instant, structured, step-by-step guidance.

Unlike traditional support models that rely on account manager availability and ticket queues, Hubster AI operates 24/7 and supports all major languages. Operators can configure features, adjust settings, and navigate workflows independently—without waiting for working hours.

Hubster AI provides detailed operational guidance across the entire platform, including:

  • Player Account Management

  • Bonus and promotion setup

  • Game and lobby management

  • CRM workflows

  • CMS and content updates

  • Reporting and analytics

Each response delivers clear instructions and, where relevant, direct access to pre-recorded video walkthroughs demonstrating the exact process.

Several brands have already completed onboarding and platform configuration without submitting setup tickets, relying entirely on Hubster AI for operational guidance.

“My idea is to make complex things simple,” said Tatjana Danevica, Product Operations Specialist at Vegangster. “Operators should not deeply need technical expertise or constant support interaction to launch and manage a brand. Hubster AI turns platform knowledge into an always-available guide, removing friction and allowing teams to move.”

Hubster AI forms part of Vegangster’s broader strategy to eliminate the skill barrier in iGaming by turning complex platform knowledge into instant, practical guidance operators can use in real time.

About Vegangster

Vegangster provides a full-stack iGaming platform engineered for speed, scalability, and operator control. Its turnkey and white-label solutions integrate casino content, payments, CRM, compliance, and engagement tools into a single mobile-first system.

Press Contact
Romans Kozlovskis
[email protected]

The post Vegangster’s Hubster AI Enables Brands to Launch Without a Single Support Ticket appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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