UK

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 …

kwiff has penned a deal with the World Darts Federation (WDF) to become an official sponsor of the 2023 WDF Lakeside World Championships.  The British bookmaker partners with the competition as it enters its second edition, which is set to be held at the Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green, Surrey.  Charles Lee, kwiff CEO, stated: “We are delighted to …

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 …

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 …

Microgaming is demonstrating vast support for responsible gambling practices in partnering with several safer gaming charities.  Some of the charities that have received support from the online gambling provider in 2023 include Ygam, Gordon Moody, Beacon Counselling Trust, Betknowmore UK and Motiv8 Addiction Services. The firm is reportedly in ‘close cooperation’ with each charity to identify projects that will benefit …

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has emphasised the importance of the UK horse racing sector as a global sport, but also acknowledging an urgent need to maximise engagement in the domestic market. The British Racing’s Sports Economy Breeders’ Cup Trade Mission on 1 November began with a welcome reception held in California, which BHA CEO, Julie Harrington, addressed with an …

The UK is becoming an increasingly important market for heritage US gambling group Bally’s Corporation,  as cited by the company’s third quarter trading report. Updating investors, the NYSE firm outlined group-wide revenues of $632.5m, an increase of 9.4% year-on-year against Q3 2022 comparatives of $578.3m, with a strong performance enjoyed by its international unit. Bally’s International Interactive revenue stood at …

Horse racing has had some big news lately at two very different levels, with organisers announcing changes to the format of the Grand National whilst one of its most high-profile jockeys revealed an extension of his career. Amidst concerns for animal welfare and general safety, the Jockey Club took the decision to reduce the number of runners in the UK’s …

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 …

Regulatory difficulties have dogged Entain’s Q3 performance significantly according to the group’s leadership, particularly in Germany and the UK with the group facing an ongoing HMRC investigation in the latter. Expect headlines…. In his address to investors following publication of the company’s Q3 results, group Chairman Barry Gibson informed that Entain will go before the courts during Q4 and expects …