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BGC Members Make Record Horserace Betting Levy Contribution

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Betting and Gaming Council members are expected to contribute a record £105m in levy payments to the Horserace Betting Levy Board for last year, new figures reveal.

The figure, provided by the independent Horserace Betting Levy Board, is an increase of £5m on the previous year.

As a result of this record additional funding from bookmakers, the HBLB announced an increase of £3.2m in its prize money contribution for 2024 versus 2023, from £67.3m to £70.5m.

It is the third year in a row that Levy contributions have increased, from £97m in 2021/22, to £100m in 2022/2023 and now £105m in 2023/2024.

According to the Horserace Betting Levy Board, the £105m total is derived from the receipt of provisional end of year submissions from most Levy-paying bookmakers.

Michael Dugher, Betting and Gaming Council CEO and Acting Chair, said: “This record contribution to the Levy is extremely welcome news and demonstrates once again the enduring, mission critical support regulated betting provides British horseracing.

“Despite a double digit decline in horserace betting turnover over the past five years – and a double digit decline in racecourse attendances – this shows that levy contributions and prize money are both up, and it once again provides a timely reminder that racing could not survive without the record financial support that is flowing from betting.

“Our members remain committed to the long-term success of horseracing, and the huge economic contribution it makes across the country, especially in rural communities.

“Attention must now turn to how we challenge vested interests, introduce real change and reform the sport, ensuring we reverse the current decline and provide racing with a genuinely long term sustainable future.”

Horseracing is the second biggest spectator sport in the UK, second only to football, with around five million people attending approximately 1400 fixtures annually across 59 racecourses.

However, the sport has been in decline in recent years. In 2007, 17% of the population enjoyed horserace betting the previous year, but that fell to 10% in 2018, while racecourse attendances have dropped by 14% since 2019.

Meanwhile, horserace betting turnover for April to December 2023 is down 17% vs the average for the same period across the last five years.

The BGC has made significant efforts to lessen the impacts on racing as a result of the Government’s White Paper on gambling reforms, particularly on the issue of affordability.

Earlier this month the BGC announced a new voluntary industry Code on Customer Checks which raises standards, while reducing the need for requests for private financial documents.

Developed jointly with the Gambling Commission and backed by Government, this Code will operate as a voluntary interim scheme – bringing consistency across the regulated sector for operators who adopt it – until the frictionless financial risk assessments set out in the Government’s White Paper can be developed, tested and implemented.

While this Code delivers progress on resolving the issue of intrusive document checks, it does not offer a complete solution. So, the BGC and GC are now actively working on a new Code on Anti-Money Laundering checks, which also trigger requests for documents.

The BGC is currently working with the British Horseracing Authority and government to resolve a settlement on a new voluntary Levy to support horseracing.

It is estimated BGC members contribute around £350m a year to British horseracing in Levy, media rights and sponsorship deals.

Meanwhile the wider regulated betting and gaming sector supports 110,000 jobs, generates £4.2bn in tax and contributes £7.1bn to the economy.

Each month around 22.5m adults in Britain enjoy a bet, whether it’s buying a lottery ticket, having a game of bingo, visiting a casino, playing online or having a wager on football, horseracing and other sports.

The most recent NHS Health Survey for England estimated that 0.4% of the adult population are problem gamblers.

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Blue Water Casino & Resort and Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) Extend Partnership

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Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI), a leading enterprise solutions provider, announced an extension of their partnership with Blue Water Casino & Resort. Building on the success of the QCI Enterprise Platform, Blue Water will now incorporate the QCI Power Pack and its embedded A.I. to elevate guest satisfaction and bolster profitability.

Shelly Eddy, General Manager for Blue Water Resort and Casino, commented on the expanded relationship, stating, “QCI has been an invaluable tool for our Slot Development’s initiatives. It has empowered our team at various levels to take pointed action and truly use all of our resources, including our own time, to the best of our ability. We have been able to make large strides toward goals that previously seemed unrealistic for a team the size of ours, and with the impending Power Pack rollout, this will only get better.”

This partnership reinforces QCI’s commitment to providing cutting-edge tools and solutions for businesses in the casino and entertainment industry. Andrew Cardno, CTO of QCI, expressed his enthusiasm for the extended partnership. “We are deeply honored to continue our relationship with Blue Water Casino & Resort. Their forward-thinking approach and dedication to delivering exceptional guest experiences align perfectly with our mission at QCI. Together, we aim to set new benchmarks in the industry.”

The collaboration will focus on leveraging the power of data and analytics to anticipate guest preferences, streamline operations, and ultimately create memorable experiences for Blue Water’s patrons. The adoption of QCI Power Pack represents a significant step in harnessing the power of technology to achieve these goals.

 

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Red Bull Golden Letters returns: TEKKEN 8 pros to compete alongside new global Open Qualifiers

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  • Following TEKKEN 8’s recent launch, Red Bull Golden Letters returns for its third consecutive year at the Red Bull Gaming Sphere, September 28-29th 2024
  • For the first time, four open qualifier spots (NA, EU, JP, UK,) will be hosted, offering the global TEKKEN community a chance to play against some of the world’s best professionals
  • Hosted at London’s premier Gaming and Esports venue, the Red Bull Gaming Sphere will be transformed into an immersive golden bank vault, complete with resplendent design elements and ornate architecture.
  • Red Bull Players Hoa ‘Anakin’ Luu and Arslan “Arslan Ash” Siddique star in an expanded lineup of 16 invited professionals, with more set to be revealed
  • Gopuff joins as the Official Grocery & Snacks Delivery Provider for Red Bull Golden Letters
  • The two-day blockbuster finals will be broadcast live from the Red Bull Gaming Sphere in London on twitch.tv/redbull and https://www.youtube.com/c/redbullgaming.
  • Sign-ups to participate in the Red Bull Golden Letters Online Qualifiers are open now on start.gg

 

Following the highly anticipated TEKKEN 8 launch earlier this year, Red Bull Golden Letters is set to return for its third iteration to the Red Bull Gaming Sphere in London across two action-packed days, September 28-29th 2024. Building on the following year’s success, the tournament will see more world-class matchups and electrifying battles as TEKKEN players worldwide fight to be crowned Champion.

For the first time, the TEKKEN 8 tournament will feature four global qualifier rounds across North America, Europe, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Taking place between July and September 2024, the qualifiers will offer the Global TEKKEN community the chance to stake their claim among the very best as they battle some of the world’s top professionals.

The qualifiers will take place on the following dates:

  • North America (Online) – 10th July
  • Europe (Online) – 13th August
  • Japan (Offline) – 17th August
  • United Kingdom (Offline) – 7th September

 

This year’s Red Bull Golden Letters will be the first to be played on the newly released TEKKEN 8, unveiled earlier this year at Red Bull Pindrop, and will feature the return of its unique format. Putting players’ core fighting game skills to the ultimate test by encouraging perfect play and clutching under pressure, players can achieve ‘PERFECT’ and ‘GREAT’ scores, aka ‘The Golden Letters’, to win matches automatically.

Red Bull players Hoa ‘Anakin’ Luu and Arslan “Arslan Ash” Siddique will star alongside other top global pros, including Hasan “JoKa” Rehman, Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon, Alexandre “AK” Laverez, and “YUYU”, with more legendary players set to be revealed in the coming weeks.

Day one of the blockbuster Finals weekend will see an all-new 20-player group stage, with numerous matchups throughout the day, with some superb matches promised. The top 12 players will progress to day two’s Double Elimination, promising an intense and thrilling viewing experience for fans across the world. Day two will also reignite classic rivalries, with an East vs West battle before the Grand Finals, where players can settle old scores with adversaries.

The Red Bull Gaming Sphere will also be transformed into an immersive golden bank vault for this year’s iteration of Red Bull Golden Letters. Matchups will take place within the vault, which will be locked up until the winner is decided.

Last year’s Red Bull Golden Letters Champion, Jae-Min ‘Knee’ Bae, claimed the title after beating two-time EVO champion and fellow South Korean TEKKEN legend Hyunjin ‘JDCR’ Kim in a TEKKEN 7 masterclass with a landslide 6-0 victory.

Looking ahead to the tournament, Red Bull Player and TEKKEN legend Arslan “Arslan Ash” Siddique said: “It’s so good to see Red Bull Golden Letters returning for a third time. It’s become a real moment for the TEKKEN scene to look forward to every year, and new global qualifiers are great to give more opportunities and add even more wildcards to this competition. With the competitive scene still working out TEKKEN 8, the format adds such a great challenge for us, and is going to be so fun for fans to see play out – I can’t wait!”

Gopuff will continue its partnership with the Red Bull Gaming Sphere by joining as the Official Grocery and Snacks Delivery Partner for Red Bull Golden Letters, supplying competitors and talent with a range of everyday products in as little as 15 minutes.

Red Bull Golden Letters will be broadcast from the Red Bull Gaming Sphere in London and live on social media. For more information on Red Bull Golden Letters, including the Open Qualifiers, visit RedBull website.

 

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The GOATs Have Arrived: Stake pulls off ambitious marketing stunt as Sergio Agüero welcomes World Champions to Miami

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Stake has pulled off one of the most ambitious marketing stunts of recent times after football legend and Stake ambassador Sergio Agüero welcomed Lionel Messi and his Argentina teammates to Miami with a herd of goats.

Laying down the gauntlet to opposing nations this Copa America, Agüero’s message that ‘The GOAT’s Have Arrived’ aims to place this current Argentina crop among the best sides ever.

 

After winning the same tournament in 2021, Argentina went on a 36-game unbeaten run, before their World Cup crowning glory in Qatar against France a mere 18 months later.

The reigning World Champions are in Florida to defend their Copa America crown and cement themselves as one of international football’s Greatest Teams of All Time.

Stake took full advantage of the situation to make a splash stateside by creating and executing a one-of-a-kind marketing stunt in collaboration with Press Box PR.

The campaign has proved a huge hit on social media.

The hero image of Agüero overlooking Biscayne Bay with two goats in tow has smashed the 1 million likes barrier on Instagram, attracting more than 9 million impressions. It is now the second most liked SoMe post in Stake’s history.

The viral campaign starred the former Barcelona forward in a striking Stake-branded Argentina jersey, with his four-legged companions draped in similar attire.

 

 

“Stake are not only leaders in entertainment, but also break records, as it was in this campaign. I like participating in their marketing campaigns as they are creative and fun, and value their ambition with the Latín American market,” said Agüero.

“There’s a big expat community in Miami of Argentinians, and many other Latin Americans who support our side.

“With Leo [Messi] playing in the local Inter, that sentiment grows even more. But there are a lot of Mexicans, Colombians, Venezuelans too,” he added.

Latam is a strategically important market for Stake. The operator opened a new hub in Bogotá earlier this year following its successful launch in Colombia.

The company has also announced ambitious hiring plans in the region, aiming to recruit more than 50 talented individuals throughout Latin America by the end of 2024.

“Stake’s fanbase is just as passionate as supporters of the Argentina national team,” said Dom Rae, Sponsorship Manager at Stake.

“We want to create an intrinsic connection with our players, and it’s rewarding to see such an overwhelmingly positive reaction to this totally unique campaign online.”

 

 

“We are glad to have one of the Greatest of All Time as part of the Stake family, with Sergio as a Stake Ambassador,” he added.

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