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World Pool extends global network with biggest ever World Pool season in 2023
World Pool, the globe’s largest commingled horse racing pools created and powered by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), will be extended further in 2023 with the addition of major fixtures, including Lightning Stakes Day in Australia, The Saudi Cup and the Irish Derby.
Following the successful introduction of World Pool Moment of the Year in 2022 in Great Britain and Ireland, this has now been extended to all global World Pool meetings and will reward stable staff with a total of over HK$1 million (approx. £103,000) in prizes, as well as a VIP trip to Hong Kong, thanks to additional funding from the HKJC, UK Tote Group, Racecourse Media Group (RMG) and Ascot Racecourse.
Starting on Saturday 28 January with Met Day at Kenilworth in South Africa, the first meeting where racing fans from over 20 countries will be able to bet into the World Pool, and ending on Melbourne Cup Day on 7 February in Australia, one World Pool Moment of the Day will be selected at each World Pool meeting to win a prize of £4,000 (HK$38,785).
Each winning groom from the season’s 25 World Pool days will also enter the chance to be named World Pool Moment of the Year and win a VIP trip for four to Hong Kong for either the 2024 Hong Kong Derby or 2024 FWD Champions Day.
The 25 individual World Pool Moment of the Day winners will be narrowed down to a final four by a panel of global racing experts, before being voted on by the public for World Pool Moment of the Year, which will be revealed at the Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin in December.
Last year’s World Pool Moment of the Year winner was Alpinista and winning groom Annabel Willis, who lit up the Knavesmire at York Racecourse when landing the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks before going on to win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
The Saudi Cup and Lightning Stakes to make World Pool debuts in Q1 2023
Lightning Stakes Day at Flemington on 18 February and Saudi Cup night in Riyadh on 25 February have been confirmed as the two new additions to the first quarter of World Pool races for 2023.
The opening quarter of the year now boasts five fixtures, with two visits to Meydan for Super Saturday (4 March) and Dubai World Cup Night (25 March), as well as the aforementioned Met Day (28 January) at Kenilworth.
Irish Derby and Lockinge Stakes among 18 UK and Irish World Pool events
For the first time, World Pool will be in operation at Newbury Racecourse in the UK with two races added to the World Pool season on Lockinge Stakes Day on 20 May, while Irish Derby Day is also set to feature amongst 18 UK and Irish events on 2 July. Coverage of Irish Derby Day will also include the Deutsches Derby at Hamburg-Horn, marking the first World Pool race from Germany.
In 2022, World Pool betting turnover hit a new high of HK$6 billion (approx. £622m), up from HK$4.8 billion (approx. £498m) in 2021, across the 21 racedays that were commingled, while Derby Day at Epsom recorded the single highest day of turnover with HK$66.1 million (approx. £6.8m) – *note: turnover is recorded in HK$, and approximate pound sterling figures are therefore based on current exchange rates.
Michael Fitzsimons, Executive Director Wagering Products of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: “We were absolutely thrilled with the results from our 21 World Pool meetings in 2022 and are excited to be extending that offering to 25 days this year.
“Having Australia and Saudi Arabia on the fixture list of 2023 World Pool meetings is another important step in the globalisation of World Pool, while adding some high-profile British and Irish meetings to the schedule is another exciting advancement.
“To complement our expanding list of World Pool meetings are the Moment of the Day and Moment of the Year initiatives, which for the first time will reward winning stable staff from all countries hosting World Pool races.
“Last year’s launch of the competition in the UK and Ireland was met with great feedback from yards across the region and we look forward to opening that up to our World Pool days in South Africa, Australia, Saudi Arabia and Dubai.”
Alex Frost, Chief Executive of the UK Tote Group, said: “We are looking forward to another World Pool season which now extends its reach across eight countries worldwide. For the UK and Ireland, it is welcome to see new additions to this year’s schedule, with two races from Newbury’s Lockinge Day added, along with Irish Derby Day, taking World Pool events hosted in the UK and Ireland to a total of 18.
“The ambitions for a global wagering platform are already being realised with over 20 pool betting operators now part of World Pool. Last year alone, the UK and Ireland saw record turnover of £521 million across 17 World Pool events, showcasing the best of our racing to a global audience, ensuring an improved value proposition for our own wagering customers and creating a more sustainable funding mechanism for horseracing in the future, with additional income for our racecourse partners.
“Our continued thanks go to our partners the Hong Kong Jockey Club, and in collaboration with RMG and Ascot, we are delighted to see Moment of the Day and Moment of the Year now extended to include all countries hosting World Pool races.”
Martin Stevenson, Chief Executive Officer of Racecourse Media Group (RMG), which represents the media interests of The Jockey Club, Newbury, Goodwood, and York racecourses, said: “RMG is delighted to partner with Hong Kong Jockey Club, UK Tote and our racecourses to bring 11 high-quality British and Irish days to the innovative and important World Pool schedule.
“RMG looks forward to working with all the parties in growing both the sport’s revenues and global appeal. We’re also excited to see the World Pool Moment of the Day and Year awards increase in prize money and evolve into a global initiative for stable staff – the real unsung heroes of our sport.”
Alastair Warwick, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Ascot Racecourse, said: “It’s fantastic to see this truly global expansion of the meetings included in the World Pool for 2023. The continued growth of World Pool since launching at Royal Ascot in 2019 has been very impressive and hugely important for British racing. We look forward to being involved again across our major meetings this year.”
Gregory Bortz, the Executive Chairman of Cape Racing, the operator of racing in the Western Cape of South Africa, said: “We are honoured to have WSB Met Day, one of the biggest and most prestigious days on the South African racing calendar, be included as a World Pool event. We believe the sight and sounds of nineteen of our finest equine athletes competing for this prestigious Grade 1 race, with the views and sounds of Cape Town playing out in the background, will make for an unforgettable experience for the countless racing enthusiasts around the globe betting into the World Pool.
“The Hong Kong Jockey Club represents the gold standard for racing operators around the world, and we at Cape Racing look forward to following their lead by ensuring our top-class racing provides the entertainment and turnover befitting of World Pool status.”
Provisional World Pool events to be hosted on the following days in 2023:
January
Saturday 28: Met Day – Kenilworth Racecourse, South Africa
February
Saturday 18: Black Caviar Lightning Race Day – Flemington Racecourse, Australia
Saturday 25: Saudi Cup – King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
March
Saturday 4 March: Super Saturday – Meydan Racecourse, Dubai
Saturday 25 March: Dubai World Cup – Meydan Racecourse, Dubai
Other key fixtures will be finalised later in the year, but major meetings including Royal Ascot, King George Day, Goodwood Festival, York Ebor Meeting, British Champions Day and Melbourne Cup Day will also form part of World Pool 2023.
Game Nation, the UK’s third largest High Street AGC Retailer, has appointed Andy Sessions to the role of Head of Slots, Product and Content.
Sessions joins from Grosvenor Casinos where he worked as Regional Slots Manager for the brand which has 53 venues located in major towns and cities across the UK.
In a dedicated gambling industry career he has gained experience working across the Family Entertainment Centre, Motorway Service Area, Bingo Club and Casino sectors.
Confirming the latest appointment, which follows the addition of Compliance and Audit Director Eric Howell and Sharon Lewis who has joined the Game Nation team as Marketing Development Manager, CEO Mark Jepp said: “The combination of outstanding people and the very best games on the market are central to our ability to deliver an outstanding experience for all of our customers.
“Andy is pivotal to what we are a seeking to achieve. He has an unparalleled depth of operating knowledge and his insight will help sharpen further our machine focus.”
Looking ahead to the latest chapter in his gaming industry career Andy Sessions said: “I’m delighted to be joining a progressive operator which places machines at the very heart of the experience. There’s a genuine enthusiasm and a shared commitment to set new standards and I am excited to be able to contribute to the success story.”
The post Game Nation appoint Head of Slots, Product and Content appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Zitro is proud to participate in the upcoming Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention (IGA) 2025 in San Diego, California. Zitro will showcase its latest CONCEPT cabinet line alongside an impressive array of new slot content, which is also compatible with the GLARE cabinet line, ensuring a seamless gaming experience across both platforms.
Zitro’s game lineup will feature diverse, exciting titles, each delivering an engaging and immersive gameplay experience to the U.S. market. Attendees will explore popular games such as Legendary Sword, Triple Charm Journey, Lucky Vault, Cash Totems, Wonder Dreams, and more—each showcasing stunning graphics, animations, and captivating soundscapes.
“Zitro is proud to be part of the largest gathering of tribal leaders in North America., especially during a time of significant growth in many tribal jurisdictions,” said Derik Mooberry, CEO of Zitro USA. “The U.S. has been a phenomenal growth story for us—tripling our casino footprint in under two years to over 100 casino properties. We’re eager to continue partnering with tribal operators to deliver exceptional gaming experiences that drive mutual success”.
He added: “IGA is the perfect platform to showcase the depth and versatility of our game portfolio to our valued tribal partners. With a broad lineup of games compatible with our new CONCEPT and GLARE cabinet line, we’re reinforcing our commitment to providing operators maximum flexibility while protecting their investments. With our expanding portfolio and new cabinet line introduction, we provide operators with more options than ever to enhance their casino floors”.
The post ZITRO TO SHOWCASE CONCEPT CABINET LINE AT IGA 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
More than one in six students who gamble is in the ‘problem gambling category’, four times higher than the general population, according to new research.
The fourth Annual Student Gambling Survey, commissioned by GAMSTOP and Ygam, found that 17% were designated at high risk and 29% at moderate risk of gambling harm, using the threeitem Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). Male students are more likely than females to be in the problem gambling category and their mean spend on gambling is almost 1.7 times higher.
Male students who gamble are spending almost as much on their gambling as on the weekly food shop. Men’s mean spend on gambling is £33.54 per week – this compares to £36 per week on groceries, according to the most recent National Student Money Survey (2024). Almost one in ten of all student gamblers spend between £51-£100 per week on gambling – significantly more than their average weekly food shop.
One in four male students (25%) take part in online sports betting, the most popular form of gambling amongst students, and male students bet on online sports an average 91 days of the year – that equates to every other working day in an average university term.
Neary one in two students (45%) say they gamble ‘to make money’, rising to 50% amongst male students. However, the reality is different – whilst one in five claim to make money from gambling, a much higher proportion (40%) say it has affected their university experience and one in ten have struggled to afford food. And 17% are using their student loan to fund gambling.
Peer pressure appears to be a driving force for gambling – nearly one in three students who gamble say they are influenced by friends, whilst one in four cite social media. Almost one in ten are influenced by university societies – almost as significant a factor as advertising, cited by 13%.
However, more than one in two students (53%) say they are aware of support available at their university for problems with their gambling and 59% of students who gamble say they would be confident about accessing support.
The Student Gambling Survey, conducted by Censuswide, is the most comprehensive of its kind, involving 2,000 students from universities near 17 UK cities, with 49% reporting having gambled at least once in the previous 12 months. Other findings include:
- 21% of students have invested in cryptocurrency during the last 12 months. Males were more than twice as likely to have invested in cryptocurrency as females.
- 66% of students who play video games had paid for a random chance purchase in the past – one in two agreed that random chance purchases were gambling, but one in five disagreed, highlighting a need for more education about the risks of gambling-like features in video games.
- 23% of Asian student gamblers were found to experience ‘problem gambling’ according to the short-form PGSI, while low and moderate risk gambling were also elevated at 20% and 36% respectively.
The report makes four key recommendations:
- More targeted prevention education, taking into consideration cultural differences to better meet the needs of students from BAME backgrounds.
- Universities should make gambling harm prevention and support an integral part of their strategies to improve student health and wellbeing, upskilling staff and doing more to communicate the availability of support.
- More education about the risks relating to in-game purchases in video games and their similarities and differences with regulated gambling products.
- Further research, including investigating the discrepancy between students’ motivation for gambling and the amount they spend gambling in a typical week.
As part of National Student Money Week, Ygam has teamed up with NUS Charity, the charitable arm of the National Union of Students (NUS) in the UK, to launch a new university campaign encouraging students to look out for signs of gambling harm in their peers and start conversations to raise awareness. The Silence the Stigma campaign will be launched at Queen Mary University of London on 6th March.
Fiona Palmer, Chief Executive Officer at GAMSTOP, said: “The Student Gambling Survey is an important piece of research that confirms the need for targeted support for the student community. Although gambling has decreased slightly in universities, the risk of gambling harm is far higher than in the general population and students need to be educated about the consequences of gambling in the expectation of making money. We know from the university roadshows we run with Ygam that there is an appetite amongst students to learn more about the support available, which includes self-exclusion to take a break from gambling”.
Dr Jane Rigbye, Chief Executive Officer at Ygam, said: “Ygam is now working with universities in every region of the UK, and while we welcome the decrease in the number of students experiencing gambling-related harms, students remain a cohort that engages in gambling in significant numbers. This makes our collaboration with universities essential to ensuring they have the tools to effectively support and safeguard students. It is important to recognise trends and understand the factors influencing these behaviours, including economic and social pressures. With much of student life now digital and online, we must continue to guide and educate to increase understanding and build resilience against the potential harms of gambling.”
The post Male students are spending almost as much on gambling as on their weekly groceries appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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