The online registry was introduced on August 21, 2023, and it has seen an immediate interest from punters, as the program is designed to allow Australians to enrol and be excluded from virtually all forms of gambling, retail and online across the nation.

BetStop Continues to Bolster RG in Australia

The measure is part of a much broader attempt to change the country’s reputation for the biggest gambling spending and losses per capita worldwide. BetStop is a good step in that direction, with total registrations now hitting 13,608 nationwide.

Although there has been sustained interest, the current number of signees is behind the initial influx. In October, there were 3,121 signups compared to November’s 2,991, which may indicate that the initial peak of signees has been reached.

The exact number of problem gamblers in Australia is not presently known, but it’s estimated that at least 1% of the population suffers from it, amounting to roughly 193,000 people.

The data, however, is based on research conducted by the Australian Institute of Family Studies in 2015, which leaves more to be desired when approaching and understanding the issue today.

Regardless, BetStop has been a meaningful overall step in the right direction. Victoria, New South Wales, and Northern Territory have seen active participation from local players who have sought to exclude themselves from gambling activities.

Sweeping Reforms to Make Gambling Safer in the Country

The country itself has embarked on several meaningful changes to further strengthen these safeguards, including the introduction of a credit card ban for online gambling, which is hailed as a long overdue but important milestone in the country’s fight against gambling-related harm.

Meanwhile, a cashless gaming trial is taking place in New South Wales. The logic behind this is that the introduction of cashless gaming technology can help protect vulnerable consumers, but also stem other offenses such as money laundering, an issue that triggered sweeping reforms across the state and brought to light arguably dishonest practices by some of the largest gambling companies in the country.

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Earlier in the week, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), announced it would launch the fourth trainer and stable staff survey as a means of identifying yard-based problems and assisting the Industry People Board. 

Now, the authority whose goal is to build “a brighter future for our sport, our horses, and our people” has announced a series of changes to the start rules in British racing. The changes were given the green light after a comprehensive review of all stalls and starting procedures over the course of an entire year. 

Late Load Requests, Now Restricted 

One of the first changes to go into effect starting January 1, 2024, regards Late Load Requests. These represent privilege requests on race day issued by trainers for their horses to be loaded out of sequence.

According to the new tweaks, Late Load Requests have been restricted to horses that have shown signs of behavioral issues inside the starting stalls in previous races in Great Britain. 

At the same time, horses having their debut will no longer be eligible for a Late Load Request unless they have undertaken an assessment prior to the race which has indicated the existence of a behavioral concern inside the starting stalls.

Additionally, the rules regarding warnings for Late Load Requests and Stalls Tests have also suffered adjustments. 

For example, once a trainer has been given three warnings for the same horse in relation to behavioral issues inside the stalls within a one-year period, the horse will be asked to complete one Stalls Test instead of the standard requirement of two. 

Any additional Late Load Request for the respective horse will not lead to any more warnings over the course of the following 12 months, as opposed to the current rules that refer to the current lifetime late load.

The goal is to lower the number of Late Load Requests while improving the safety and fairness of the Start and making sure horses that do not have any behavioral issues are not in any way disadvantaged.

Loading Process Changes

Also effective starting January 2024, the process of twitching or grabbing the ear or tail of a horse during the loading process will only be allowed for safety purposes. 

This could be anything like gently holding the ear of the horse to help relax, placating a nervous or fractious horse during the loading, or ensuring the welfare of stalls, jockeys, or horses by helping settle unruly horses in the stalls.

Provided Stewards rule these actions as going well beyond what is deemed “necessary for the purposes of safety and horse welfare,” they will have the right to issue cautions for first offenses, followed by Band A fines for subsequent offenses.

Additional changes refer to BHA starters who will no longer be allowed to carry the hunting crop during jump-starts and also the requirement that all persons assisting at the start complete the BHA Trainer Representative – Starts Training Module. 

In May, BHA announced it would strengthen its board membership with two new independent non-executive directors, Kyrsten Halley and Tara Warren.

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Bally’s Chicago Casino, housed within the historic Medinah Temple, has made an impressive debut in the city’s bustling River North neighborhood. Despite being in operation for just three weeks, the casino attracted over 80,000 visitors and generated approximately $6.7 million in revenue, according to data released by the Illinois Gaming Board.

Bally’s Chicago Emerges as State’s Second-Busiest Casino

The figures, while promising, place Bally’s Chicago as the second-busiest casino in the state, trailing behind Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, which reported a substantial $41.5 million in revenue for September. However, Bally’s revenue places it in the middle of the pack among the state’s 15 casinos, showcasing a strong potential for growth.

Bally’s Chicago, which opened its doors on September 9, transformed the historic Medinah Temple into a vibrant gambling venue, featuring 800 slot machines, 56 gaming tables, a central bar, two restaurants, and a coffee shop. The casino’s soft launch was marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and other city officials.

Soo Kim, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Bally’s Corporation, expressed optimism about the casino’s future despite the initial challenges faced during the early phase of operation in a statement for The Chicago Tribune. He stated that it was early days and they were still in the phase where they were working out the kinks, acknowledging the “whispered offering” and traffic disruptions downtown as challenges during the casino’s first month.

One of the notable aspects of Bally’s Chicago’s opening was the unexpectedly younger crowd at the table games, indicating a shift in the demographic compared to other Bally’s properties. Soo Kim expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity to introduce gaming to downtown Chicago, aiming to change the perception of the area as a viable location for such entertainment.

Bally’s Chicago Temporary Casino Soars, Promising Lucrative Future Returns

The temporary casino, operational until 2026, aims to generate between $15 million and $25 million in earnings this year, according to projections. In September alone, Bally’s Chicago contributed approximately $868,000 in state taxes and $695,000 in local taxes, with the city expecting nearly $70 million in total revenue from the casino in 2023, including a one-time $40 million upfront payment from Bally’s.

Looking ahead, Bally’s Chicago has ambitious plans for the future. The Rhode Island-based company won a competitive bid last year and intends to build a $1.74 billion permanent casino at the site of Tribune Publishing’s Freedom Center printing plant in River West by 2026. Mayor Brandon Johnson expressed confidence in Bally’s ability to meet its long-term projections, envisioning an annual tax revenue of $50 million from the Medinah location and $200 million per year from the permanent site.

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Hungary’s Supervisory Authority for Regulated Activities (SZTFH) announced today that the blocking of bank accounts linked to illegal gambling operators would begin from July 1.

Payments to Illegal Gambling Websites Will Be Refused

The SZTFH notified all interested parties that it would work in close cooperation with the banks to implement restrictions on deposits to and withdrawals from bank accounts held by unlicensed gambling websites, and effective tomorrow, the banks will refuse bank card payments to such businesses.

The Authority used the occasion to remind the public of the dangers of gambling with unlicensed websites as the operators utilizing these intellectual properties (IPs) have no obligation to comply with the strict regulation of Hungarian law covering the protection of minors and other vulnerable groups, as well as player personal and banking data.

The SZTFH also noted that once payment service providers implement the restrictions on payments to and from illegal operators, players gambling with unlicensed websites risk not getting their winnings.

To avoid having their funds in limbo, the regulator recommended to players to check on the SZTFH website whether a firm is authorized to offer gambling products and services, highlighting that cross-checking with the official operator register there is the only way they can guarantee the safety of their funds and personal data.

Surveillance and Enforcement Powers

The “Act of the Reorganization of Gambling” Hungary passed in 2022 not only dismantled the state monopoly but also gave the state regulator powers to continuously monitor the gambling space, as well as a set of enforcement measures.

The SZTFH can issue orders to internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to illegal gambling websites, order payment providers to refuse transactions linked to such IPs, and fine payment providers which do not comply.

Seeking to deliver on its primary goal of ensuring consumer safety and protection, the SZTFH recently imposed a fine of HUF30 million ($87,000) on an unnamed resident for running an illegal lottery operation.

The Authority also reminded the public that running illegal gambling operations in Hungary is subject to criminal prosecution bearing a penalty of up to three years of jail time, besides financial sanctions of up to HUF100 million ($290,000).

Under the gambling reform, operators seeking to obtain a license should have at least five years of operation in a licensed gambling jurisdiction within the European Economic Area (EEA) and have discontinued their illegal offering to Hungarian customers within five years of the application date.

Candidates should also maintain capital reserves of no less than HUF1 billion ($2.9 million), pay a 15% tax on gross gambling revenue (GGR), as well as a supervision fee of 2.5% of GGR capped at HUF10 million ($29,000).

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Globally recognized gambling operator Grupo Codere published its latest trading update, outlining details regarding the company’s performance for the first quarter of 2023. On Friday, the company released its latest report, revealing that its total revenue in Q1 2023 hit €350 million ($375.5 million). This result, when compared to the corresponding period in 2022, marked a solid increase of 19%.

Not unexpectedly, with the increase in revenue, Codere saw an uptick in adjusted EBITDA. For the first quarter of this year, adjusted EBITDA hit €65 million ($69.7 million), up by €13 million ($13.9 million) when compared to Q1 last year. Additionally, the latest results revealed that Codere’s adjusted EBITDA margin for Q1 2023 was 19%, representing 1% growth when compared to the margin from the same period in 2022.

In addition to the figures related to the company’s financial performance for the first quarter, the company reminded of its new plan that seeks to create value for its shareholders. Per that plan, Codere confirmed it will leverage an injection of some €100 million ($107.3 million) to supercharge its growth and “return to value creation in all the geographies in which it operates.”

The strong start of 2023 comes after only recently, the company released its 2022 financial results. Those figures showed solid growth of the company’s revenue by 67.5% to €1,31 billion ($1.44 billion).

The Company Enjoys Strong Growth in Latin America

Codere provided a breakdown of its €350 million ($375.5 million) revenue per market. This breakdown revealed significant growth in the company’s Latin American-facing operations. In Mexico, Codere’s revenue for the first quarter this year soared by 31% to €65 million ($69.7 million). A similar growth of 19% to €87 million ($93.3 million) was reported by Argentina on a year-over-year comparison.

While those markets saw an increase in revenue, in Colombia, Codere’s registered revenue for the first quarter this year dipped. Overall, the company’s operations hit €4.5 million ($4.8 million) in revenue for Q1 2023, representing a decrease of 10% when compared to Q1 last year.

Within its home market, Spain, Codere performed well at the start of the year. Its revenue for this region increased to €46 million ($49.4 million), up by 6% year-over-year. In Italy, which is another important market for the company, the revenue jumped by 5% year-over-year, hitting €72 million ($77.2 million).

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The Spillemyndigheden, Denmark’s gambling regulator, has published data about its StopSpillet helpline. The helpline was launched in 2019 and has so far received thousands of people with gambling problems.

Since launching, StopSpillet has received almost 2,500 inquiries via phone and chat, helping many problem players receive the help they need. The helpline is designed to help struggling players, their relatives or professionals get the advice they need to tackle gambling harm. People living in the country should contact the helpline if they feel that they are gambling too much or that a relative is becoming a problem player.

In 2022, the Spillemyndigheden continued to promote its StopSpillet helpline, advertised its solutions via TV and social media campaigns and spread awareness of it via bus stop and train station advertising.

In addition, 2022 saw the regulator launch major campaigns amid popular sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup tournament and Tour de France.

Important StopSpillet Statistics

The Spillemyndigheden posted statistics about the people who contacted the StopSpillet, remarking on certain curious findings. Most notably, it turns out that most of the people who contacted the helpline had begun wagering young.

According to data published by the regulator, 88% of the problem players who sought StopSpillet’s help, had placed their first bet when they hadn’t even turned 25. Even more concerningly, it turns out that a whopping 50% of bettors had started gambling before they were even 18.

This shows that many have placed their wager illegally, sparking concerns about the integrity of the Danish gaming market.

The authority also published statistics about the people who contacted the authority on behalf of another person. Half of those people, the regulator informed, were the parents of a problem gambler. Seventeen percent contacted the helpline because of a partner with addictive tendencies, while nine percent of the calls came from a problem player’s siblings. Seven percent of the people who sought StopSpillet because of someone else were friends of the gambler and seventeen percent were the player’s children or other relatives or acquaintances.

Meanwhile, a new Danish Gambling Committee launched a probe into problem gambling, seeking to make the market safer for high-risk customers.

In other news, Denmark just concluded the consultation period for its player ID inspection standards. This came in the wake of the introduction of an order requiring Danish casinos to register all players before allowing them to play.

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The provider of iGaming software, content, solutions and services for sports betting and online gambling operators, EveryMatrix, released its latest trading update, revealing data regarding its performance for the first quarter of 2023. The new figures show that between January 1 and March 31, 2023, the company has seen a strong financial performance that marked quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year increases in multiple operating segments.

EveryMatrix revealed that for the first quarter of this year, its net revenue hit a record €23.5 million ($26 million). This result, when compared to the corresponding period in 2022, marked an increase of 69%. Additionally, when compared to the previous quarter, the recent net revenue result represented a strong 21% growth.

Additional data released by EveryMatrix reveals that EBITDA in Q1 2023 increased as well. When compared to last year’s result of €4.8 million ($5.3 million), EBITDA for the first quarter this year hit €10.5 million ($11.6 million), representing a staggering 119% increase. According to EveryMatrix, “EBITDA/Net Revenue margin rose to 45% driven by strong growth and successful cost control.”

Strong Financial Growth, Backed by Multiple Achievements

Ebbe Groes, EveryMatrix’s group CEO, was excited about the recent trading update. He pointed out that the company continues to enjoy record performance, and this represents the efforts of its dedicated team.

“I’m very proud of all our business units and their teams who are relentlessly driving quarter-on-quarter growth for the business and for our partners across all areas,” said Groes. The CEO revealed that EveryMatrix plans to continue to deliver its leading services to a growing list of partners around the globe. Groes hinted that the company plans multiple large-scale projects.

“I’m more excited than ever for the future growth of EveryMatrix, with new omnichannel agreements being signed, and new, innovative gamification features set to create even more value for our operator partners.“

Ebbe Groes, group CEO at EveryMatrix

Besides the financial achievements, the company highlighted multiple milestones it accomplished in Q1 this year. During the first quarter, EveryMatrix inked an important agreement in Croatia, joining forces with a tier-1 operator and penned 14 new affiliate platform deals. Moreover, in the first quarter, the company launched bet-at-home.com and confirmed it anticipates the launch of launch bet-at-home.de at some point in Q2 this year.

Overall, EveryMatrix enjoyed strong growth in North America during the first quarter of this year. It secured its fifth North American license from Connecticut. This expanded the company’s footprint in the region after it received licenses in Ontario, Canada, as well as New Jersey, Michigan and West Virginia.

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Leading business-to-business (B2B) solutions provider for the iGaming industry Evolution released its results for the first quarter of 2023. Judging by the latest figures, between January and March this year, the company reported strong growth with operating revenue hitting €429.6 million ($474.4 million). This result, when compared to the corresponding period in 2022 when the operating revenue halted at €326.8 million ($360.9 million), marks an increase of 31.5%.

The latest financial update revealed that EBITDA in Q1 2023 hit €300 million ($331.3 million), up by 30.7% when compared to the €229.7 million ($253.7 million) result from the same period last year. The EBITDA margin for the first quarter of this year was 69.9%, compared to the EBITDA margin of 70.3% from Q1 2022.

Additionally, the interim report revealed that Evolution’s operating profit soared in Q1 this year. Overall, the operating profit hit €271.5 million ($300 million), representing a 31.1% increase when compared to the Q1 2022 result of €207.1 million ($228.7 million). Earnings per share before dilution increased by 27.1% to €1.18 ($1.30).

Growing on a global scale, resulted in the company increasing its headcount. According to the new interim report, at the end of Q1 2023, the company had 17,331 employees. Comparing that result to the same period in 2022, showed an increase in the headcount of 21%.

A Stellar Start of 2023 for Evolution

Martin Carlesund Evolution’s CEO, shared his excitement about the latest figures, acknowledging that the company enjoyed a strong start to the year. He pointed out that there are challenges from 2022 that the company continues to face every day.

Still, Carlesund stressed that Evolution has seen strong demand for its products and services from new and existing clients. The company’s CEO acknowledged that its new games have also enjoyed a positive momentum in Q1 this year.

“I remain convinced that we can perform better in the RNG area, and we are working hard to improve. The underlying growth drivers for online casino are solid and I am happy with the start of 2023.“

Martin Carlesund, CEO of Evolution

Carlesund added that nearly 84% of the company’s revenue in Q1 this year came from live casino games, while RNG contributed to the rest of the revenue. He said that Evolution’s live casino segment grew significantly by 36.1%, which resulted in strong revenue results.

According to the CEO, one of the highlights of the quarter was the debut of the company’s jackpot functionality in certain jurisdictions in North America. He outlined that in Q1 2023, Evolution released 18 RNG titles. However, Carlesund added that more than 100 games are planned to be released this year.

The Company Enjoys Growth in Strategic Markets

Evolution provided a breakdown of its €429.6 million ($474.4 million) revenue per region. Unsurprisingly, the company performed well in all strategic markets. Europe remained the region with the highest revenue for the first quarter of 2023, which hit €173.7 million ($191.8 million). The company’s Asia-facing operations performed well too, with revenue hitting €154.0 million ($170 million) in Q1 2023.

Evolution’s North American operations saw €57.3 million ($63.3 million) in revenue while its Latin American operations’ revenue hit €30 million ($33.1 million) for the first quarter this year. All of those markets showed an increase in their revenue on a year-over-year basis.

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