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.
Brand Activation
Esportes da Sorte strengthens brand presence during New Year’s Eve celebrations across four Brazilian capitals
Esportes da Sorte, one of Brazil’s leading online betting platforms, will be the official sponsor of New Year’s Eve celebrations in four Brazilian capitals: Salvador, Recife, Natal and Maceió. The initiative reinforces the brand’s growing presence in the national cultural calendar and its strategy to connect with large-scale public celebrations beyond the digital environment.
New Year’s Eve is one of Brazil’s most significant annual moments, marked by intense domestic travel, international tourism and mass public participation. By supporting celebrations in four key destinations, Esportes da Sorte aligns its brand with tradition, culture and shared experiences that resonate deeply with local communities.
“Sponsoring New Year’s Eve celebrations in four capitals reflects our commitment to being present in moments that bring people together,” said Marcela Campos, Vice President of the Esportes Gaming Brasil Group, owner of the Esportes da Sorte brand. “Supporting these cities means valuing their cultural identity, strengthening local ecosystems and celebrating the people who keep these traditions alive year after year.”
Across all four capitals, the brand will activate its presence through immersive experiences, public-facing activations and the distribution of branded giveaways — a hallmark of Esportes da Sorte’s engagement strategy at major events. The activations are designed to enhance the festive atmosphere while reinforcing the brand’s connection with culture, entertainment and responsible enjoyment.
The New Year’s Eve sponsorships build on Esportes da Sorte’s broader cultural engagement strategy, which includes long-standing support for large-scale events such as Carnatal, in Rio Grande do Norte — a key fixture in the state’s tourism and cultural calendar. Together, these initiatives reflect the company’s commitment to expanding its footprint in cultural sponsorships nationwide.
Esportes da Sorte’s participation also mirrors a wider trend within Brazil’s regulated betting market, as operators increasingly diversify their sponsorship portfolios beyond football. Music, festivals and cultural celebrations have become strategic platforms for brands seeking broader visibility, deeper community ties and more sustainable engagement with the public.
The post Esportes da Sorte strengthens brand presence during New Year’s Eve celebrations across four Brazilian capitals appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
Arcade Games
Hub88 partners with ZOOT Studios to bring next-generation instant games to operators
First-of-its-kind agreement sees video game-inspired instant content launched via Hub88’s aggregation platform
Hub88 has strengthened its content portfolio by entering a strategic partnership with ZOOT Studios, a new supplier producing high-quality interactive instant games for a global audience.
The agreement makes ZOOT’s debut portfolio of more than 55 releases available to Hub88’s vast network of operators, marking the supplier’s first major launch with an aggregator.
ZOOT Studios specialises in fast-paced instant games built around trends, social media-driven behaviour and striking visual design. Titles such as Dubai Chocolate Tower, Beer Pong and Sub Crush promise Hub88’s partners culturally relevant content that draws wide audiences, with support for both FIAT and crypto currencies.
As part of the deal, Hub88’s network will be among the first to access ZOOT Studios’ content, with Dice, Crash, Mines, Plinko, Sports, Tower and Arcade games tailored to the evolving preferences of digital-first players.
The deal demonstrates Hub88’s focus on versatility and its position as a must-have distribution partner to some of the industry’s most exciting emerging studios.
Jess Inglott, Head of Supplier Relations at Hub88, said: “ZOOT Studios is turning heads by releasing the next generation of instant win entertainment. Their vision to offer operators high-quality content that speaks to modern audiences aligns well with our strategy. Partnerships like this allow us to deliver value and new levels of player engagement on an even bigger scale.”
Sean Ryan, CEO at ZOOT Studios, said: “We’re delighted to have Hub88 as our partner. The aggregator’s extensive operator network and high-tech integration capabilities make them a perfect match for our future-facing game portfolio.”
The post Hub88 partners with ZOOT Studios to bring next-generation instant games to operators appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
B2B
Xpoint secures new growth funding to supercharge geolocation innovation for real money gaming
Bettor Capital leads the round as Xpoint accelerates product development and global deployment
Xpoint, a leading geolocation and compliance technology partner to the online real‑money gaming industry, today announced a fresh investment round led by existing investor Bettor Capital.
The capital will fast‑track Xpoint’s R&D roadmap and expand its product and engineering teams, accelerating delivery of next‑generation capabilities to operators worldwide.
Built for gaming from the ground up, Xpoint’s adaptable platform combines fast, accurate precision geofencing with advanced fraud detection to stop spoofing, block unauthorized wagers, and surface suspicious activity in real time, helping operators launch and scale confidently in online real-money gaming markets.
With flexible integration and rapid deployment tailored to sportsbook, iCasino, lottery, DFS, and sweepstakes use cases, Xpoint provides audit ready compliance automation across multi state and international markets. The platform also offers unique, patent-pending algorithms at jurisdictional borders to protect revenues and reduce player friction and drop off.
Xpoint’s recent momentum includes successful active and pending deployments with leading brands such as bet365 and PrizePicks in North America, with more to be announced soon. Xpoint is also live with clients in Brazil and the UAE, including the UAE Lottery and Play971, the first regulated online gaming and sports betting entity in the region.
“This new funding lands at the perfect time for our growth,” said Manu Gambhir, CEO of Xpoint. “We’re scaling up our teams to ship a wave of new capabilities that help operators defeat location spoofing, streamline compliance, and convert more good users—without compromising on precision, scale, or speed.”
“We are delighted to significantly increase our commitment to Xpoint to accelerate product development and deployment”, added David VanEgmond, Founder and Managing Partner at Bettor Capital, “In this industry, robust regulatory and compliance technology is absolutely essential, and Xpoint has proven to consistently deliver substantial value to a growing roster of real-money online gaming operators.”
New Jersey–based Bettor Capital is a venture capital firm specializing in early‑stage investments in technology companies within the real‑money online gaming ecosystem. Bettor Capital was among Xpoint’s first institutional backers and has increased its investment over time.
The post Xpoint secures new growth funding to supercharge geolocation innovation for real money gaming appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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