The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has announced that Nick Rust (OBE), the former chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) will serve as inaugural chair of the Industry Forum.  Rust, who led British racing’s regulatory and corporate affairs from 2016-2021, will take charge of the role in November, and will serve a two-year term as Chair. This summer, UKGC …

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has published insights into how it will measure the success of its new Fixtures List for UK racing.  Announced last month, the BHA and stakeholders settled on a new fixtures list for 2024, with the aim of showcasing new initiatives designed to grow racing’s appeal with the wider UK public. Headline measures will see the …

The government of Hungary has been warned that legal challenges persist on the terms of the Gambling Act (1991), despite recent amendments to liberalise remote gambling services.    The notice came from a report submitted to the Economic Chamber by Biró Marcell, the Chairman of the Supervisory Authority for Regulated Activities (SZTFH). SZTFH is the Hungarian supervisory body for regulatory and …

GambleAware has updated its report on the efficiency of the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) used by research, education and treatment (RET) stakeholders to identify and measure harms. PGSI is a screening tool “widely used, albeit not specifically designed” to estimate the number of people experiencing gambling harms. The index has been referenced by specific health surveys of England, Scotland …

Better Collective A/S has struck definitive terms to acquire Toronto TSX-listed Playmaker Capital for a total consideration of €176m. Executing its second-largest M&A transaction, Better Collective will expand its media network across North and South America, taking control of Playmaker’s extensive coverage of sports portals including FutbolSites, Yardbarker, and The Nation Network. Of distinction, Playmaker’s media portfolio attracts over “200 …

Irakli Gharibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia, has instructed ministerial agencies to proceed with increasing taxes on gambling businesses.    The PM declared the command as a primary directive of the Budget Speech, citing concerns that gambling had reached “catastrophic levels”, as Georgians are reported to have wagered GEL 52bn (€17bn) in 2022. As a direct response to growing concerns, Gharibashvili has …

Groupe FDJ has finalised its €380m acquisition of Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI), a transformative deal that will see the Paris Euronext lottery group take stewardship of the Irish National Lottery.  This morning, FDJ announced that it had acquired 100% of PLI share capital, taking control of the exclusive rights to operate the Irish National Lottery until 2034.  As declared on …

A public petition has been launched by British racing stakeholders to ‘stop the implementation of betting affordability/financial risk checks‘. The petition, which has currently amassed over 40,000 signatures, was initiated by Nevin Truesdale, Chief Executive of The Jockey Club – the UK’s largest racecourse operator. Led by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), racing stakeholders have openly stated their opposition to …

Spanish authorities have vowed to deepen academic research to bolster the treatment, intervention and prevention of gambling disorders. Yesterday, DGOJ – Spain’s General Directorate of Gambling – announced that 26 projects will receive research grants in the field of ‘gambling disorder prevention’. The initiative is led by Spain’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs, which has reserved €1.3m funding for academic studies …

Amid looming consolidation across Western European betting markets, Portugal stands out as a fresh market for online sportsbook competition. SBC taps into the expertise of Tiago Pereira, market lead for LeBull.pt, who cites bright prospects for new challengers in the Portuguese arena. SBC: Hi Tiago, thanks for this interview. Having worked for Betano and Entain, you are a seasoned executive …