Horse racing – Bookielink

October 31, 2024

This weekend’s Breeder’s Cup truly a global event; Japan enters a record 19 horses

In the mid-1980s, Kentucky horseman John Gaines established the Breeder’s Cup as an international thoroughbred race. More than 40 years later, the event is living up to the vision.

Horses from nine countries and five continents will compete in the Breeder’s Cup, 1-2 November, at Del Mar in California. Horses and trainers from Argentina, Canada, Chile, France, Ireland, Japan, the UK and US all return. South Africa will compete for the first time.

But Japan dominates the field, with a total of 19 entrants. Forever Young from Hokkaido’s Northern Farm is among the contenders to win Saturday’s $7 million (£5.4 million/€6.4 million) Longines Classic, along with Irish-trained City of Troy and US favourites Fierceness and Next.

Japan contingent “exceeded expectations”

In 2021, Japan sent eight horses to Del Mar and came away with two trophies: Loves Only You in the Filly & Mare Turf and Marche Lorraine in the Distaff. That momentum is now a tsunami.

The volume and diversity of Japanese en..

October 24, 2024

NetX latest to receive KSA fine for illegal gambling in Netherlands

Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has issued NetX Betting with a fine of up to €675,000 (£561,748/$729,183) for offering online gambling without a licence on its Pferdewetten.de and Betbird.com domains. The penalty also covers a policy of NetX's to fine inactive players after a certain period of time.

This is the latest in a slew of financial penalties handed out by the KSA. Earlier this week Winbet, the operator of Galaxyspins.com, Winnercasino1.bet, Superb1.bet and Doctorspins.com, was warned that it may have to pay up to €840,000 for offering unlicensed gambling products. Last week, the regulator also sent a similar communication to BlokDance for offering gambling activities via its bc.game and bcgame.lu domains.

The NetX case dates back to December 2022 when KSA first investigated the operator for illegal activity in the Netherlands. KSA found Dutch players were able to access and gamble via its Pferdewetten.de website.

Website visitors could bet on horse ..

September 26, 2024

Former police officer jailed over £44m horse racing betting fraud

A former UK police officer has been sentenced to six years in jail for his role in a horse racing betting syndicate scam that defrauded thousands of people out of £44m (€53m/$59m).
Michael Stanley, 67, of Chatham in Kent pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court to a series of fraud offences on 24 September. He admitted to operating the ‘Layzey Racing Syndicate’, a Ponzi-style scheme disguised as a horse racing betting syndicate.

The scam ran from 2013 to February 2019, claiming to be a lay betting horse racing gambling scheme. Members were invited to invest funds supposedly for collective gambling controlled by Stanley.

However, Stanley instead used new investments to pay earlier members, creating a Ponzi-type scheme. He also lied about the amount of successful gambling that took place, falsely inflated the value of investments and paid money from the scheme into his own accounts.

At its peak, the scheme had over 6,000 members, including friends and family of Stanley.

Estimated £10…

September 10, 2024

Waterhouse VC: Why betting can’t survive without sports data

In his latest column, Tom Waterhouse of Waterhouse VC considers the role of sports data and data providers in revolutionising sports betting.
Eighteen years ago, mathematician Clive Humby coined the phrase “data is the new oil”, underscoring the vital role data would play in driving business and innovation. If not as scarce, high-quality data is just as valuable for sports and wagering.

Access depends on securing rights, with rising costs creating natural barriers to entry. AI and machine learning is now being applied to premium sports data to unlock new opportunities for fan engagement, especially in the wagering industry.

Data hasn’t always been as central to sport and wagering as it is today. Before televisions, attending a sporting event was the only way of knowing what really happened. Radio helped, but listeners were still reliant on the commentator’s account. In betting shops, trying to gauge how your bet was faring over shouting and excitement would have been a real challeng..

August 30, 2024

International markets helping to drive growth for BetMakers in FY2024

BetMakers recorded revenue of AU$95.2m (£49.1m/€58.4m/$64.7m) for its 2024 financial year, with its international presence credited as driving growth.
The figure marked a minor increase of AU$200,000 for BetMakers compared to 2023, while a focus on costs helped slash the supplier’s adjusted EBITDA loss for the 12 months ended 30 June 2024.

Its Global Tote division, which has a presence in more than 35 countries, drew in the majority of the revenue. It delivered AU$54.8m, representing 58% of total revenue – a 3% year-on-year increase.

In FY2024, BetMakers entered into or renewed contracts with 29 operators around the world. International customers are a growth focus while its domestic platforms and the loss of its contract with Betr held it back, it explained.

During the year it signed a two-year market access and content agreement with Bet365 to distribute horseracing content to customers in New Jersey and Colorado in the United States. Caesars Entertainment has launched BetMakers’ ..

June 6, 2024

Truesdale to exit as chief executive of Jockey Club

The Jockey Club has announced Nevin Truesdale is to step down as its group chief executive, with his departure expected by the end of the year.

Nevin Truesdale has led the Jockey Club as chief executive since April 2020. Prior to this, he spent time as its chief financial officer and group finance director.

Before joining the organisation, Truesdale worked at British Gas for almost five years. This included spells in various senior financial roles.

Truesdale will continue to lead the Jockey Club in the coming months. He will work with the board of stewards and executive team to manage the transition to his successor.

Under his leadership, the Jockey Club has seen growth across all revenue lines and attracted new commercial partners to racing. The organisation has also expanded its customer base and digital platforms.

Truesdale has also played a prominent role in campaigns against various issues facing the racing sector. These include leading the petition to parliament against bett..

June 3, 2024

BetMakers pens market access deals with Bet365 in New Jersey and Colorado

BetMakers Technology Group has entered into market access agreements with Bet365 to supply the operator with its fixed odds horse racing betting offering in New Jersey and Colorado.

Under the agreements, BetMakers will offer fixed-odds bets on thoroughbred horse racing to Bet365 customers across both states. Both deals run for a period of two years.

Bet365 will be licensed to distribute BetMakers’ thoroughbred racing content to players in New Jersey. The arrangement also covers thoroughbred and harness racing in Colorado.

In New Jersey, Bet365 will pay BetMakers a market access fee. This is based on a percentage of all fixed-odds bets placed in the state on thoroughbred racing events. In addition, Bet365 will pay a content fee based on a percentage of fixed-odds bets placed in both New Jersey and Colorado on applicable BetMakers Global Racing Network content.

BetMakers said the deal marks the entrance of the first major operator to New Jersey’s fixed-odds horse racing market. As ..

May 22, 2024

Horseracing Betting Levy Board expects record £105m in contributions

The Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) has announced it expects to receive a record £105m (€123m/$134m) in levy payments for 2023-24, with the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) praising the commitment of its member to the scheme.

This contribution, both the BGC and HBLB say, will be £5m more than the previous financial year. It will also be the third consecutive year levy contributions have increased. This total is set to surpass the £100m paid in 2022-23 and £97m in 2021-22.

The additional funding means the HBLB has been able to increase prize money contributions by £3.2m to £70.5m.

“The trend that was seen towards the end of 2022-23 has continued,,” HBLB chairman Paul Darling said. “Betting turnover is lower and bookmakers’ profits higher than recent norms. In the light of reports and analysis from the HBLB executive during the year, the board had been anticipating income of around the total that is expected.

“The effect of this financial outturn gives the board additional comfor..

April 25, 2024

Horse racing growth drives ATG revenue up to SEK1.3bn in Q1

Sweden’s Aktiebolaget Trav och Galopp (ATG) has pointed to growth in its horse racing sector as the key driver in reaching SEK1.3bn (£95.7m/€111.7m/$119.8m) in net gaming revenue (NGR) during Q1.

Revenue is the highest ATG has ever recorded in a Q1, as well as a 9.2% increase on the same quarter last year, when it reported SEK1.19bn in NGR.

That revenue growth was primarily down to increases in ATG’s horse racing sector, which was responsible for SEK968m in NGR, or 74.5% of the company’s Q1 total. That figure was also 13.3% ahead of the SEK854m in NGR accumulated by the horse racing sector in Q1 2023.

Casino also saw an increase of 13.8% year-on-year, with SEK165m in NGR generated from the sector in Q1. The growth in horse racing and casino helped to offset decreases in sports betting, which reported SEK173m in NGR, 10.8% behind last year’s Q1 figure of SEK194m.

ATG attributed poor sports betting performance down to “player-favourable” sports results during the quarter.

Lotta Nil..

April 9, 2024

CDI completes United Tote stake sale to NYRA

Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) has finalised the sale of a 49% stake in its United Tote subsidiary to the New York Racing Association (NYRA).

The deal, agreed in August 2022, sees NYRA Content Management Solutions, a subsidiary of the NYRA, acquiring the stake. Financial terms of the United Tote sale were not disclosed by CDI.

United Tote primarily supplies totalisator systems, services and equipment. It also provides a range of technology services to process bets and pay-outs and pari-mutuel tote services.

The original deal said CDI would work with NYRA to provide a pari-mutuel solution through United Tote to reach customers. It was also agreed the United Tote pari-mutuel settlements business would be excluded from the sale and remain with CDI.

NYRA is a not-for-profit corporation that operates the three largest thoroughbred horse racing tracks in New York. These include Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, Queens; Belmont Park in Elmont; and Saratoga Race Course in Sarato..

April 8, 2024

Legalising sports betting in Minnesota just got a lot trickier

The path to legal sports betting in Minnesota got a whole lot more complicated last week when the state racing commission gave its blessing for historical horse racing and several new gambling bills were filed.

Since the start of the session, Senator Matt Klein and Representative Zack Stephenson have been shepherding their state-wide, online mobile bills through the state’s long committee process. Stephenson brokered a deal between the tribes and charitable gaming to take one long-standing barrier to legal sports betting in Minnesota out of the way.

And then came 1 April when Minnesota’s horse racing commission voted to allow historical horse racing at horse tracks. Some say this is a violation of the state’s exclusivity agreement with the tribes and others say is outright illegal. The machines look similar to slot machines and in most jurisdictions are considered games of chance. This is also an area for which the tribes have exclusivity.

Whatever the situation, the decision has ..

April 3, 2024

Tracks and tribes key sticking points in Minnesota wagering debate

Minnesota representative, Zack Stephenson, brought his legal online sports betting bill to the House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee on 3 April, but was met with pushback from committee members.

Committee members pushed back on issues including horse racetracks and how to structure a deal for the state’s 11 tribes.

There was no vote, and HF 2000 is currently sitting in the House Taxes Committee awaiting a vote there. But Stephenson, who is the chair of the Commerce Finance and Policy Committee, said he wanted to have an informational session about Minnesota wagering legislation with his committee as the bill moves forward.

Stephenson’s bill, which was carried over from last session, has been heavily amended, including doubling the tax rate and adding in daily fantasy sports regulation. Stephenson also brokered a deal between the state’s charitable gaming foundations and the tribes that is reflected in the latest version of the bill.

But Commerce Finance and Policy Committe..

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Tag: Horse racing