Online Gambling In Greece Dropped By 40%

Revenues in Greece’s online gambling business have fallen by 405 during the first 5 months of the year as the COVID-19 pandemic halted all major sports around the world.

The Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC) released figures show that in the first five months of 2020 revenues generated stood at €150 million, showing a 40% drop compared to the same period in 2019.

All the major online operators saw falls in their revenues during that period such as Stoixman, Bet365 and Sportingbet.

However smaller capital share operators did rather well as they offered other gambling opportunities to players such as NetBet, but the big winner was PokerStars as players took to playing poker and casino games while sporting events were all closed down. PokerStars actually doubled their revenues in the 5 months of the year compared to 2019.

NSW jockey Adam Hyeronimus guilty for illegal wagers

New South Wales (NSW) jockey Adam Hyeronimus has been found guilty of 30 out of 31 illegal betting charges, dating back to illegal bets that took place over three years beginning in 2016. Stablehand Blake Paine was found guilty alongside the Hyeronimus by Racing New South Wales stewards. The group one-winning jockey faces a potentially long suspension from racing for his part in the scandal.

Racing NSW stewards successfully proved that Hyeronimus had an interest in a $500 bet on ride Lucky Metor at Canterbury in 2016. He was also found to have placed a $500 bet on Limbo Soul, another ride that won on debut at Rosehill in February 2017.

The guilty verdict carries serious implications, with both charges carrying a minimum two-year ban from racing.

The NSW hoop was found guilty of a further 29 bets from 2016 to 2019, all on thoroughbred horse racing. Stablehand Blake Paine was found to have played a part in 31 cases and was convicted of 31 counts of betting for a jockey. Both men will also face additional charges of supplying false evidence to the enquiry.

The enquiry showed that Hyeronimus transferred funds to Blake Paine, who then deposited the funds into a Sportsbet account under his name on at least 22 occasions. Stewards also found that winning bets from the same account were used to place additional bets with nearly $21,000 USD changing hands over three years.

Stewards provided details of the conversations between the pair, that also included exchanges with cricketers and NRL players. The SMS conversations between the pair included details on potential bets, with one discussion over a potential bet in the Golden Slipper. Hyeronimus and Paine then switched the discussion to Snapchat in an attempt to ensure the conversation couldn’t be traced. Snapchat picture messages are deleted from servers regularly.

In their policies, Racing NSW rules forbid jockeys from having any interest in facilitating “betting, or have any interest in a bet on any race.”

Hyeronimus pleaded not guilty to all charges during the hearing, but will be free to ride until his sentencing hearing in August. The NSW jockey has been in stunning form this year riding 49 winners, including a Group One win in the Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill in March.

GVC Boss Kenny Alexander In Surprise Departure

Kenny Alexander the boss of GVC the betting giant is leaving the company from tomorrow, Alexander who helped propel GVC into one of the biggest gambling companies in the world with deals to acquire Ladbrokes Coral among others.

His surprise departure means that Shay Segev who has worked for the company since 2016 and is currently the Chief Operating Officer will promoted to the top job. Segev has a wealth of experience coming previously from Playtech where he worked for 6 years as Chief Operating Officer also.

Alexander who has been with GVC for 13 years said: “I have spent the last four months working from home and reflecting on my future plans, and this feels like the right moment.”

GVC chairman Barry Gibson said of Alexander that he help create a “remarkable global business”, adding: “We will miss him, but we also understand his wishes to hand over the reins after such as long and successful stint at the top of the company.”