Retail

Svenska Spel has recorded positive Q2 trading, as Sweden’s state-owned gambling operator prepares to reopen all Casino Cosmopol and Vegas arcade venues from lockdown.  Buoyed by strong sports betting activity (+106%), Q2 trading saw Svenska Spel register group net revenues of SEK 1,94 billion (€188m), up 18% on corresponding 2020 results of SEK 1.64 billion – a period heavily disrupted …

The content of a BBC Panorama investigation has prompted the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) to call an ‘urgent’ meeting with the independently-chaired Horse Welfare Board, along with other industry leaders. Furthermore, the BHA will also contact colleagues at Horse Racing Ireland after the Monday night Panorama programme, entitled ‘The Dark Side of Horse Racing’, broadcast covert footage filmed inside one …

AB Trav och Galopp (ATG), the operating company of Swedish licensed horse racing and trotting venues, has confirmed that it will no longer accept customer registrations from foreign/non-nationals. Following 2019’s implementation of new rules applied by Swedish gambling’s new regulatory regime, ATG venues have been forced to register all players wagering at its venues. In the wake of an internal …

The DCMS has launched a consultation on whether the government should implement a new retail sale mechanism for National Lottery products. The consultation has been launched in light of the government increasing the purchase age of National Lottery products from 16-to-18 – a change that was implemented by UK retailers last April, six months ahead of legislation coming into force …

Spain’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs has published its draft framework of a ‘decree project’ aiming to establish ‘safer gaming environments’, and further consumer gambling safeguards as a federal mandate governing the gambling sector. The project’s foreword saw the Ministry and gambling regulator DGOJ outline comprehensive protective measures that are required to modernise Spain’s Gambling Law of 2011. According to the …

The board of Scientific Games Corporation has disclosed its intentions to acquire the remaining 19% equity interest in casual games subsidiary SciPlay.  The transaction has been ordered to advance Scientific Games planned strategic overhaul, which will see the Nasdaq gambling technology group operate a solely focused casino games developer and content supplier.  SciPlay had been independently listed on Nasdaq in …

CareersinRacing.com, the recruitment and talent development arm for UK racing, has launched a ‘Youth Collaboration Group‘ which aims to provide young people with direct opportunities to reshape the heritage sport of horse racing. Supported by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), CareersinRacing.com is looking for ‘young people with an interest in horse racing and marketing’ to contribute their views and opinions …

Sugal & Damani, the Indian lottery operator which has been participating in the fourth UK National Lottery licence competition, will reportedly withdraw from the bidding contest, according to The Telegraph. If the firm does withdraw its bid, four participants will remain in the competition – incumbent operator Camelot, former adult magazine publisher Richard Desmond, Italy’s Sisal and Allwyn, the UK …

Flutter Entertainment has delayed its US Initial Public Offering (IPO) of FanDuel ahead of the resignation of Matt King, the CEO of the latter company – which is expected in the coming weeks.  The FTSE 100 gambling group, which operates Paddy Power, Betfair and Sky Bet, had initially disclosed that it was pursuing a listing of a ‘small shareholding’ in …

Betfred Limited has filed its 2020 corporate accounts (period reported up to 27 September), disclosing the impact of last year’s COVID-19 pandemic on its business units.  The Done family-owned betting group saw its group wagers shrink from £10-to-£6.5 billion,  a result of the enforced closure of its UK betting estates and further COVID-19 adjustments.   Trading with an impaired retail unit, …