Press Releases
Former champion jockey Harry Skelton joins Star Sports as brand ambassador
Star Sports has signed Harry Skelton as a National Hunt brand ambassador.
Skelton won the 2020/21 Jump Jockeys’ Championship and is stable jockey to his brother Dan’s powerful yard in Warwickshire. Each week he will update Star Sports customers on his rides and the yard’s runners via a blog as well as providing regular video content and exposure on social media.
He joins recently retired jockey Davy Russell as a Star Sports ambassador and the pair will offer their insights and analysis each week, as well as each day during the major spring festivals.
“I’m really happy to be working with Star Sports,” said Skelton. “They have always invested in racing through sponsorships, Cheltenham preview nights and other activities. I’m looking forward to producing the blog and hopefully pointing their customers towards some decent winners over the next few months.
“Davy [Russell] is a top man and it will be great to catch up with him throughout the season. It will be strange not having him in the weighing room at Cheltenham in March, but I’m sure he’ll have lots of opinions on the English and Irish runners.”
Luke Tarr, Head of PR at Star Sports, said: “Harry is a great bloke and a brilliant jockey, and we are honoured to have him as our second National Hunt ambassador, joining the legend that is Davy Russell. How can you not love Harry’s airplane celebration? With Frankie Dettori in the final furlong of an amazing career, we need more characters in racing to attract new fans to the sport. Harry is just what the industry needs and with Davy alongside, the content we will be able to produce will be top class.”
Harry’s Five to Follow:
KATEIRA should be in for a good year. She’s stepping out of novice company for the first time, which we hope she will take in her stride. A possible starting point for her would be Wetherby, and we’ll look to go up in trip after that. She finished off last season with a great run at Aintree in a Grade 1. I think she’s a really tough mare, she’s by Kayf Tara, and hopefully she’ll only get better with age. All roads will hopefully lead to the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
HOE JOLY SMOKE is still a maiden and could be a bit more of a dark horse to follow this year. He’s by Black Sam Bellamy and has undergone a wind operation since he last ran in a Grade 2 at Kelso where he was going quite nicely but for stumbling after the second last and nearly pulling a shoe off. He was getting into the race nicely that day. He’s a nice big horse and hopefully he can lose that maiden tag fairly early on. He looks a nice type to follow down the handicap route in the early part of the season and we’ll see how and where he goes from there.
ETALON ran a nice race at the end of the season at Sandown in the EBF Final. He’s a nice, big horse who looks to go over fences now, where hopefully he can really progress. He’ll probably start off in handicaps, currently rated 120, and we hope he can move up the ranks and move into graded novice chases come the springtime.
TAKE NO CHANCES is due to go novice hurdling after three runs in bumpers. She ran very well twice but was slightly over the top by the time of her third run, so you can draw a line through that. She’ll probably start off around two or two-and-a-half miles. She showed some really nice form in a Listed bumper at Market Rasen last season behind Dysart Enos and Queens Gamble, so we hope that she can shake off her maiden tag early on and progress into better company in novice hurdles in the new year.
PIKAR is going to go novice chasing. He’s undergone a wind operation over the summer and has done very well physically. I think chasing is going to be his game – he’s a very good, neat jumper. We’ll start off over two miles and see if he needs to go up in trip. I could see this horse going into graded class – going chasing should suit him really well. He’s always been a good horse and has shown some decent form, but hopefully the wind op has worked and he can progress into those graded novice chases.
Skelton Stable Stars:
PROTEKTORAT is in great form. He’ll likely start off in the Betfair Chase and we’ll make further plans from there. He’s in great form at home and we’re really looking forward to Haydock. We hope he can defend his crown.
LE MILOS progressed up the weights last year after winning the Coral Gold Cup, from which we had our hearts set on the National. There’s a little bit of a different plan this year because he’s still young and probably has a little bit more to offer down the graded route. He’ll be out this side of Christmas and we’ll see where he takes us.
WEST BALBOA finished off the season very well at Aintree having won the Lanzarote prior to that. We now think three miles is going to be her game. She could start off at Wetherby in the West Yorkshire Hurdle, but that will depend on the ground. Then there’s the Stayers’ Hurdle and the three-mile hurdle at Aintree to look towards. A lot of water will go under the bridge before those two, but they will definitely be her main targets for the season. She was very progressive last season and the hope is that she is now ready for the big league.
MIDNIGHT RIVER will also probably start off at Wetherby before a tilt at the Coral Gold Cup. It’s a race that we won last year and it suits second-season novices. He’s progressed really well and is only now coming into his own, starting to get the hang of things. He was a boy who is now becoming a man. He’s up the weights, so he’s going to have to have a bit more in the locker in a very competitive handicap, but hopefully he’s ready for this now.
MY DROGO is back in after missing a year and a half. He seems in great form at home, but he’s a little bit hard to place at the moment given his experience and his rating. There aren’t that many options in the early season. He’s looking fit and well, though, so we’re looking to get started in the Old Roan at Aintree and will make more plans after that. He’s still got it and we’re very excited to get him back to the racecourse.
GALIA DES LITEAUX is all about very soft ground and three miles. There’s a Listed three-mile mares’ chase at Market Rasen which could be where she starts off. After that, we’ll know where we’re going with her. She’s a very honest mare, but those conditions are a must for her.
NURSE SUSAN is looking at the Listed mares’ novices’ chase which Galia Des Liteaux won last year at Bangor. Before she picked up a niggling injury, she looked pretty smart last season. She’s a great, big bull of a mare now – a whole different physique to what we had – and hopefully her time away has done her some good.
GREY DAWNING is going novice chasing. Three miles will probably be his trip and he will have learnt from last season – novices do make mistakes, that’s why they’re novices. He’s got all the ability in the world, even though he’s very unassuming at home and saves it for the track. He should be set for a good year in the novice chase division.
In March 2024, Bitcoin soared to a historical high, nearing 70,000 euro per coin. How does this impact the iGaming market? Being a tech company with over 15 years of experience and an innovator in crypto iGaming software development, SOFTSWISS shares anticipations in its quarterly crypto analysis.
Over 220 brands powered by the company engaged in crypto transactions during the first quarter of 2024, which is 12% higher than the previous quarter. SOFTSWISS experts analyse the data gathered from crypto-friendly brands by employing extrapolation, comparative, and correlative analysis.
iGaming Market Overview: Unveiling Anticipated Growth
The size of the global online gambling and sports betting industry is expected to rise significantly and exceed 170 billion euro by 2032, according to Statista. Based on SOFTSWISS data, the iGaming market has demonstrated a stable pattern of growth year after year.
In absolute terms in euro, the Total Bet Sum grew by 5.8% in the first quarter of the year compared to the last quarter of 2023. Analysing the year-on-year increase, comparing Q1’24 with Q1’23, the growth is more impressive, showcasing a 47.2% boost.
Simultaneously, the Total Bet Count, both fiat and crypto, displayed a slightly larger gain in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the previous quarter, surpassing 6.1%. The indicator’s year-on-year boost is much more notable, revealing a 57.2% increase.
The popularity of iGaming in recent years has been fuelled by its global reach and accessibility due to constant technological advancements. On one hand, the quality of internet connectivity continues to rise, while on the other, new payment methods are emerging, simplifying payment procedures.
The in-depth quarterly analysis, ongoing since the beginning of 2022, reveals that fiat bets are undergoing more substantial growth compared to crypto bets. In Q1’24, the Fiat Bet Sum increased by 6.9% compared to Q4’23, while the rise of Crypto Bet Sum was at 2.4%.
The more active growth of fiat bets led to a slight decrease in the share of crypto. In the first quarter of 2024, the crypto share in the Total Bets Sum settled at 24.4%, decreasing by 0.8 percentage points (p.p) compared to the last quarter of 2023.
What is the State of Crypto in iGaming?
Analysing crypto bets, it is crucial to highlight that almost 93% of them are facilitated through the in-game currency conversion tool, which is gaining traction. This mechanism allows operators to engage players with cryptocurrency assets in games initially tailored for fiat only. Operators that adopt such options are gaining more competitive advantages in the market.
While the Q1’2024 Crypto Bet Sum shows a moderate 2.4% growth compared to the previous quarter, the year-on-year analysis demonstrates a 20.8% increase. The Crypto Bet Count remained unchanged in Q1’24 compared to the previous quarter’s indicator. Simultaneously, the metric increased by 21.3% year-on-year. The figures speak volumes, showcasing a consistent interest among players in crypto gaming.
“The lack of a substantial increase in the number of crypto bets during Q1’24 can be partly attributed to the significant rise of the Bitcoin exchange rate during this period, leading players to be more cautious with their crypto bets. This trend mirrors the situation in the first quarter of the previous year when the Bitcoin exchange rate surged following a decline at the end of 2022,” comments Vitali Matsukevich, Chief Operating Officer at SOFTSWISS.
What Distinguishes the Average Crypto Bet?
The average crypto bet increased to 1.71 euro in the first quarter of the year from 1.66 euro in the last quarter of 2023. This growth correlates with a significant strengthening of the Bitcoin rate during the first quarter of 2024.
The average fiat bet remained steady at around 0.81 euro in Q1’24 and Q4’23. The average total bet stayed constant since the second half of the previous year and is equal to 0.93 euro.
Notably, the average crypto bet is double that of fiat. This indicates that digital currencies are preferred by higher-income players.
Why Did Bitcoin’s Share Drop?
The Top Five most operated digital coins in iGaming have remained stable during the last two years with minor changes in ranking order. The top still includes Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dogecoin, and Tether.
In Q1 2024, Bitcoin experienced a significant decline of 9.4 p.p. compared to Q4 2023. This could be attributed to the bolstering Bitcoin exchange rate and players exercising a more cautious approach towards it.
In contrast, the shares of other digital coins have increased. Ethereum and Litecoin showed growth of 4.0 p.p. and 3.8 p.p., respectively, during the same period. Simultaneously, Dogecoin rose to fourth place in the ranking, leaving Tether behind.
Vitali Matsukevich, Chief Operating Officer at SOFTSWISS, summarises: “The benefits of employing digital currencies, such as fast transactions and anonymity, still attract many players. Embracing cryptocurrencies in iGaming can boost operator profits despite their volatile nature.
As the Bitcoin rate is expected to strengthen after the Bitcoin Halving, the average crypto bet and projected gains may see a notable impact. During such promising times, it is crucial to have reliable and experienced partners to navigate the path to success.”
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international tech company supplying software solutions for managing iGaming projects. The expert team, which counts over 2,000 employees, is based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides one-stop-shop iGaming software solutions. The company has a vast product portfolio, including the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with thousands of casino games, the Affilka affiliate platform, the Sportsbook Platform, and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS was the first in the world to introduce a Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution.
The post Navigating Bitcoin’s Impact: SOFTSWISS’ iGaming Industry Overview appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Press Releases
Q1 2024 Commercial Gaming Revenue Sets New Quarterly High, Marks 13th Straight Month of Industry Growth
AGA State of the States Report Shows Record $14.67 Billion in 2023 Commercial Industry Tax Contributions.
U.S. commercial gaming revenue reached a quarterly record of $17.67 billion in Q1 2024, the industry’s 13th consecutive quarter of growth, according to the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker. The quarter was punctuated by March revenue of $6.09 billion, the industry’s second-highest grossing month ever.
“While gaming’s momentum remains strong, 2024 will be the new baseline for future growth after several years of sports betting legalization and post-pandemic consumer shifts,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “Gaming’s continued growth relies on maintaining our commitment to innovation and responsibility.”
Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker Highlights
Across the country, 11 state gaming markets set new quarterly revenue records, including Pennsylvania and New York, two of the nation’s largest commercial gaming markets.
Both retail and online gaming saw annual growth in Q1 2024, though at slower rates than in previous quarters. Retail gaming accounted for 70.7 percent of total revenue while online gaming represented its largest share ever, 29.3 percent. Looking closer at each sector:
- Traditional Gaming: Traditional brick-and-mortar casino gaming generated quarterly revenue of $12.34 billion, a modest increase of 0.3 percent year-over-year that was hampered by severe January weather in regional gaming markets nationwide.
- Legal Sports Betting: Americans wagered a first-quarter record $36.86 billion on sports in Q1, generating $3.33 billion in quarterly revenue (+22.0% year-over-year). The growth compared to Q1 2023 was in part driven by new market launches in Kentucky, Maine, North Carolina and Vermont.
- iGaming: iGaming grossed an all-time high of $1.98 billion in Q1, a 26.1 percent year-over-year increase bolstered by Rhode Island’s iGaming market launch in March.
State of the States 2024
The AGA also released its annual State of the States report today, which provides the definitive state-by-state economic and regulatory analysis of U.S. commercial gaming in 2023 for policymakers, gaming stakeholders and industry observers.
State of the States 2024 details the record $14.67 billion in direct gaming tax revenue paid to state and local governments by commercial gaming operators in 2023—up 9.7 percent from 2022. This does not include the billions more paid in income, sales or other taxes.
“As gaming expands, more communities than ever are benefiting,” continued Miller. “We are proud to create jobs across the country, provide world-class entertainment experiences that offer safe alternatives to the pervasive illegal gambling market, and generate tax revenue to support critical public projects.”
Background
- AGA’s Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker provides state-by-state and cumulative insight into the U.S. commercial gaming industry’s financial performance based on state revenue reports. This issue highlights Q1 2024 results.
- 37 states and the District of Columbia featured operational commercial gaming markets in Q1 2024, including casino gaming, sports betting and iGaming.
- AGA’s State of Play Map charts gaming’s economic impact, industry regulations and casino locations on a state-by-state basis for both the commercial and tribal gaming sectors.
London, Athens, Malta, May 16, 2024 – Betano, sponsor of Sport Lisboa e Benfica since the 2021/22 season, has renewed its sponsorship contract with the decorated club for three more years. Kaizen Gaming’s premium sports betting and online gaming brand was the first brand to occupy the sleeve of the official SL Benfica jersey and will remain as the ‘Official Betting Sponsor’’ until the 2026/27 season.
“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with Benfica as we embark on this exciting new chapter together. From working closely with ‘The Eagles’ over the past years, we’ve witnessed first-hand the club’s unwavering dedication to excellence both on and off the field, which is matched only by the support and enthusiasm of its fans. By renewing our support for Benfica we reaffirm our ongoing commitment to Portugal, the country’s football fans and its prestigious sporting institutions as well as the offer of premium, entertaining and safe betting experiences”, said Julio Iglesias, Chief Commercial Officer at Kaizen Gaming.
“We are very excited to renew our partnership with Betano, a leading sports betting brand, which continues to show a strong commitment to football on a global level. This agreement not only reinforces our successful collaboration, but also allows us to offer innovative experiences to our fans. The presence of Betano on the sleeve of our shirt symbolizes the importance of this partnership and is vital for our international growth and to consolidate our global presence“, added Bernardo Faria Carvalho, Director of International Expansion, SL Benfica.”
In addition to the display on the official jersey, the contract between the two entities involves a set of mutual features and endorsements. The sponsorship agreement also extends to the sleeve of the B team’s shirt and also the Under-23 team, which plays in the Liga Revelação.
The post Betano and SL Benfica renew partnership for 3 more years appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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