UK

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has notified stakeholders that Chair Joe Saumarez Smith has been diagnosed with lung cancer and will start treatment later this month.  The board of the BHA have agreed that they would like Saumarez Smith to continue in his role as Chair for as long as he is happy to do so. Saumarez Smith has accepted …

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has argued for greater cooperation with the industry from social media platforms, whilst requesting that the government echo its calls.  In a letter to DCMS Secretary Lucy Frazer, BGC Chief Executive Michael Dugher pointed to previous industry efforts on social platforms enabling users to opt-out of receiving betting and gaming advertising. However, more needs …

Entain Plc has lauded the significant milestones achieved during the past 12 months to strengthen the FTSE100 global gambling group’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards. As outlined in its ‘2022/2023 ESG Report‘, Entain has demonstrated an “unwavering commitment to sustainability and ethical business practices”, recognised as pillars central to the company’s long-term strategy and sustainability of business across all …

Kenneth Alexander and Lee Feldman, the former leadership duo of GVC Holdings have launched investment vehicle FS Gaming, acquiring a 6.5% stake in embattled 888 Holdings  FS Gaming is reported to be comprised of seasoned igaming investors who believe that 888’s is ‘significantly undervalued’ and will help the LSE gambling group overcome its hurdles since acquiring William Hill’s UK and …

Licensing Expert David Clifton reflects in his one-on-one interview with Gambling Commission CEO Andrew Rhodes at last month’s CasinoBeats Summit in Malta. Rhodes is the key stakeholder in how the Gambling Review’s White Paper will conclude on the unspecified policies of affordability, financial vulnerability, frictionless checks and more… In my last ‘Licensing Expert’ article for SBC News, I suggested that …

FUN88 has become Newcastle United‘s official Asian betting partner in a multi-year deal from the 2023/2024 season onwards. The gambling brand moves from the role of principal sponsor since the beginning of the 2017/18 campaign, having built strong ties with the Premier League club. The operator’s logo has featured prominently on the front of the Magpies’ kits and training wear …

Post Gambling Review, consensus points to UK Gambling needing to ‘reinvent itself’ to regain public and regulatory trust. A noble objective, yet compliance and integrity expert Bill South advises UK stakeholders to look back at 2010 and the collaborative success of the ‘Parry Report’.  So the much-anticipated gambling White Paper has, at last, arrived. Promising more detailed affordability checks, a …

Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Netherlands Gambling Authority, has issued an ‘urgent appeal’ to Dutch Minister for Legal Protections, Franc Weerwind, to amend the Remote Gambling Act (KOA) supervisory technicalities. Weerwind, who is currently charged with the evaluation of the Remote Gambling Act (KOA) in 2024, has been asked to modify the Law to allow KSA “to have access to false identity …

Rank Group Plc has confirmed the forthcoming appointment of Andrew Peat as the new Managing Director of its Interactive business. Peat, who is expected to assume the leadership role later this year, will join Rank’s executive management team from William Hill, where he most recently served as Sportsbook Director from 2018 to 2023. Before joining the betting and gaming industry, …

Janice Duncan has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer of Maltese online casino, Casumo. Duncan officially took on the new role in May after two-and-a-half years in the same position at UK-based gambling company Rank Interactive. Prior to this she spent around three years at William Hill, initially as head of business planning before becoming Director of Online Corporate Governance …