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BGC Urges UK Chancellor to Drop the Proposed New Gambling Tax Simplification Measure
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has urged the UK Chancellor against using a proposed new gambling tax simplification measure to further raise taxes which will threaten sports including horse racing.
In the Autumn Statement, the Government confirmed it will consult on new proposals to bring remote betting into a single tax, replacing the current three-tax structure.
General betting duty and pool betting duty are set at 15% of operator profits, but remote gaming duty, levied on games of chance such as online casino, is set at 21%.
Any hike in betting duty would likely lead to lower margins on racing, fewer offers for punters and less funding to sponsor and promote the sport.
The tax threat comes as revenues are already being stretched by so-called affordability checks on customers, plans to replace the current voluntary levy with a new statutory levy to fund Research, Education and Treatment to tackle gambling related harm and spiraling costs for betting operators to support horse racing.
Michael Dugher, Chief Executive of the Betting and Gaming Council, said: “Any further new tax rises could be a hammer blow for horse racing’s finances, which are already threatened thanks to measures proposed by the Government in the recent white paper.
“This is a sport which relies heavily on betting operators for its success and yet the Government appears determined to draft in measures which shrink the industry with huge ramifications for other sectors, like horse racing.
“What’s worse, the Treasury didn’t bother to consult or even inform DCMS, which is the department responsible for betting and racing. It seems they are high on tax but low on joined up government.
“There are genuine fears that any so-called simplification of the current tax structure will be nothing more than a Trojan Horse to further raise taxes on businesses.
“This has the potential to risk jobs and investment, and undermine the competitiveness of British horse racing on the global stage, placing its rich history and heritage in peril.
“We were promised an Autumn Statement that would deliver growth – the only thing growing is the list of worries for the betting and horse racing industries”.
The proposed new tax simplification plan comes soon after the Government’s White Paper, published in April, which included measures that will cost online operators in excess of £895m in Gross Gambling Yield.
And comes as bookmakers are preparing to make a record contribution to horse racing next year – with the bill for media rights forecast to increase by nearly £30m.
The Betting and Gaming Council’s five biggest members for horse race betting, Entain, Flutter, bet365, 888/William Hill and Betfred, expect to see a record cost increase to broadcast races.
In 2022, BGC members paid £270.1m for the rights to live stream races for customers and show them in bookmakers.
But that cost is forecast to rise to £285.3m this year, an increase of 5.6%, with members estimating a further increase to £315.2m in 2024, a further bump of 10.5%.
The forecast costs come after the BGC announced their members directly contributed £384m to British horse racing last year in levy, media rights and sponsorship deals.
In addition, bookmakers spent £125m on marketing to promote racing and betting through advertisements and partnerships.
Horse racing is the second biggest sport in the UK, second only to football, with more than five million people attending around 1400 fixtures annually across 59 racecourses.
However, its popularity is in decline. In 2007, 17% of the population participated in horse race betting in the previous year, but that fell to 10% in 2018.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has committed to reviewing the Horseracing Levy by next year.
The Horseracing Levy, which is administered by the Horserace Betting Levy Board, goes towards improving the sport, breeding and boosting veterinary care.
Betting operators are working closely with the British Horseracing Authority and racing stakeholders on much needed reforms to the fixture list and race programme which should increase commercial returns from the levy and media rights.
Betting shops support 42,000 jobs on the UK’s hard-pressed high streets, generating £800 million a year in tax to the Treasury and another £60m in business rates to local councils.
But this contribution is under threat, the combined impacts of recent regulatory reforms and Covid lockdowns have forced the closure of over 2000 shops with the loss of 10,000 jobs since 2019.
The wider regulated betting and gaming industry contributes £7.1bn to the economy, generates £4.2bn in tax and supports 110,000 jobs.
The BGC has repeatedly warned changes to the regulated betting and gaming sector by the Government must not risk forcing customer to the unsafe gambling black market online.
A study by PWC showed the number of customers using an unlicensed betting website has grown from 210,000 to 460,000 and billions is being staked.
Each month in Great Britain around 22.5m adults have a bet and the most recent NHS Health Survey for England estimated that 0.4% of the adult population are problem gamblers.
Expanse Studios, the B2B game development division of Golden Matrix Group Inc. (NASDAQ: GMGI), has received official certification from Croatia’s Ministry of Finance for its flagship game Super Heli, with additional titles in the company’s 56-game portfolio expected to receive approval in the coming weeks for the EU member state.
The certification marks a strategic entry into a market that generated US$484.70m in 2024, with projected growth at a CAGR of 8.4% during 2024-2030. Super Heli, Expanse’s most popular crash-style game, becomes the first of the studio’s titles approved for the Croatian market, paving the way for broader portfolio distribution.
Tapping Into High-Growth European Market
Croatia represents a compelling opportunity for B2B gaming suppliers, with the Online Casinos segment alone projected at US$218.10m in 2024. According to iGamingToday’s latest market research, Croatia’s gambling market will reach €720.42 million by 2025, making it one of Europe’s fastest-growing regulated markets.
Among the key market benefits are:
- Accelerating digital adoption – Internet penetration jumped from 76% in 2020 to 83% in 2023
- Over 20.6 million tourist arrivals in 2023 following Schengen Zone entry
- Over 500,000 Croatians expected to engage in regular online gambling by 2027
Strategic Value for the Company
The certification strengthens Expanse Studios’ European footprint at a critical juncture. With 56 proprietary titles and 500+ B2B partners globally, Expanse is expected to capture a meaningful share in the growing EU market.
“Croatia certification is more than market access—it’s validation of our content quality and compliance capabilities in demanding EU jurisdictions,” said Damjan Stamenkovic, CEO of Expanse Studios. “With our flagship title Super Heli already approved and more games in the pipeline, we’re very excited for the opportunities this markets brings us”
Competitive Advantage in Regulated Markets
Croatia’s regulatory framework favors established, compliant B2B providers. Operators must obtain licenses requiring significant capital investment, and only licensed casino games operators who have at least one brick-and-mortar casino can offer online gambling. This creates high barriers to entry and positions certified B2B suppliers like Expanse as essential partners for operators.
The post Expanse Studios (GMGI) Obtains Croatian iGaming Certification appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The iGB London 2025 event is set to push the boundaries of the online gambling market, and Kristina Jakovleva, Business Development Manager at SEOBROTHERS, will represent Slotsjudge. The event is expected to gather over 15,000 attendees and more than 300 sponsors, and Kristina plans to cover technological trends, discuss affiliate marketing strategies, and foster industry-specific networking.
Event Overview: About iGB London 2025
As one of the iGaming industry’s key global events, iGB London brings together thousands of professionals to drive innovation and growth. Following the success of previous editions, with over 6,500+ affiliates and 150+ programs on offer, the upcoming event promises even greater opportunities for business and collaboration.
Over 15,000+ industry specialists are to join the event this time. This year, participants will discuss technological trends, regulatory updates, affiliate marketing, and branding strategies. Participants can gain actionable insights and learn from successful case studies, making the event both exciting and informative.
About Kristina Jakovleva: Expertise & Plans
Starting her career in education at Liverpool John Moores University, Kristina has been in the iGaming market for years, working as a customer support specialist, affiliate manager, and ultimately as a Business Development Manager at SEOBROTHERS.
Years of experience and a focus on growth enabled Kristina to understand which approach best suited the company quickly, and she successfully implemented strategic partnerships and business growth initiatives to benefit from industry-specific networking.
Expectations & Final Thoughts
Attendees can enjoy iGB London 2025 on 2–3 July 2025 at ExCeL London, and an exclusive AI Concierge service will be available to cover basic questions about the event. Nick Hill, Executive Director at Premier Hill, says that ‘it represents the entire industry, and it is a must-attend show.’
It’s an excellent opportunity for the Slotsjudge team to gain performance-driven insights and plan future growth over the next 12 to 24 months, while other participants can learn from Kristina Jakovleva’s work, reinforcing Slotsjudge’s ongoing commitment to innovation and the overall growth of the iGaming industry.
The post Kristina Jakovleva Represents Slotsjudge at iGB London 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Solitics has launched In-Game Pulse, a powerful tool that allows operators to turn real-time sports moments into high-impact engagement with bettors.
With In-Game Pulse, operators can respond to goals, plays and key events with personalised in-play betting offers, delivered to players when their attention peaks, not after.
It’s powered by Solitic’s new Follow Engine, which tracks what each bettor is interested in and then automatically delivers tailored campaigns based on those interests.
This means marketers build just one journey, rather than separate ones for each possibility.
In-Game Pulse works by connecting an operator’s user data with a live sports feed, then the Follow Engine adapts a single flow to match each user’s interests in real time.
Marketers can then trigger journeys based on the most important moments in a game – a goal, red card – as and when they happen, meaning they are no longer limited to just user behaviour.
The best part is that each campaign is tailored to the individual bettor, and based on the teams, athletes and events they care about.
This makes In-Game Pulse the perfect solution for personalised in-play betting engagement.
This is an example of how it works.
A team scores a goal.
All users with that team in their favourites list get notified instantly.
The messaging is kept really simple:
“Big Moment! Your team just scored. Want to double down on the momentum?”.
The great thing about In-Game Pulse is that it’s not a workaround or a third-party add-on; instead, it sits within Solitics’ engagement flows.
This means operators and their marketing teams can deliver hyper-personalised campaigns at peak interest, with the speed and control that Solitics has built its reputation on.
Guy Shemer, VP Product at Solitics, said: “In-Game Pulse will change the game for how marketers engage players with in-play betting communications and offers.
“In the past, they have had to map out multiple journeys, and this has created a tremendous amount of work, let alone the challenge of pushing communications at the right time.
“In-Game Pulse does all the heavy lifting here, allowing marketers to engage players in the moment and when their attention peaks, not after.
“In short, it allows operators to go beyond their own data and react instantly to live sports moments – moments that can drive betting activity.”
The post Solitics launches In-Game Pulse for personalised in-play betting offers appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Expanse Studios (GMGI) Obtains Croatian iGaming Certification
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