Latest News

Racecourse Media Group results return to pre-Covid levels

Published

4 years ago

February 10, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Racecourse Media Group (RMG) has revealed its payments to racecourses have returned to pre-Covid levels, with £110m forecast to be paid to its shareholders for 2021.

The payments, earned through racecourses’ media and data rights, are expected to exceed 2019’s pre-Covid payments of £107m, and have been a contributory factor to many racecourses being able to return prize money to its pre-pandemic levels.

RMG is 100% owned by its racecourse shareholders and pays 100% of operating profit back to racecourses. This collective and collaborative ethos has seen RMG’s businesses become the biggest single funder of British horseracing. The 2021 results follow a hugely challenging year in 2020 when, due to the pandemic, RMG payments to racecourses fell by 25.9% on the previous year.

Chairman Roger Lewis said: “I thank and congratulate everyone involved in racing for their herculean efforts in 2021. The RMG racecourses ensured that horseracing continued for a second year in the most demanding of circumstances, which allowed RMG to deliver as great a return as possible for racing. The RMG model was again tested in 2021 and again proved to be resilient and reliable.

“The investment in, and development of, our media assets and new innovative products – such as the Watch & Bet service, ultra-low latency, on-screen timing data, the exploration of in-play opportunities, and enhancements on Racing TV, headlined by the stunning Virtual Studio – aided our recovery.

“These initiatives all contribute to the RMG strategy of attracting more eyes on to our racing which, in turn, drives betting turnover, subscriptions, and sponsorship opportunities in the sport. And this all feeds into the RMG vision of increasing returns to our racecourses for the benefit of the industry.

“The 2021 performance will mean that RMG will have delivered £1bn to racecourses since the start of the business in 2004. This is a testament to our racecourses’ dedication and commitment to working together for the greater good of racing.”

Lewis steps down from his role at the end of 2022 and the search for a new Chairman is underway.

He joined the Board of RMG in 2012 and was appointed Non-Executive Chairman on January 1, 2019. Over a 40-year career in sport, media and business, Lewis has held senior positions at the BBC, ITV, Classic FM, EMI and Decca, and was GCEO of the Welsh Rugby Union for nine years.

Lewis continues as Chair of the Churchill Lines Foundation, a military charity, a Director of Festival UK 2022 and President of the National Museums of Wales. He also sits on The Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours Panel.

He added: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my decade at RMG and have been humbled by the boundless enthusiasm and support that we receive from our shareholder racecourses.

“I am particularly pleased RMG was able to announce last July that our British racecourses agreed a media rights renewal extension until December 31, 2028.

“This was a pivotal moment for British racing. The RMG racecourses have created business clarity and confidence for years to come. The certainty which this landmark, long-term agreement provides is very special for everyone involved in British racing.

“I pay particular tribute to the outstanding leadership of the RMG CEO, Martin Stevenson, who together with his great team of RMG executives navigated this complex and detailed process with rigour, patience and clear focus and who continue to lead the business with dynamism.

“I have been very fortunate to have worked alongside an outstanding Board of Directors and I sincerely thank them for their friendship, help and support and their incredible insight into the business.”

The business is aiming to exceed 2021’s forecast payments of £110m for the year ahead.

Lewis continued: “RMG can now look forward to serving its shareholder racecourses, which, in turn, benefits the sport of racing for the foreseeable future.

“The unity of purpose which the RMG racecourses have created over the past 18 years, to build an evolving yet sustainable and secure financial business, is a rare and precious thing. It has been a privilege and an honour to have served racing for the past ten years. It’s been one hell of a ride!”

Martin Stevenson, CEO of RMG, paid tribute to Lewis, saying: “I would like to pay tribute to Roger, who during his tenure as first Board member and then Chairman, has been instrumental in the development and success of RMG and its businesses over the last decade.

“In particular, Roger has helped steer RMG through the pandemic, and all the huge challenges it presented, to the point where the business is now producing results, which were on a par with pre-covid payments to racecourses. That is a terrific outcome.

“I thank Roger for his leadership and friendship and for all that he has done for horseracing. We wish him all the best for the future once his tenure comes to its conclusion at the end of the year.”

Digitain

Digitain Earns Double Nomination at SiGMA Eurasia Awards 2026

Published

9 minutes ago

February 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

digitain-earns-double-nomination-at-sigma-eurasia-awards-2026

Digitain has secured two prestigious nominations for the SiGMA Eurasia Awards 2026, contending for both Best Sports Provider and Best Platform Provider.

These nominations reflect Digitain’s continued focus on building technology that delivers measurable value for operators. From advanced sportsbook functionality to a robust, scalable platform ecosystem, every solution is designed with one clear goal: turning features into figures.

The SiGMA Eurasia Awards are widely regarded as one of the industry’s most respected benchmarks, celebrating companies that push boundaries while delivering real-world results. Digitain’s nominations reinforce its position as a trusted B2B partner for ambitious operators looking to lead in competitive markets.

Being recognised in the Sports Provider and Platform Provider categories highlights Digitain’s holistic approach, showcasing how they combine technology, data and human expertise to support sustainable operator growth.

The post Digitain Earns Double Nomination at SiGMA Eurasia Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Alvarez & Marsal

BGC: Licensed Gambling Advertising Continues to Decline in the UK

Published

9 minutes ago

February 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

bgc:-licensed-gambling-advertising-continues-to-decline-in-the-uk

Gambling advertising spend by licensed operators in the UK is continuing to decline, according to new independent analysis commissioned by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC). The findings come as the industry warns that unregulated online advertising by illegal operators is becoming the real risk to consumers.

The research, conducted by Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), set out in the Gambling Advertising and Sponsorship Report 2025, shows that gambling advertising accounted for 2.7% of total UK advertising spend in 2024, down from 3% the previous year.

The report also found that overall gambling advertising spend by licensed operators has been declining steadily since 2021, falling by 1.7% year-on-year, driven largely by a £30 million reduction in television advertising.

At the same time, a substantial share of advertising is dedicated to player protection. Around 20% of all gambling advertising is now focused on safer gambling messaging, reinforcing awareness of tools and support.

This focus is delivering tangible results. During the most recent Safer Gambling Week, engagement increased significantly, with 14% more people setting deposit limits and 22% more safer gambling tools in place.

Advertising compliance remains extremely high, with Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rulings relating to fewer than 0.02% of gambling adverts, highlighting the strength of the UK’s regulatory framework.

Regulated gambling advertising supports 9900 jobs across the advertising, media and creative supply chain, contributes c.£500 million in Gross Value Added (GVA), and underpins 1400 full-time marketing roles. It also plays an important role in supporting free-to-air sport, lower-league and grassroots sport, as well as wider media revenues outside subscription-based models.

Grainne Hurst, CEO of the Betting and Gaming Council, said: “This independent analysis shows that gambling advertising by licensed operators is continuing to fall, with spend increasingly concentrated on safer gambling messaging and consumer protections. Our members operate within some of the strictest advertising rules of any industry and continue to raise standards across the sector.

“By contrast, illegal operators are advertising aggressively online with no safeguards, no age checks and no consumer protections, posing a huge risk to consumers. Any serious approach to advertising must be led by evidence and focused on tackling the harmful black market.”

Adam Rivers, Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal, added: “We are pleased to have worked with the BGC on this report, which offers an insight into the state of the gambling advertising and sponsorship sector in the UK, based on actual advertising expenditure data from licensed operators.”

The report also highlights the growing scale of illegal gambling advertising. Illegal operators are increasingly using unregulated digital channels, including influencers, search engines and AI-generated content, to target consumers. Many explicitly advertise that they are “not on GAMSTOP”, while others impersonate trusted charities and institutions to deceive the public.

While licensed advertising continues to decline, separate industry analysis estimates that black market sites are spending between £500 million and £700 million on advertising their illegal sites.

The post BGC: Licensed Gambling Advertising Continues to Decline in the UK appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Australia

Konami’s SYNK Vision Named Finalist in Regulating the Game Global Awards 2026

Published

9 minutes ago

February 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

konami’s-synk-vision-named-finalist-in-regulating-the-game-global-awards-2026

Konami Gaming subsidiary Konami Australia is a finalist in the Regulating the Game Global Awards 2026, adjudicated by representatives from the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL), The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) and Leagues Clubs Australia. Konami’s SYNK Vision biometric player tracking solution has been named a finalist for “RegTech Solution of the Year”, recognising innovative technology improving compliance, anti-money laundering (AML), safer gambling or integrity outcomes.

Tom Soukup, senior vice president & chief systems product officer at Konami Gaming, said: “The potential for SYNK Vision to deliver transformative advancement is unmistakable, especially as it relates to anti-money laundering, compliance, and player protection. This important acknowledgement of Konami’s SYNK Vision in the Regulating the Game Global Awards is credit to our valued casino customers and team members for working collaboratively, pushing casino systems technology to new heights of innovation, efficiency, and responsibility.”

Organised by the annual gambling law and regulation conference Regulating the Game, the Regulating the Game Global Awards 2026 event takes place on March 10 in Sydney, Australia. SYNK Vision has been independently selected as a finalist in this year’s programme, bringing Konami’s patented facial-recognition technology to the forefront of responsible gaming. Installed at casino table games and electronic gaming machines (EGMs), SYNK Vision can securely identify, track and protect players automatically based on biometric facial characteristics, regardless of whether they are members of the venue’s established player loyalty programme.

Gerard Crosby, senior vice president & chief games product officer at Konami Gaming and director of Konami Australia, said: “SYNK Vision equips gaming facilities to rapidly detect barred players, immediately notifying personnel and locking the machine from play if associated with an EGM—all while preserving player privacy across its gaming ecosystem. In addition, its advanced identity‑verification capabilities enhance AML tracking and compliance efforts across regulated venues. Konami is happy to support regulated gaming markets with this previously unattainable ability, to the benefit of countless communities and individuals.”

The post Konami’s SYNK Vision Named Finalist in Regulating the Game Global Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.