Retail

US multinational private equity firm Blackstone Group has expanded its industry portfolio acquiring Spanish gambling operator Grupo Cirsa and its related assets. Deal stakeholders have chosen not to disclose financial terms, however Cirsa advisors have previously stated that the firm’s sale would target a €2 billion valuation. The Spanish operator’s outright sale has been mooted for a long time by …

The Jockey Club has announced 2017 figures detailing a ninth successive year of growth, as well as a record contribution to British horseracing prize money. Welcoming four million people to its venues throughout the year, the group has reported revenues exceeding £200m for the first time, up 5.2 percent year-on-year to £201.1m, driven by increases in admissions, media, hospitality and …

The governance of FTSE 250 gambling firm Rank Group Plc has this morning confirmed the appointment of John O’Reilly as  Chief Executive Officer, replacing outbound Henry Birch as its corporate leader. A 25-year industry leadership veteran, John O’Reilly joins Rank from William Hill Plc, where he served as Non-Executive Director (2017-2018). Furthermore, O’Reilly previously led and grew Ladbrokes’ digital operations …

The BBC has this weekend reported that UK betting bosses have penned a letter to Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), urging the government to drop its plans of implementing a £2 wagering limit on FOBTs machines. The letter to Hancock leader of DCMS, is supported by the leadership of GVC Holdings, William Hill, Betfred, Scotbet …

Digital sports and media group Perform Media has announced a multi-year partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA). The deal will see Perform manage the league’s official websites in more than 15 international markets, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, India, Japan, Mexico and Spain. Through the partnership, Perform hopes to leverage its global editorial and commercial teams to manage the NBA’s …

European-wide sports integrity body ESSA has issued a statement, detailing that it will move to consult its industry members on the findings and recommendations of tennis’ Independent Review Panel (IRP). This week, at a press conference in London, sports law QC Adam Lewis revealed the IRP’s two-year study into tennis integrity, in which the independent panel reviewed the sport’s match-fixing, …

With only two week to go until the start of Worcester’s season, Arena Racing Company (ARC) and 7bets4free.com have announced the return of the Fixed Brush Hurdle Series. Taking place at Worcester, on its 300-year anniversary, and Southwell racecourses, the series will begin on Thursday May 10, encompassing 42 qualifying races, before a £30,000 final makes it way to Worcester …

Yesterday, betting shop staff took their protests to Parliament, urging the government to ‘not gamble with high street jobs’ and to ‘not introduce a disproportionate cut in stakes on gaming machines’. Shop staff from Ladbrokes Coral, William Hill, Jennings bet and a number of independent bookmakers, were joined by Laurence Robertson MP, Philip Davies MP and Chris Evans MP as …

Adam Lewis sports law QC has stated that tennis needs to readdress its relationship with betting if the sport is to diminish corruption and match-fixing. Yesterday, Lewis who has led tennis’ independent Integrity Review Panel (IRP), revealed the findings of a two-year study researching the sport’s match-fixing, corruption and betting-related issues. At a press conference in London, Lewis outlined that …

InBet Games has hailed the “realistic yet attractive mathematical models” on Velodrome Race, a new virtual product available in retail shops and through an API on its online casino platform. The omni-channel gaming software provider has switched its existing 3D racing focus from horses and the dogs, to racing played out on a different kind of high-speed track. Cycling has …