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Three major brands have entered into a new partnership in the UK’s signature St Leger horse-racing festival. New Sponsorship Deals Betfred, the Arena Racing Company (ARC), and Doncaster Racecourse have entered into new partnerships with the St Leger Festival, with Betfred becoming the title sponsor. New Name The newly christened Betfred St Leger Festival will take place on 14-17 September. More Races Attached Betfred, ARC, and Doncaster will also have branding tied to additional horseraces May Hill Stakes, Doncaster Cup, and Champagne Stakes. Betfred CEO Speaks BetFred CEO Fred Done commented on the new developments: “To have the Betfred name attached to the St Leger Festival is not just a sponsorship but a privilege.” Source of Pride Done further expressed pride on being “associated with the world’s oldest classic” which he equated with “legendary great horses like Triple Crown winner Nijinsky, Dunfermline for the Queen, and Oh So Sharp for Sir Henry Cecil.” ARC CEO Speaks ARC CEO Martin Cruddace expressed his pleasure at bringing Betfred into the St Leger Festival sponsorship fold: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Betfred as the headline sponsors of the St Leger Festival and of the Betfred St Leger itself.” Longstanding Support Cruddace further lauded Done and his team for their long-standing keen support of British racing “and the inclusion of this historic race meeting into their sponsorship portfolio is another indication of their commitment to the sport.” Looking Ahead Cruddace called the UK sport of racing overall “extremely fortunate to benefit from working in partnership with Fred and his team and we very much look forward to a fantastic Betfred St Leger Festival in September.” Betfred’s Rise Betfred continues forward in UK horse-racing sponsorship in a new deal after becoming sponsor of the Oaks and the Derby at Epsom Downs last month. Full Betfred Deal The Betfred deal is for a term of three years, with Betfred supporting two other races across the two-day Derby meeting, which this year 2023 takes place on Friday 2nd June and Saturday 3rd June. Betfred History The Betfred sponsorship remains the jewel in the new sponsorship crown of UK horseracing. Founded by Done himself as a single betting shop in Salford in 1967, Betfred grew to become the largest independent bookmaker on high street with 1,400 shops. Betfred is currently an official betting partner of Ascot Racecourse and Royal Ascot. Betfred’s Involvement in Horseracing Betfred’s longstanding support of British horse racing stretches back 50 years, with Betfred serving as the leading UK horse-racing sponsor between 2011 and 2018. Outlook With the additional sponsorships of ARC and Doncaster, the UK horse-racing market looks ready to expand.
Get ready for an adrenaline-pumping casino experience! Winomania, the famous UK-based online casino, is delighted to announce the arrival of captivating games from No Limit City. So brace yourself for vampire battles, psychological mysteries, and more. Winomania, the popular UK-based online casino, has recently announced the addition of new thrilling games from the popular game provider, No Limit City to their already impressive library. Winomania's players have already claimed their favorite titles - Blood and Shadow, Mental, and XWays Hoarder XSplit, to name a few. These and other No Limit City games feature a thrilling theme that will keep players on the edge of their seats. Blood and Shadow is a vampire-themed game that takes players on a journey to the dark side, where they must battle against the undead to claim their rewards. Mental, on the other hand, is a psychological thriller that challenges players to unravel the mystery behind a haunted asylum. XWays Hoarder XSplit is a unique game that offers a 243 ways-to-win format, with players collecting symbols to unlock new levels and bigger rewards. On top of the addition of these exciting new No Limit City games, Winomania is offering new players a generous welcome package bonus on some of the exclusive game titles. Those who sign up and make their first deposit can receive a 100% bonus of up to £100, along with 100 bonus spins on selected games. To claim this bonus, players need to use the bonus code WINO100 when making their deposit. Bonus key-terms: 18+ | Please play responsibly | www.begambleaware.org | 1st deposit only | min deposit £10 | max bet with bonus £2 | max bonus £100 | X40 wagering | bonus spins valid for selected games only | X40 wagering on bonus spins winnings | expires within 24 Hours | User Agreement & Bonus T&Cs apply. Winomania has been gaining popularity in the UK online casino scene due to its wide range of games, exceptional customer service, and lucrative bonuses and promotions. With the addition of these new games and the generous welcome package, Winomania is sure to attract even more players looking for thrilling entertainment and big rewards. Good luck & Play Responsibly! More from OCR experts about Winomania Winomania is an exciting online casino designed to cater to UK players. With its vibrant and user-friendly interface, it offers a thrilling gaming experience that is sure to captivate players of all levels. Winomania boasts an outstanding selection of high-quality slot games, scratch cards, and instant win games, providing diverse options to suit every preference. The casino is fully licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission, ensuring a safe and fair environment for players. With generous bonuses, regular promotions, and excellent customer support, Winomania is a top choice for UK players seeking thrilling entertainment.
London, May 15, 2023 - In the wake of an exhilarating Eurovision Song Contest, prominent UK bookmaker William Hill has announced a generous donation of £200,000 to Support Ukraine. William Hill had yet confirmed to donate 100% of its profits from the Eurovision market to the UK-based charity. The funds presented will help many Ukrainians who have been compelled to seek refuge in the UK and support their families who cannot leave Ukraine in search of safety. The aid will encompass essential food supplies, toys, and humanitarian assistance. The Eurovision Grand finale captivated a live electric audience and a record-breaking average of 9.9 million TV viewers. Sweden's pop sensation Loreen made history by becoming the second person and the first woman to win Eurovision twice, mesmerizing audiences with her song 'Tattoo.' In a gripping finale, Loreen outshone Finland's entry, Cha Cha Cha by Käärijä. Israel's Noa Kirel, Italy's Marco Mengoni, and Norway's Alessandra Mele completed the Top 5, with all of them having odds of 40/1 or greater going into Saturday's final. Lee Phelps, the spokesperson for William Hill, expressed pride in the company's £200,000 donation to the Ukrainian appeal, emphasizing the significant impact it will have on thousands of Ukrainians now residing in the UK and their families back home. Phelps stated, Anyone who placed a bet on Eurovision this weekend has contributed to this cause, regardless of whether their bet slip was a winner. It has been more than a year since millions of Ukrainians had their lives turned upside down, and on the weekend when Eurovision should have been held in Kyiv, it is a stark reminder that the struggle continues. However, the relief efforts and the resilience demonstrated by a nation with a heart of steel persist. We are honored to offer financial support to those Ukrainians who need it most. A spokesperson for Support Ukraine expressed huge gratitude for the UK support and its people and commended William Hill for their remarkable gesture of donating all profits from Eurovision betting to their cause. The spokesperson said, "We are deeply moved by this £200,000 donation, which will assist in providing necessities to those affected on or near the frontlines and in the de-occupied territories. This includes vital medical aid such as medicine and much-needed medical evacuation vehicles." The Support Ukraine Coordination Hub, an expanding charity initiative based in London, has already played a crucial role in providing hundreds of meals to the growing refugee population of Ukrainians seeking shelter in London. They have also delivered meals and aid to families that choose to stay in Ukraine or cannot leave for personal reasons. In addition, the initiative extends its support through donations of food, toys, and other essential humanitarian supplies. For more information on the Support Ukraine project and to offer assistance, please visit their Neighbourly page.
The United Kingdom Gambling Commission has imposed a fine of £305,150 (€350,351/$378,299) on online casino operator SkillOnNet due to several infractions, specifically related to anti-money laundering (AML) regulations and social responsibility requirements. SkillOnNet, managing 50 online platforms across the UK, has agreed to this financial penalty as part of a settlement deal with the regulator, with proceeds earmarked for socially responsible initiatives. The Gambling Commission's review of SkillOnNet's operations from 2021-2022 revealed significant Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice breaches. In addition, the operator fell short in its anti-money laundering and responsible gambling policies, including inadequate assessment of risks related to money laundering, organized crime, and 'mule' accounts. Operator Failed to Implement Adequate Controls The Gambling Commission noted SkillOnNet's violation of licence condition 12.1.1 (2), which involves implementing measures to curb money laundering and terrorist financing. The operator lacked suitable procedures to review a customer's income for identifying excessive spending and overly relied on player declarations and unverified comments for anti-money laundering (AML) profiling and expenditure assessments. SkillOnNet breached two licence conditions: 12.1.1(3) and 12.1.2. They allowed customers to deposit and lose beyond the £2,000 limit, made assumptions about customers' reinvestment of winnings, and didn't sufficiently identify or manage money laundering and terrorist financing risks, failing to adhere to the 2017 regulatory standards. SkillOnNet's Social Responsibility Lapses & Regulatory Settlement Details The Gambling Commission cited multiple violations of the Social Responsibility Code Provision (SRCP) by SkillOnNet, which failed to engage with customers to mitigate gambling harm properly. Fundamental failings included not identifying harmful customer behaviours, overlooking risky betting patterns, and ignoring signs of unnecessary spending, as evidenced by a player losing £3,000 per month. The operator also didn't recognize extended night-time play as a potential harm marker. Furthermore, their customer interaction strategy, heavily reliant on automated pop-ups, was insufficient to prevent harm, as shown by a player who continued gambling despite multiple alerts and lost £3,225 over 41 days. These interactions lacked thorough scrutiny and relied too heavily on customers' declarations. Details of the Regulatory Settlement The Gambling Commission and SkillOnNet reached a regulatory settlement to conclude the case. The agreement included an initial payment of £305,150, an additional £9,079 towards the cost of the investigation, and a commitment to allow case details to be made public. SkillOnNet also consented to undergo an independent third-party audit and to enhance their AML and safer gambling policies. The Commission appreciated SkillOnNet's swift actions to correct the violations, cooperation during the investigation, and acceptance of all key identified failings.
UK giant Paddy Power has taken the hit from the UKGC enforcement system for nearly half a million pounds. The Fine The total fine for the Flutter-owned company operating under the PPB Counterparty Services Limited brand is £490,000 (US$603,000) as a penalty for sending notifications to excluded consumers. The Violations The penalties were handed down due to evidence of infractions dating to November 2021. In the inquiry, the UKGC discovered that the Paddy Power app had sent promotional communications to English Premiere League fans who had previously self-excluded themselves via GAMSTOP or Flutter’s self-exclusion program. Scale Though the number of penalisable communications remains unreleased, it is projected to be a significant amount proportional to the large size of the fine. The infraction has been acknowledged, and Flutter has accepted the fine without contest. Self-Exclusion The UK’s Gambling Act requires all operators to take necessary and appropriate measures to be responsible for avoiding sending communications to players who have self-excluded for obvious reasons. Self-exclusion refers to opting out of further information regarding gambling products. The challenge has arisen for operators to keep track of all those who have self-excluded the site or through other services such as Gamstop, which was made available in the UK as a national self-exclusion mechanism. Pioneering Operator Fined Fine recipient Flutter was one of the earliest operators to implement a social responsibility program in-house, starting with a self-exclusion program and mechanism. The UKGC Guidelines The UKGC guidelines make operators responsible for receiving a complete and current opt-out list with all the most recent persons who have added themselves to the self-exclusion program. The operators are then responsible for erasing the self-excluded customer’s name, contact information, and related information within two days of receiving the updated self-exclusion list. Minimal Harm, Yet… The regulator acknowledged that notifications were not sent intentionally, and no users placed bets as a result. Further, the regulator said many users did not likely see the messages, nor did anyone lodge a complaint with the UKGC. UKGC Fines to Date Even with all this said, the UKGC chose to levy the hefty fine, bringing total fines collected in 2023 to £50,721,772 (US$62.65 million) in fines. This projects for the year to be less than last year’s total of £218.21 million ($269.53 million) but is more than the $48.6 million collected in 2021. Outlook The fines show that operators must go beyond intention and remain fully compliant to avoid large fines that could otherwise harm their customers.
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The UK’s horse-racing authority has lashed out against unruly protesters threatening the sanctity of the top events of one of the UK’s leading sports. BHA Comes Down British Horseracing Authority (BHA) castigated the behaviour of protestors at the 2023 Epson Derby as “reckless and dangerous.” Arrests A total of over 30 individuals were arrested as a result of their actions at the June 12 Epsom Derby, after attempting to disrupt the event under the protest directives of animal rights group Animal Rising. Potential Ongoing Protests A series of protests have been mapped out by Animal Rising designed to disrupt British horseracing events. Preventative Action One protestor gained access to the major horseracing Epsom Downs event racetrack but was tackled by police before disrupting the race. Injunction Secured In response to the spectre of protests, Epsom Downs Racecourse operator Jockey Club secured an injunction last month from the UK High Court to prevent protestors from disrupting the Derby Festival--after protestors delayed the start of the Grand National in the previous month of April. The Protest Bans The injunction obtained by the Jockey Club specifically imposed bans on entering or throwing objects on the track, entering the parade ring, and any other action that could disrupt proceedings. Penalties All violators have been subject to contempt of court, as indicated in the injunction. BHA Spokesperson Speaks BHA chief executive Julie Harrington lashed out at the protesters’ behavior, due to the physical threat the protests posed to all participants: We strongly condemn the actions of the individual who ran onto the track after the Derby had started. Contradictory Protest Actions Despite Animal Rising going on record repeatedly insisting the protest organisation would do nothing to jeopardise the safety of horses and riders, Harrington called them out for the exact behavior Animal Rising claims it is trying to avoid. Harrington supported the suppression actions whole-heartedly: I am grateful to Epsom’s security team for their swift response to ensure the race could be completed safely. I would like to extend my thanks to the staff at the Jockey Club and my colleagues at the BHA, who have worked tirelessly to ensure the Derby could be staged safely. Thanking Local Police Harrington went on to thank the local authority Surrey Police for their preventive “decisive actions ahead of the Derby.” Outlook In the UK, a sport as stately and popular and as traditional as horseracing should not be indignified by unruly protests of any kind, and the BHA is well within their lane to come out strongly on the dangers that these protests have posed.
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