Europe

The Irish government has tabled a proposition for the betting/gambling sectors to be overseen by a new independent regulatory body. The mandate for an independent regulator has been propositioned by Irish Minister of State for Equality and Integration David Stanton, who seeks to amend provisions of the country’s Gambling Control Bill. The 2013 bill proposed the development of a ‘gambling …

The expansion of sportsbooks has meant that the offering provided by tipster and affiliate sites has also widened and become more informative with a greater emphasis on detail and  statistical data. Menghan Fu, Betting.net’s Operations Manager spoke to SBC about how supplying a wide range of content to advise the punter is something that has always been a foremost priority …

120 Italian gaming licenses have been made available on a first come first served basis. Legislators have launched a bidding process, with around 40 licenses expected to be issued to operators already present in the country’s gaming market looking to renew existing licenses. Operators will be able to apply for licences in a number of gambling activities, such as sports …

Ladbrokes has opted to extend its sponsorship of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) to 2020, giving the Scottish football divisions a welcome cash boost. The deal is believed to be worth £5 million, with the betting brand also agreeing to up its investment in the leagues. The original deal, signed in 2015, was the most lucrative in Scottish football …

Sporting Solutions has beaten off competition from a number of sportsbook suppliers, to provide Svenska Spel with its outsourced pricing services (OPS). The firm, which forms part of the Sporting Group, will see the partnership run for an initial year long period, with Svenska Spel holding the rights to exercise the option of a further year. Fredrik Wastenson, Vice President …

The esports betting sector is set to gain a further new market entrant as Luckbox.com prepares to make its debut in 2018. The new esports betting platform is founded by former PokerStars employees Lars Lien (CEO) and Mike Stevens. Under development since 2016, Luckbox.com is a unique betting venture which to date has raised 483.5 Bitcoin (circa £5 million) from ‘strategic …

Global markets are the target for BtoBet and Betsoft Gaming, following the signing of a new partnership between the two firms. Software providers BtoBet, winners of the Rising Star in Sports Betting Innovation at the 2017 SBC Awards, and iGaming developers Betsoft, detail that Europe, Africa and Latin America are the focus moving forward. Under the terms of the partnership …

ICE London has secured a notable coup with confirmation that prominent British Economist, Sir Alan Budd will provide the key note ahead of the ICE Annual Regulators Luncheon.   Sir Alan, who was a founding member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee as well as a former senior economic adviser to HM Treasury and whose Gambling Review Report (2001) provided the …

Britain’s financial watchdog has warned spread-betting firms of poor practices, following a review by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) related to the industry’s use of contracts for difference (CFD) A warning letter has stated consumers are “at serious risk of harm,” after finding that the majority of customers lost money through their trades. The regulator revealed that it found 76% …

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has reacted positively to the appointment of Matt Hancock as Culture Secretary, in the cabinet reshuffle of Prime Minister Theresa May.   Within the UK Parliament, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport are accountable for all gambling matters, including Horseracing. Speaking about the appointment, BHA Chairman Steve Harman stated: “We’re delighted with the appointment …