News that five of the UK’s top operators had committed to a ten-fold increase in voluntary levy to GambleAware made big news in July, but a major deal for horse racing announced the following week – involving four of the same five – passed with considerably less fanfare. Tom Byrne, Operations Manager at HBLB, tells us more. The horseracing sector …
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Following this morning’s announcement that The Stars Group (TSG) is to be acquired by Flutter Entertainment, board members have emphasised their confidence that the mega-merger would gain the necessary regulatory approvals to go ahead. Confirmed in a conference call with both investors and industry analysts, Flutter chief executive Peter Jackson emphasised that he believed there should be no concerns regarding …
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In the latest mega-merger to hit the gambling industry, The Stars Group (TSG) is to be acquired by Flutter Entertainment, operator of Betfair, FanDuel and Paddy Power via an all-share combination. Immediately following completion of the Combination, Flutter Shareholders would own approximately 54.64 per cent and TSG Shareholders would own approximately 45.36 per cent of the share capital of the Combined Group. …
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GVC Holdings Group CEO Kenneth Alexander has withdrawn from this week’s Gambling Related Harm All Party Parliamentary Group (GRH APPG) hearing, with the group’s chair Carolyn Harris MP branding the executive’s decision ‘outrageous’. The APPG hearing, which will specifically focus upon identifying and resolving harms caused by online gambling, brings together representatives from a number of leading UK operators including GVC, William Hill …
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Paddy Power has launched a Daily Fantasy Sports vertical ahead of the start of the 2019 NFL season (kick-off: 5 September). The bookmaker said that its DFS product has been developed in partnership with Flutter Entertainment group subsidiary FanDuel and will be made available to UK and Ireland customers. The Paddy Power DFS vertical’s gameplay will be based on a …
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Betfair has advanced its LATAM profile after confirming that it has become an ‘Official Partner’ of CONMEBOL – the governing body of South American football. The partnership, which will extend until December 2022, will see the Betfair brand displayed across CONMEBOL’s flagship Copa Libertadores and Sudamericana tournaments, South America’s most prestigious club competitions. Betfair Brand Director Stephen Mault said: “We are delighted to be …
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Flutter Entertainment’s Betfair Australia has confirmed that it will be launching a new betting exchange on horse races in Hong Kong, despite not being sanctioned by the Jockey Club. Set to begin on 1 September, which coincides with the start of the Hong Kong 2019-20 racing season, Betfair Australia is due to offer exchange punters the opportunity to wager bets …
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New Zealand’s ‘Racing Industry Transition Agency (RITA)’, the body charged with overseeing the restructuring of NZ racing, has secured a new deal which sees Flutter Entertainment’s Australian market subsidiary Sportsbet launch live streaming of races driving new audience engagements. The partnerships will see Sportsbet host live streams of NZ thoroughbred and harness racing fixtures, with further coverage of greyhound racing events, …
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With only 79 days until the UK is pencilled in to leave the European Union, horse racing stakeholders continue to make preparations in anticipation of potential disruptions to the sport and further impacts on betting markets. The Financial Times reported this morning that a no-deal Brexit – which at present appears to be the UK’s likely outcome – will threaten …
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Flutter Entertainment Plc, the rebranded entity of Paddy Power Betfair, has seen its interim H1 2019 profits before tax drop by 24%, as FTSE100 betting group cites changes in regulations and taxation as the lead factor in its year-on-year performance decline. Operating its enlarged portfolio of Paddy Power, Betfair, FanDuel (US), Sportsbet (AUS) and the recently acquired Adjarabet (CIS), Flutter saw …
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