Retail

Dreams SA has informed investors that Jaime Wilhelm has resigned as Chief Executive of the Pan-South American casino group. The resignation comes as Wilhelm is announced as one of the executives to be investigated by Chile’s Competition Authority (FNE) for alleged market violations and fraud charges. Last April, the FNE intervened in the planned merger of Dreams with its main …

 Italy will undertake a comprehensive overhaul of its gambling laws, as Parliament has officially authorised the approval of the ‘Tax Delegation Law’.  The legislation recognises Italian gambling as a sector requiring a “reorganisation of tax duties and the introduction of new player protection measures that aim to create a more transparent and accountable industry”. As such, the Italian government will …

Further to this morning’s announcement of H1 2023 interim results, Barry Gibson, Chairman of Entain Plc, has issued a separate statement on the FTSE100 firm’s ongoing HMRC investigation. The news that corporate governance had reserved a £585m legal provision to settle the HMRC dispute related to the former Turkish business terminated in 2017 dominated Entain’s half-year results. “Whilst negotiations with …

The Hellenic Gaming Commission (EEEP) has launched a consultation seeking stakeholder feedback and opinion on proposed changes to Greece’s gambling laws. The consultation will review the ‘draft gaming regulation’ aimed at modernizing practices in the regulatory, supervisory, and auditing functions of the country’s gambling sector. In addition, the draft proposal has recommended new ‘administrative controls’ to be imposed on casino …

Rank Group Plc has confirmed the appointment of Mark Harper as Managing Director of Grosvenor Casinos. Harper will take on the position overseeing Rank’s flagship casino unit from Monday 14 August and will join the executive committee of the LSE gambling group. An expert in the management of mass-market leisure and hospitality businesses, Harper joins Rank having previously served as …

The Chair position of the National Lottery Community Fund has been filled on an interim basis with the appointment of Paul Sweeney by DCMS. A veteran civil servant, Sweeney was assigned the role by DCMS Secretary Lucy Frazer to Chair the fund for 12 months until 1 August 2024, giving the department time to make a permanent appointment. Sweeney takes …

John White, CEO of bacta, the trade association for the UK’s amusement and gaming machine industry – has stated that more must be done to accommodate consumers who still wish to utilise everyday cash.  Speaking to PaymentExpert, White reflected on the current “cash vs. cashless” debate impacting the British public and their access to services and social mobility. Changing dynamics …

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) will begin trials of anti-doping saliva and sweat testing as measures to be reviewed for British racing’s Anti-Doping Pilot Program. The trials will begin this month, which could see the BHA reinstall oral fluid/saliva testing as part of its Anti-Doping Program. The saliva testing pilot was suspended in September 2022, as BHA awaited a comprehensive …

Grupo Enjoy has initiated a strategic review of its business, in which the South American gambling group will consider the individual sale of its casino properties.  This week, the board of Enjoy notified Chile’s Commission of Financial Markets (CMF) that it had initiated a strategic review led by Santiago-based financial advisory ASSET Chile SA. The CMF was informed that Enjoy …

Law firm Mishcon de Reya has reminded the betting and gaming industry of the legal standards the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) Gambling Act review consultations must adhere to. Last week, the UKGC marked several proposals of April’s White Paper for consultation with the industry and other stakeholders, notably finance risk checks. Also opening consultations is the DCMS, which has highlighted …