Latest News

Prostrate Travel and Tourism Sector & Legal Restraints to Challenge Growth Even as Casinos Reopen

Published

6 years ago

July 28, 2020

George Miller

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The “Casinos – Global Market Trajectory & Analytics” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

While the pandemic and lockdowns have largely benefitted the gaming industry, the gambling sector has been less lucky faced with a tepid outlook and a mixed bag of opportunities and challenges. With 74.6% of revenues coming from the offline brick and motor sector, the closure of entertainment centers and casinos as part of the lockdowns imposed in 1st Q 2020 impacted revenues and profitability for companies. The global market for casinos is expected to decline by 10.8% in the year 2020. The abrupt halting of economic activity has pushed businesses across all industries into financial distress. Sudden fall in revenues and profits as a result of demand disruptions has resulted in workforce pruning and layoffs. Unemployment rates have hit never-before highs with the US topping the charts with 12.5% unemployed as a % of total labor force. Social outlook against this background remains grim with households expected witness erosion in wealth. Personal financial outlook, community, economy, job security confidence, purchasing and investment confidence are all tumbling as the human and economic cost of the global pandemic rises. While brick and motor casinos stagnate, online casinos are faring better although limited by lower discretionary spending. The increase in spending is coming largely from gaming addicts and from consumer clusters spending more on online retail and entertainment during the pandemic.

Even as casinos begin to reopen as lockdowns are cautiously eased in countries worldwide, they face the challenge of falling consumer confidence and spending and the still prostrate travel and tourism sector. In Las Vegas for instance which is the gambling Mecca of the world, millions of tourists and visitors make up for the large customer base at casinos. Gaming operators from Macau to Las Vegas are all anticipating a rough restart after gaming properties are allowed to reopen. In Macau, a few gaming properties have reopened but could not see desirable outcomes. In gambling destinations such as Parisian Macao, Venetian Macao, Sands Cotai Central, Wynn Palace, City of Dreams, Galaxy Macau, MGM Cotai, Grand Lisboa, MGC Macau, Star World and Wynn Macau, customer turnover still remains low. During pre-COVID-19 times, each of those casinos attracted around 200 thousand visitors every day. This extreme drop in visitor numbers is due to stringent border restrictions being followed since the month of March. Limited options for transportation and quarantine rules make it difficult for players to visit gambling destinations. With the global economy now in recession, recovery will be delayed further. Although online casinos are well suited for safe indulgence in gambling in the midst of a pandemic situation, this sector is still fledging and is plagued with legality issues. Online casinos are illegal in most parts of the United States and in countries where online casinos are legal confusion over legal boundaries of betting and gambling is a chief restraint to growth. Underdevelopment online funds transfer platforms also adds another layer of challenge to growth. In younger markets like the U.S. and Asian countries where digital prize money disbursement platforms are still underdeveloped, the challenge is bigger and more difficult to overcome. In Europe, the region with a well-developed online and offline gambling infrastructure, casino owners are innovating in digital payments by using digital wallet services to transfer funds to customers.

A return to complete normalcy will begin only after barriers to access gaming destinations are completely removed. The market is projected to reach US$159.3 billion by the year 2027, trailing a CAGR of3.7%. Offline Casinos, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 3.4% CAGR to reach US$116.3 million by the end of the analysis period. Few of the factors expected to drive growth in the post pandemic period include migration from cards to crypto currency gambling; continued evolution of online casinos supported by rapid proliferation of mobile devices and growing penetration of smart phones and tablets; development of supplicated gambling apps; growing participation of women in casinos; resurgence in casino tourism; relaxation in gambling regulations and legalization of gambling in several nations given their contribution to national income and development of local tourism.

Key Topics Covered:

I. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & REPORT SCOPE

II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. MARKET OVERVIEW

2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS

3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS

4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE

III. MARKET ANALYSIS

IV. COMPETITION

Companies Mentioned

888 Holdings Plc
Betfair Group Plc
Boyd Gaming Corporation
Caesars Interactive Entertainment, Inc.
Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment Inc
Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd.
Golden Nugget Atlantic City
Harrington Raceway & Casino
Ladbrokes Coral Group Plc
Las Vegas Sands Corporation
Mgm Resorts International
Penn National Gaming
Sjm Holdings Ltd.
William Hill Plc
Wynn Resorts Limited

Basketball Federation of Ukraine

GGBET UA and FBU Host “Media Slam”: A Landmark Open Media Event for Ukrainian Basketball

Published

18 hours ago

April 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

ggbet-ua-and-fbu-host-“media-slam”:-a-landmark-open-media-event-for-ukrainian-basketball

In a historic move for Ukrainian sports, the Basketball Federation of Ukraine (FBU) and title sponsor GGBET UA recently hosted Media Slam in Kyiv. This inaugural open media event served as a high-level forum to analyze the regular season results of the GGBET SuperLeague and the recent performances of Ukraine’s men’s and women’s national teams.

Since becoming the league’s title sponsor in January 2026, GGBET UA has prioritized transparency and engagement. The event highlighted a significant milestone: the return of fans to stadiums despite the ongoing challenges of martial law, signaling a resilient recovery for the domestic game.

Highlights and Recognition

The “Media Slam” wasn’t just about statistics; it was a celebration of the sport’s current momentum:

MVP Honors: The regular season’s top five players were officially recognized for their outstanding contributions.
Kyiv-Basket Victory: The Ukrainian Cup winners received a formal check in honor of their championship win.
Market Discussion: Stakeholders engaged in a candid dialogue regarding the increasing competitiveness of the league.

Sergii Mishchenko, CEO of GGBET UA, commented:

“We didn’t get involved in Ukrainian basketball just to have our logo on a banner. This is a systematic approach. We see the increasing interest in basketball and want to be a part of that growth. The tougher the competition, the stronger Ukrainian basketball becomes.”

A Strategic Expansion

Basketball marks a major pillar in GGBET UA’s diversifying sports portfolio. Following high-profile partnerships with FC Dynamo Kyiv, FC Polissya Zhytomyr, and the Usyk vs. Dubois 2 rematch, the brand is now cementing its status as a cornerstone of the Ukrainian basketball ecosystem.

The post GGBET UA and FBU Host “Media Slam”: A Landmark Open Media Event for Ukrainian Basketball appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

BiS Awards 2026

EGT and EGT Digital have been honored with the Best VLT Solution prize at the BiS Awards 2026

Published

19 hours ago

April 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

egt-and-egt-digital-have-been-honored-with-the-best-vlt-solution-prize-at-the-bis-awards-2026

EGT, in collaboration with EGT Digital, has been distinguished for their joint video lottery product for Brazil at the prestigious BiS Awards 2026, highlighting excellence in the country’s rapidly growing gaming and betting industry. The companies took the accolade in the Best VLT Solution category at an official ceremony held on April 7 in Sao Paulo as part of the BiS SiGMA South America event.

The award comes in recognition of the successful debut of VLT terminals in the regulated state of Paraíba, where they had their first large-scale installation at the beginning of this year, generating strong player interest and demonstrating impressive results ever since.

In addition, EGT’s VLT product has been approved in a Proof of Concept (PoC) process under the Rio de Janeiro State Lottery, and will soon be available to the gaming audience in this state as well.

The omnichannel solution, delivered jointly by EGT and EGT Digital, provides a complete Video Lottery Terminal (VLT) ecosystem, featuring land-based equipment, a technological platform, and a rich library of gaming content. Developed according to the international standards, it has been adapted to meet the specific requirements of the Brazilian market and its regulatory framework.

Celina Guedes, Regional Director Brazil at EGT, commented: “It is an honor to us to be acknowledged by the BiS Awards competition, which is a benchmark for outstanding achievements in the sector. Our complete omnichannel VLT solution is designed to perform across different industry segments and is about to unleash its enormous potential in the near future. The prize is proof that we are able to fulfil the ever-increasing demands placed on providers and even set new higher standards in the extremely competitive gaming ecosystem in Brazil and the Latin American region as a whole.”

The post EGT and EGT Digital have been honored with the Best VLT Solution prize at the BiS Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

8bit Binks

S8UL Esports Triumphs in VCSA 2026 Split 1: A Grand Final Masterclass

Published

19 hours ago

April 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

s8ul-esports-triumphs-in-vcsa-2026-split-1:-a-grand-final-masterclass

In a heart-pounding display of tactical precision and mental fortitude, S8UL Esports has been crowned the VALORANT Challengers South Asia (VCSA) 2026 Split 1 Champions. The victory came after an intense five-map Grand Final against Revenant Xspark, where S8UL emerged victorious with a 3-2 scoreline, solidifying their dominance in the regional VCT ecosystem.

With this win, S8UL takes home the lion’s share of the prize pool—INR ₹9,00,000—and sets a high benchmark for the remainder of the 2026 season.

The Road to the Trophy

S8UL’s journey through Split 1 was a testament to their growth following the 2025 season. Their path to the podium included:

League Phase Dominance: Consistent performance against seven of South Asia’s elite teams.
Semifinal Sweep: A commanding 2-0 victory over Asterisk, showcasing a roster peaking at the perfect moment.
The 5-Map Thriller: A back-and-forth Grand Final against Revenant Xspark that tested the limits of both skill and composure.

Strategic Growth and Leadership

The victory highlights the successful vision of Mithul “8bit Binks” Nayak, the driving force behind this revamped roster. Under the leadership of veteran captain Ganesh “SkRossi” Gangadhar, the team displayed evolved coordination and the ability to clutch out decisive rounds under immense pressure.

“Winning Split 1 gives us confidence, but we know the season is long,” said SkRossi. “I’m proud of how the team stayed focused in the crucial moments.”

Impact on the VCT Ecosystem

VCSA Split 1 serves as the critical pathway for South Asian teams to climb into the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT). By securing the first title of the year, S8UL not only establishes themselves as the team to beat but also positions themselves favorably for international qualification opportunities in Split 2 and beyond.

Animesh ‘Thug’ Agarwal, Co-Founder and CEO of S8UL, noted: “The team showed incredible composure in a high-pressure final. This result is a testament to the work they’ve been putting in behind the scenes. We’ve always believed in this roster.”

The post S8UL Esports Triumphs in VCSA 2026 Split 1: A Grand Final Masterclass appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.