Retail

The conversation surrounding Brexit has been inescapable for the last two and a half years, with MPs still unable to agree upon a deal that would be most beneficial for the UK. Later in the week, Chief Executive of Irish racing Brian Kavanagh will be travelling to Westminster to liaise with senior officials from both the British Horseracing Authority and …

OIA Services LTD, the Malta-based holding company of Italian betting operators ‘Betaland’ and ‘Enjoybet’ has been allowed by magistrates to unfreeze its business verticals. Both Betaland and Enjoybet brands had been placed under investigation by the joint ‘Galassia’ taskforce formed by the Italian police and financial authorities’ investigating multiple charges of corruption, fraud and money-laundering. Since November 2018, the digital …

FTSE betting group William Hill Plc continues its strategic realignment focusing on international growth and digital transformation, as the bookmaker announces the closure of 900 betting shops across the UK. The operator revealed in its full-year trading statement this week that it had suffered a 15 per cent drop in operating profits. Despite numerous 2018 setbacks, the bookmaker’s digital division …

Finland’s Veikkaus gambling monopoly is set to undertake a significant operational restructure cutting approximately 400 staff positions, amid the downfall of its restaurant gambling division. Veikkaus’ executive team has commenced discussions with around 1,300 of its 2,000 staff identifying areas which will be at the forefront of restructuring. The majority of the staff members that are said to be affected …

Updating the market, FTSE250 technology group Playtech Plc informs that its sports betting division Playtech BGT Sports (PBS) has extended its retail services agreement with Paddy Power expanding the bookmaker’s self-service terminal capabilities. New provisions for Paddy Power will include PBS new Tap2Bet functionality, which will allow customers to place bets directly onto the terminals with their debit cards. PBS …

The executive of Melilla has announced a major coup as Bolsa Madrid gambling group Codere SA, has confirmed that it will transfer its online betting division Codere Apuestas to the Spanish autonomous city, which seeks to become a new strategic hub for the European online gambling industry. Codere Apuestas becomes the first online betting firm to migrate strategic units to …

FTSE100 online gambling group, GVC Holdings, has shifted around its senior leadership team, following Jim Humberstone’s departure as Group Director of Trading. Tom Ritzema, who succeeds Humberstone, has been appointed Group Trading Director. Ritzema has helped facilitate the integration of the trading teams of bwin.party (acquired February 2016) and Ladbrokes Coral (acquired March 2018). With eighteen years industry experience, Ritzema …

FTSE250 bookmaker William Hill Plc has this morning published its pre-close 2018 trading statement (53-week period to 1 January 2019), detailing that results will be in-line with its previously announced ‘adjusted 2018 corporate guidance’. William Hill expects to declare operating profits of circa £234 million, in line with governance’s adjusted profit range £225-245 million, which was announced last November, as …

Publishing its full-year 2018 accounts, French state-owned operator Francaise des Jeux (FDJ) has reported ‘a record year in business’ supported by an enhanced lottery portfolio and digital improvements. Updating the media and stakeholders, FDJ governance reports a record corporate turnover of €15.8 billion (+4.4%), of which €12.8 billion (+1%) was attributed to its flagship FDJ LOTO division. In its update, …

Spanish business news sources have reported that the governance of embattled Bolsa Madrid gambling group Codere SA, are reviewing all financing options as the company embarks on a ‘three-year corporate transformation plan’. Closing 2018, a year in which Codere was branded as the Madrid exchange’s ‘biggest bleeder’, seeing its share price collapse from January’s €9.50 to €2.40 for its December …