JenningsBet, an independent British betting operator, has weighed on the statutory levy discussions, saying that the measure would have adverse effects. According to the company, a mandatory levy would result in closed shops and mass layoffs.

For reference, the statutory levy is a much-discussed measure outlined in the United Kingdom’s Gambling Act white paper. The levy would replace the current voluntary system whereby gambling operators across the country make voluntary donations for gambling research, education and treatment.

Under the mandatory levy, all online operators will have to provide 1% of their annual revenue for such initiatives, while land-based companies will pay only 0.4% because of the higher costs associated with retail operations. This move, according to its proponents, will provide treatment organizations with the funding they need to improve their services and efficiency.

However, opponents of the measure say that it may cause more harm than good. JenningsBet, for one, is not happy with the changes.

JenningsBet Warns of Shop Closures

Vicky Knight, JenningsBet’s head of safer gambling, addressed the matter in a Betting and Gaming Council blog post, saying that the new moves might actually hinder the industry’s ability to help those in need.

According to Knight, JenningsBet has dutifully paid the voluntary levy for two decades and is proud to have supported many excellent charities. However, she argues that the 0.4% levy on retail operators is disproportional and would lead to layoffs and closed shops.

That would be devastating for operators like us, which are the beating heart of many hard-pressed high streets, offering community to customers, and bringing in much-needed investment both locally and nationally.

Vicky Knight, head of safer gambling, JenningsBet

Knight pointed out that the retail sector has already been negatively affected by the COVID pandemic and the recent economic hurdles, causing the closure of dozens of shops and businesses. In just five years, 43% of the small betting businesses have died out, she pointed out.

She added that Family Entertainment Centers in the UK are exempt from the new rules and will only have to pay 0.1% despite having similar operating costs. Knight also mentioned the National Lottery, which has only contributed 0.01% of its gross gaming yield toward the levy over the past three years.

If all independent bookies are unfairly targeted with a higher levy than our peers, it will inevitably push some shops into unprofitability. That will mean further closures and job losses.

Vicky Knight, head of safer gambling, JenningsBet

Knight concluded that her team wants to pay its fair share, as it has done for two decades now. However, she hopes that the government will keep the independent bookmakers in mind when implementing the reforms.

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Traditionally, Slotegrator announced its report for 2024 and shared its expectations and predicaments for the year full of industry changes and thrilling innovations.

Research

The company conducted research among the online casino operators and gaming content developers, including big industry names such as Caleta Gaming, Macaw Gaming, SKILROCK, Turbo Games, Amigo Gaming, 3 Oaks Gaming, Gamzix, and many more, and created a report that focuses on biggest industry changes and trends in the iGaming industry in 2024.

According to the report, the games with rapid-fire gameplay and enriched with some captivating mechanics will be the most popular among the players. What does that mean for developers? They’ll likely continue to work on developing crash games since they’ll be the most popular format.

A huge 75% of players are either playing crash games or plan to start in the future, and the majority of them are between 25 and 34 years old.

Also, the developers will create new games to draw the attention of the new players. The bonus policies will also be in focus since effective bonuses are proven to be the best way to acquire new players and keep the existing ones satisfied.

The companies will focus on creating seamless mobile experiences since it is the most popular way to access betting websites and apps – and it’s here to stay.

On top of that, sports betting will be more popular than ever. The estimated revenue for 2023 is $43.55 billion, which is a 9.94% increase compared to the year before, and by 2027, the revenue is expected to reach $63.62 billion.

Esports will be enriched with VR, which will allow players to participate in the events. The VR technology in the industry keeps affecting it, so the steady growth is expected to continue. It is expected that revenue from esports will reach $2.1 billion in 2023, and by 2027 the number would be $3.2 billion.

New technologies

In the era of AI, its use in the iGaming sector will also be enhanced in order to improve the security of the players and offer a more personalized approach to each player. One of the main goals will be using AI to promote and upgrade responsible gaming practices since it’s one of the most important parts of the industry.

Blockchain technology will become even more popular, especially when it comes to delivering new mechanics and tools. Cryptocurrencies will become an important part of the industry in the future since the number of players that use them has increased – it goes from 40% to 80%, depending on the operator.

Ayvar Gabidullin, a Business Development Manager at Slotegrator, commented: “This report will be useful for beginning operators doing research before launching their first project, platform operators planning to expand into new markets or add new offers to their established online casinos, B2B service providers working on their business development strategy, and gambling community members who want to stay on top of current trends.”

Source: P. Wladimir, “Popular games, VR in esports, top technologies, and prominent markets: Slotegrator presents a report on iGaming trends in 2024″. European Gaming. January 10, 2024.

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