Latest News
Cutting FOBT stake could cost bookmakers £150m
Leading bookmakers in the UK could lose at least £150m (€166.5m/$199.6m) in annual revenue, should the government opt to introduce a new limit on stakes for fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBT).
The machines have been the subject of much debate for some time, with various campaign groups and MPs calling for the maximum stake to be cut from £100 to just £2.
The government is expected to recommend this new limit when it announces the findings of an ongoing review next month and, according to the Financial Times newspaper, this could have serious ramifications on bookmakers.
Citing sources close to the planning, the newspaper said that the government will put forward a number of options: no change to the maximum stake on the machines; cutting it to £2 as demanded by activists; or a compromise figure of either £20 or £30.
Should the government opt for the latter option, this means bookmakers could miss out on approximately £150m in revenue each year.
However, if a new maximum stake of £2 is introduced, then the impact would be much higher, with the likes of Ladbrokes Coral, William Hill and Paddy Power Betfair citing FOBTs as a key source of income.
The bank forecast states that if the maximum stake was cut to £25, Ladbrokes Coral would lose £87m in revenue for 2018, while William Hill would miss out on £55m and Paddy Power Betfair £10m.
The government is yet to comment, but one Whitehall source said there is “still a long way to go yet” before a final decision is reached.
Meanwhile, a senior executive at a gambling company told the newspaper: “If there are four options on the table, you don’t want to count your chickens. It’s a massive concern that £2 is still on the table, as it would close half the industry.”
Latest News
AGREEMENT BETWEEN ZITRO AND GRUPO OSGA TO PROMOTE THE LABOT INTEGRATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Zitro, a leading company in the gaming industry, has signed a collaboration agreement with Grupo OSGA, a business group committed to promoting the employment of people with disabilities. Grupo OSGA offers job opportunities to people with disabilities and supports their professional development in inclusive and accessible environments.
Through this alliance, Grupo OSGA will provide Zitro with a parcel and documentation service between its offices, optimizing Zitro’s operational efficiency and strengthening its social commitment to creating a more inclusive work environment.
At Zitro, we firmly believe in the power of diversity as a driver of growth and development. This collaboration with Grupo OSGA not only enriches our company but also reinforces our commitment to contributing to a fairer and more inclusive society,” said Albert Zorrilla, Managing Director of Zitro for Spain.
“The collaboration with a prestigious international company like Zitro not only constitutes recognition of the work that Grupo OSGA has been carrying out but also contributes to the generation of real opportunities for people with disabilities to achieve effective and stable integration in the labor market,” said Oscar Galilea, President of Grupo Osga.
Balkans
EGT Digital’s iGaming platform X-Nave and successful titles to deliver high-quality experience to BetHub’s customers
BetHub and EGT Digital have started their successful partnership, as a result of which the leading Bulgarian operator is now using the iGaming platform X-Nave. Its 4 main modules: CRM Engine, Sport product, Gaming Aggregator and Payment Gateway, enable the betting site to effectively manage all online gaming business verticals and further improve its performance.
CRM Engine provides a wide range of player management tools and bonus features, allowing the operator to create more personalized offerings for its customers, based on their preferences and behavior.
Through X-Nave’s Sport product BetHub will enrich even more the sport content it offers.
The Payment Gateway gives access to numerous payment methods and thanks to the Gaming Aggregator EGT Digital’s slot games are already at the disposal of the website’s visitors. The top-performing titles from Bell Link, Clover Chance, High Cash, Single Progressive Jackpot, as well as the multiplayer game xRide quickly gained popularity among BetHub’s customers.
“We are very glad with our collaboration with EGT Digital so far,” commented Kiril Naldzhiev, CEO at BetHub. “The platform has made the management of our business much easier, and the company’s gaming content has shown impressive results that have not only met but exceeded our expectations.”
Tsvetomira Drumeva, Head of Sales at EGT Digital, also gave a positive evaluation to the cooperation. She said: “Partnering with a prominent operator like BetHub is very valuable for us, as it gives us the opportunity to demonstrate the enormous potential of our developments and consolidate our status as a leader in the local market. I am confident that this is the beginning of a very successful collaboration that will bring a lot of positives to both companies and the players themselves.”
Latest News
THE UNIT SHAKES UP AMATEUR FOOTBALL WITH DRIBBLE
The Unit, a leader in nearshore product development and marketing services for sports betting and iGaming, is playing its part in the revolution of grassroots football in partnership with fantasy football operator Dribble.
Dribble brings a Moneyball sports-analytics approach to the amateur game by presenting players with the chance to track their performance, while connecting with the wider football community to earn recognition for their on-pitch performances.
Players can track their games and see their data, earning points based on how they, and their team, perform in matches. Players vote for their player of the match each gameweek, and profiles and rankings will update automatically after each gameweek.
The Unit, as an experienced supplier in the field of designing and developing robust, scalable platforms, has worked on this innovative product from concept to launch. The beta version of Dribble is now live across five amateur UK football leagues, covering more than 600 players.
Paddy Casey, Co-founder at The Unit, said: “It’s been a pleasure to work with the team at Dribble on this project. At The Unit, we pride ourselves on having the ability to provide bespoke software development services, addressing unique business requirements and challenges.
“By offering the opportunity for amateur football players to become the stars of the show in their own fantasy football leagues, Dribble has brought to market an innovative and exciting platform, which ties in with our background in sports, so it’s been an ideal collaboration.
“We have enjoyed the process of working with the Dribble team and we are proud to have been part of the early stages of their journey. We are sure they will make their mark in the world of fantasy football, and this will certainly shake up the market.”
Kirk Flitton, Founder and CEO at Dribble, said: “In the past six months, we have raised early investment and gone from concept to product. We would not have been able to do so without The Unit, who have been a key part of the journey in making our idea come to life.
“We were delighted to introduce Dribble to football players recently, and we have been assisted through to launch by the expert software development The Unit provides.
“Dribble has been built to help every player tell their football story, and we are extremely excited to see how the platform can grow and develop in the coming seasons in a whole new era for grassroots football.”
With offices in Ireland, Ukraine and Moldova, The Unit has an unwavering commitment to becoming the partner of choice throughout the industry. In addition to its broad-ranging marketing services, the team has solidified its strong track record of building world-class, scalable and efficient products for the sports betting and iGaming sector in recent years.
As The Unit embarks on this period of growth, the company remains committed to delivering exceptional products and services to its clients. With its experienced team, best-in-class product development capabilities, and focus on innovation, The Unit is poised to shape the future of the sports betting and iGaming industries.
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