Industry News
Red Knot flies in for a new take on sports betting and gaming PR From
Red Knot Communications, a new boutique PR and marketing agency, has been launched to breathe new life and innovative content into both B2B and B2C campaigns.
Kick-started by a senior team of media and industry specialists whose combined experience spans the overlapping domains of sports, betting and gaming – alongside broader backgrounds in multimedia entertainment, sponsorship and publishing – Red Knot is bringing a fresh approach to public relations and marketing solutions in a sometimes staid sector.
Red Knot’s range of services includes digital communications, design and PR, including crisis communications, brand development, ambassador management, tactical thinking and strategic global marketing campaigns.
The start-up’s idea was realised by Rich Thorp, former biz-dev director of FSB, and Camilla Wright, co-founder of influential media and entertainment brand Popbitch and regular contributor across digital, broadcast and print media. Red Knot already has an international scope, thanks to offices in London, Manila and Hong Kong, while its senior management team brings unrivalled cross-platform expertise, covering established and emerging markets in Europe, Asia, and North and South America.
Romilly Evans, former head of sports and betting content at IG Group, joins as content partner, having worked in PR and multimedia with companies as varied as The Telegraph, ITV Sport, talkSPORT, Bloomberg and The European Tour. Red Knot’s team is completed by Andy Clerkson, an expert in technology development and product strategy, who has overseen many companies’ successful transition from start-up to scale-up stage. Clerkson has spent three decades building global brands in media, sports betting and gaming, notably managing Maxim magazine at its height, founding Grand Parade and helping The Stars Group and FOX Sports set up FOX Bet in 2019.
This eclectic blend of backgrounds is unique in the industry, allowing Red Knot to draw from decades’ worth of experience working with some of the biggest names in media, while also standing at the intersection of the global growth that was accelerating across the betting and gaming worlds before the slowdown hit. Red Knot operates across channels and worldwide markets, enabling its clients to tell the story of their varied businesses to targeted audiences via exactly the right platform.
Camilla Wright, partner at Red Knot, said:Â “The gaming and sports betting industry across the world was facing unparalleled headwinds in 2020 even before the COVID-19 outbreak. Media, public opinion and regulatory challenges haven’t gone away, but brands will increasingly be judged on how they behave during these uncertain times. Red Knot can help you understand and respond to this evolving environment, helping you shape the way the world sees you – wherever you are and wherever you want to do business.”
Rich Thorp, partner at Red Knot, added:“PR and marketing have always been a logical extension of my business development background, so it’s great to assemble a team which is equally passionate about PR. Our sector has always been so resilient and innovative that we stand a better chance of quickly adapting to a new normal. As with any period of uncertainty, there are both challenges and unexpected opportunities, so the key is marshalling your resources to make your business as anti-fragile as possible. And Red Knot is perfectly placed to assist with both messaging and strategy, working as we do from a nimble, distributed model which already extends from East to West.”
Industry News
Dutch Mental Health Care Calls for Total Ban on Online Gambling Advertising
The Dutch mental health service is calling for a total ban on online gambling advertisements in the Netherlands.
Although a ban on untargeted gambling advertisements and a ban on the use of role models has been in effect since 2023, a recent research by KRO-NCRVâs Pointer shows that (illegal) gambling companies and sports tipster platforms are still enticing young people via social media such as TikTok and Snapchat.
By using influencers and terms like âfree moneyâ, they try to attract a young audience and thus lower the threshold to start gambling. This concerns both legal online casinos and online casinos that do not have a license in the Netherlands. The Gaming Authority has started an investigation based on Pointerâs findings.
Pointerâs research shows that part of the gambling industry deliberately targets young people who are often susceptible to promises such as âfast moneyâ and the influence of role models. Ruth Peetoom, chair of the Dutch mental health service, compares this approach to that of the tobacco industry, where similar marketing strategies were used to get young people to smoke.
Despite the existing advertising ban, gambling companies continue to explore the boundaries of the law, according to Peetoom. The Dutch mental health and addiction care associations in the Netherlands therefore push for a total ban on online gambling advertising and stricter rules for the duty of care of gambling providers.
With the call for a total ban, the Dutch mental health care sector hopes to prevent further normalisation of gambling behaviour among young people and to protect them from the temptation and consequences of online gambling.
Compliance Updates
UKGC: Market impact data on gambling behaviour – operator data to Oct 2024
The Gambling Commission has published further data on the gambling industry in Great Britain.
This data, sourced from operators, reflects the period between March 2020 and September 2024, inclusive, and covers online and in-person gambling covering Licensed Betting Operators (LBOs) found on Britainâs high streets.
Comparison should not be made with the industry statistics dataset, as this dataset may include free bets and bonuses and does not include data from all operators.
This release compares Quarter 2 (Q2) of financial year 2024 to 2025, with Q2 of 2023 to 2024, looking at how the market has changed in comparative periods over a year.
The latest operator data shows:
- online total Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) in Q2 (July to September) was ÂŁ1.32 billion, an increase of 11 percent from Q2 the previous year. The overall number of total bets and/or spins increased 12 percent Year-on-Year (YoY), reaching a new peak for the third consecutive quarter of 25.2 billion, whilst the average monthly active accounts2 in the quarter increased 8 percent
- real event betting GGY increased by 6 percent YoY to ÂŁ453 million. The number of bets decreased 10 percent, while the average monthly active accounts in Q2 increased 9 percent
- slots GGY increased 16 percent to ÂŁ680 million YoY. The number of spins increased 13 percent to 23.3 billion while the average monthly active accounts in Q2 increased 16 percent to 4.4 million per month. Although this is a new peak for GGY in this dataset for the slots vertical, it should be noted that one operator has re-classified some of its products into the slot vertical this quarter, which has had an impact on the vertical data
- the number of online slots sessions lasting longer than an hour increased by 9 percent YoY to 10 million. The average session length remained at 17 minutes. Approximately 6.1 percent of all sessions lasted more than one hour compared to 6.6 percent in Q2 the previous year. The number of spins per session has fallen from 147 to 142 YOY, whilst the GGY per session has fallen from ÂŁ4.20 to ÂŁ4.13 in the equivalent timeframe
- LBO GGY decreased by 1 percent to ÂŁ533 million in Q2 2024 to 2025, compared to the same quarter last year, while the number of total bets and spins decreased by 0.1 percent to 3.1 billion.
Industry News
Petra Maria Poola Joins Xace as Group Commercial Director
Xace has announced that Petra Maria Poola has joined the company as Group Commercial Director.
Petra brings a wealth of experience from the iGaming industry having formerly held roles at several iGaming companies such as Yolo, Relax Gaming and SiGMA. She will lead the commercial growth of Xace and its group companies, including crypto and iGaming focused xda.io, helping to drive strategic initiatives across banking, fintech and iGaming solutions.
In her new role, she will mainly oversee the growth of the groupâs sales, marketing and account management functions, ensuring a cohesive strategy that supports Xaceâs ambitious expansion plans.
âI am incredibly excited to start this new chapter with Xace, and work alongside such a talented team and management. Transitioning into the fintech space, while still connected to iGaming, presents an exciting opportunity for growth and learning. Iâm looking forward to applying my expertise to help Xace and its group companies achieve new heights commercially, while gaining deeper insights into the fast-evolving world of fintech,â said Petra Maria Poola.
Reuben Abel, CEO of Xace, said: âPetraâs extensive background in the iGaming sector, combined with her commercial acumen, makes her a valuable addition to the Xace team. She will play a crucial role in expanding Xaceâs market presence and enhancing its suite of services tailored to the specific needs of the iGaming and fintech industries.â
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