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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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Chris Loftus CEO of Northern Lights Gaming
Northern Lights Gaming promotes Chris Loftus to Chief Executive Officer
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Northern Lights Gaming, the award-winning studio known for blockbuster slot titles such as Unusual Suspects and Bison Moon, has promoted Chris Loftus to CEO.
The promotion comes after Andrew Goodale chose to step away from the studio after more than eight years at the helm to pursue other opportunities.
Chris is a seasoned online slot studio executive with more than 17 years of industry experience and joined Northern Lights Gaming back in April 2025 as Commercial Director.
His career began at Inspired Entertainment, where he spent a decade as Head of Content Operations before moving on to 1X2 Network, where he served as Commercial Director for the leading studio and aggregation platform.
This was followed by a stint as Sales Director at fast-growing game studio Playnetic, where he further expanded his expertise in commercial strategy and business development, before joining the Northern Lights Gaming team.
As CEO of Northern Lights Gaming, Chris brings seasoned insight and an energetic approach to the studio, which has both a strong legacy and ambitious plans for the future.
Robert Henrysson, Chairman at Northern Lights Gaming, said: “We are thrilled to promote Chris to the position of CEO and for him to lead Northern Lights Gaming into the next chapter of its success story.
“Of course, we’d like to thank Andrew for his many years of service and for helping to drive Northern Lights Gaming forward with passion and purpose and wish him well for the future.
“Change always brings adjustments, but our direction and mission remain the same – and that’s to create the very best games and experience in the industry.
“And with Chris leading our incredible team and with a strong product roadmap in front of us, we are highly confident of doing just that.”
Chris Loftus, CEO of Northern Lights Gaming, added: “It’s an honour to have been promoted to CEO of Northern Lights Gaming and to have the trust of the team to steer the ship and continue to build on the incredible progress we have already made.
“The key to success for any studio is to create great games that hit the mark with players, and we have the team and process in place to keep adding epic titles to our portfolio.
“Our product roadmap is packed with truly exceptional games, and we can’t wait to see them leave our production line and for players to fire up the reels.”
The post Northern Lights Gaming promotes Chris Loftus to Chief Executive Officer appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
s1mple and electronic are back on the same team.
After years apart, the legendary duo is reunited—this time under the banner of BC.GAME Esports.
BC.GAME Esports has officially signed Denis “electronic” Sharipov. The 2021 CS Major champion and multiple-time HLTV Top player will now play alongside Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev, who joined the organization earlier. Together, they form the core firepower duo of BC.GAME Esports’ CS2 roster.
“I am glad to announce that I am joining the BCGame Esports team. I am very happy to play together with S1mple again. Incredibly hungry and motivated to work like never before!”
The two previously spent six years together at Natus Vincere (NaVi), winning top-tier titles such as the PGL Major 2021, BLAST Premier Global Final, and IEM Cologne. Their synergy and clutch consistency earned them a place among the most iconic duos in Counter-Strike history.
In this new environment, electronic will not only serve as a key rifler but also contribute to the team’s broader content strategy—participating in match breakdowns, behind-the-scenes content, livestreams, and regional fan events.
According to BC.GAME Esports, another high-profile player signing is currently in the works, aiming to further strengthen the team’s competitive lineup.
BC.GAME Esports is the esports division of the global iGaming brand. As a platform operating in regulated markets, BC.GAME views esports as a long-term investment and an extension of its entertainment ecosystem. The organization sees its esports initiative as a bridge to connect with a younger, more engaged global audience.
Compared to traditional sports, esports content is more digitally native and easier to distribute across livestreams, short-form platforms, and bilingual formats. It also offers more flexibility and accessibility in reaching global players, creators, and fans. Unlike sports ecosystems built around rigid media rights, esports allows brands to take a more active role in content creation and community development.
About BC.GAME Esports
BC.GAME Esports is the competitive gaming arm of BC.GAME, a crypto-native entertainment platform. Launched in 2024, the team merges top-tier CS2 competition with blockchain-powered community engagement and digital content creation.
Contact
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Olivia Dixon
BC.GAME
Buffalo Force
ELA Games’ Buffalo Force Charges to Outstanding Results: 62% GGR Growth in Just 3 Weeks
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Stunning visuals and strong performance make Buffalo Force a standout success
ELA Games’ Buffalo Force has quickly risen to the top of performance charts, just three weeks after its release, showing strong player engagement metrics and turnover growth.
The Wild West-themed brand-new title blends visually rich artwork, dynamic gameplay, and immersive atmospheres to create engaging experiences for players and value for operators. The game showcases ELA Games’ rapid rise to become a leading game development studio, capable of pushing the boundaries of the gaming industry with its innovative solutions.
Inside the Data: How ELA’s Buffalo Force Instantly Soared
This month, Buffalo Force exceeded all plans and surpassed expectations across key performance metrics. The audience immediately embraced the product, with operators reporting positive responses from player bases. With the game’s momentum still building, even stronger results may be on the horizon.
Growth metrics during the first 3 weeks after release highlight Buffalo Force as one of the studio’s strongest titles to date. It showcases the game’s powerful retention appeal and the ability to deliver games that perform consistently across regions, captivating new audiences:
- Actives growth +26%
- Turnover +38%
- GGR total growth +62%
- Rounds count +29%
These results reflect a rise in overall player activity, indicating higher session frequency and more wagers placed. This shows that Buffalo Force has high replay value and is a game that encourages engagement.
[Video https://youtu.be/pBHPyi2vHlY]
Marharyta Yerina, ELA Games’ Managing Director, commented, “Buffalo Force represents the progress our studio has made in understanding what players love and what operators need. What we see with the game’s instant success is a sign that our approach is working and that each new release will set the bar higher in terms of engagement, performance, and enjoyment.”
ELA Games’ Portfolio Continues to Expand
Buffalo Force’s success reflects ELA Games’ development approach, where each release enriches the studio’s portfolio, adding creative innovation, visually rich design, and operator value. Other recent additions, such as Shoot Happens or Rabbit Winpot Deluxe, reinforce this trend, creating a balanced catalogue with plenty of variety.
Joker Winpot is another standout title for ELA Games that has received widespread acclaim. It received key nominations by various institutions for its creativity and innovation, underscoring how ELA Games’ developments are recognised by peers and press alike. Buffalo Force positions itself as a key game for the studio that will contend for similar commercial success and industry recognition.
The post ELA Games’ Buffalo Force Charges to Outstanding Results: 62% GGR Growth in Just 3 Weeks appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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