Latest News
Racecourse Media Group results return to pre-Covid levels
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.”
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ELA Games
Neon Towers & Plenty of Thrill: ELA Games Unleashes New Winpot Game Joker Jam
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The studio releases its latest exciting addition to the Winpot series
ELA Games announces the release of its latest title, Joker Jam, a bold visual addition to the studio’s growing portfolio of strategic yet aesthetic games.
Set under the neon glow of a vibrant city, Joker Jam reimagines the classic Vegas aesthetic into a thrilling experience. Familiar symbols such as sevens and fruits adorn the reels while looming Winpot towers grow with each win. Joker Jam is a game for all players due to its engagingly strategic yet straightforward mechanics and high replay value.
Spoiler alert: the Joker Jam is available now in a seasonal holiday edition, featuring a limited-time winter-themed design. After the festive season, the game will revert to its original visual version.
The Newest Addition to the Winpot Series
Joker Jam is the latest addition to the Winpot series, adding a new visual angle to an already established product line. The Winpot Towers grow with each win, where the player can choose their own style of play to increase winnings. The 7 symbol charges up the Winpot Towers, with each Seven powering the tower with its own colour, with respective multipliers when you fill them to the top.
Joker Jam joins the family of Winpot games, which includes Joker Winpot, Zeus Winpot, and Rabbit Winpot Deluxe. This award-nominated trademark mechanic has demonstrated notable results for operators due to its fast-paced nature, giving players control over their gameplay by allowing them to decide when to cash out or continue.
Reimagining Classic Visuals With Thrilling Features
One of the most enticing aspects of Joker Jam is its visually rich animations and design, allowing players to immerse themselves in the game fully. To complement this, the game has various features to keep gameplay action-packed:
- Winpot Towers: Each 7 symbol fuels its matching colour tower, and players can choose to climb the Tower for bigger rewards or cash out when they want.
- Good Joker: This Joker boosts your run, jumping players’ progress up one level across all Towers instantly.
- Bad Joker: One appearance from the meddling Bad Joker resets all progress in the Towers.
The game’s familiar visuals that have been revamped with the studio’s signature art style, atmosphere, and high-stakes mechanics make Joker Jam both easy to pick up and hard to put down.
Marharyta Yerina, Managing Director, commented on the game’s release, “Joker Jam is an important addition to the Winpot series as we look to develop our trademark mechanic to continue its status as a must-have feature in casino lobbies. The game’s mix of enticing visuals and fast-paced gameplay drives growth for operators, which has quickly elevated it as one of the most replayable titles in our well-balanced portfolio. We look forward to seeing how the game performs on initial release and hope everyone enjoys it!”
Jam Under the Neon Lights Today
The Jokers are always looking to play. Are you ready to entertain them?
The post Neon Towers & Plenty of Thrill: ELA Games Unleashes New Winpot Game Joker Jam appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
SPOTLIGHT SPORTS GROUP RELEASES WORLD CUP 2026 BETTING OUTLOOK AS INDUSTRY PREPARES FOR SURGE IN FIRST TIME BETTORS
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New research reveals high intent to bet, major entry of first time bettors and rising demand for personalised, trusted content ahead of the biggest World Cup in history.
Spotlight has released its World Cup 2026 Betting Outlook, presenting new insights into how fans will watch, bet and engage across the expanded 48 team, 39 day tournament.
Key findings show major shifts in fan betting behaviour:
- 66% of planned bettors will be betting on the World Cup for the first time
- In the US this rises sharply to 90%, signalling significant entry of new bettors into the market
- 70% plan to place a bet, but only 7% feel confident doing so
- 44% say late night and early morning kick off times, particularly for UK fans, will push them toward more pre match betting
- 96% want personalised betting content tailored to their interests
- Social media is the least trusted source of betting insight
The research also highlights strong enthusiasm for the expanded tournament format itself, with 93% feeling positive about the 48 team structure and 86% planning to stay engaged throughout the full 39 day schedule.
Mark Langdon, Group Sports Director at Spotlight Sports Group, said: “The data shows that the 2026 World Cup will bring a huge wave of new and inexperienced bettors into the market. Operators that deliver simple onboarding, strong pre-match insight and personalised content will be best positioned to capture and engage this audience.”
The findings will be discussed in detail during Spotlight Sports Group’s SBC webinar Engaging Audiences During the 2026 World Cup on Thursday 4 December at 2pm GMT.
About the research
The survey gathered responses from 600 sports fans across the UK, US and LATAM.
The post SPOTLIGHT SPORTS GROUP RELEASES WORLD CUP 2026 BETTING OUTLOOK AS INDUSTRY PREPARES FOR SURGE IN FIRST TIME BETTORS appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Anton Ivannikov CPO at Playson
Playson debuts dynamic new feature in Tornado Power: Hold and Win
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Tornado Feature and dynamic Thunder Bonus Feature enrich both Main Game and Bonus play
Playson, the accomplished digital entertainment supplier, has unleashed a whirlwind of excitement with Tornado Power: Hold and Win, introducing a new Tornado Feature and enhanced payouts.
The 3×4, 10 payline slot features immersive visuals with old-school charm, as the untamed gameplay is further enhanced by a new Tornado Feature, which can be randomly triggered whenever a Thunder Bonus Symbol lands during the Main Game or Bonus Game.
Once active, multipliers of up to an impressive 20x may activate as well as Bonus Symbols to increase the likelihood of triggering the Thunder Bonus Feature or Hold and Win Bonus Game.
When both a Bonus Symbol and Thunder Bonus Symbol lands on the reels, the Thunder Bonus Feature comes into action. The feature collects the values of all Bonus Symbols in play, including four in-game Jackpot Symbols, before adding them to the winnings for the spin in the Main Game or Total Win in the Bonus Game.
Landing at least one Bonus Symbol on each reel grants access to the Hold and Win Bonus Game, where players benefit from only Bonus and Thunder Bonus symbols for the entirety of the round. In a striking twist to bonus play, up to four Thunder Bonus Collect symbols can land on the centre reel, further amplifying the win potential on offer.
Additional entry to the Bonus Game is also boosted by the Pile of Gold Feature. Any Bonus Symbols that land on the reels during the main game can randomly trigger the feature, which sees Bonus and Thunder Bonus Symbols added to the grid in quantity enough to activate the Bonus Game.
This latest release demonstrates Playson’s ability for developing unique mechanics that enhance player engagement based on data-driven insights.
Anton Ivannikov, CPO at Playson, said: “Tornado Power: Hold and Win showcases our commitment to elevating the Hold and Win experience with engagement-boosting mechanics that genuinely move the needle. The new Tornado Feature introduces a fresh layer of dynamism to gameplay, giving players more ways to interact with bonus elements and enjoy heightened win potential.
“It’s a strong reflection of our data-led approach to development, and we’re confident it will resonate across a variety of markets.”
The post Playson debuts dynamic new feature in Tornado Power: Hold and Win appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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