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New study highlights benefits of liberal sports betting regulation for sports integrity, consumer protection and tax revenues
The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) has today launched ‘The Availability of Sports Betting Products: An Economic and Integrity Analysis’ study. The study has been prepared by H2 Gambling Capital, the leading authority regarding market data and intelligence on the gambling industry.
It analyses the comparative impact of restrictive and liberal market regulation of sports betting products on consumer protection, regulatory oversight, taxable revenue, market and sports integrity. It draws on sports betting operator data, IBIA alert data, and H2’s own market data, and was developed in partnership with: Instituto Brasileiro de Jogo Responsável, Canadian Gaming Association, Netherlands Online Gambling Association, and Responsible Wagering Australia.
The study’s central finding is that there is a strong correlation between the wide availability of sports betting products and the proportion of consumers who place bets with onshore regulated sports betting operators (known as the channelling rate), thereby reducing the risk of exposure to sports betting related fraud on unlicenced markets.
It also highlights specific betting markets that have a disproportionate impact on the market and the onshore channelling rate due to their size and popularity. This includes football, which dominates sports betting globally, and tennis, which is particularly strong in Europe. Products like ‘in-play’, ‘side markets’ (e.g. cards and corners) and ‘prop’ betting also have a very significant impact on channelling.
New data challenges the assumption that these markets represent a heightened risk of match-fixing related fraud, while demonstrating that restricting their availability via regulated onshore operators significantly increases the number of consumers using riskier unlicensed offshore operators.
Khalid Ali, CEO IBIA, said: “Whilst politically attractive, this study confirms that bet restrictions are a blunt and counterproductive instrument. They don’t prevent betting, they just drive it into the unregulated market where most of the problems with sports integrity arise. The conclusions are clear: if you want to protect consumers and sports from corrupters, while maximising tax revenues, then allowing a wide range of sports betting products is essential.”
David Henwood, Director at H2, added: “We always fall back on the data. There is much conjecture that one of the main reasons customers use offshore betting sites is because they offer a broader range of product than available onshore. The study findings reinforce that point of view. Limiting the choice of onshore bet types – including live in-play – is basically counter-productive. Instead, markets most successful in limiting offshore play – evidenced by a channelling rate of 90% plus – are the ones that have generally opened their onshore provision to
a broad product choice. There is much that can be learnt herein in terms of best practice regulation.”
The study details the growing global popularity of sports betting. In 2024, global sports betting is forecast to be worth $94bn in gross win, and reach approximately $132bn by 2028, with over 70% ($93bn) online. Just under half (47%) of all online sports bets are forecast to be placed in-play (or live) in 2024, rising to 51% by 2028.
It also compares the success of different regulatory approaches to managing this growing demand. It finds that jurisdictions that allow a wide range of betting products, such as Great Britain (97%), have a much higher onshore consumer channelling rate than countries that restrict access to important betting markets, like Portugal (79%; restricts football and tennis), Australia (75%; prohibits online in-play) and Germany (60%; restricts football, tennis and in-play).
Beyond protecting consumers from match-fixing related fraud, these depressed onshore channelling rates are shown to have significant implications on tax revenue and market oversight. For instance, the study forecasts that:
· Australia would gain an additional $1bn in incremental tax revenues, and Germany an additional $400m, over the next five years if they permitted online in-play betting markets.
· Germany and Portugal are predicted to have a combined loss offshore of around $750m in taxable revenues due to restricted access to the main football betting markets between 2024-28.
· The Netherlands would experience a $118m uplift of tax revenue over the next five years if it liberalised access to football side markets (e.g. cards and corners).
· Portugal would benefit from an extra $122m in tax revenue over the next five years if it permitted availability of ITF tennis betting products to align with Italy and Spain.
The study’s findings are important for policymakers to consider as new jurisdictions – notably in North and South America – consider how best to regulate their online sports betting markets. In Brazil, for example, a regulatory framework with high product availability is expected to have $34bn in onshore sports betting turnover, providing $2.8bn in GGR, by 2028.
The experience of Ontario is also instructive. Having broken away from the Canadian monopoly model and introduced a licensing system in 2022, Ontario’s onshore sports betting channelisation is expected to reach 92% in 2024. In contrast, the rest of Canada combined is forecast to have a rate of around 11% and to lose $2bn in taxable revenues between 2024-28.

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Esports Charts becomes the official viewership analytics partner of the StarLadder StarSeries Season 19
Esports Charts, the leading esports viewership analytics provider, is pleased to announce a new partnership with StarLadder, a veteran tournament organizer.
The companies will partner for the new season of StarLadder StarSeries Season 19 — the legendary tournament series returns to the professional Counter-Strike scene after a six-year break.
As the official analytics partner of the StarLadder StarSeries Season 19, Esports Charts will provide comprehensive, real-time audience data and insights throughout the event for a deeper understanding of the tournament’s global reach.
“We’re proud to provide real-time viewership analytics for StarLadder StarSeries Season 19,” said Artyom Odintsov, co-founder and CEO of Esports Charts. “We welcome the return of StarLadder to the Tier‑1 Counter-Strike stage, adding healthy competition among tournament organizers. This season marks an exciting new chapter for a historic series, and our data will help capture audience engagement throughout the event, giving organizers, teams, and sponsors valuable insights into global viewership trends.”
StarLadder has been a driving force in global esports for almost 25 years, since hosting its first tournaments in 2001. The company has organized some of the industry’s most iconic events, including the StarLadder Berlin Major and The DOTA 2 Chongqing Major in 2019. Later this year, StarLadder will also host the Budapest Major 2025 — where it was earlier announced that Esports Charts will serve as the official viewership analytics partner.
The StarSeries tournament series, a key part of StarLadder’s brand, has helped launch the careers of numerous Counter-Strike stars. The last StarSeries event, StarSeries & i-League CS:GO Season 8, took place in October 2019 in Turkey. After a six-year hiatus, the series is finally set to make its return this fall with a brand-new season in Europe.
“StarLadder’s decision to partner with Esports Charts once again reflects our confidence in their leadership in esports viewership analytics. Their methodology sets the benchmark for accuracy and transparency — from tracking impressions with a true 30-second viewing window to providing insights that go far beyond raw numbers. Together, we are committed to giving brands and fans a deeper statistics of competitive Counter-Strike, powered by metrics that truly matter,” shared Viacheslav Shcherbakov, Head of Sales & Partnerships at StarLadder.
The StarLadder StarSeries Season 19 will run from September 18 to 21 in Budapest, Hungary, featuring a $500,000 prize pool. Eight teams will battle for the title: Natus Vincere, B8 Esports, Passion UA, 9INE, PARIVISION, OG, and Gentle Mates.
The post Esports Charts becomes the official viewership analytics partner of the StarLadder StarSeries Season 19 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Study confirms €191 million economic impact of ICE and iGB Affiliate 2025
The 2025 editions of ICE and iGB Affiliate generated €191 million in economic impact for Barcelona and Catalonia as well as supporting an estimated 3,100 part time jobs, according to a study conducted by Equimore.
The two world leading business to business events which attracted attendees from 186 countries generating 121,000 overnight stays benefitted a wide range of local businesses including hotels, restaurants, transport services, venues and event production with the average daily spend of non-local attendees calculated at €449.
An input-output model was employed to estimate the total direct, indirect, and induced economic impacts resulting from Barcelona hosting ICE and iGB Affiliate 2025.
The analysis also evaluated the employment effects capturing the jobs created and supported as a result of hosting the exhibitions. Direct Impacts consists of expenditures associated with organising, exhibiting, and attending within the Barcelona – Catalonia economy. The indirect or secondary impacts corresponds to the knock-on effect of the event on the Barcelona -Catalonia economy including activity generated by the suppliers and service providers that benefited from the direct impact of the event. Induced impacts which corresponds to the activity generated by the consumption in the Barcelona-Catalonia economy of the wages received by people who worked directly or indirectly on the 2025 events.
Clarion Gaming Managing Director Stuart Hunter said: “After many successful years in London, we made the decision to relocate to Barcelona with a clear ambition: to evolve, to grow, and to offer our global community an even greater platform for connection and innovation.
“The industry’s experience in Barcelona was shaped by several key factors that made ICE and iGB Affiliate 2025 truly exceptional. World-class exhibitors showcased an outstanding cross-section of global gaming innovation. The Clarion Gaming team, collaborating seamlessly with partners at Fira GranVia, demonstrated why they’re regarded as the best in the business.
“The results speak for themselves — a record attendance, exceptional exhibitor engagement, and an impressive €191 million in economic impact for the Barcelona and Catalonia economy boosted by a large international business audience. We can’t wait to see everyone again in January 2026.”
The post Study confirms €191 million economic impact of ICE and iGB Affiliate 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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GGPoker to Broadcast WSOP Online 2025 Final Tables Live, Featuring GGPoker.tv Broadcast Debut of Poker Legend Phil Hellmuth
Join Jeff Gross and his legendary co-hosts on September 23 and September 30
GGPoker, the World’s Biggest Poker Room, today announced it will live stream the final table action of two of the most prestigious events from the ongoing WSOP Online 2025 tournament series. The broadcasts will be available on GGPoker.tv, the brand’s official YouTube channel, and will feature the debut of poker legend Phil Hellmuth as a live GGPoker.tv broadcast host.
The first broadcast, on September 23, will showcase the high-stakes drama from the final table of the $5,000 WSOP Online Main Event, arguably online poker’s most important annual tournament. This landmark event will be co-hosted by frequent GGPoker anchor Jeff Gross and the 17-time WSOP bracelet winner, Phil Hellmuth. Known for his “poker brat” persona and unparalleled tournament record, Hellmuth’s inclusion will provide viewers with an unprecedented look into the mind of one of poker’s greatest champions.
The action continues on September 30, with the final table of the $10,300 GGMillion$ High Rollers event. Joining Jeff Gross for this broadcast will be GGPoker Global Ambassador and fellow poker icon, Daniel Negreanu. Negreanu, with his engaging style and deep understanding of the game, will provide expert commentary and analysis, making this broadcast another must-watch for poker fans everywhere.
“We are incredibly excited to bring the WSOP Online 2025 action directly to our fans with these two live broadcasts,” said Paul Burke, Head of Public Relations at GGPoker. “Having Phil Hellmuth and Daniel Negreanu on air alongside Jeff Gross to break down the action will be a true treat. This will be more than just watching a final table; it’ll be a masterclass in poker strategy from two of the best to ever play the game.”
The post GGPoker to Broadcast WSOP Online 2025 Final Tables Live, Featuring GGPoker.tv Broadcast Debut of Poker Legend Phil Hellmuth appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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