bacta-ceo-urges-government-to-place-industry-on-the-shortage-occupations-list

Bacta CEO urges government to place industry on the shortage occupations list

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John White, CEO of UK trade association bacta, has responded to the labour crisis facing businesses in the amusements and low stake gaming sectors by urging the Government to remove some of the barriers to being employed in the UK.

Speaking seven years after Britain voted to withdraw from the European Union John White stated: “Brexit coupled with the impact of Covid has led to many of the European workers who were employed in hospitality returning to their country of birth and simply not returning to the UK. Their perception is that the UK is no longer an attractive proposition for a variety of reasons not least the cost-of-living crisis, employment opportunities and the bureaucracy involved gaining work visas.

“The fundamental change that bacta members require is for the government to place jobs in our sector on the shortage occupations list. Having a more dynamic approach to labour shortages is paramount.

He noted: “From a business perspective the free movement of people was a godsend: however, it was not what the population voted for in 2016 and it’s unlikely to return. The big challenge for this and for future governments is to identify how to replicate the benefits of free movement and balance the outcome with the political imperative of demonstrating that the UK has control of its borders.”

genting-palm-beach-casino-gives-35,000-gift-of-hope-to-families

Genting Palm Beach Casino gives £35,000 gift of hope to families

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Genting’s Palm Beach Casino has led a fundraising campaign to buy a motorised wheelchair for a youngster, described as ‘life-changing’ by his family.

More than £35,000 has been raised over three years, with Brentwood Hard Court Tennis Club hosting the third annual fundraising tennis tournament, The O’Regan Cup, and donations also coming from the casino’s staff, family, friends and customers.

Archie Ripley, 12, from Ashford, Kent, who has congenital myopathy, a form of muscular dystrophy, and chromosome imbalance, was one of several young people to benefit from the generosity of donors, receiving a £9,000 motorised wheelchair.

Previously, Archie used a manual wheelchair provided by the NHS, but he did not qualify for a motorised wheelchair. He was unable to self-propel himself into an optimal seating position for more than about 10 minutes, which was affecting his emotional wellbeing. It was hard for him to go out on family trips, making life difficult for his mother, who also cares for Archie’s two sisters, who have disabilities.

The donation was made through CHIPS, the casino industry’s charity, which uses its funds to provide mobility and independence for young people throughout the UK who are unable to obtain a powered wheelchair from the NHS and Wheelchair Services and whose parents cannot afford to fund the chairs themselves. Every chair is constructed for the needs of the individual child.

 

Sam, Archie’s mother, said:

“The impact the chair has had is absolutely unmeasurable. As a family we have been able to enjoy trips to Disney, theme parks and family walks that would have been impossible before, it’s life changing. Archie’s self-esteem has totally lifted and he now has an unstoppable attitude where nothing is a barrier to him anymore.  Archie’s energy levels have increased, he is less fatigued and able to do more things independently. He now plays with other children from the village and is more included within his peer group”.

 

Andrew Henderson, Genting’s director of operations for London and the South, said:

“We are delighted to have been able to support Archie and his family, thanks to all those who helped raise funds and to host the tennis tournament. A powered wheelchair makes a huge difference for a disabled child, giving them independence and mobility, and it was lovely to see how much it means to his whole family”.

research-shows-that-50/50-ratio-will-reduce-machine-numbers-and-help-the-environment

Research Shows that 50/50 Ratio will Reduce Machine Numbers and Help the Environment

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The introduction of a 50/50 machine ratio, which is one of the key proposals contained in the Government’s White Paper on Gambling Reform, would result in an overall reduction in the number of machines sited in AGCs and bingo clubs and a concomitant reduction in demand for electricity according to research conducted by BACTA.

The findings, which are based on responses to a non-attributable survey sent to BACTA members, indicate that a 50/50 machine ratio will result in an average ten percent reduction in the number of Category C machines and a 20 percent fall-off in the numbers of Category D games, infills and tablets currently sited.

The reduction will be offset by a projected nine percent increase in the number of B3s, a proportion that equates to some 900 machines in the AGC environment.

The Chief Executive for BACTA, John White, said that the research findings should assuage any fears that the 50/50 ratio will result in a proliferation of gaming machines on the high street.

“Different businesses will behave in different ways in response to the needs of their customers but what we are not seeing is the prospect of tablet arcades with the only machines on view being B3s,” White said. “We believe that there will be further reductions in overall numbers as machines reach obsolescence and the lack of player demand means there’s no value in retaining them. A drop in machine numbers will result in reduced demand for electricity, which is positive news for operators and for the environment.

“With the consultation process now underway, it’s important to be able to attend events such as next week’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee armed with the empirical evidence provided by BACTA members. As I’ve said on numerous occasions this is not about the ‘if’ but about ‘how’ the White Paper recommendations are implemented. Ensuring that the industry’s voice is listened to is fundamental to getting the best possible outcome for BACTA members.”

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MERKUR mark the opening of first UK Casino in Aberdeen

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The Scottish city of Aberdeen has a new and dynamic destination venue to add to its thriving entertainment economy following the launch of the UK’s first MERKUR Casino. The venue was officially opened by Irina Ruf, CEO, MERKUR Casino, alongside MERKUR UK General Manager Sascha Blodau, and Mark Schertle, Chief Operating Officer, MERKUR Casino UK.

The grand opening which was attended by local dignitaries, business leaders and colleagues from the gaming industry, featured guest acts the Red Hot Chilli Pipers who have sold out arenas around the world and singer Chris Ashton who has supported Lewis Capaldi, and performed privately for stars, including two times Wimbledon men’s singles champion Sir Andrew Murray OBE.

The MERKUR Casino Aberdeen, which has undergone a substantial refurbishment programme features four Roulette Tables, two Blackjack tables a three Card Poker, two Electronic Roulette products and a machine offering which comprises 20 of the latest B1 Jackpot Machines from top performing brands including Novomatic, IGT and Blueprint.

Irina Ruf, CEO, MERKUR Casino, said: “We are delighted to have made history by opening the first MERKUR Casino in the UK.

“Whilst the MERKUR brand is synonymous with delivering the very best, socially responsible low-stake slots and bingo experience on high streets throughout Great Britain, as an international brand we have a wealth of knowledge operating Casinos across Europe. When the opportunity arose to purchase a licence in Aberdeen it was a natural progression to move into the sector and launch our first UK casino.”

Describing Aberdeen as being a ‘perfect location’ she added: “The city has a thriving night-time economy and earlier this year retained its Purple Flag status which recognises the safety and vibrancy of the night-time economy. We hope to add to that vibrancy with best in breed gaming entertainment and promote the safety and wellbeing of visitors and residents alike.”

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Payment Provider Citizen Appoints Former Playtech Innovation Lead as CTO

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Award-winning payment provider Citizen has appointed former Playtech executive Dr Toby Sucharov to the position of Chief Technology Officer

Citizen, a leading provider of payment services to the iGaming industry, has appointed Dr Toby Sucharov to the role of Chief Technology Officer (CTO).

Having previously served as Playtech’s Head of UK Innovation and as Head of Games Platform as a Service (GPAS), Sucharov has a wealth of iGaming experience and expertise in scaling up technology products to service hundreds of iGaming businesses globally.

In the role of CTO, he will be applying his skills to help introduce and optimize Citizen’s account-to-account payment solution with businesses across a range of sectors and geographies.

“Citizen has a very solid product that offers huge benefits to many industries and I’m excited to help it through the accelerator phase of its growth,” Sucharov said. “It is a company that is poised to cross the chasm and I’m really looking forward to playing a key part in the next phase of its development.”

At leading gambling technology company Playtech, Sucharov headed up the creation of Playtech’s new Games Platform as a Service, responsible for processing tens of billions of transactions per year. He has also worked for William Hill on its automated sports pricing systems.

On the new role with Citizen, Sucharov added: “’Coming from an iGaming background, from the moment I saw the technology that underpins Citizen’s payment solution I understood the potential of the product. Whilst on the surface open banking is about secure payments, I believe the added ability to link users to their bank accounts and prove ownership through multi-factor authentication will be a game-changer in industries that are a target for fraud or that have rigorous know-your-customer (KYC) requirements.”

The appointment follows a number of recent senior hires at Citizen including Sarah Ahle as Head of Compliance. Ahle has previously held positions at Inpay, OpenPayd, eBay and Worldpay.

“As Citizen gears up for more growth as we enter the second half of 2023, it is vital that we have the best leadership team in place to support and drive the business forward,” the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer for Citizen, James Neville, said. “Toby brings a great wealth of experience from the iGaming sector and in scaling-up technology solutions and we look forward to working with him on our mission to simplify the way we pay by leveraging innovations in alternative payment methods.”

gamcare-urges-banks-to-raise-awareness-of-gambling-blocks

GamCare Urges Banks to Raise Awareness of Gambling Blocks

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GamCare has urged banks to do more to raise awareness of gambling block tools among their customers. Blocks are available with many UK banks, but the charity says customers are often not aware.

It recommended that banks routinely refer customers to the tools and to support services such as TalkBanStop, the joint initiative between GamCare, Gamban and Gamstop. It made the recommendation following a Gambling Related Financial Harm (GRFH) workshop.

Deelan Maru, an advisor on the Behavioural Insights Team, said: “Our analysis of bank gambling tools shows that gambling blocks have inconsistent naming conventions across different banking apps. For example, one bank may call it ‘card freeze’ whilst another would place it under ‘merchant control’ or ‘restriction’ settings – ultimately causing ambiguity and confusion for the consumer.

“Offering these tools in intuitive locations and adopting consistent naming across the finance sector could help drive awareness and adoption of gambling management tools, ensuring more vulnerable customers are protected from gambling harms.”

fulham-announces-sponsorship-deal-with-sbotop

Fulham Announces Sponsorship Deal with SBOTOP

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Fulham Football Club has announced global betting brand SBOTOP as its Front of Shirt and Principal Partner for the 2023/24 season. The SBOTOP logo will be featured on the Men’s First Team kit and training kit sleeve.

The team will first don the new kit during pre-season, including when they take to the pitch in America as part of the Premier League Summer Series this July, following the Club’s official kit launch on June 30.

The prominent front of shirt position, combined with in-stadium brand presence, will enable SBOTOP to leverage the Premier League’s global audience.

Bill Mummery, SBOTOP Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted and excited to bring our two ‘Premier Brands’ together. Jointly, we look forward to increasing both our brands’ awareness on a truly global platform in the coming seasons. I wish Fulham an enjoyable and rewarding trip to the USA.”

Fulham FC Commercial Director Jon Don-Carolis said: “We are pleased to welcome SBOTOP as our Front of Shirt partner as we continue our exciting journey in the Premier League. The coveted front of shirt sponsorship plays an integral part in keeping the Club competitive through significant revenue, and we look forward to celebrating continued success in 2023/24.”

burnley-fc-announces-w88-as-front-of-shirt-sponsor

Burnley FC Announces W88 as Front of Shirt Sponsor

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Burnley Football Club has announced W88, a leading sports betting and online casino operator, as its official shirt sponsor for the 2023/24 season.

The shirt featuring the W88 logo will be worn by both the men’s and women’s first teams for the upcoming campaign in a move that will enable the Club to challenge and invest in exciting return to the Premier League.

In addition to the front-of-shirt branding, W88 will receive visibility across Turf Moor on matchdays and via the Club’s digital channels and will work hand-in-hand with the Clarets on community projects and initiatives, engaging with supporters and assisting in the Club’s charitable activities.

Stuart Hunt, Director of Burnley FC, said: “Following lengthy discussions we are pleased to confirm W88 as our front of shirt sponsor for the upcoming season. As a newly promoted club, a partnership such as this plays a significant role in helping us to compete in the Premier League.

“W88 have established successful relationships with several Premier League clubs and sports brands across the globe and we have been impressed by their experience, knowledge and proactive nature in this area. I’m looking forward to developing a successful partnership together over course of the season.”

Hilly Ehrlich, Business Development Manager at W88, said: “We’re hugely passionate about Premier League football and delighted to partner with Burnley FC as the team returns to the Premier League. With Vincent Kompany at the helm, we’re excited to see the team perform well this season.”

The new 2023/24 home kit will be available to purchase online and in-store at the Clarets Store in mid-July.

bank-of-england-to-join-uk-gambling-minister,-shadow-minister-and-gambling-industry-ceo’s-at-bacta-convention

Bank of England to join UK Gambling Minister, Shadow Minister and gambling industry CEO’s at Bacta Convention

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This year’s Bacta Convention (22nd November) is shaping up to be one of the most insightful of recent times with leading politicians, the Gambling Commission’s Andrew Rhodes, Michael Dugher of the Betting and Gaming Council and the Bingo Association’s Miles Baron all accepting invitations to attend the UK trade association’s annual members’ meeting.

The Bank of England is the latest influential body to agree to be part of the showpiece event and will provide expert insight on payments trends including what the Bank is doing to protect access to cash.

Bacta has been highly encouraged by the positive response it has received from politicians, institutions and thought leaders alike. Chief Executive John White noted: “Our aim with the Convention is to bring together a corps of speakers who are authorities in their field, who are able to explain latest thinking and who can talk about the implications of both policy and related developments for Bacta members and their businesses.

“With the next UK General Election having to take place by 28th January 2025 and following the long-awaited publication of the White Paper on gambling reform I am delighted that we have been able to secure both the Minister responsible for gambling, The Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP as well as the Shadow Minister, Alex Davies-Jones MP. Both will, I am sure, be keen to outline the direction of travel, explain policy objectives and their party’s vision for the future of land-based gambling businesses in the UK. The political theme will be extended into the evening when Bacta holds its annual Parliamentary Reception in the House of Commons.

“Betting and Gaming Council CEO Michael Dugher who during his career as a Labour Party MP served as Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and Miles Baron, CEO of the Bingo Association will participate in a ‘C-Level In Conversation’ round table whilst another CEO, The Gambling Commission’s Andrew Rhodes will be making a key note speech.”

White added: “We are waiting to hear from a number of our invited guests but close to six months out of the first Convention to take place under the auspices of the newly restructured Bacta I am delighted at the calibre of attendees who have agreed to join us.”

genius-sports-extends-official-betting-data-partnership-with-football-dataco-and-secures-ai-powered-tracking-technology-expansion-with-the-english-premier-league-and-english-football-league

Genius Sports extends official betting data partnership with Football DataCo and secures AI-powered tracking technology expansion with the English Premier League and English Football League

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Genius Sports Limited (“Genius Sports”) (NYSE:GENI) has won a major new expansion and extension of its exclusive low latency official data partnership with Football DataCo, the data rights holder of UK football.

Under the terms of the agreement, Genius Sports has extended its long-term partnership with Football DataCo to be the exclusive official supplier of low latency live data from the English Premier League (“EPL”), English Football League (“EFL”) and Scottish Professional Football League (“SPFL”), to the global sports betting industry. Genius Sports has been the exclusive distributor of low latency official data from over 4,000 UK football fixtures per season to hundreds of regulated sportsbooks worldwide since the start of the 2019 season. The renewed partnership will run until the conclusion of the 2024-2025 season.

In addition, as the Official Tracking Data and Analytics Partner to the EPL, Genius Sports has also expanded its partnership to capture sub-second, skeletal tracking data for all Sky Bet EFL Championship and Championship Play-Off matches through its best-in-class Second Spectrum technology. As a result, Genius Sports’ AI-powered tracking systems will be installed at all remaining Championship grounds, capturing rich positional data on every player, match official and the ball. This leading-edge capability will provide Championship teams and coaches – like it has for the Premier League since 2020 – with access to Second Spectrum’s software that delivers unique player performance metrics derived from tracking data, all indexed to match video.

The data generated from the partnership enables Second Spectrum augmentation technology to create automated, real time enhanced graphics based on optical on-pitch data featuring advanced team and player insights such as shot velocity, player speed, positional data, and much more. Where broadcasters choose, these unique data-driven broadcast overlays can augment the fan experience by providing highly personalised viewing options for all fans, however and wherever they watch the game.

“Genius Sports and Second Spectrum continue to generate first class data and provide innovative solutions for a variety of Football DataCo’s stakeholders,” commented Adrian Ford, General Manager of Football DataCo. “The technology is improving all the time, extending the creative use of data to improve the presentation of English and Scottish football.”

“The Premier League is the most popular league in world sport and Genius Sports has created the fastest, most accurate and secure feed on UK football to power first-class products for sportsbooks around the world,” said Mark Locke, CEO of Genius Sports. “We are delighted to extend our partnership to continue to power innovation and now to expand it to include our suite of AI-powered Second Spectrum Tracking Data technology for the EFL Championship as well as the Premier League.”