Retail

Lottomatica Group has informed investors that it plans to issue €500m in debt notes to fund its agreed acquisition of SKS365 Malta Holdings for €640m. Struck on 2 November, the deal sees Lottomatica become Italian gambling’s largest omnichannel group, in which the company will absorb the 1000+ betting points of PlanetWin365 and 120 arcade venues of PlanetPay365—the flagship brands of …

Intralot SPA maintains a stable outlook for year-trading, despite the Athens-listed technology group reporting continued revenue declines impacting its commercial performance. Publishing its latest year-to-date (YTD) report, Intralot corporate revenues stand at €280m, down 7% on 2022 comparatives of €301m. The decline in YTD headline revenues reflects the absence of discontinued Malta lottery (B2C) revenues, accounting for a decrease of …

OpenBet has extended its long-term partnership with Greek gambling operator OPAP to deliver an enhanced retail betting experience.  Under the new framework, OpenBet’s technology platform and products are leveraged across OPAP’s retail estate.  Jordan Levin, Group CEO of OpenBet, commented: “We’re proud to have facilitated the next generation of OPAP’s retail betting offering, particularly so soon after the success of …

The board of Tabcorp Holdings has confirmed the appointment of Mark Howell as the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the ASX-listed sports betting and racing media group. Subject to regulatory approvals, Howell will take over the role ‘before the end of June 2024’ and will replace Daniel Renshaw, who announced his departure from Tabcorp’s executive leadership team in September, …

The Treasury has been warned by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) not to impose a simplified measure on UK gambling taxes, branded as a ‘Trojan horse’ for the industry and its diverse stakeholders. Last week’s Autumn Statement saw Chancellor Jeremy Hunt confirm that the Treasury would consult on proposals to bring remote betting into a single tax framework, replacing …

The board of Norsk Tipping has confirmed the permanent appointment of Tonje Sagstuen as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Norway’s state-owned lottery operator. A long-term executive of Norsk Tipping, Sagstuen has served as interim CEO since September following the departure of Thor Gjermund Eriksen. Branded the ‘optimal candidate’, Sagstuen’s experience with Norsk Tipping is extensive and includes a five-year tenure …

Several changes have been made to the start rules in British racing, after being approved by the Board of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA).  Following a review of stalls and starting procedures over a 12-month period, one of the first adjustments focuses on Late Load Requests – defined as raceday privilege requests made by a trainer for their horse to …

Tabcorp and Racecourse Media Group (RMG) have announced a five-year deal to serve fans in Australia and New Zealand.  From 1 January 2024, the gambling company will distribute its Sky Racing channels in the territory for tote (pari-mutuel) wagering for RMG’s British and Irish content, as well as fixed odds wagering for RMG’s British racecourses.  The agreement enables Sky Racing …

Swedish horseracing stakeholders have stated that the governance structure of ATG (Aktiebolaget Trav och Galopp) must be addressed in 2024.  The statement was made by Anders Källström, Chairman of Svensk Travsport at the autumn meeting of the Stockholm Harness Racing Society.  ATG, which serves as the totalizer and betting network of Swedish racing, was founded as a government initiative in …

The Industry People Board’s new report is set to demonstrate views on improving recruitment, skills and retention of staff in the British racing industry. Surveying trainers and stable staff, the report is delivered in partnership with the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), the National Trainers Federation (NTF) and the National Association of Racing Staff (NARS), with funding from the Racing Foundation. …