Retail

Spain’s Competition & Markets Authority (CNMC) will allow Grupo CIRSA to acquire bookmaker Sportium outright, permitting the Blackstone owned operator the right to purchase Ladbrokes 50% joint-venture shareholding. The CNMC had been forced to review CIRSA’s pending €70 million acquisition of Ladbrokes JV stake in Sportium, which would see CIRSA control Spain’s biggest wagering network made-up of 3,000 retail betting …

GVC Holdings has strengthened its senior operational management team by announcing the appointment of a new director of payments and compliance, and a new gaming product director. Set to join the operator’s leadership in early November, Gabriele Griesbacher will assume the role of Director of Payments, while Colin Cole-Johnson takes up the role of Gaming Product Director. Shay Segev, Chief …

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has reminded all licensees that it should have measures in place to ‘make sure that consumers are not unnecessarily disadvantaged’ if the licensee leaves the market. The reminder comes a little over six months after Irish sports betting operator BetBright’s closure meant that a number of customers were left in limbo as to the status …

The UK racing industry has been warned that it needs to begin making plans ahead of a potential no-deal Brexit scenario, which is expected to have a significant impact on the sector. In a note sent on behalf of the Thoroughbred Industries Brexit Steering Group, it was emphasised that ‘the political situation regarding the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European …

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) CEO Neil McArthur has praised the ‘encouraging increase’ of gambling operators which are utilising both algorithms and machine learning to crack down on gambling related harms. Speaking at the Southbank Centre yesterday, McArthur confirmed that the UKGC plans to launch its next Raising Standards Conference early next year, however called for a bi-annual meeting of CEOs …

Kentucky-based Keeneland Association has secured a new multi-year agreement with Sky Sports Racing which will give the broadcaster exclusive rights to broadcast Keeneland racing and sales to UK and Irish viewers. The agreement, which will begin at the start of Keeneland’s Fall Meet in October, will include race-day coverage as well as exclusive content and commentary provided by Keeneland Paddock …

Historic UK racecourse and greyhound track Towcester is due to close down after its owners have confirmed they will be selling its remaining fixtures to Arena Racing Company (ARC). The racecourse, which entered into administration in August of last year, was sold to Fermor Land LLP after a period of ‘trading difficulties.’ The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has since confirmed …