Gala & Rank concluded the deal – which includes the sale of 23 UK-based casinos and three non-operating licences to Rank – over the weekend.
Rank, which is 74.5pc-controlled by Malaysia’s Guoco Group, will become the country’s leading casino operator once the deal completes in September, which is needed to pass the approval of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).
The takeover of the casinos is conditional on approval by Rank’s shareholders and the receipt of UK merger control clearance.
Gala Coral, which has been through a tough financial restructuring, said it had not taken a final decision on what to do with cash from the sale, although it expects to “reduce the group’s leverage”.
“This transaction will crystallise significant value for our shareholders and debt investors,” said Carl Leaver, chief executive of Gala Coral, which is controlled by a largely private equity shareholder base comprising of 21 different investors.
The deal excludes Gala Coral’s casinos in Dundee and Gibraltar and also the casino freehold properties owned by Gala’s property vehicle. Under Rank’s ownership, Gala’s former casinos will remain the tenants of the freehold properties.
Rank has made no secret of its interest in buying Gala Casinos, but announced on March 29 that earlier talks were off after it balked at the “proposed terms”. The talks resumed last week after the previous discussions broke down over lease agreements, this has now been overcome and Rank will look forward later this year once the OFT agree to be the biggest UK Operator ahead of Genting.
May 14, 2012
La Française des Jeux launches a new instant game to support the French Olympic Team for the London 2012 Olympic Games
On May 10, La Française des Jeux (FDJ) launched a new special event instant game tied to the London 2012 Olympics : ’Avec l’Equipe de France Olympique à Londres en 2012’ (With the French Olympic Team in London in 2012).
The ticket costs €5 and features 4 games involving 4 emblematic Olympic disciplines in which the French have high medal potential: 100 and 200 meter sprint (athletics), handball, judo and swimming. Players can win up to €25,000 on each game and cumulate winnings of up to €100,000.
This new game is part of a partnership between FDJ and the French National Olympic and Sporting Committee (CNOSF) built more than 10 years ago. This cooperation has enabled FDJ to launch its 4th instant game based on Olympic Games after the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008.
FDJ will host a booth at the ‘Club France’ in London and will support the athletes of the FDJ Foundation’s ‘Challenge’ program including nearly forty athletes that could play at the Olympic Games. On that occasion, FDJ Foundation will allocate an additional grant of 5,000 to the Challengers medalists. At the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, French challengers won 23 medals.
For 30 years, La Française des Jeux has been strongly committed to sport. The company contributes every year to financing the sport for all in France, with nearly 2% of stakes allocated to the National Sport Development Center (CNDS), i.e. €212 million in 2011; €4 billion in thirty years. Since 1993, FDJ has set up a corporate Foundation dedicated to sport patronage and has launched a Challenge’ program aimed to encourage each month young athletes showing high potential in the early stages of their careers by allocating them a grant of €15,000.
The ticket costs €5 and features 4 games involving 4 emblematic Olympic disciplines in which the French have high medal potential: 100 and 200 meter sprint (athletics), handball, judo and swimming. Players can win up to €25,000 on each game and cumulate winnings of up to €100,000.
This new game is part of a partnership between FDJ and the French National Olympic and Sporting Committee (CNOSF) built more than 10 years ago. This cooperation has enabled FDJ to launch its 4th instant game based on Olympic Games after the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008.
FDJ will host a booth at the ‘Club France’ in London and will support the athletes of the FDJ Foundation’s ‘Challenge’ program including nearly forty athletes that could play at the Olympic Games. On that occasion, FDJ Foundation will allocate an additional grant of 5,000 to the Challengers medalists. At the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, French challengers won 23 medals.
For 30 years, La Française des Jeux has been strongly committed to sport. The company contributes every year to financing the sport for all in France, with nearly 2% of stakes allocated to the National Sport Development Center (CNDS), i.e. €212 million in 2011; €4 billion in thirty years. Since 1993, FDJ has set up a corporate Foundation dedicated to sport patronage and has launched a Challenge’ program aimed to encourage each month young athletes showing high potential in the early stages of their careers by allocating them a grant of €15,000.
Last minute tax surprise
Weeks before online gambling licenses are to be handed out, Spanish authorities have sprung a potentially game-changing surprise. They are demanding that applicants pay backdated tax for the last four years.
The poker information site Pokerfuse reports that some of the largest operators in Spain could face massive financial demands as a consequence, naming Bwin.Party (Euro 60 million), Sportingbet/Miapuesta (Euro 50 million) & PokerStars as much as Euro 200 million. Sources have told the poker information site that whilst Pokerstars is considering paying up, other operators could find the demands too heavy & withdraw their applications for licenses.
The new four year tax requirement now being imposed by the political changes of a new Spanish government will obviously impact the financial & business calculations & plans of licensees.
The poker information site Pokerfuse reports that some of the largest operators in Spain could face massive financial demands as a consequence, naming Bwin.Party (Euro 60 million), Sportingbet/Miapuesta (Euro 50 million) & PokerStars as much as Euro 200 million. Sources have told the poker information site that whilst Pokerstars is considering paying up, other operators could find the demands too heavy & withdraw their applications for licenses.
The new four year tax requirement now being imposed by the political changes of a new Spanish government will obviously impact the financial & business calculations & plans of licensees.
May 11, 2012
Belgium Adds To Online Poker Blacklist
The Belgium Gaming Commission has expanded its blacklist of companies which internet service providers in the country must block.
New additions to the list include bwin.com, betsson.com, bet-at-home.com, betclic.com, williamhill.com, stanjames.com, and betfair.com, all of which offer online poker.
These companies join the likes of 888.com, titanpoker.be, winamax.fr and everestpoker.be.
Belgian authorities claim the blacklist offer opportunities to legitimate operators who apply for licences while protecting players from ‘illegal’ sites which operate without a licence in the country.
New additions to the list include bwin.com, betsson.com, bet-at-home.com, betclic.com, williamhill.com, stanjames.com, and betfair.com, all of which offer online poker.
These companies join the likes of 888.com, titanpoker.be, winamax.fr and everestpoker.be.
Belgian authorities claim the blacklist offer opportunities to legitimate operators who apply for licences while protecting players from ‘illegal’ sites which operate without a licence in the country.
Charity Boosts Bingo Players
Usually it is the hard work and effort of bingo players that helps a charity to raise important funds for worthwhile causes but in South Ealing, bingo players have been on the receiving end of some good work. This is because the bingo players who gather for games at Lindsey House have been left in the lurch by a machine that was very old. It was old that it managed to fail safety tests and had been classed as dangerous. Many of the bingo players were keen to keep on playing and just hope for the best but this is not the sort of attitude that is helpful in the long run.
However, after an appeal was made in a local newspaper, the bingo players are smiling again after a reader donated a brand new machine to ensure the bingo games go on. The machine that was being used by the players was 40 years old and causing a lot of problems. After the initial story in the local paper, the only correspondence the club received was from the local council instructing them not to use the faulty machine. This is the sort of response that councillors excel at but better news was on the way for the bingo players.
Miss Dannell of East Acton was responsible for running the games and she was determined not to let people down and it was her letter to the local Gazette that eventually sparked a reaction from the local community.
Miss Dannell, after receiving the new bingo machine, said : “We got a call from a lady who sent a brand new one to us, I think it cost her £260. I was shocked. We thought maybe someone might have a second-hand one or sent us a bit of money but I never imagined anyone would pay for a new one.”
“It’s so generous. The residents are so pleased we could start the games again. Everybody loves the new machine it’s nice and quiet – the old one was really noisy – and it’s all electronic. It’s brilliant. It just goes to show there’s some really nice people in the world. We can’t thank her enough. I never thought we’d get another machine and that was their social life out the window.”
It just goes to show that sometimes there is good in the community and bingo clubs are a great example of this.
However, after an appeal was made in a local newspaper, the bingo players are smiling again after a reader donated a brand new machine to ensure the bingo games go on. The machine that was being used by the players was 40 years old and causing a lot of problems. After the initial story in the local paper, the only correspondence the club received was from the local council instructing them not to use the faulty machine. This is the sort of response that councillors excel at but better news was on the way for the bingo players.
Miss Dannell of East Acton was responsible for running the games and she was determined not to let people down and it was her letter to the local Gazette that eventually sparked a reaction from the local community.
Miss Dannell, after receiving the new bingo machine, said : “We got a call from a lady who sent a brand new one to us, I think it cost her £260. I was shocked. We thought maybe someone might have a second-hand one or sent us a bit of money but I never imagined anyone would pay for a new one.”
“It’s so generous. The residents are so pleased we could start the games again. Everybody loves the new machine it’s nice and quiet – the old one was really noisy – and it’s all electronic. It’s brilliant. It just goes to show there’s some really nice people in the world. We can’t thank her enough. I never thought we’d get another machine and that was their social life out the window.”
It just goes to show that sometimes there is good in the community and bingo clubs are a great example of this.
May 09, 2012
Bodog UK focuses on technology
The clearest shifts in the UK gaming landscape recently have been technological with mobile, rightly, taking most of the plaudits. But there are also many other areas both from a platform point of view and an operator perspective that have been neglected. Oddly, the online gaming operators most profitable platform, the casino, has been the one that has suffered most from a lack of innovation despite the arrival of mobile and tablet to the party.
Following Bodog UK’s receipt of a remote gambling software licence from the UK Gambling Commission in July of last year, technological development has been a key focus of Bodog UK’s business objectives and it’s latest step forward in this regard sees Sathish Seshadri appointed Software Development Director having held several roles previously including Director BI Development. Sathish said ‘this is a great opportunity to realign development with business priorities and objectives’. One of Sathish’s core projects will be to work closely with the newly appointed Head of Casino, Adam Joseph, to expand this key product offering.
CTO, Stefan Matthews, enthused: “Mixing the innovative nature of the existing members of the business with a strengthened tech team will see a huge change in our business model and underpins fundamental improvements in our sportsbook and casino production systems as we approach Euro 2012. Sathish has the experience both from a gaming background and an IT background to take these platforms to the next level.”
Following Bodog UK’s receipt of a remote gambling software licence from the UK Gambling Commission in July of last year, technological development has been a key focus of Bodog UK’s business objectives and it’s latest step forward in this regard sees Sathish Seshadri appointed Software Development Director having held several roles previously including Director BI Development. Sathish said ‘this is a great opportunity to realign development with business priorities and objectives’. One of Sathish’s core projects will be to work closely with the newly appointed Head of Casino, Adam Joseph, to expand this key product offering.
CTO, Stefan Matthews, enthused: “Mixing the innovative nature of the existing members of the business with a strengthened tech team will see a huge change in our business model and underpins fundamental improvements in our sportsbook and casino production systems as we approach Euro 2012. Sathish has the experience both from a gaming background and an IT background to take these platforms to the next level.”
France: sports, racing and mobile betting up, but youth ditching regulated sites
Figures released by French gaming regulators ARJEL show an uptick in sports and horseracing betting at regulated online operators in Q1 2012, but poker continues to slide. Sports betting turnover rose 14% to €175m, while gross gaming revenue was up 7% to €37m. Racing produced turnover of €291m (+13%) and revenues of €69m (+20%). Turnover from poker cash games fell 5% to €1.69b, but tournament entry fees were up 26% to €367m, reflecting players’ desire to seek relief from the steep government-mandated rake imposed by the regulated sites. The net result was a 3% overall poker revenue drop to €83m.
Mobile betting has increased in popularity over the past year, with the percentage of sports bettors wagering on the go more than doubling (from 7% to 15%) and almost quadrupling for poker players (from 4% to 15%), spurred by France’s recent approval of gaming apps from a variety of operators. The mobile surge wasn’t enough good news for operator Société Jeux 365, who decided last week that it had had enough and requested that ARJEL revoke its gaming license. Of the 41 operators who once held French gaming licenses, 32 are still holding out.
A closer look at France’s numbers reveals a generational divide taking place, with younger bettors increasingly choosing to wager with online operators not sanctioned/burdened by French regulators. Horseracing, which has never quite caught on with younger bettors, saw the number of active accounts rise 9%. But the number of active sports bettors fell 3% overall, and betting with regulated online operators fell 44% among the 18-24 age demographic. Poker accounts held by this same age group dropped to 230k from 340k in 2011. Players under the age of 35 now constitute 55% of the total pool, compared with 61% in 2011.
Mobile betting has increased in popularity over the past year, with the percentage of sports bettors wagering on the go more than doubling (from 7% to 15%) and almost quadrupling for poker players (from 4% to 15%), spurred by France’s recent approval of gaming apps from a variety of operators. The mobile surge wasn’t enough good news for operator Société Jeux 365, who decided last week that it had had enough and requested that ARJEL revoke its gaming license. Of the 41 operators who once held French gaming licenses, 32 are still holding out.
A closer look at France’s numbers reveals a generational divide taking place, with younger bettors increasingly choosing to wager with online operators not sanctioned/burdened by French regulators. Horseracing, which has never quite caught on with younger bettors, saw the number of active accounts rise 9%. But the number of active sports bettors fell 3% overall, and betting with regulated online operators fell 44% among the 18-24 age demographic. Poker accounts held by this same age group dropped to 230k from 340k in 2011. Players under the age of 35 now constitute 55% of the total pool, compared with 61% in 2011.
Spain to issue first online gaming licences on June 1st
Spain’s Ministry of Finance said Tuesday that the country’s new online gaming regulatory regime will come into force on June 1st.
The Ministry said that the General Directorate of Gaming will publish relevant resolutions on its website and communicate licence approval to applicants on June 1st, with the country’s sanctions regime against unlicensed operators also coming into force on that date.
Regulation of the Spanish online gaming market was scheduled to come into force on January 1st but was postponed in late December by the government for a period of up to six months ending June 30th.
The Ministry said that the General Directorate of Gaming will publish relevant resolutions on its website and communicate licence approval to applicants on June 1st, with the country’s sanctions regime against unlicensed operators also coming into force on that date.
Regulation of the Spanish online gaming market was scheduled to come into force on January 1st but was postponed in late December by the government for a period of up to six months ending June 30th.
May 08, 2012
Bet365 extends Stoke City FC shirt sponsorship
Online gaming operator bet365 has extended its shirt sponsorship agreement with Premiership football club Stoke City FC for a further three years.
From next season, bet365 will enter into its fifth season of Premier League football as sponsors of the club.
Stoke City also confirmed an extension with its partner Britannia, which is part of The Co-operative Bank, who will become the official Banking and Community Partner and also retain the naming rights for the Britannia Stadium.
Stoke City said that the sponsorship agreements were “geared” to maximise the opportunities available locally, nationally and globally as a direct result of the progress made by the club since winning promotion to the top flight of English football in 2008.
The club said that bet365 would be able to benefit from the Premier League’s global TV exposure which now reaches more than 650m homes across the world.
City’s chief executive Tony Scholes hailed the two new “lucrative” sponsorship agreements which have put the club in a strong position to move forward in the future.
“This is a very exciting development for the Football Club which gives us every chance to continue progressing forward,” he said. “We have the opportunity now to work closely with two very successful local companies on two different fronts.
“The Club is already hugely indebted to the support from bet365 and its owners, the Coates family. Whilst Britannia and The Co-operative Group focus more on local and national markets, bet365, who are the largest private sector employers in the area, operate on a global basis.
“This agreement with bet365 means that we have been able to maximise the international element of the Club’s exposure. We received a number of offers from potential sponsors, but bet365 were the highest bidders, arguably further underlining their commitment to the Club.”
Denise Coates, joint CEO of bet365, added: “We are delighted to have reached an agreement to become Stoke City’s shirt sponsors. It is a perfect fit for us as a Stoke-on-Trent-based company with a global reach and international markets to become shirt sponsor of our local Premier League club.
“This builds upon the extensive sponsorship, LED and advertising we are already committed to at many Premier League clubs and within the sports industry in general. It also further demonstrates our long term commitment to the Club.”
From next season, bet365 will enter into its fifth season of Premier League football as sponsors of the club.
Stoke City also confirmed an extension with its partner Britannia, which is part of The Co-operative Bank, who will become the official Banking and Community Partner and also retain the naming rights for the Britannia Stadium.
Stoke City said that the sponsorship agreements were “geared” to maximise the opportunities available locally, nationally and globally as a direct result of the progress made by the club since winning promotion to the top flight of English football in 2008.
The club said that bet365 would be able to benefit from the Premier League’s global TV exposure which now reaches more than 650m homes across the world.
City’s chief executive Tony Scholes hailed the two new “lucrative” sponsorship agreements which have put the club in a strong position to move forward in the future.
“This is a very exciting development for the Football Club which gives us every chance to continue progressing forward,” he said. “We have the opportunity now to work closely with two very successful local companies on two different fronts.
“The Club is already hugely indebted to the support from bet365 and its owners, the Coates family. Whilst Britannia and The Co-operative Group focus more on local and national markets, bet365, who are the largest private sector employers in the area, operate on a global basis.
“This agreement with bet365 means that we have been able to maximise the international element of the Club’s exposure. We received a number of offers from potential sponsors, but bet365 were the highest bidders, arguably further underlining their commitment to the Club.”
Denise Coates, joint CEO of bet365, added: “We are delighted to have reached an agreement to become Stoke City’s shirt sponsors. It is a perfect fit for us as a Stoke-on-Trent-based company with a global reach and international markets to become shirt sponsor of our local Premier League club.
“This builds upon the extensive sponsorship, LED and advertising we are already committed to at many Premier League clubs and within the sports industry in general. It also further demonstrates our long term commitment to the Club.”
Unibet leaves Spain, but not for long
Unibet has announced its withdrawal from the Spanish market in relation to the forthcoming implementation of new online gambling regulations for the country.
The news reported on Spanish online poker website Red Poker publishes an e-mail reportedly sent to customers this week advising that Unibet will allow customer account access to request withdrawals but will no longer offer its services after May 14, 2012.
The e-mail announced a partnership between Unibet & Swedish operator Paf , who has applied for & anticipates receiving a Spanish license, offering its customers an alternative following its exit from the market.
The email says:
Information about upcoming changes.
Dear user,
In order to comply with the new gambling law online Spanish, Unibet suspended its activities in Spain on May 14, 2012. From this date, you can still access your account, but only to request withdrawals, & check your history, you can not access Unibet products.
The good news is that Unibet has partnered with Paf, which will have license to operate in Spain in order to continue providing the best service possible, including sports betting.
Following a few simple instructions, from May 14 you can continue playing sports betting & poker & casino.
Very soon have more information & we’ll tell you exclusive promotions that are preparing to welcome Paf. For now you can still enjoy Unibet products, as usual.
The news reported on Spanish online poker website Red Poker publishes an e-mail reportedly sent to customers this week advising that Unibet will allow customer account access to request withdrawals but will no longer offer its services after May 14, 2012.
The e-mail announced a partnership between Unibet & Swedish operator Paf , who has applied for & anticipates receiving a Spanish license, offering its customers an alternative following its exit from the market.
The email says:
Information about upcoming changes.
Dear user,
In order to comply with the new gambling law online Spanish, Unibet suspended its activities in Spain on May 14, 2012. From this date, you can still access your account, but only to request withdrawals, & check your history, you can not access Unibet products.
The good news is that Unibet has partnered with Paf, which will have license to operate in Spain in order to continue providing the best service possible, including sports betting.
Following a few simple instructions, from May 14 you can continue playing sports betting & poker & casino.
Very soon have more information & we’ll tell you exclusive promotions that are preparing to welcome Paf. For now you can still enjoy Unibet products, as usual.
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