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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.

Altenar

Altenar launches Super Early Payout to boost World Cup engagement

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Leading sportsbook provider Altenar has announced the launch of Super Early Payout to give soccer bettors more chance to celebrate winning moments before the final whistle.

The new promotion has gone live in time for the World Cup 2026 and means bettors who back a team in eligible markets will have their bet settled as a winner as soon as their selected team takes a one-goal lead, regardless of the final result.

This is an upgrade to the popular Early Payout offer, which requires a team to lead by two goals before qualifying bets are settled. Reducing the threshold to one goal allows Super Early Payout to deliver faster wins and an even more engaging betting experience.

Operators can configure the promotion for a specific team or both teams, while also having the option to replace the standard 1X2 market for a more prominent promotional experience.

Altenar has also brought greater flexibility to promotional campaigns with improvements to the Early Payout feature, which can now be applied directly to selected events rather than entire championships, making it easier to highlight key World Cup fixtures and other high-profile matches.

The enhancement supports both two-goal and three-goal Early Payout configurations and can also be applied to one or both teams. By moving beyond championship-wide set-ups, operators can create more targeted campaigns.

Expanded markets have also enriched Altenar’s soccer coverage at major tournaments such as the World Cup. New additions allow bettors more choice when it comes to player performance, including how goals or shots were made (by foot, header, outside the box etc).

Player specials have been expanded to include substitute coverage, allowing betting opportunities to remain relevant even when the originally selected player is replaced by a substitute.

A comprehensive range of player, team and match markets are also now available for matches that go to extra time, creating additional betting opportunities during the knockout stage of tournaments such as the World Cup.

These new features follow on from the World Cup Lobby, which was recently released by Altenar as a dedicated event hub designed to enhance player engagement and streamline navigation during the upcoming tournament.

Nikos Zygouris, Head of Sportsbook Product at Altenar, said: “At Altenar, we’re focused on giving our partners the flexibility to tailor their sportsbook experience to the needs of their customers.

“Super Early Payout allows operators to offer a more engaging soccer betting proposition, while our expanded range of markets means bettors have more choice than ever when it comes to placing bets on the markets which matter most to them.

“These enhancements combine greater promotional flexibility with deeper soccer coverage, helping operators maximise engagement throughout the World Cup.”

The post Altenar launches Super Early Payout to boost World Cup engagement appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Arnold Ash

Arnold Ash sponsors Arthurian League US tour ahead of 2026 Transatlantic Cup

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Arnold Ash has agreed a sponsorship deal for the Arthurian League’s 2026 US Tour, which will culminate in the inaugural Transatlantic Cup on Friday 26 June in Philadelphia. The announcement was dated Friday 12th June 2026.

The Transatlantic Cup will be played during the 2026 World Cup and is framed by organisers as part of events marking 250 years of US independence. US amateur champions West Chester United SC, holders of the 2025 US Adult Soccer Association (USASA) National Amateur Cup, will host the Arthurian League representative side.

Arnold Ash’s logo will appear on the front of the touring team’s white and red England kit. The company said the headline partnership covers the full 12-day tour, including additional matches against New York Athletic Club and Boston Bolts, plus in-stadium branding at the ticketed fixture at Drexel University’s Vidal Athletic Complex and across event online and social channels.

Jon Arnold, CEO at Arnold Ash, said: “Arnold Ash has been a proud sponsor of the Arthurian League representative sides at major events before, but it doesn’t get any bigger than this. The team is hugely talented, made up of the top amateur players England has to offer and – as the best-of-the-best – reflect the Arnold Ash core principles of quality, experience and consistency.

“The World Cup is now underway, but for the next five weeks, the Transatlantic Cup is where the real action is at! We wish both England teams the best of luck stateside!”

Billy Jenkins, Manager of the Arthurian League representative team, said: “Arnold Ash’s sponsorship is hugely valuable to our team, and we are incredibly grateful for their continued backing of grassroots football.

“We are honoured to participate in the first-ever Transatlantic Cup and just like England’s professional team hope to be lifting prestigious silverware on US soil in the coming weeks.”

The post Arnold Ash sponsors Arthurian League US tour ahead of 2026 Transatlantic Cup appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Esports Foundation opens 2026 co-streaming Creator Program with $2m rewards pool

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The Esports Foundation (EF) has opened applications for its 2026 Creator Program, committing $2 million (~INR 19 crore) in rewards for co-streamers supporting the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 in Paris and the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026 in Riyadh. EF announced the program on June 12, 2026, from Paris and Riyadh, and said applications are open now, including for creators across India.

EF said co-streaming was a key driver of EWC reach last year, citing 3,500 co-streamers as “one of the key growth pillars” for EWC viewership in 2025. The Foundation is positioning the 2026 Creator Program as a scaled-up initiative, targeting 5,000 creators “across new regions and platforms.”

“This isn’t just an esports trend; it’s a media trend,” said Wasae Imran, Director Broadcast & Distribution at the Esports Foundation. “Across music, video, news and sport, audiences don’t just watch what they’re given anymore. They choose their own experience: what to watch, where to focus, and how deep to go. Esports just lives further down that road than most, and traditional sport is heading the same way. It’s not about delivering a match in one format, it’s about opening up every way into the same moment and letting fans choose how they want to consume it. The Creators Program is how we build for that, by enabling the growth of creators that fans already trust to carry the world’s biggest esports event into every community.”

According to EF, approved creators can co-stream selected tournaments, complete missions, and progress a “Battle Pass” tied to rewards ranging from gift cards and hardware to platform perks and invitations to EWC and ENC. EF said the program supports multiple streaming platforms, including Twitch, YouTube, Bilibili, Huya, and CHZZK.

EF also confirmed operational details for EWC 2026: the event is set for Paris Expo Porte de Versailles from July 6 through August 23, featuring more than 2,000 players and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries across 25 tournaments and 24 games, with a $75 million+ prize pool. ENC 2026 is scheduled for November in Riyadh and will extend the creator program to a nation-based competition format.

The post Esports Foundation opens 2026 co-streaming Creator Program with $2m rewards pool appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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