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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.

CT Interactive

CT Interactive Launches New Titles on Ifortuna.sk

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CT Interactive has announced the expansion of its presence in the regulated Slovak market through the launch of a selected portfolio of the company’s top-performing games on Ifortuna.sk, part of the Fortuna Entertainment Group.

Slovak players can now enjoy some of the company’s most popular titles, including 50 Treasures, Fruits & Sweets Buy Bonus, 100x Crypto Magic, Duck Of Luck Buy Bonus, 20 Mega Star, 100x Fresh, Dancing Dragons, Nanook The White Ghost Buy Bonus and The Big Chili. Several of these games feature the company’s engaging Buy Bonus mechanics, offering players enhanced interactivity and greater control over their gameplay.

“The expansion of our content offering on Ifortuna.sk represents a major step in our broader international growth strategy. We are delighted to provide our valued partner with a compelling and diverse portfolio of games, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the Slovak market,” said Martin Ivanov, Chief Operating Officer at CT Interactive.

“Our newly certified portfolio brings a fresh and dynamic gaming experience tailored specifically to the Slovak audience. Each title has been carefully developed to boost player retention while delivering a more personalized and engaging gaming experience,” added Ivan Zoumpalov, Regional Manager for the Czech Republic and Slovakia at CT Interactive.

The post CT Interactive Launches New Titles on Ifortuna.sk appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Amusnet

Connecting Business and Diplomacy: Amusnet Supports BBLF’s Annual Meeting of the Diplomatic Corps

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Amusnet has supported the 10th Annual Meeting between the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum (BBLF) and the Diplomatic Corps, reaffirming its commitment to initiatives that foster dialogue, responsible business and Bulgaria’s long-term economic development.

Held at InterContinental Sofia, this year’s high-level forum brought together ambassadors, senior government officials and executives from leading Bulgarian and international companies under the theme “Bulgaria: Prospects for Rapid Economic Transformation”. The discussions explored the country’s potential to accelerate economic growth through innovation, digitalisation, strategic investments and stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors.

As a long-standing partner of the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum, Amusnet continues to support initiatives that create meaningful dialogue around the future of Bulgaria’s economy and business environment. The annual meeting serves as one of the country’s most important platforms for exchanging ideas between the diplomatic community, institutional leaders and the business sector.

“Supporting initiatives that encourage collaboration and forward-looking dialogue is part of our commitment to responsible business. We believe that sustainable economic growth is driven by strong partnerships and a shared vision for the future,” said Ivo Georgiev, CEO of Amusnet.

This year’s forum focused on topics including Bulgaria’s investment attractiveness, technological advancement, talent development and the opportunities created by closer cooperation between business, government and international partners. The event once again highlighted the importance of building an environment that encourages competitiveness and sustainable growth.

For Amusnet, supporting the BBLF Annual Meeting reflects the company’s broader commitment to contributing to Bulgaria’s business ecosystem beyond its core operations. As one of the country’s leading software companies, Amusnet continues to stand behind initiatives that promote responsible leadership and long-term economic progress.

The partnership further strengthens Amusnet’s collaboration with BBLF and underscores the company’s belief that sustainable growth is achieved through dialogue, shared expertise and collective action.

The post Connecting Business and Diplomacy: Amusnet Supports BBLF’s Annual Meeting of the Diplomatic Corps appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Andrzej Hyla

Wazdan Launches First Stage of Summer Network Promotion with Mystery Drop

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Wazdan, the leading gain-focused developer, has launched the first stage of its summer-long Network Promotion campaign to partner operators from 29th June to 19th July 2026.

As part of a wider three-stage seasonal campaign running throughout the summer, the opening phase centres around Mystery Drop, one of Wazdan’s established promotional tools designed to enhance player engagement through an additional reward layer during gameplay.

During active game sessions, Mystery Drop gives players the opportunity to win cash or physical prizes. Once the feature is triggered, players select one of nine Mystery Boxes to reveal their reward, adding an extra level of anticipation and entertainment to the gameplay experience.

Designed as a ready-to-use promotional solution for operators, Mystery Drop requires no additional integration and does not impact the RTP of the base game. Powered by a certified independent RNG engine, the tool can also be tailored to meet the requirements of individual casinos and regulated markets.

The first stage of the Wazdan Summer Drop marks the beginning of a wider summer initiative, with additional campaign phases featuring further engagement mechanics set to launch later in the season.

Andrzej Hyla, Chief Commercial Officer at Wazdan, said: “Remaining an innovative supplier in an increasingly competitive market means continuously delivering engaging experiences that resonate with both players and operators.

“Mystery Drop has proven to be an effective promotional tool for our partners, adding an extra layer of excitement to gameplay while remaining simple to activate and fully customisable for different markets. We are excited to launch the first stage of this summer campaign and continue supporting our partners with memorable promotional experiences throughout the season.”

The post Wazdan Launches First Stage of Summer Network Promotion with Mystery Drop appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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