North America

Despite the NFL franchise owners overwhelmingly supporting (31-1) the relocation of the Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas Nevada. Roger Goodell, Chief Commissioner of the NFL states that the league will not change its stance on the issue of US legal sports betting. Speaking to US media, Goodell restated that the NFL opposed all forms of betting on its matches. Goodell …

Updating the market, US gambling operator Caesars Entertainment Corp (CEC) has confirmed the promotion of Christian Stuart to the newly created role of Executive Vice President of Gaming and Interactive Entertainment The promotion sees Stuart a ten-year CEC veteran (2007-2017), join the firm’s executive management team. Stuart steps up to the new CEC leadership position having previously served as Chief …

Following its annual Franchise Owners General Meeting on Monday 27 March, the NFL has approved for the Oakland Raiders to move to Las Vegas Nevada within the next three years. US business news sources report that NFL Franchise owners voted overwhelmingly (31-1) in favour of a Las Vegas relocation for the Raiders, despite protests from Oakland fans and city officials. …

Presenting its full-year 2016 results, Toronto-listed Amaya Inc was pleased to report ‘a record year of revenues’ as the company looks continues to diversify its product portfolio and increase its profile within regulated online gambling markets. Amaya governance would declare full-year 2016 group revenues of $1.15 billion up 8% on corresponding FY 2015’s $1.07 billion. The operator would hit ‘record …

Speaking to Yahoo Finance, Warren Buffett the world’s most powerful hedge fund magnate with a speculated wealth of $76 billion remains tepid on the potential of legalising US sports betting. Buffett a fan of college basketball, who this February repeated his $1 million-a-year sweepstake for Berkshire Hathaway employees to predict the correct ‘March Madness’ brackets of the NCAA Basketball Championships, …

Bloomberg USA has reported that daily fantasy sports (DFS) operator DraftKings has raised a further $100 million (£84 million) in venture financing led by Los Angeles VC fund Eldridge Industries. The  VC fund which is headed-up by Los Angeles Dodgers MLB franchise owner Todd Boehly joins DraftKings’ portfolio of 17 core investors (https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/draftkings#/entity ) To date, DraftKings has raised approximately …

Canadian sports entertainment group Gaming Nation has confirmed that it has acquired UK-based in-stadia marketing specialist BD Sport Group (BD Sport) for a total consideration of £11 million. Updating the market, TSX-listed Gaming Nation detailed that it had agreed to acquire BD Sport assets outright for £8.8 million, with the acquiring firm adding a further £2.2 million in performance-related provisions. …

Betcade the ‘real-money’ dedicated gaming/gambling app store has returned to business having gained critical investment from Vancouver-based private equity firm Columbia Ventures Corporations (CVC).  At the start of the year, Batcade management had issued a corporate statement informing industry stakeholders that the company had ceased its operations. At the time Betcade management did not disclose any specific reason as to …

Canada’s High Court has set a 20 November date for the ‘insider trading’ trial of former Amaya Inc CEO David Baazov by Quebec securities regulator Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF). Baazov faces 23-charges of illegal trades carried out over a six-year period as CEO of Amaya Inc. The AMF states that Baazov and twelve close associates had created a ‘sophisticated network’ …