The UK Government is set to launch a ten week consultation into the possible reform of the horseracing levy. UK sports minister Helen Grant, had asked the government to review the current framework of the levy, stating that it had been in need of a review and possible reform for some time. Grant commented “”Horseracing and betting have grown together …
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UKGC imposes penalty on Camelot
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has found Camelot UK Lotteries Ltd (Camelot) in breach of its licence to operate the National Lottery and has imposed a financial penalty of £100,000, following the initial miscalculation and subsequent communication and publication of an incorrect National Lottery Lotto jackpot prize amount in October 2013. After a full investigation, and taking account of representations …
Read More »SG Gaming completes Ladbrokes rollout of Clarity terminals
SG Gaming, a division of Scientific Games Corporation (Nasdaq: SGMS), has completed the rollout of its new Clarity® cabinet to the Ladbrokes estate. The Clarity® cabinet was installed in all 2,228 Licensed Betting Offices in Ladbrokes’ estate and is a key element in the Ladbrokes 2014 strategy for maintaining a strong offer within the sector. The provision of SG Gaming’s …
Read More »Greek OPAP hit by retroactive tax bill of €21.6 million
Greek state betting/gambling monopoly OPAP has announced that its second quarter financial results would suffer due to the operator being hit by a retroactive tax bill of €21.6 million (£17.5 million). The multi-million tax bill dates back to 2010 fiscal year, OPAP had amounted tax charges of €29.6 million, of which the operator had paid just €8 million. OPAP management …
Read More »Naas Racecourse launches equine ‘Ice Bucket’ challenge for Irish Injured Jockeys Fund
Naas Racecourse has launched an equine slant on the “Ice Bucket” challenge to boost awareness and charitable donations for the Irish Injured Jockeys Fund. The challenge, for those who accept their nomination, is to stand still as two buckets of cold water are thrown directly at them, similar to the cool down of a horse after they come into the parade ring …
Read More »Irish Thoroughbred Marketing appoints Charles O’Neill
Horse Racing Ireland has announced the appointment of Charles O’Neill to the position of Chief Executive of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM). Charles is from a well-known equine family and joins ITM from the financial services sector, most recently a senior position at Ulster Bank. The Kildare native has previous experience working in the racing and breeding industries in France, and …
Read More »William Hill cuts odds on Scottish ‘Yes Vote’
Bookmakers William Hill have cut their odds for a Yes vote in the Scottish Referendum, after last night’s live debate between Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling. A snap ballot by the Guardian/ICM found that 71 per cent of those polled said the first minister won the contest, reversing a 56 per cent defeat in the first TV debate on August …
Read More »GTECH secures $10.7 billion acquisition loan
Gambling and lottery technology provider GTECH has secured a $10.7 billion loan in order to finalise its acquisition of slot machine manufacturer International Game Technology (IGT). Business news source Bloomberg, stated that the $10.7 billion had been granted by 14 international banks, who had been privileged to GTECH’s plans to acquire IGT. The loan will be available to GTECH for …
Read More »SIS signs Spanish football data deal
LB O supplier SIS has been appointed as the official data partner of the Liga de Futbol Profesional (LFP) to collect and exclusively distribute live data from the Spanish leagues to the betting industry. Liga BBVA, won last season by Atletico Madrid ahead of Barcelona and Real Madrid, is watched by more than 300 million viewers across the globe. The …
Read More »Dutch gambling regulator “goes rogue” on elderly couple after radio interview on housing lottery
The Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit “cracked down” last week on an elderly couple (74 and 75 years of age) living in South Africa after c Commenting on Dutch radio on the lottery of their South African house. They were punished with a EUR 80,000 fine, it was also decided by the regulator t The crackdown comes at a point in …
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