Compliance Updates
RMG agrees media rights renewals with British racecourses
Racecourse Media Group (RMG) is delighted to announce it has agreed British racecourse licence extensions for audio-visual and data rights for a new five-year term.
The renewals cover 35 racecourses for their LBO rights and 33 racecourses for all other aspects of their media rights including streaming (Watch & Bet), direct to home (DTH), terrestrial TV and international betting and non-betting until December 31, 2028 .
RMG is 100% owned by its racecourse shareholders and pays 100% of operating profit back to racecourses, which, in turn, benefits the sport. This collective and collaborative ethos has seen RMGās businesses become the biggest single funder of British horseracing.
It means the likes of the Randox Grand National Festival, Cheltenham Festival, Cazoo Derby Festival, Qatar Sussex Stakes and the Juddmonte International Stakes ā which was awarded the Longines World’s Best Race accolade in 2020 ā will remain in RMGās portfolio until at least 2029.
With RMG adding all 26 Irish racecourses to its coverage in 2019, it means that five of the top 11 races run in the world last year were broadcast live on RMGās channel, Racing TV, which is fronted by the two most recent HWPA broadcasters of the year, Nick Luck and Lydia Hislop.
Roger Lewis, Chairman of RMG, said:
āOn behalf of the Board of Directors of RMG, I thank our shareholders for the trust and confidence they have once more placed in RMG.
āThis is a pivotal moment for British racing. The RMG Racecourses, with a unity of purpose, have created business clarity and confidence for years to come. The certainty which this landmark, long-term agreement provides is very special for everyone involved in British racing.
āThe RMG Board pays particular tribute to the outstanding leadership of the RMG CEO, Martin Stevenson, who together with his great team of RMG executives navigated this complex and detailed process with rigour, patience and clear focus.
āRMG now looks forward to serving its shareholder racecourses, which, in turn, benefits the sport of racing for the foreseeable future.”
Martin Stevenson, CEO of RMG, said:
āIt is a matter of great pride that racecourses have placed their rights in RMGās hands again. RMG has a superb team, who, from the production to the commercial offices, are committed to ensuring first-class output and long-term sustainable growth for our racecourses.
āThis will be achieved by continuing to create innovative and different ways of bringing the sport to life and showcasing it to our broad range of audiences. This is also made possible by our much-valued media, technical, broadcast, commercial and bookmaking partners, and, of course, the owners, trainers, breeders, jockeys and stable staff.
āWe look forward to continuing to work with Newbury on the remaining period of their term until 2024 and we wish them well thereafter.ā
Nevin Truesdale, Chief Executive of The Jockey Club, which runs 15 UK racecourses including Aintree, Cheltenham, Epsom Downs and both tracks in Newmarket, said:
āRMG has consistently delivered significant value from media and data rights over a 17-year period and unlocked revenue streams in the betting space far more than any other sport. This has supported JCRās ability to make significant investments into prize money and enhance the experience we offer to participants and customers.
āMore recently, the income RMG has delivered to all its shareholder racecourses has been vital through the very difficult pandemic period without spectators and other on-course revenues. I am excited by many of the technology developments that lie ahead, particularly in the in-play betting space and further development of Watch & Bet. RMG has a really important role to play in our sportās growth in the years ahead.ā
Adam Waterworth, Sport Managing Director at Goodwood Estate, said:
āAs one of the founding members of Racing UK in 2004, we are delighted to continue our relationship with Racecourse Media Group until 2029. RMGās model of racecourse ownership gives racecourses complete control over the commercialisation of their media and data rights. Racing TVās innovative production and award-winning presentation has taken racing broadcasts to the next level ā and we are delighted our events will receive the world-class coverage they merit until at least 2029.ā
Jeremy Martin, Executive Director of Salisbury Racecourse, said:
āLicence fees are a significant element of the executive contribution to prize-money and mean that we can continue investing in the facilities to improve our customersā experience, where and when necessary. RMG has a long, proven record of delivering the best performance and we are delighted to renew for another five-year term.ā
Compliance Updates
Department of Trust set to meet challenges of new affordability checks
Department of TrustĀ (dotrust.co.uk), the award-winning provider of financial risk assessments for safer gambling is poised to meet the challenges of the newly announced regulations on frictionless financial checks by the UK Gambling Commission and Betting and Gaming Council.
Under the new rules published by the Gambling Commission, operators have until August 30th to implement frictionless checks on all customers making Ā£500 net deposits in any rolling 30-day period. These frictionless checks form part of a new regime designed to protect players at risk of financial harm and replace the current ad hoc approach to affordability checks.
Department of Trust also welcomes the interim voluntary code published today by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), the standards body representing over 90% of UK-regulated market operators. This code focuses on how responsible operators should support customers spending above the lower threshold set out by the Gambling Commission.
The supplierās DoTrust Complete solution offers an integrated suite of frictionless and enhanced financial risk checks with a high level of automation capability -the only such tool built solely for safer gambling – and is perfectly positioned to help businesses navigate the newly regulated waters.
Charles Cohen, CEO of Department of Trust, said: āThese important announcements flag the end of gamblingās āsus lawā where players faced seemingly arbitrary requests for personal information, operators were placed under a significant burden, and no one won
āWe now know that in 120 days, every operator will need to perform frictionless checks on all players with net deposits in a 30-day rolling period of Ā£500. A few months later this will fall to a much lower level.
āIf operators want to protect their business, keep their customers and reduce costs, smart automation is the only answer.
āDepartment of Trust has spent over two years building the leading plug-and-play solution specifically for the gambling industry. Complete already automates over 90% of the processes required in both the new LCCP and BGC code. Now we know what the requirement will be, we are today committing to the goal of 100%. We want every operator and player to have instant assessments and sensible decisions cost-effectively. No one needs to lose sleep over this.ā.
Asia
Uzbekistan Legalises Online Betting and Lotteries
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a decree on April 19 titled āOn Measures to Improve the Regulation of the Organization and Conduct of Lotteries and Risk-Based Games in the Republic of Uzbekistanā. The document abolishes the ban starting from January 1, 2025, and introduces a legal framework for the organisation of risk-based games online and betting activities.
The issue of legalising betting activities has been a long-standing topic in Uzbekistan. In December 2019, the president signed a decree to legalise bookmakers, but this decision was revised in April 2022. In April 2023, the head of state instructed the development of a regulatory framework for betting activities.
The National Agency for Advanced Projects (NAAP), the authorised state body for regulating and licensing activities in this sector, provided insights on the necessity of introducing state regulation in the gambling sector in Uzbekistan. The agency emphasised the need to prevent illegal gambling businesses, protect playersā rights and generate additional income for the state budget.
The presidentās decree aims to introduce advanced foreign experience and modern technologies in regulating the organisation of risk-based games and lotteries to increase investment attractiveness, tourist potential and attract additional funds to the country.
The measures outlined in the decree include the creation of legal foundations for the legalisation of activities related to risk-based games online, betting activities, and lotteries, implementation of mechanisms to protect citizensā rights and interests, prevention of gambling addiction and the generation of additional state budget revenue.
Starting from January 1, 2025, a taxation system will be introduced for license holders, where organisers of online games, betting activities and lotteries will pay a turnover tax. This system aims to prevent the concealment of taxable revenue and is expected to generate additional tax revenues for the state budget.
Overall, the implementation of the decree is intended to establish a reliable foundation for the legal regulation of activities related to organising risk-based games online, betting activities and lotteries in Uzbekistan, protect citizensā interests, combat gambling addiction and provide additional sources of income for the state budget.
Compliance Updates
IAGR & IMGL Open Ticket Sales for 2024 Conference in Rome
The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) has opened registrations for its annual conference, taking place in Rome, Italy, from October 21 to 24.
With the themeĀ Navigating the Future of Gaming Regulation in a Transforming World,Ā this year’s event is a partnership with the International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL).
āIAGR and IMGLās Rome conference is a four-day event that brings together regulators, industry thought leaders and experts to share ideas and shape the future of gaming regulation across the world,ā the President for the IAGR, Ben Haden, said.
The conference follows last yearās event in Gaborone, Botswana, which brought together the largest number of attendees in IAGRās history.
āThis year, participants can look forward to diving into themes that are at the forefront of the gaming regulation landscape including advancements in technology, the evolving regulatory challenges and strategies for future-proofing the global gaming industry,ā Haden said. āIn an era where technology is rewriting the rules of our industry, the question isnāt whether to adapt, but how swiftly we can. IAGR 2024 is about coming together as a global community to not only keep pace with change but to drive it.ā
Confirmed speakers will be announced from May.
Conference highlights:
- Expert-led sessions and panel discussions on the latest in gaming regulation
- Joint conference sessions and events with IMGL, providing further networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities
- Networking events set in the heart of Rome including an opening reception and gala dinner featuring the International Regulatory Awards ceremony
Early-bird pricing is available until July 31 with super-early bird prices available until May 31. Head to the IAGR website for more details and ticket sales.
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