Retail

Presenting its latest trading update (unaudited 17-week period to 24 October), FTSE-listed bookmaker William Hill Plc details that its corporate performance is ‘in-line with expectations’, as the company seeks to deliver £40 million in annualised cost efficiencies for group reinvestment. Updating the market, William Hill continues its digital recovery, recording a 13% increase in online wagering, combined with 6% net …

Further to yesterday’s announcement of a shareholder £53 million capital redistribution, London-listed betting systems supplier Sportech Plc has confirmed the appointment of Giles Vardey as independent Non-Executive Director. A 35-year finance executive, Vardey will advise Sportech governance on stakeholder management as the company undertakes a full-scale sale if its business in 2018. In a distinguished career, Vardey has served as …

Updating the market, London-listed betting systems provider Sportech Plc has confirmed that it has completed its ‘capital reduction plan’ attached to the sale of it’s the Football Pools division, completed in June 2017 for £83 million. In accordance with previous transaction objectives, Sportech governance has declared a 29p-per-share distribution for its shareholders, which will see the company complete a cash …

The Hellenic Parliament is expected to pass a series of gambling amendments related to VLTs provisions and land-based casino licensing. Last October, Greek news sources reported that the Syriza government had tabled new reforms on industry taxes, licensing arrangements and games provisions, in order to make its national market more attractive to foreign operators. Parliament further seeks to amend existing …

Publishing its Q3 2017 trading update (period ending 30 September), Greek gambling group OPAP has detailed strong gains in its betting products and video lottery terminals (VLTs) as the firm homes in on full-year corporate targets and expectations. Updating the market, OPAP would detail group gross gaming revenues of €357 million up 12% on corresponding Q3 2016’s €319 million. Improved …

Refinanced Spanish gambling firm Grupo Codere continues its strong corporate recovery, as the company reports KPI and metric growth for its Q3 2017 trading update (period ending 30 September). Primarily driven by growth in its Spanish and Mexican divisions, Codere would record Q3 2017 group operating profits of €401 million up 3% on corresponding 2016’s €390 million. Despite facing adverse currency …

Foreign exchange losses combined with a write-down impairment charge of $714 million has seen New York-listed gambling firm IGT Group Plc declare Q3 2017 net losses of $804 million. Publishing its Q3 2017 trading update (period ending 30 September), IGT disclosed a period group operating loss of $556 million, primarily attributed to its $714 million write-down charge of its ‘North …

New Jersey Congressman Frank Pallone has voiced his belief that the federal ban on sports betting should be lifted. Pallone, a member of the Democratic Party, did so during a congressional hearing relating to the safety and regulation of mixed martial arts (MMA) in the state. He used the opportunity to shine a spotlight on the Gaming Accountability & Modernisation …

Updating the market, Czech-based lottery firm Sazka Group has detailed that it may move for a London listing, in order to expand its European market growth ambitions. The lottery group, owned by Czech investment firms’ KKCG Group and EMMA Capital has appointed investment banks Citigroup, Morgan Cazenove and Morgan Stanley as lead coordinators, but states that it has yet to make …

In response to William Hill’s threats to block the acquisition of NYX Gaming Group Limited by Scientific Games,  NYX has launched legal action against the bookmaker. Last week William Hill issued a corporate update, voicing its concerns over the deal and signalling its intention to convert its preference shares into ordinary NYX shares, in order to ensure it had had …