Playtech has praised its company’s resilience in navigating COVID-19 realities, despite its B2B and B2C gambling divisions taking a ‘severe’ hit. Issuing an update on its first-half performance and current trading, Playtech noted that adjusted EBITDA amounted to ‘more than €160 million’, which was largely driven by the company’s online division and TradeTech performance. Mor Weizer, CEO, commented: “Thanks to …

Easy access to problem gambling treatment has become somewhat of a priority, and mobile apps can ensure that individuals can manage and treat their gambling addiction. Dr Minal Jain and Dr Tejus Patel, co-founders of RecoverMe, sat down with SBC to discuss how cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness and industry collaboration can effectively support individuals in overcoming barriers to treatment. SBC: …

Cross-party think-tank The Social Market Foundation (SMF) has called for further ‘protective regulation’ of wagering limits to be rolled out, advising regulators that gamblers should be limited to betting ‘£100 each month until they pass more stringent checks‘. Reported by the Financial Times, the think tank claims that it is ‘inevitable that gamblers will sometimes spend more than they can …

The Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) has confirmed that reserves held to support the sport through difficult times will be 40% lower than pre-pandemic levels. Reported by The Guardian, the Board’s chief executive Alan Delmonte revealed that reserves are predicted to be around £30 million by the end of December, having been around £50 million in March. “That shows you …

A year-on from implementing its corporate transformation programme, William Hill Plc has praised the execution of its new strategy which has helped the company navigate Covid complexities and further industry headwinds. Publishing its half-year results for the six months ended 30 June 2020, the COVID-19 disruptions to live sport were a key factor in the 32% decline in net revenues, …

GVC Holdings‘ European flagship sportsbook property bwin has been confirmed as the new betting partner of the Belgian Pro League and Eleven Sports for the next three seasons. The deal will cover the Jupiler Pro League, D1B and the Supercup, with the online operator also becoming the rights holder of the national betting streaming rights to the Pro League, broadcast …

Gauselmann Group subsidiary Merkur Sportwetten GmbH has grown its presence in the Belgian market after increasing its holding in Betcenter Group NV from 50.1% to 74.9%. The partial sale, which came in with retroactive effect on 1 January 2020, will mean that Seydi Tekin will remain as chief executive officer of Betcenter in the long term. Meanwhile Carsten Schaudienst will …

International Game Technology (IGT) cited the ‘intense impact’ of casino and gaming hall closures on its business, as the New York-listed gambling technology group recorded H1 2020 operating losses of $291 million. Absorbing Q2 double-digit declines across its core business segments of lotteries, International, North America and Italy, IGT recorded a 48% decline in revenues, falling from $1.23 billion in …

Racing content and data services provider Sports Information Services (SIS) has enhanced its footprint in the Spanish and Latin America markets by entering into a partnership with Ekasa Reta’s flagship brand, RETAbet. Under the agreement, SIS will deliver its 24/7 Live Betting Channels, which will feature a mix of global horse and greyhound racing. This will provide RETAbet with ‘profitable …

GAMING1 has enhanced its offering of responsible gambling products by releasing a range of Artificial Intelligence player protection tools. The toolkit, which was designed by the company’s in-house product development team, aims to monitor all players activities and detect any early signs of problem gambling. Commenting on the launch, Sylvain Boniver, COO at GAMING1 said: “We’ve created a cutting-edge product …