Month: February 2023

Reix, who had a career-high Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) ranking of 204, will not be able to play in, coach at or attend any event authorised or sanctioned by the governing bodies of tennis until 29 January 2027.

She was also fined $30,000 (£24,786/€27,934) as part of the ruling.

Reix was found guilty of six breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme (TACP) rules.

These included two breaches of D.1.b, where no covered person shall solicit or facilitate any other person to wager on the outcome or any other aspect of any event or any other tennis competition. 

Reix was also found to have twice breached D.1.d, which relates to contriving or attempting to contrive the outcome or any other aspect of an event.

The ITIA also noted one breach of D.1.f, which covers soliciting or accepting money, benefits or consideration with the intention of negatively influencing a player’s best efforts.

In addition, Reix was ruled to have once breached D.2.a.i, which requires players to report any approach to fix matches to the relevant tennis authorities. 

The case related to ongoing law enforcement investigations in conjunction with the ITIA in Belgium, which has seen a number of tennis players implicated in match fixing incidents.

Harmful gambling revenue share in the three-month period from 1 October to 31 December was 3.3%, down from 3.8% in the third quarter and in line with 3.3% in both the first and second quarters of 2022.

Kindred said this was a positive deviation from traditional trends, as the last quarter of the year generally sees an increase in high-risk gambling due to the holiday season. However, the 3.3% in Q4 of 2022 was lower than 4.0% in the previous year.

The Unibet operator put this down to an improved approach towards the younger demographic, reducing harmful gambling and improving existing interventions, resulting in fewer faulty customer detections.

Kindred also noted that 82.1% of detected customers saw improved gambling behaviour after contact was made by its responsible gambling team in Q4. However, this was down from 82.6% in Q3, 84.7% in Q2 and 83.1% in Q1.

“I’m glad to see that the share of revenue from harmful gambling is once again on a downward trajectory,” Kindred chief executive Henrik Tjärnström said. “However, as we review the trend over these past two years, it is clear that there is still significant fluctuation and that the curve has not been as steadily declining as we hoped. 

“While we have put in a lot of hard work, we have not seen the development needed to deliver on our 2023 ambition. Despite this we remain firmly committed to our Journey towards Zero, and to do the heavy lifting needed to reach this ambition. 

“We have known from the beginning that we would not solve this overnight and continue to acknowledge the complexity of the task. That being said, we are very happy that we set an ambitious goal, as it has served as a catalyst for our development and prompted us to pick up the pace.”

The figures come after Kindred, along with Svenska Spel and ATG, last month published their first sets of responsible gambling data for operations in Sweden as part of an effort to increase transparency in the country.

For Kindred, the operator said 0.5% of all active customers in Sweden between 1 July and 31 December 2022 were contacted as a result of suspected and detected problematic gambling.

Of those contacted, 76.8% had reduced their gambling and 75.5% cut back on average deposits. Some 1.4% of customers chose to self-exclude from gambling for less than six months, and 0.5% for more than six months.

In related news, Kindred announced details of the new Journey towards Zero panel, a pilot project being driven by the team in the UK. The panel is made up of a range of expert organisations from across the gambling community and lived experience. 

Initial members include BetKnowMore, DealMeOut and Epic Risk Management, while Maris Catania, advisor on responsible gambling and formerly head of responsible gaming and research at Kindred, also joined.

The panel will ensure Kindred stays on track with its Journey towards Zero by taking expert advice and guidance from members, as well as serve as a platform for discussions and recommendations on how to improve progress towards zero. 

“We want operators to be ambitious in their safer gambling endeavours and encourage collaboration across the industry to achieve this,” Epic Risk Management’s director of safer gambling Daniel Spencer said. “We are delighted to be able to provide this further consumer insight that ultimately will lead to better player protection.”

DealMeOut chief executive Jordan Lea added: “The Journey towards Zero panel is a ground-breaking and important piece of work. It is an honour to support it and it will be an excellent opportunity for many with a wealth of experience from across the sector to ensure Kindred are best equipped to prevent gambling harm.”

The dispute relates to whether Caliplay still holds an option to redeem the additional services fee element of the strategic agreement between the two parties

The option in question was structured in a way that the amount payable by Caliplay to Playtech upon exercise would either be agreed between the parties or, if this was not possible, determined by an independent investment bank valuing Playtech’s current entitlement to receive the additional services fee until 31 December 2034. 

For the six months through to 30 June 2022, the amount of this services fee was €34.4m (£30.8m/$37.1m), and €22.3m for the same period in the previous year, with Playtech saying that the business has continued to perform strongly since then.

The option, Playtech added, is stated as being exercisable for a period of 45 days following the approval of the audited accounts of Caliplay for the year ended 31 December 2021. 

Playtech said the option has expired and referred to this in its interim report for the six-month period ended 30 June 2022, published in September 2022. 

However, while Caliplay has yet not sought to exercise the option to date, the business has made it clear that it considers the option to have not yet expired, leading to Playtech contacting the courts for clarification on the arrangement.

“Caliplay is a highly valued customer and partner of Playtech and has been a highly successful and rapidly growing business,” Playtech said. “Playtech hopes to obtain clarification from the English courts and further updates will be provided, as required.”

Playtech last year mooted plans to spin off Caliplay, with the joint venture to merge with a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC), allowing it to go public. The SPAC would also partner with a leading media business, focused on reaching Latin American customers in the US market.

However, Playtech noted that capital market conditions “deteriorated significantly” since the transaction was initially contemplated and, in July 2022, abandoned the plans.

At the time, Playtech said that it was still working on creating a business targeting Hispanic customers in the US using the Caliente brand, which is a market leader in Mexico.

Dabble said the acquisition forms part of its ongoing growth strategy, with Moneyball users gaining access to Dabble’s products and social network to improve their social betting experience.

Utilising social media elements similar to social brands Twitter, WhatsApp and TikTok, Dabble provides a platform to players who enjoy a more inclusive and engaging betting experience. 

Products available to Moneyball customers include Copy Bet, the Banter Channel, Activity Feed and premium features such as access to Sky Racing within the platform.

“Our offering as an inclusive, social and engaging betting experience is undoubtedly unique to the Australian wagering market. We are excited by the growth of the Dabble community that this acquisition will deliver,” Dabble chief executive Tom Rundle said.

“With many of Moneyball’s customers already familiar with the community-based element of wagering via their strong daily fantasy sports background, we believe there is a tremendous alignment that will appeal to these customers and make our community stronger.”

The deal comes after Australian gaming group Tabcorp in October agreed to acquire a 20% equity interest in Dabble Sports for AU$33.0m.

Founded in 2020, Dabble has over 150,000 customers and offers users a socialised betting experience. In June 2022, the business reported $47.0m in annualised revenue.

Posting unaudited figures for the year, the affiliate group said revenue for the 12 months to 31 December is expected to reach €269.3m (£241.0m/$290.5m), which would represent a 52% year-on-year increase.

Better Collective said 34% of this growth would be organic, ahead of its initial guidance of between 20% and 30% for the year, helped by record figures in Q4, during which revenue is likely to climb 63% to €86.1m.

Q4 growth was driven by the football World Cup and the company’s launch in Maryland in the US. This is also expected to help push US revenue in Q4 up 71% to €33.9m and 102% for the full year to $100.3m.

The significant US growth, Better Collective said, was also helped due to its acquisition of Action Network in 2021 and followed a 370% increase from 2020 to 2021 as it continued to grow its business in the country. 

Turning to earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), before special items, and this is expected to increase by 53% for the full year to €85.1m, with a 32% margin, and 115% in Q4 to €35.2m with a 41% margin.

Better Collective said that upon releasing original 2022 financial targets, it was assumed that the US would only consist of upfront payments (cost per acquisition). However, during Q4, the group continued the push towards revenue share in the US and saw a full year impact of €14.7m, up from approximately €10.0m as guided in Q3. 

The group said it was reporting EBITDA before special items of €85.1 in line with financial guidance. It thereby absorbed this larger-than-expected shift towards future revenue share income. 

“The group remains excited about this shift from one-time payments to recurring revenue as it implies future growth, less seasonality and better long-term sportsbook partnerships,” Better Collective said.

Better Collective intends to announce its audited Q4 numbers on 21 February.

Under the agreement, H2 will remain as the official betting market data partner of IBIA, with IBIA to have access to H2’s market database of approximately two million data points covering more than gambling jurisdictions in over 100 countries.

Since the partnership began, IBIA has used H2 data to respond to regulatory consultations and wider market activities with the aim of improving standards and integrity. 

The organisations will also continue to run deeper dive assessments of markets considered sub-optimal to licensed operator development, having previously partnered on other reports.

These include the Optimum Betting Market Study which, published in June 2021, ranked the regulation of the betting industry in 20 jurisdictions across six continents over a range of licensing models. 

“IBIA works closely with key stakeholders, such as regulatory authorities, to ensure that suitable licensing and mitigating process are in place to protect markets from corruption,” IBIA chief executive Khalid said. “Having access to accurate and reliable market data, to add to our global integrity data, is a critical facet of that outreach. 

“H2 Gambling Capital is the foremost authority on global gambling markets and our partnership has been a vital component of IBIA’s integrity best practice advocacy activities around the world. We are delighted to renew and maintain that relationship.”

H2 director David Henwood added: “We’ve known the team at IBIA since the early days and to witness the organisation’s growth at close quarters in the time since has been truly impressive. 

“With so many new markets still to open up and other more established ones now starting to see their frameworks tighten, it is more important than ever to continue to provide that independent optimal market view and ensure any regulatory decisions that are made are underpinned by the most accurate market data and analysis.”

More than 80% of operators have committed themselves to the Code of Responsible Advertising, which has been developed by the Gambling Regulatory Authority (URHH) in collaboration with the operators. The aim of the document, based on a concept proposed by the regulator, is to ensure greater protection for minors and vulnerable people.

Some 36 operators have already signed up to the code, which represents more than 80% of the gambling market in Slovakia.

URHH director general David Lenčéš said: “Our interest is that gambling represents a safe source of entertainment, and these will be a legally predictable environment for operators and consumers alike. That is why I am pleased that together we have succeeded in adopting a document that defines clear advertising standards, which will help to increase the protection of at-risk groups and youth.”

Those who commit to the code agree they will encourage responsible gambling, such as drawing attention to the risk of financial losses and becoming addicted. They will also not feature minors or use characters that may be appealing to young people, and will not use statements from well-known personalities from culture, society and sport.

Any legal gambling operators or other stakeholders in the media industry that promote gambling may voluntarily subscribe to Code of Responsible Advertising.

Lenčéš added: “I hope that these rules will be an important starting point for further discussions on how to responsibly face the gambling challenges. Our common goal should be to promote a strong and modern regulatory framework that will be provide protection for at-risk groups and the youth.”

The URHH last year announced a white list for websites run by licensed operators in order to help players recognise which offerings are legal.

Speaking at the World Regulatory Briefing (WRB) ahead of ICE London 2023, which begins tomorrow (7 February) at the ExCeL, Gibson said any new regulations introduced in Britain should have player safety at heart but also take into account the interests of the industry.

Gibson said that proper consultation with the wider industry would help form regulations that will have more of an impact and establish Britain as a global leader in responsible gambling.

“A good regulator is one that has player safety at its core but that also takes into account the interests of the broader industry – operators, employees, sporting bodies – working in proper consultation with the industry to create an environment that balances an open recreational market with the need to provide the highest levels of player protection,” Gibson said.

“That is the gold standard we should be aspiring to. In my view, Nevada currently gets the closest.”

Gibson also spoke about Entain’s efforts to improve its own approach to operating and responsible gambling including overhauling its board and executive committee, introducing a new strategy and vision underpinned by the twin pillars of growth and sustainability, launching the new Advanced Responsibility & Care (ARC) programme and establishing the new Entain Foundation initiative. 

“At Entain we are strong advocates of firm but fair regulation that is rigorous, transparent and evidence-based,” Gibson said.

“The UK already boasts a number of world-class betting and gaming businesses, developing and exporting home-grown expertise and tech prowess on the international stage. 

“With gold standard regulation, Britain has the opportunity to be the global leader in responsible gambling.” 

ICE London 2023 takes place from 7-9 February at the ExCeL in London.

The London-listed business announced that Kenneth Chan will replace Peters, who owns 4.46% of Zeal stock, following the latter’s resignation.

Yale graduate Chan, who is managing director at London-based hedge fund manager Working Capital, has been appointed on an interim basis by the Hamburg Local Court until Zeal’s annual general meeting later this year.

Peters returned to Zeal in 2019 having been a vocal backer of the group’s acquisition of Tipp24, the lottery business that bore the name of the company he co-founded in 1999 and had been spun off from the wider Zeal group in 2012.

The deal was completed in May 2019, with Peters taking up his supervisory board membership a month later.

The supervisory board is responsible for advising on and overseeing the work of the management board together with the approval of measures that are of fundamental importance to the business. Peters also served on the investment committee and special committee.

Peters has been managing director of German real estate company Haus & Hof Hamburg since 2012 and is also a partner at Elbe Venture Capital.

In its most recent trading update, Zeal said transaction volume increased by 10% to €544.4m in the first nine months of 2022. Revenues grew by 14% to €74.5m, while EBITDA increased by 25% to €22.0m. Through the portals Lotto24 and Tipp24 of the subsidiary Lotto24, Zeal brokers customers’ tickets to the state lottery companies and to charity lottery operators.

LeoVegas’ sports news and entertainment division, which becomes official training kit front partner, will appear on the club’s training gear and warm-up shirts until the end of the 2024-25 season. The business’ branding first appeared on Inter’s training kit during a winter tour of Malta in December 2022.

The deal includes prominent placement of the LeoVegas News logo on training and warm-up shirts for all Serie A, Coppa Italia and UEFA Champions League matches.

The division’s logo will be visible in the tunnel of the San Siro stadium and on the sidelines at the club’s Suning Training Centre. LeoVegas News has been Inter’s official infotainment partner since September 2022.

Alessandro Antonello, Inter’s chief executive corporate, said: “We are delighted to be able to announce this upgrade of the partnership between Inter and LeoVegas News after just six months. The first part of the season was very successful, and this new agreement bears witness to the value of our partnership. Following our training camp in Malta, the infotainment brand decided to strengthen their ties with Inter and boost their long-term visibility.”

Niklas Lindahl, LeoVegas News’ chief marketing officer, said: “We are extremely proud to announce this new collaboration with FC Internazionale Milano, a historic club of international renown that has fans all over the world.

“The Nerazzurri fans are the driving force behind the team; their passion and love unique in Italian football – something we saw when Inter did the treble and again when they won the Scudetto two years ago. We are excited to begin this new chapter in the partnership between LeoVegas News and Inter.”