Latest News
Horse Racing Betting Industry Looking for a Bounce-Back Year
While some horse racing was allowed to continue in parts of the USA and Australia as well as in Hong Kong, the sport did not restart after the COVID-19 lockdown in Britain and Ireland until June and this has had a huge impact.
Within the sport itself, attracting new owners is tough given the reduction in prize money while the breeding and sales industries are also reeling.
The chief financial impact of course has been on the betting industry, with virtual products more relevant than ever this year during the lockdown period as betting on major live sports became nigh impossible for a number of months.
Racing Hugely Affects UK Bookmakers’ Profits
While various territories differ in their setup there is a general impact on betting in Great Britain when horse racing is offline, which thankfully is all too rare an occurrence.
Horse racing remains the second most watched and second most gambled on sport in the country behind football, despite the continued relative lack of coverage on general sports apps and TV channels.
The online and especially high street betting firms are affected widely when there are major events cancelled, but never more so in the offices when horse racing takes a bath and this has now left bookmakers looking for what will need to be a major bounce-back year if they are to perform as promised.
Things Could Have Been Worse for Bookies
The period from the end of March to the beginning of June was a nightmare for British bookmakers.
The Grand National is the single biggest betting event in the country, while most money now comes from football bettors and with both of those cancelled profits were down hugely and just at a time when bet365’s leader Denise Coates was sending millions to charity based on how well the firm had performed in 2018-19.
However, things could have been even more devastating. The Cheltenham Festival, a four-day horse racing and betting bonanza in mid-March is easily the biggest betting week of the year with horse racing betting sites in the UK sending out hugely generous bonuses and offers to tempt people in.
The event went ahead this year, despite the fact that the country was very well aware of the presence of COVID-19 and its effects.
That decision alone was vilified in the national and international press, actually to the point of being prejudiced and discriminatory given that the number of people attending and specifically how close they are to each other was often grossly exaggerated.
As well as this, the 50,000 people at both Anfield and Ibrox for football games, the millions on the Tube and the hundreds of thousands allowed the same week to cram into London’s west end theatres appeared to get away scot-free in terms of press disparagement.
Regardless, Cheltenham, owners The Jockey Club, the British Horse Racing Authority and of course the bookmakers were labelled major contributors to the escalating circulation of the virus in March due to their desperation to go ahead with the Festival, or the pressure that was put on people to stage the event and keep the related profits rolling in.
How Bookmakers May Rebound
Despite the major firms having cash reserves and their directors being afforded multi-million-pound bonuses or salaries, the brutal fact here is that when profits have taken a dive for any reason there will be pressure from the top to get some of that money back.
Football punters may notice only a trifling difference, if any at all, but it’s feared that those betting regularly on horse racing will very much be able to detect the layers trimming subtly away add the odds and the overround on horse racing betting markets over the coming months.
While groups such as the Horseracing Bettors Forum are around to keep an eye on things and report what they find, there is no real tangible regulation and so betting firms are essentially free to offer 5/2 on a horse when 11/4 would have been more appropriate, or have their overall book at 110% when 105% may have been the norm.
It is hoped of course that they don’t do this, but it’s feared that something has to give and the major online betting companies will not simply swallow the loss handed it by coronavirus despite there being nothing any of us, especially the simple punter, could have done to stop it entirely.
There is hope for us all though. Credit cards are no longer allowed, which may reduce fees, and nor is advertising during live sport which must have cost a fortune! In the short to medium term then, bookmakers need to recover some cash but there remains hope it won’t be by fiddling the odds.
Balkans
EGT’s latest innovations to shine at the 15th edition of BEGE Expo
EGT is ready to make another memorable show during this year’s 15th edition of BEGE Expo. The company’s impressive product display will await the guests at booth 4.0. on November 27 and 28.
Several new developments in EGT’s portfolio will be presented to the local gaming audience for the first time. Among them will be the Bell Link 2 multigame, the latest addition to the absolute bestseller Bell Link, as well as the Bell Link Boost jackpot. The mix will introduce visitors to the exciting worlds of 10 titles, 5 of which are brand new, offering them numerous opportunities for winning and entertainment.
Bell Link Boost will also captivate players’ attention with its six exciting games, as well as the Boost feature, which will amplify the amount of the Major and Grand jackpots. The highest levels of Bell Link Boost will be combined with the corresponding levels of Bell Link and Gods & Kings Link, adding even more thrill to the gaming experience.
Two new Asian-themed jackpot solutions will be on display as well. Sheng Sheng Bu Xi will offer players a jackpot combo, giving an extra layer of adventure to their gameplay, and the 4-level Zhao Cai Shuang Yu will further enhance the chances of winning with its Keep & Spin bonus and Free Spins & Wheel feature.
EGT will present its newest multigame series, Supreme Selection, which currently features Supreme Green Selection and Mega Supreme Fruits Selection mixes. Powered by the latest Exciter IV platforms, they will make their local debut during the expo, demonstrating a perfect blend of some of EGT’s most popular titles and brand-new games with enormous potential.
The selection of slot products for the show will be complemented by the General Series cabinets and multigames, as well as the well-known Premium Link, Coin Jackpot and Supreme Combo Link jackpots.
The company will also showcase its ETG solutions. The main highlight will be the new RK6C roulette, which will be presented in Bulgaria for the first time. Including sleek design and advanced features, it will provide guests with comfortable play stations, dynamic LED lighting, and engaging sound effects. The players will also be able to explore the numerous variants for keyboard configurations, American roulette, as well as the option for connectivity to other EGT Automated Roulette units, enhancing the overall experience.
The well-established GS 32 T, G 32 T, and G 27 T terminals will also show their eye-catching design, numerous ergonomic features, and great flexibility, allowing many possible configurations with other devices. They will be equipped with multigame mixes of Supreme and Power Series, as well as top-performer Jackpot Cards.
Numerous AWP and VLT products, designed specifically for different markets, will be at the disposal of the stand’s visitors. They will also be able to get acquainted with the latest modules of EGT’s casino management system Spider, thanks to which the organization of the daily activities in gaming facilities is easier than ever.
EGT Digital will demonstrate its vast array of more than 120 popular slot games, as well as the in-house developed “all-in-one” betting platform X-Nave with its 4 main modules, each of which can function as part of the complete solution or operate independently, as they allow integration with products of third-party developers.
“Taking part in BEGE Expo is always a great experience for us, especially since this year is even more special as the event celebrates its 15th birthday,” shared Nadia Popova, Chief Revenue Officer and VP of Sales & Marketing at EGT. “We will be happy to meet again with our clients and partners from the region and discuss with them all new exciting opportunities for collaboration. We are also anticipating BEGE Awards, in which we are finalists in several categories.”
eSports
Mortal cements his name as face of Indian gaming, wins ‘Content Creator of the Year’ at global Esports Awards 2024
Naman Mathur, popularly known as Mortal, has added another feather to his illustrious cap by winning the coveted ‘Content Creator of the Year’ award at the Global Esports Awards 2024 Part 2 in Los Angeles on Friday. The grand ceremony saw Mortal triumph over globally renowned gamers like Tarik Celik, Ibai Llanos Garatea, and Marc ‘Caedrel’ Lamont, solidifying his stature as India’s biggest gamer.
Mortal’s groundbreaking victory marks a significant milestone not only in his personal journey but also for the Indian gaming community at large. The 27-year-old’s illustrious gaming career boasts numerous accolades, including championship titles in BMPS Season 1 (2022) and the PUBG Mobile Club Open (2019) as an esports athlete. He has amassed over 7 million subscribers on YouTube and more than 5.3 million followers on Instagram through his distinctive and impactful content, making him one of India’s most influential gaming personalities.
Speaking on this remarkable achievement, Naman Mathur aka Mortal, Co-founder, S8UL Esports, stated, “Winning this award is an incredible moment of pride, not just for me but for the entire Indian gaming and esports community. My journey began with a simple passion for gaming, and seeing that passion resonate with millions of people is truly humbling. I hope this achievement inspires more young gamers to chase their dreams and believe that they too can earn global recognition through dedication and hard work. I am deeply grateful to S8UL for being the backbone of my journey. This success is not mine alone- it belongs to every fan, every teammate, and every supporter who believed in me and in the potential of Indian esports.”
This was Mortal’s sixth consecutive nomination at the prestigious awards, a feat achieved by no other Indian gamer. Having been nominated for various categories over the years such as ‘Esports Mobile Player of the Year’, ‘Streamer of the Year’ and ‘Esports Personality of the Year’, Mortal’s victory in this edition is a testament to his immense contribution to growing the esports and gaming content ecosystem in India.
“This award holds a deeply personal meaning for me. Watching Mortal achieve this recognition feels like a shared victory- one that takes me back to where it all began. From the late nights to the sacrifices, every moment has led us here. Together, we’re not just creating history; we’re shaping the future of gaming and esports globally. A victory for him, a milestone for Indian esports!” said Animesh Agarwal aka 8Bit Thug, Co-founder, S8UL Esports.
The Esports Awards is the most prestigious night in esports, dedicated to showcasing top-tier performance and innovation from players, teams, media, hardware providers, games, events, and personalities within the scene.
“When we first started this journey, we had no idea how far it would take us, but we always knew we were in this together. Mortal has always been like a brother to me, and seeing him win this award feels like a personal achievement. For him to be honoured with this accolade today is a reflection of the countless hours, effort and heart we’ve poured into building who we are and what we stand for,” commented Lokesh ‘Goldy’ Jain, Co-founder, S8UL Esports.
Mortal’s achievement reaffirms India’s rise as a formidable force in the global esports and gaming content landscape.
Asia
Goa Introduces an Entirely Online Lottery Platform
In a move towards modernising India’s lottery sector, the state of Goa has introduced an entirely online lottery platform, sanctioned by the Directorate of Small Savings and Lotteries. This initiative, known as Great Goa Games, aims to bring transparency and convenience to an industry that has long grappled with allegations of mismanagement and fraud.
Ticket sales commenced Monday, with the inaugural draw set for Sunday. Rhiti Group, led by founder Arun Pandey, was granted the license to operate and market the platform. “Our mission is to democratize opportunities through technology,” Pandey stated, emphasizing the secure and user-friendly nature of the app-based system.
Goa government official Narayan Gad lauded the move as a step forward for the Indian lottery sector. “With our online lottery streamlining processes through technology, we are setting a new standard in the lottery industry,” Gad remarked. “The technology-based product will enhance transparency and ensure improved monitoring and regulation of operations.”
This development follows new rules governing online lotteries, introduced by the Goa directorate in February 2023. Currently, 13 states in India, including Goa, allow lottery games, though others have banned them due to concerns over gambling addiction and operational irregularities.
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