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BGC: New Tax Measures Could Spark a Sharp Increase in Harmful Illegal Gambling
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The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has warned that proposed new tax measures for the UK gambling industry could lead to a significant rise in harmful illegal gambling.
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) admitted that the tax plans will reduce projected yield by around one-third, including £500 million lost by 2029-30 as consumers switch away from the regulated sector and towards the black market.
The OBR also states that around 90% of the duty increases will be passed on to consumers through higher prices or reduced payouts, making regulated products less attractive. It warns this will distort the market and drive more customers towards the illegal black market, where there are no protections, no tax contributions and no safer gambling checks.
Despite these warnings, the Government continues to claim the measures will raise £1.1 billion, a figure that industry experts, independent analysts including EY, and the BGC believe will not be achieved.
Grainne Hurst, Chief Executive of the Betting and Gaming Council, said: “The Government’s own figures show these tax plans will cause significant damage. Industry analysis based on modelling from EY finds that nearly 17,000 high-tech jobs will be lost across online betting and gaming, with over £6 billion in stakes diverted to the black market – a 140% increase in its size.
“These proposals also threaten shop closures, further job losses and a less competitive online market, meaning lower, not higher, long-term tax revenues. They also push more customers to the black market, where there are no protections, no taxes and no safeguards.”
The regulated betting and gaming sector currently contributes £6.8 billion to the UK economy, supports over 109,000 jobs, and provides £4 billion in taxes, including vital funding for racing, sport and tourism. But further tax rises threaten to weaken one of the UK’s most internationally competitive digital industries at a time when the illegal market is expanding rapidly.
The post BGC: New Tax Measures Could Spark a Sharp Increase in Harmful Illegal Gambling appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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The studio picks up three major nominations going into 2026
ELA Games is proud to announce that it has received three major nominations at the European iGaming Awards 2026, reflecting the studio’s creative direction, performance-driven development, and leadership in innovation.
The nominations include:
- Most Innovative Slot Game — Joker Winpot
- Slot Game of the Year — Joker Winpot
- Rising Star — Marharyta Yerina, Managing Director of ELA Games
Joker Winpot Shines
Joker Winpot has continued to perform spectacularly, quickly becoming one of the studio’s standout titles. Its strong visual identity, simple-to-understand mechanics, and innovative format with the Winpot feature make it a game that gives players agency with high replayability.
Operators who have connected to the ELA Games catalogue have reported significant increases in key metrics following the adoption of Joker Winpot in their casino lobbies, including a GGR increase of +1128%, Actives: +878%, and Turnover: +1517%. These impressive results have helped the game gain recognition among peers, with it being shortlisted for two major categories at the upcoming European iGaming Awards.
Value in Creativity
ELA Games’ core operational philosophy of blending bold creativity with user- and operator-focused performance has propelled the studio to become a significant newcomer in the industry. Players recognise ELA Games’ signature visually rich art style and actively seek the studio’s games out in casino lobbies, as evidenced by impressive year-on-year growth.
Marharyta Yerina, Managing Director, was also nominated for the “Rising Star” individual award. Her contributions to the iGaming space and leadership in managing ELA Games as one of the fastest-growing studios have garnered her acclaim amongst her peers.
Marharyta commented on the nominations, “Receiving three nominations at an award ceremony reflects every one of our team members’ excellence and commitment to setting new standards in the industry. Joker Winpot continued to exceed our expectations and shows what’s possible when you develop a game with intention, user experiences, and operator performance in mind. I’m also honoured to receive the Rising Star nomination: we will continue delivering content that truly matters for players and partners alike.”
The post ELA Games Scoops Up Triple Nominations at the European iGaming Awards 2026 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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The Danish Gambling Authority’s statistics for October 2025 show a decrease in the total gambling spend in comparison to the same month last year. However, the betting market was the only market to experience a decrease.
The total gambling spend in October 2025 amounted to DKK 599 million, which corresponds to a decrease of 3.4 per cent compared to October 2024. The statistics show that the decrease for the total gambling market is due to a large fluctuation in the betting market in October 2025 compared to October 2024. The betting market had a decrease of 46.0 per cent. Online casinos experienced the largest increase of 24.4 per cent, while land-based (physical) casinos and gaming machines experienced an increase of 6.0 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively.
The post Spillemyndigheden: Large decrease in betting consumption in October appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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THE STAGE IS SET AS FINAL TEAMS ARE CONFIRMED FOR THE PUBG MOBILE GLOBAL CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND FINALS
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- The 2025 PUBG MOBILE Global Championship (PMGC) ignites as final two teams qualify for the Grand Finals
- Alter Ego Ares and Team Flash clawed their way through the pressure-packed Last Chance stage, claiming their well-deserved spots in the Grand Finals, as more than 1.2M fans around the world witnessed this nailbiting weekend
- 16 elite teams are now advancing to the main stage in Bangkok to battle for the lion’s share of the $3,000,000 prize pool
- In celebration of PUBG MOBILE and Balenciaga’s continued the Balenciaga I PUBG collaboration, the 2025 PMGC Grand Champions will take home the custom designed BALENCIAGA l PMGC l PGC 2025 Champion Jacket
- Building on a successful collaboration campaign with PUBG MOBILE, Porsche will invigorate the 2025 PMGC stage with the prize of a Porsche Cayenne to the MVP player of the 2025 PMGC Grand Final
After weeks of intense battles and a decisive Last Chance qualifier, the stage is set and the final teams are locked in for the 2025 PUBG MOBILE Global Championship (PMGC) Grand Finals. This past weekend marked the conclusion of the 2025 PMGC Last Chance stage, where 16 teams fought tooth-and-nail to be a finalist in this year’s culminating PUBG MOBILE Esports tournament. Highlighting the significance of this stage ahead of the main event, the Last Chance weekend saw more than 1.2M fans witness the action across the globe. With the dust now settled, the final two teams have secured their slots in the Grand Finals, where they’ll compete for their share of the massive $3,000,000 prize pool.
The Last Chance took center stage from December 6th -7th, as teams battled fiercely for their final opportunities to reach the Grand Finals. Day one saw Alter Ego Ares making an early statement, while Influence Rage and Loops Esports climbed the leaderboard with strong performances. On day two, the intensity ramped up as Weibo Gaming pulled off crucial late-game plays to surge up the leaderboard, while Team Flash stayed consistent, surviving each round to stay in the running. In the end it was Alter Ego Ares and Team Flash who had secured their spots in the Grand Finals, closing out the Last Chance stage and setting the stage for the ultimate showdown of the year.
Final teams qualified for the Grand Finals:
- Alter Ego Ares
- Team Flash
- DRX
- Regnum Carya
- EArena
- R8 Esports
- ThunderTalk Gaming
- Kara Esports
- MadBulls
- Alpha7 Esports
- ULF Esports
- D’Xavier
- Alpha Gaming
- DPlus KIA
- Team GOAT
- Vampire Esports
The 2025 PMGC Grand Finals roster brings together seven powerhouses from the Gauntlet Stage, six elite qualifiers from the Group Stage, the two Last Chance survivors, and Vampire Esports as the Host Country Invitee. With all finalists confirmed, the spotlight shifts fully to Bangkok, where the Grand Finals will erupt inside Siam Paragon from December 12th – 14th. As the defining event of the competitive calendar, the 2025 PMGC not only brings together the world’s strongest PUBG MOBILE Esports teams, but also marks a new era for the scene as it joins forces with the 2025 PUBG Global Championship (PGC), as PUBG UNITED 2025. Across three action-packed days, the world’s best squads will battle through six matches per day, as they chase fame and glory.
All signs point to an electrifying Grand Finals, with a roster stacked full of top-tier contenders. Alpha Gaming are poised as a team to watch after ripping through Group Green in the Group Stage with unwavering consistency, while R8 Esports made their intentions known early by dominating the opening Gauntlet Stage. Last year’s reigning champions Dplus KIA bring the heat to this year’s Grand Finals line-up, and with the remaining teams hungry to disrupt the established order, this year’s 2025 PMGC Grand Finals are set to make history.
Set to make this PMGC the grandest Grand Finals yet, and in continuing the city-wide celebrations, PUBG MOBILE partners Balenciaga and Porsche will each be represented through prizes awarded to the Champion team. Balenciaga has designed an exclusive jacket for each player of the 2025 PMGC Champion team, as a symbol of the talent and effort they have displayed. For the MVP player of the 2025 PMGC Grand Finals, they will be awarded with a brand new luxury Porsche Cayenne, the perfect prize for the player who shines the brightest in their performance.
Fans can tune in to watch the 2025 PMGC Grand Finals on PUBG MOBILE Esports’ YouTube, Facebook and Twitch channels, between December 12th – December 14th. For more PUBG MOBILE Esports news, stay tuned on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, and TikTok.
The post THE STAGE IS SET AS FINAL TEAMS ARE CONFIRMED FOR THE PUBG MOBILE GLOBAL CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND FINALS appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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