Betting News – Page 150 – FairOdds Network

September 20, 2022

Dutch regulator issues 21st online licence

Dutch regulator de Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has issued its 21st online gambling licence, to a business known as Smart Gaming BV.

As yet, little information has been provided about Smart Gaming, which is registered in the Dutch town of Aalsmeer.

The KSA said that it will list the domain name that the business will use as soon as this is known, but Smart Gaming has not yet submitted the domain it intends to use.

The business is the 21st operator to receive a licence to operate in the Dutch online gambling market. It follows the ComeOn Group, which announced that it would launch its flagship ComeOn brand in the Netherlands after receiving a licence last week.

Also last week, the KSA launched a gambling harm prevention research programme, developed by Hague-based health organisation ZonMw. It said that the aim of the scheme will be to gather new knowledge on the prevention and treatment of gambling addiction and gambling-related harms, so it can be formed into new treatment measures.
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September 20, 2022

FDJ opens talks over ZEturf Group acquisition

French national lottery operator Française des Jeux (FDJ) has entered into exclusive negotiations over the acquisition of online horse racing and sports betting brand ZEturf Group.

Details of the talks or financial terms of the potential deal were not disclosed, but FDJ did state that the purchase would form part of wider plans to expand its presence in France’s online gambling market.

Founded in 2001, ZEturf employs approximately 100 staff and processed almost €800.0m (£701.6m/$802.5m) in wagers, including more than €100.0m in pool bets, in 2021.

According to FDJ, online horse racing betting accounts for more than 50% of ZEturf bets. This makes the business France’s second largest operator in this segment with a market share of around 20%.

In addition to its activities in France, ZEturf operates in the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain.

Should the acquisition proceed to the next stage, the deal would be subject to approval by competition and regulatory authorities

The talks come a..

September 16, 2022

Rumour Truss will scrap gambling review may be bad news, analyst warns

Regulus Partners analyst Dan Waugh warned against the industry celebrating rumours new prime minister Liz Truss would abandon the Gambling Act review, instead arguing the news may be “worst outcome for industry”.

A report from Guardian chief political correspondent Jessica Elgot concerning general government plans to scrap a number of legislative proposals noted “rumours” that the Gambling Act review was among the proposals that could be axed.

Long-delayed process

The Gambling Act review has been in motion since late 2020, having initially been on the Conservative Party manifesto in 2019.

However, various delays have meant that a white paper outlining the government’s wish list for reforms has still not been published.

A major factor in the repeated delays appeared to have been changes in personnel, with four different ministers having overseen the legislation since it began.

Chris Philp, who at the time was responsible for the review, said in his July resignation letter that th..

September 16, 2022

Louisiana halts five-month consecutive online sports betting handle decline in August

Consumers in Louisiana spent $112.1m (£98.3m/€112.4m) wagering on sports online during August, halting a five-month consecutive decline in handle that began in March.

Online wagers were 8.5% higher than $103.3m in July, but the August total was the second lowest full monthly amount since the state opened its regulated internet betting market in January of this year.

Revenue from online sports wagering in August reached $7.3m, down 62.0% from $19.2m in July and also the second lowest full monthly total on record.

Turning to retail and players spent $16.2m, which was 6.7% higher than $15.2m in July and the first month-on-month growth since May.

Retail revenue reached $2.2m, which was an increase of 37.5% from $1.6m in July and the highest monthly total since $2.7m was generated in May.

Looking at the market as a whole, consumers in Louisiana wagered $128.3m on sports in August, up 8.3% month-on-month, though revenue dipped 54.3% from $20.8m to $9.5m.

The Louisiana Gaming control bo..

September 16, 2022

Delaware breaks igaming record again in August

Delaware set a new igaming revenue record for the second consecutive month in August, while handle for the state’s sports betting market also increased month-on-month.

Revenue from igaming reached $1.30m (£1.14m/€1.30m) in August, up 37.2% from $945,512 in the same month last year and marginally higher than the previous record of $1.25m that was set in July this this year.

Players spent a total of $36.8m playing igaming during the month, up 69.6% year-on-year, but 6.6% down from $39.4m in July 2022.

Online video lottery games accounted for $1.0m of total igaming revenue, with consumers having spent $21.8m. Internet table games generated $221,330 in revenue off $15.0m in bets, while poker rake and fee revenue reached $37,169.

Delaware Park remained the leading operator in igaming sector with $558,272 in revenue off $15.8m in bets, ahead of Bally’s Dover on $412,044 from $12.1m, then the Harrington Raceway with $326,657 from $98.9m in wagers.

Turning to sports betting, the $354,444 ..

September 16, 2022

Churchill Downs to acquire Kentucky’s Ellis Park for $79m

Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) has agreed a deal to acquire the Ellis Park racetrack and gaming facility in Kentucky for a total consideration of $79.0m (£69.4m/€79.3m).

Under the arrangement, CDI will purchase Ellis Park Racing & Gaming from Enchantment Holdings, an affiliate of Laguna Development Corporation, and take full ownership of the venue.

Located in Henderson, Kentucky, Ellis Park has hosted horse racing for the past 100 years, while the site also features a gaming facility venue with approximately 300 historical racing machines (HRMs).

The acquisition agreement also includes CDI assuming Ellis Park’s opportunity to construct a track extension facility at Owensboro’s Towne Square Mall. The new Owensboro Racing & Gaming site will also house an entertainment venue with 600 HRMs, a simulcast wagering centre and multiple food and beverage offerings.

Over the next year, CDI said it expects the total investment in the Henderson and Daviess counties to be approximately $75.0..

September 15, 2022

Sportradar pens deal with European Table Tennis Union

Sportradar’s Integrity Services unit has entered into a bet monitoring agreement with the European Table Tennis Union (ETTU), the governing body of table tennis in Europe.

Sportradar will monitor key events, including matches in the European Championships, as well the as the men’s and women’s Champions League.

This will be done through Sportradar’s Universal Fraud Detection System (UFDS), its in-house bet monitoring system.

The UFDS is already active, having monitored the 2022 European Championships in Munich last month.

Through the system, a global team of integrity professionals will analyse the betting patterns of matches for abnormalities, allowing for suspicious activity to be flagged for further investigation.

“Protecting the integrity of European Table Tennis is a top priority, so it is vital that there are robust measures in place in to safeguard our competitions from match-fixing,” said European Table Tennis Union acting president Pedro Moura. “Through this partnership, m..

September 15, 2022

Disney “working hard” on ESPN sports betting app launch

Disney chief executive Bob Chapek said work on the potential launch of a sports betting app is ongoing, revealing the business has received as many as 100 enquiries about the venture.

The conglomerate has been linked with expansion into the sports betting market for some time, with Chapek last month saying Disney remained in talks with a number of platforms in regard to potentially launching an app.

Chapek previously said Disney’s sports broadcasting arm ESPN was the “perfect” channel for the business to move into sports wagering.

Speaking at Disney’s D23 fan event this week, Chapek said sports betting remains a focus area for the business, adding that it is “working very hard” on an app.

“Sports betting is a part of what our younger, say, under-35 sports audience is telling us they want as part of their sports lifestyle,” Chapek said according to Bloomberg.

Chapek added that he had received as many as 100 inquiries from parties interested in the business. He said: “If you have a ..

September 14, 2022

LiveScore Bet signs up to Dutch industry body NOGA

Online gaming operator LiveScore Bet will join Dutch trade body the Netherlands Online Gambling Association (NOGA).

LiveScore was among the first 10 operators to receive an online gambling licence in the Netherlands, following the passage of the Remote Gambling Act, which legalised online gaming in the country. The Anzo Group-owned business is licensed to offer both sports betting and online casino to Dutch consumers.

NOGA managing director Peter-Paul de Goeij pointed to LiveScore Bet’s consumer protections in a statement: “We are pleased that LiveScore Bet, as one of the early licensees in the Netherlands, has opted to join NOGA.

“LiveScore Bet is a very reputable operator in our industry, putting a safe and secure betting experience at the heart of their operation. We look forward to working with them, and in so doing contribute positively to the policy objective of optimal consumer protection,” he said.

LiveScore Bet group director of regulatory compliance Monika Naydenova-Grue..