Oceania

Publishing its Q1 trading update (period ending 31 March), FTSE100 betting group Paddy Power Betfair (PPB) has reported a tough opening for 2018, as the firm’s corporate performance was impacted by several factors. Updating the market, PPB reports a 2% decline in group revenues to £408 million (Q1 2017: £416 million). The betting group detailed that its punters had been …

Lottoland is calling on the Australian federal government to review its proposed ban within the country, after raising concerns over the financial security of the Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association (ALNA). The new legislation wouldn’t permit Australians to bet on the outcome of international lotteries, with ALNA heavily lobbying for a ban which it has previous labelled as a “positive …

National Rugby League (NRL) chiefs are to go back to the negotiating table with Australian bookmakers, with temporary agreements set to be rolled over once again for the ongoing season, reports Fairfax Media. It’s being said Chief Executive Todd Greenberg is to be drafted in to urgent talks, two months after the start of the season, for more discussion on …

The Newsagents Association of NSW and ACT (NANA) has announced that it is considering a profit sharing agreement from Lottoland, which has been previously dismissed by the Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association (ALNA). In a move that would see newsagents receive a 20% share of profits from overseas bets, when they refer customers to the site, Lottoland aims to strike a …

Leading daily fantasy sports operator DraftKings has launched its Australian enterprise, continuing its corporate expansion beyond its home US marketplace. Planning to fully launch its Australian DFS product during Q2 2018, DraftKings will operate under a Northern Territory Racing Commission – NTRC license. At present, DraftKings leadership remains quiet with regards to its upcoming Australian DFS proposition, and what sports …

An enlarged CrownBet has confirmed the appointment of Mark Gay as Chief Digital Director (CDD). Gay replaces incumbent Steve Maidment, who announced his departure from the Australian online bookmaker earlier this year. A seasoned technology and enterprise strategist, Gay joins CrownBet’s executive leadership team from Australian online retail bank ME (Members Equity), where he served as Chief Intelligence Officer (2015 …

Toronto TSX-listed online gambling firm The Stars Group Inc, has secured a repricing of its $/€ ‘first lien’ debt notes, combined with a further extension of its corporate revolving credit facility. In 2017, the Stars Group governance used approximately $95 million of its available debt capacity to repay its higher-cost $ ‘second lien’ corporate debt notes. Updating investors, the Toronto …

Lottoland Australia has offered the nation’s 4,000 news and lottery agents a profit sharing agreement, which will see newsagents receive a share on every bet on overseas lotteries that they refer to the company. Designed to “ensure wider choice for customers – and additional revenue for newsagents” through the offer of 20 percent, which it states could be worth “thousands …

Regulus Partners, the strategic consultancy focused on international gambling and related industries, takes a look at some key developments for the gambling industry in its ‘Winning Post’ column. Belgium and Australia: Fiscal-regulatory policy – The house doesn’t always win Gambling operators have been on the wrong side of global fiscal-regulatory developments with alarming regulatory of late; but trends are there …

The governance of Tabcorp Holdings has begun to consolidate its business operations with AUS $11 billion merger partner Tatts Group. The Australia ASX-listed operator has moved to realign its enlarged corporate marketing framework, which will service multiple Tabcorp/Tatts betting, lottery, keno and racing brands. Triggering the merger consolidation process, Australian news sources have revealed that Tatts Group Chief Marketing Officer …