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City Bet Club predicts 2022 UK operator earnings to fall short

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City Bet Club, the expert tipster service founded by leading industry veterans, predicts that UK operator Q4 2022 earnings reports are likely to make disappointing reading.

In a ‘triple punch’ for operator brands, the compounded issues of a steep decline in World Cup turnover compared to Russia 2018, an overhaul of the winter sporting calendar to accommodate the Qatar tournament, and “intrusive” affordability checks are expected to have a significant impact on turnover and consequentially, reported earnings.

By analysing financial performance, the World Cup is expected to have netted a strong margin-win for operators due to shock results, making it one of the most “bookie-friendly” in history.

However, early-stage punter losses in the Group Stage, which continued throughout the tournament will have heavily affected overall turnover.

In particular, City Bet Club’s analysis of January 2023’s trading and financial updates issued so far by major UK brands reflect this, noting that Bet365’s announcement this month is a key indicator of market health.

With Bet365’s operating profit down by 88% for the financial year due to significant investment in overseas jurisdictions, it is seen as a strong indication that major operators no longer view the UK as a growth market.

This view is supported further with Kindred’s trading update, owner of UK flagship brand Unibet. It highlights an unexpectedly low sports margin in the last quarter – despite the “bookie-friendly” World Cup results. This likely alludes to overstretched marketing and promotional spend, eroding gross win and margin.

The third major indicator that World Cup turnover has fallen short of expectations is via 888/William Hill’s trading update; especially with like-for-like gross win performance compared to Russia 2018.

In choosing to highlight the metric of ‘Player User Days’, by comparing customer engagement performance of the delayed Euro 2020 with Qatar 2022, City Bet Club believes that the data does not bode well.

This is especially due to the World Cup having 25% more matches as well as the lack of a heavy summer horse racing program to compete with, suggesting the like-for-like comparison indicates an uplift of only 22% to be disappointing.

Compounding the overall issue for UK-facing bookmakers further is the third punch, that of affordability checks, pointing to a far wider structural issue in the industry.

As highlighted by leading commentators in the Racing Post, major betting exchanges and high-profile professional gamblers, the issue of “intrusive” affordability checks are a major factor in reduced betting activity for UK operators.

The effect on horse racing’s income from the levy is directly related to bookmaker profits. Not only is this seen by City Bet Club as a serious issue for bookmakers, but also for UK racing.

As further confirmation of this view, Arena Racing Company has estimated that digital betting turnover on UK racing has declined by £800m in 2022, with an estimated £40m loss in income from bookmakers.

Commenting on the situation, David Brown, Co-founder of City Bet Club and one of the UK’s most experienced trading directors, believes that this has created a bleak outlook for the UK. He added:

I’ve been in the industry since 1976, and with 47 years in the game, this is by far the most pessimistic outlook for the health of the UK betting market that I’ve seen.

“While the World Cup may have seen record margins, word on the street is that turnover is significantly down compared to Russia 2018. Given that punters suffered many setbacks early in the Group Stage, the industry saw reduced recycling of customer money as bookie-friendly results continued throughout the tournament.

“Traditionally a major football tournament and robust Christmas period, with a full program of racing, would normally put the big brands in very positive territory. Currently – the silence says it all, and we’re yet to see comparisons of like-for-like turnover to the 2018 World Cup, which may infer all is not well.

“Last but not least is the uncertainty around the government white paper on gambling, which is yet to go public. This has the potential to add even more challenges to the operation of the UK betting market. It will no doubt be a key decider on how the industry proceeds from here.”

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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REEVO Partners with BEON

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REEVO has entered into a new partnership with BEON, an emerging game provider known for its technical excellence and fast-paced innovation.

The collaboration will see BEON’s expanding game portfolio integrated into REEVO’s advanced aggregation platform, giving REEVO partners access to BEON’s high-performing and distinctive titles. This partnership reflects REEVO’s ongoing commitment to delivering top-quality, diverse and exciting content to operators worldwide.

BEON’s reputation for simplicity, precision and reliable technology aligns perfectly with REEVO’s vision of creating seamless and scalable solutions for its partners. By adding BEON’s games to its aggregation platform, REEVO continues to strengthen its mission to make premium content easily accessible to operators looking to stand out in a competitive market.

Daniel Cuc, Head of Account Management at REEVO, said: “Partnering with BEON is another strong step forward for REEVO. Their focus on building quality games backed by solid technology fits perfectly with our approach to innovation and speed. We are excited to bring BEON’s growing portfolio to our partners and believe this collaboration will add real value to the REEVO ecosystem.”

Saba Chkheidze, Managing Partner at BEON, added: “We’re happy to team up with REEVO. We share the same vision of creating high-quality gaming experiences, and we’re looking forward to combining our strengths to bring more value to our partners and players.”

The post REEVO Partners with BEON appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Turkish Football Federation Suspends 149 Referees and Assistants After Betting Probe

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The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has suspended 149 referees and assistant referees after an investigation found hundreds of professional match officials in the country had betting accounts.

Bans ranging from eight to 12 months, based on the severity of the act, have been imposed for involvement in betting activity, with investigations into three other officials still ongoing.

The full list of the penalised officials was published on the TFF website.

Last week, it was revealed a five-year probe had found 371 of 571 match officials have betting accounts, with 152 of those actively gambling.

While some had only bet once, 42 had bet on more than 1000 football matches – with one official found to have placed 18,227 bets.

Like players and coaches, match officials are forbidden from participating in betting activities by TFF disciplinary regulations, as well as those of world governing body Fifa and European governing body Uefa.

“There is a moral crisis in Turkish football. There is no such thing as structure. The fundamental problem at the core of Turkish football is an ethical one,” TFF president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu said.

“Ask any referee, if there is even one who has not received his pay, I will resign as federation president. In fact, we improved their salaries last year, and again this year.”

No further details of the cases or ongoing investigations were provided.

After the investigation’s findings were announced, a number of Turkey’s top clubs responded.

Besiktas said it “could mark a new beginning for clean football” while Trabzonspor called the development “an historic opportunity to rebuild justice in Turkish football”.

Fenerbahce president Sadettin Saran said: “This is both shocking and deeply saddening for Turkish football.

“But the fact that it is coming to light is a hopeful development.”

The post Turkish Football Federation Suspends 149 Referees and Assistants After Betting Probe appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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UKGC Suspends Operating Licence of VGC Leeds Limited

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The UK Gambling Commission has suspended the operating licence of VGC Leeds Limited as it carries out a review under section 116 of the Gambling Act 2005.

The review and consequent suspension follow concerns that activities may have been carried out contrary to the Act, not in accordance with conditions of their licence and that the Licensee may be unsuitable to carry on the licensed activities.

During a recent Compliance Assessment, VGC Leeds Limited are reasonably believed to have failed to maintain and implement effective anti-money laundering policies, procedures and controls, as required under the conditions of their licence.

In addition, serious concerns were identified regarding the adequacy of decision-making processes and the Licensee’s response to identified anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing risks, raising questions about the overall effectiveness of its governance and risk management arrangements.

These failings are considered significant and represent a serious threat to the licensing objectives, in particular keeping crime out of gambling.

“We have made it clear to the operator that during the suspension, we expect it to focus on treating consumers fairly and keeping them fully informed of any developments which impact them,” UKGC said.

The suspension takes place immediately.

The post UKGC Suspends Operating Licence of VGC Leeds Limited appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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