Latest News
BGC Members Made Record Contribution to British Horseracing Last Year
Betting and Gaming Council members directly contributed £455m to British horseracing last year in levy, media rights and sponsorship deals, new BGC figures reveal.
In addition, bookmakers spent £125m on marketing to promote racing and betting through advertisements and partnerships, helping secure terrestrial coverage of the sport, support two racing channels and raise revenue for print newspaper titles.
Showing a significant rise on previous estimates, media rights payments alone have increased by around £45m since the previous year, totalling £340m in 2022.
Meanwhile, levy payments are projected to be £99m in 2022/2023 – up from £50m in the year 2016/2017, according to the Horserace Betting Levy Board.
These new figures dwarf previous estimates on the regulated sector’s direct contribution to horseracing, which had placed the figure at around £350m a year.
This record investment also enabled horseracing to use some of these revenues to deliver record prize money of £179.3m in 2022.
Michael Dugher, CEO of the BGC, said: “BGC members in the regulated betting industry are now paying more towards British horseracing than ever before, despite a 10.3 percent reduction in betting turnover on racing in the last five years.
“These huge sums also come at a time when the regulated betting sector is under enormous pressure, not least in the form of recent measures unveiled in the Government’s White Paper.
“As well as being a world-leading great British sport, enjoyed by millions, just like the betting industry, horseracing is a vital pillar of the economy, important to countless communities across the country and supporting tens of thousands of jobs.
“There has always been a symbiotic relationship between betting and racing. Our two industries can only succeed and prosper in the future if we work in unison towards a shared goal of growing the sport as a product – especially in the face of a recent decline in betting on racing.
“These figures show that betting continues to bankroll the sport but it is not a bottomless pit. I know racing, just like any other sport and indeed our own land-based betting and gaming industry, is trying to bounce back post-covid in the face of seriously challenging economic headwinds – a task made even harder for racing and betting because of the decisions the Government deliberately chose to make in its recent White Paper.
“That is why BGC is fully committed to working together with the leadership of the sport, including the BHA and others, to ensure racing not only survives but thrives. Anyone who cares passionately about the sport, as I do, understands that racing must change. Future investment must come with reform.
“It is also important to note this funding to racing only comes from licensed bookmakers. The unsafe, unregulated gambling black market is a growing threat, and it makes no contribution whatsoever to horseracing.”
The figures are estimates covering the 2022 calendar year based on exact data supplied by the BGC’s largest members, which account for around 85% of all GGY on horserace betting.
Horseracing is the second biggest sport in the UK, second only to football, with more than five million people attending around 1400 fixtures annually across 59 racecourses.
Latest News
XSOLLA SET TO LAUNCH THE XSOLLA STARNEST ACADEMY AND INCUBATOR PROGRAM IN BAKU
Xsolla, a global video game commerce company, has announced a strategic partnership with StarNest and Azerbaijan’s Innovation and Digital Development Agency (IDDA) to establish the Xsolla StarNest Academy and Incubator Program. This transformative collaboration was unveiled at the region’s largest gaming festival, Gamesummit Winter Edition 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Gamesummit Winter Edition 2024 spotlighted the growth of the gaming industry in Azerbaijan, featuring discussions on trends, global best practices, and presentations of locally developed games. At the festival, IDDA and Xsolla revealed plans to empower local developers, game designers, and studios with cutting-edge training, incubation and accelerator programs, and access to financial and technological resources. This partnership will redefine Azerbaijan’s role in the global gaming industry while fostering local talent and innovation.
“This collaboration opens up extensive opportunities for implementing joint projects that will drive the development of Azerbaijan’s gaming sector,” said Yevgeniya Bikmurzina, Head of IDDA’s Innovation Ecosystem Department. “Azerbaijani game studios will have access to the tools and resources needed to make a mark in the global market.”
“This partnership represents a significant milestone for Xsolla as we collaborate with Azerbaijani leaders to unlock the region’s potential,” said Rytis Joseph Jan, SVP of Global Strategic Partnerships at Xsolla.“By combining our global expertise with the visionary leadership of our partners, we aim to empower the next generation of talent in Azerbaijan and drive meaningful innovation with global impact.”
Xsolla Incubator & Accelerator in Azerbaijan
The Xsolla Incubator and Accelerator will support Azerbaijan’s game development community by providing tools, mentorship, and resources to turn ideas into successful projects. The Incubator will help early-stage developers refine concepts, gain technical expertise, and collaborate with international experts. The Accelerator will assist established studios in scaling their projects, offering access to funding, mentorship, and global industry connections. These programs aim to position Azerbaijan as a key player in the gaming industry, creating opportunities for local talent to succeed globally.
Xsolla StarNest Academy
The Xsolla StarNest Academy will provide 90 young individuals with specialized training in game development. Additionally, an incubation program will launch in 2025 to support local game studios, offering mentorship from international experts, access to financial resources, and opportunities to showcase games globally.
StarNest, an Azerbaijani telecommunications company, will lead efforts to secure a dedicated facility for the Academy, ensuring an environment conducive to growth and learning. IDDA will offer strategic oversight to align the initiative with Azerbaijan’s national goals for digital transformation.
Regional Headquarters
Xsolla is also exploring options to establish its regional headquarters for Central Asia in Baku to further support its commitment to the community and game developers in the region. Not only will it serve as a regional hub, but also a technology center for the leading edge development and support of its industry leading solutions.
With the Xsolla StarNest partnership this marks a new chapter for Azerbaijan’s gaming sector reflecting the shared vision to position the country as a regional game development and digital innovation leader.
This groundbreaking collaboration sets the stage for Azerbaijan to become a hub for gaming innovation and talent development.
Latest News
Web3 Casino Bety.com Launches Crypto Games for Its Growing Community
The Bety platform, one of the top decentralized casinos, is launching a new set of crypto games for its community. The freshest arrival, Hash Banker Player, is a game set to attract Web3 fans.
Appealing winning rates and clear rules make Bety attractive for players from different parts of the world. Among other perks, this website provides a VIP club where its members are subject to various privileges.
Bety Launches Exciting New Crypto Games for Web3 Fans
Bety, a leading online betting platform, has recently released an exciting new set of crypto games for its community.
The crypto games in Bety are not comparable to the rest of the available products in the market. Some of the most catchy game titles included in their website are Dragon Tiger, Hash Lottery, Hash Bull, and more. Each game is properly attached with a “Game rule” section that makes understanding the way to play easier for players.
In full transparency, Bety allows its players to access the hash history of each game. The platform lists all the latest bets and live updates to ensure the fairness and reliability of its system.
These innovative crypto games were independently developed by Bety, considering its growing web3 community users. No similar games have been offered on the market to date for players to enjoy this bespoke gaming experience.Hash Banker Player: The Latest Crypto Game to Launch on Bety.
Hash Banker Player is the most recent crypto game launched on Bety. It’s exciting to play and easy to understand. With the mix of blockchain and casino-like features, Hash Banker Player has a lot to offer to crypto enthusiasts.
Here are the game’s transfer limit rules:
– USDT transfers are limited to 10-10,000 USDT;
– TRX transfers are limited to 10-100,000 TRX.Transfers below or over the limit are invalid bets and will not be rewarded or refunded. The betting rules are also very clear. The last digit of the transfer amount determines the bet:
– Banker wins: Ends in 1 (e.g., 1001, 211);
– Player wins: Ends in 2 (e.g., 1002, 312);
– Tie: Ends in 3 (e.g., 2003, 503).
In terms of payouts, here is what can happen:
– Banker or player win: 1.95x;
– Tie: 8x.
Bets are rejected if the last digit is anything else, with a 0.1% fee deducted for reimbursement. If there’s a tie on banker or player bets, half of the capital is reimbursed.
To win, the participant must:
– Take the block hash value of their transfer;
– Ignore the letters;
– Use the last 5 numbers as the result.
They should add the first three numbers for the banker’s points and the last three for the player’s. Letters are counted as 0, and the middle digit ranges from 0 to 9.
To give Hash Banker Player a try on Bety, anyone can sign up to the platform through some simple steps:
– The first step is to click “Sign up” on Bety;
– The user can choose to sign up with their email, phone number, or crypto wallet (such as MetaMask or Binance);
– Anyone must agree to the User Agreement and confirm that they are at least 18 years old.
After completing these steps, users can start playing Hash Banker Player and experience its thrilling gameplay for themselves.
Asia
Vasista Esports Crowned Champions of Red Bull M.E.O. 2024 at Chennai Trade Centre
The Red Bull M.E.O. 2024 BGMI Grand Finals concluded in spectacular fashion at the Chennai Trade Centre, with Vasista Esports emerging as the champions. The team, which flew under the radar leading up to the finals, delivered a phenomenal performance to claim the coveted title.
Coming into the Grand Finals, Vasista Esports had placed 13th in the semifinals, raising doubts about their chances. However, the roster maintained consistency throughout the 18 matches in the grand finals, propelling them to the top of the standings table with 153 points.
The journey to victory wasn’t without challenges. While Vasista Esports took an early lead, they faced stiff resistance from formidable teams like Orangutan, Gods Reign, and Soul Esports during the intense L.AN finale.
In fact, Orangutan almost clinched the title in the penultimate game where they picked up 10 finishes and placed second. But, with Vasista Esports playing it safe to place second in that match, they maintained their position at the top. Orangutan ended as the runners-up with a mere 6 point difference to Vasista Esports.
With this victory, Vasista Esports not only earns the prestigious title but also an exclusive Red Bull F1 experience, where the team will travel to witness a live Formula 1 race in 2025.
In a post match interview, Vasista Esports Pukar said, “We are feeling really good. Honestly, we have been trying to win for the past two seasons and even finished second once. This time, we have won it all and can’t wait to watch the FI race live.”
On their consistency, the player added, “We approached each game with a fresh mindset, taking it one game at a time and leaving behind the results of the previous matches.”
The Red Bull M.E.O. 2024 featured open qualifiers with thousands of players from across India competing for a chance to shine on the big stage. Ultimately, 16 teams battled it out in the Grand Finals at the Chennai Trade Centre. The tournament achieved remarkable success, drawing ove 20fe concurrent viewers. Skyesports had executed the event.
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