Jamaican teen driver to represent US in sportscar Grandprix
Photo Courtesy of Sports Car Club of America Jamaican Justin Sirgany is among 30 drivers slated to compete at the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario from July 8 to 9Sirgany, 15, who hails from Kingston, Jamaica, will be competing in the Canadian meet less than a month after competing at historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda. This will be the first time he will be competing in Canada.“I’m so excited about racing in Canada,” Sirgany said. “Canada has such a rich history in racing, with Canadian Tire Motorsport Park being an old Formula 1 track. I have never traveled to Canada so I am excited just to experience a country I have never visited before. CTMP looks like a very interesting track and I can’t wait to burn some rubber.”Driving the No. 39 Bob Marley Foundation neon green and black striped F4 car, Sirgany has one top-10 finish this season and his team GRG holds third-place in the F4 U.S. Championship standings heading into Event 3 at CTMP.Designed to be globally recognized yet an affordable step between karting and F3, the F4 U.S. car was designed to keep costs down while providing an ideal learning tool for young drivers who have never raced cars before. The series offers more value and benefits than any other form of professional entry-level open-wheel racing at a low cost. Each F4 U.S. car is equipped with a Honda Civic Type R engine detuned to meet FIA regulations, a Crawford F4-16 chassis and two sets of Pirelli PZero tires.F4 U.S. is the secondary race for the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) at CTMP. For complete event information, fans can visit F4USChampionship.com.“We are excited to travel to CTMP,” said Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Pro Racing Vice President Steve Oseth. “As the F4 concept is a recognized international brand, it makes sense for SCCA Pro to bring the series to what many consider the most challenging race track in North America. The competition that F4 U.S. brings is tailor-made for the Canadian open-wheel race fan and we are pumped to bring more than 30 cars for them to experience what F4 U.S. is all about.”
All 15 CARICOM Heads of Government have been confirmed for this week’s summit to be held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James, Jamaica from July 4 to 6. The summit will be headed by Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, the newly appointed chairman of CARICOM.President of Chile Sebastián Piñera and President of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel are specially invited guests.At a media briefing Monday, CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque said the treatment of Caribbean migrants will be discussed amid concerns of the impending exit of Britain from the European Union and the Windrush scandal.CARICOM Heads of Government have also expressed concern about tariffs imposed by the US and the possible effects on the region. “We are concerned that there are investors in our community on which either tariffs or other types of restrictions have been placed and it’s affecting these investors here in Jamaica, Guyana and elsewhere, and we are very concerned about that so that will be discussed,” Mr. LaRocque added. He said CARICOM will be lobbying to have certain tarrifs that affect the region lifted.
The Senate in Haiti on Saturday approved the general policy statement of Prime Minister Jean-Henry Céant following a marathon session that began on Friday.“The Senate must remain the mecca of democracy in Haiti. This evening the Senators ….experienced the contradiction before admitting the report of the special commission that checked the pieces of members of the ministerial cabinet.“In a political assembly, it is necessary to know how to assume the necessary leadership. To cultivate the firmness in the serenity and always remember that one is not more than the ‘primus inter pares’. Senate President, I experienced it tonight… Haiti is waiting..,” Senate Speaker Senator Joseph Lambert said during the session.Prime Minister Céant, who was named by president Jovenel Moise to replace Jack Guy Lafontant who resigned following days of violent protests against fuel price rises, last month, answered questions from the Senators who questioned the time frame for implementing the policy measures.Ceant, 61, is a notary who ran unsuccessfully for president in 2010 and 2016. He was named to the post on August 5 but in a sign of discord between the legislative and presidential branches it took a month to reach agreement on his 18-member cabinet.
Jamaica has shipped 12,000 pounds of “Julie” & “East Indian” mangoes to the United States, and Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach are among the first to receive shipments. The mangoes will be sold in Bravo and Presidente supermarkets.The mangoes were shipped from Jamaica on June 13. The Mango Irradiation Program is facilitating the export, which will continue one or two times per week until the close of mango season at the end of July.An official export ceremony was held at Sangster International Airport’s Export Complex in Montego Bay, St. James. At the ceremony, J.C. Hutchinson, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Agriculture, said that there is a high demand for Jamaican mangoes among people In the Diaspora. Hutchinson also noted that the first shipment of mangoes to the US indicates that markets for the produce exist and that Jamaica should take all opportunities to fulfill the demand in those markets.Jamaica has exported mangoes to Canada and the United Kingdom for some time. In 2013, 654,954 kilograms of mangoes were shipped to Canada, and in 2014, the country received shipments totaling 691,206 kilograms.The US Department of Agriculture cleared the way for the importation of Jamaican mangoes in 2013, but the arrangement was subject to compliance with standards imposed by the agency’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.The Jamaican government have to ensure the mangoes undergo a process of irradiation – treating mangoes with ionizing radiation, which sterilizes fruit flies so they cannot reproduce.According to Dalton Hastings, Export Complex Manager in the Plant Quarantine Department of the Ministry, reassured consumers that this process does not impact the taste of the mangoes, but does increase their shelf life by killing pathogens.Jordan Dawson of Dawson’s Trading Company who supports the export of mangoes to the US believes the arrangement has major benefits for Jamaica’s agricultural sector.
MIAMI, Florida – The AJAH Foundation will host its fifth Annual Ajala Art Show on July 21, 2019, at the Toe Jam Backlot in Miami’s Wynwood Art District.Through art show events, AJAH Foundation, a non-profit organization, raises awareness and funds for local charities which promote Health and Education.A diverse selection of painters, photographers, performance artists, mixed media creators, live art exhibitors, jewelers, poets, and authors have displayed their work at past shows, and this year’s show is expected to draw the same crowd of talented creatives.Artist, Nancy De Castro describes the event as, “Best Art show I have ever attended. Very well organized. The people who participated were the most friendly, talented people.”In partnership with corporate sponsors TD Bank, Vital Dental Center, and Costco, this year’s charitable focus is on Shadowlawn Elementary School, a public school (PreK-5) comprised of 232 students with a 3-star rating. Located in Little Haiti, Miami, the Foundation’s goal is to provide Shadowlawn’s students with essential supplies and to expand the school’s library.Carol Ray, Founder of Gateway Community Outreach, a past beneficiary of the Ajala Art Show states, “It is encouraging to partner with your Foundation. I truly believe that through your compassion and vision, AJAH Foundation will help us to promote awareness about how vulnerable many Broward families are and the unexpected situations that can lead to hunger and homelessness.”Dr. Keith Williams of Vital Dental Center, past and current sponsor of The Ajala Art Show states, “I am impressed with the wide range of art medium and the efforts of the Foundation, and encourage all locals to come out for the next show”.Over the years, AJAH’s events benefited these other worthy causes: Meals on Wheels of South Florida, Gateway Community Outreach, Shak’s Hope Sickle Cell Foundation, and Sickle Cell Wellness Group.Event Organizer and President of AJAH Foundation, Lorna Williams says that she is committed to shining a light on worthy charitable causes and improving the lives of citizens in Florida for years to come.
Arsene Wenger updated reporters about Sanchez yesterday, after Arsenal’s 5-2 victory over Benfica in the Emirates cup, saying “He has flu.”“I had him on text (on Friday), he will come back as soon as possible. We were in touch with him and his doctor. No basic problem except he should come back tomorrow (Sunday) but now he comes back Tuesday.”100 – Only Henry and Bergkamp were involved in more goals in their first 100 PL games for Arsenal than Alexis Sanchez. Gunner. pic.twitter.com/izMsLH8JFO— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 11, 2017Sanchez, who has been reportedly linked with a move to Man City, has expressed his quest for Champions League football, something Arsenal won’t provide next season.But, Arsene Wenger remains keen over Sanchez’s future, insisting the forward will see out his current contract at the Emirates, should he not sign a new deal.Related Arsenal have reportedly sent team doctors to Chile for the confirmation of want away forward, Alexis Sanchez’s illness.The 28-year-old Chilean posted on his Instagram page last week, a photo of himself with the caption “sick”, prompting rumours that the forward is trying to avoid resuming training at Arsenal.
Brazilian star Dani Alves has spoken about his desire to see his international colleague Neymar swap Barcelona for Paris Saint Germain (PSG) this summer.PSG signed Alves on a free transfer in the present transfer window and the French side has been linked with a world record move for his former club teammate Neymar.Speculations around the future of the former Santos star has made it the protracted transfer saga. Unai Emery’s side are reportedly willing to pay the €222m ($261m) fee in the 25-year old’s buyout clause but Barcelona have repeatedly maintained that he is not for sale.Daniel Alves is hoping that his ‘friend’ will show courage to join the ever growing Brazilian contingents at PSG. Other Brazilians at the club include forward Lucas Moura as well as the centre-back duo of Thiago Silva and Marquinhos.Speaking after he scored in his new side’s 2-1 victory over French champions AS Monaco, Alves said: “I hope it will happen. I’ve got nothing to do with his decision, it’s a very important decision for him.”“Men have to make these kinds of decisions. I hope he’ll join us, he’s one of my best friends and I always want my friends to be close by. “I can’t interfere in his decision. It’s his decision to make but we’ll welcome him with open arms if he comes.”The former Sevilla defender also pointed out his role in Neymar’s move to Barcelona. He said: “I helped him once, I helped him come to Barcelona. I didn’t make the decision for him, but I simply told him what there was at Barca, and he decided to go there,” said Alves.“Decisions are for the courageous. I’m the most courageous: I decided to quit Barca, to quit Juve; I always make my decisions.“He has to decide for his maturity and his ideas about continuing to improve.” he concluded.Related
World number 4, Stan Wawrinka has quit tennis for the rest of 2017 due to surgery on his injured knee and will not defend his US Open title.The 32-year-old Swiss struggled with the knee injury when he was knocked out in the first-round of Wimbledon by Daniil Medvedev last month.In a statement on his official Facebook page, Wawrinka said: “I am sad to announce that, after talking with my team and doctor, I had to make a difficult decision to undergo a medical intervention on my knee.”“This was the only solution to make sure I will be able to compete at the top level for many more years.” Stan Wawrinka won the US Open last year, beating Serbia’s Novak Djokovic at Flushing Meadows to earn his third grand slam title.Wawrinka joins Novak Djokovic in quitting the rest of the 2017 tennis season, and it’s still uncertain if world No1 Andy Murray will recover in time from his hip injury to compete at the US Open.RelatedMilos Raonic Pulls Out Of The US OpenAugust 24, 2017In “Sports”Tennis: Murray Overcomes Wawrinka To Win First Title Since Hip SurgeryOctober 21, 2019In “Tennis”Top Stars Djokovic, Wawrinka To Return In DecemberOctober 24, 2017In “Sports”
Full England U21 squad:Goalkeepers: Angus Gunn (Norwich City, on loan from Manchester City), Dean Henderson (Shrewsbury Town, on loan from Manchester United), Freddie Woodman (Newcastle United)Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Ben Chilwell (Leicester City), Dael Fry (Middlesbrough), Joseph Gomez (Liverpool), Jonjoe Kenny (Everton), Fikayo Tomori (Hull City, on loan from Chelsea), Kyle Walker-Peters (Tottenham Hotspur), Joseph Worrall (Nottingham Forest)Midfielders: Lewis Cook (AFC Bournemouth), Tom Davies (Everton), Kieran Dowell (Nottingham Forest, on loan from Everton), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Crystal Palace, on loan from Chelsea), Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Arsenal), Josh Onomah (Aston Villa, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Harry Winks (Tottenham Hotspur)Forwards: Tammy Abraham (Swansea City, on loan from Chelsea), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Demarai Gray (Leicester City), Ademola Lookman (Everton), Sheyi Ojo (Fulham, on loan from Liverpool), Dominic Solanke (Liverpool)RelatedI Can’t Guarantee Nigerian-Born Players, Others Playing Time – England ManagerOctober 6, 2017In “England”Tammy Abraham Opens Up On His Decision To Snub Super Eagles For EnglandNovember 8, 2017In “England”Frank Talk! Eagles Strikers Are Better Than Abraham – Former England InternationalNovember 18, 2017In “National Team” Nigeria Courts Tammy Abraham Over National Team InvitationNigerian-born striker Tammy Abraham has been called up to the England U21 squad after denying widespread reports which claimed he wanted to switch international allegiance to Nigeria.Swansea City striker Tammy Abraham, who is on loan from English champions Chelsea till the end of the season, has been in the news of late after reports emerged that he would be willing to play for Nigeria.Tammy Abraham rejected those reports and reaffirmed his commitment to England though he confirmed that he met with Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Amaju Pinnick.He is part of the 24-man squad released by manager Aidy Boothroyd ahead of their European qualifiers against Scotland and Andorra.Boothroyd’s team will play rivals Scotland on October 6 before an away game at Andorra on October 10.Speaking about the upcoming clash with Scotland, Aidy Boothroyd said: “The game with Scotland is an intriguing fixture and it’s a really good game for us. The fact that the Scots beat the Dutch is good for the group I think because it now sets it up nicely for our game with them.“They’re a team that will naturally want to beat us and they’ll be working very hard to do that.” he added.
Sportradar combats social media abuse with player protection solution August 17, 2020 Submit Share Related Articles A year since launching its ‘Managed Trading Services’ (MTS) at ICE 2016, SBC catches up with Heath Cram Director of Business Development for Sportradar AG to discuss the product latest developments amid an ever-changing sports betting market.Cram details to SBC readers how Betradar has utilised all key corporate components and competencies to build effectively managed trading services for all betting stakeholders…ICE 2017 delegates can hear Heath Cram discuss MTS and issues around trading and risk management with at the BetMarkets stream of the ICE VOX on Wednesday 8th at 3 pm. The panel is entitled “The Future of Trading: Innovation at the Door”._________________________SBC: Hi Heath, you will be presenting Betradar MTS at ICE 2017. Firstly can you breakdown your services and how they help industry stakeholders’ business and operations?Heath Cram: Betradar’s Managed Trading Services (MTS) is centred around a 100+ strong team of industry-experienced personnel, supported by Betradar’s own trading and risk technology, all dedicated to supporting B2C operators with the day-to-day running of their Sportsbook, in a cost-efficient manner.With more and more market pressures such as regulation and gaming duties, we felt it was important we gave operators the option to remove the huge fixed overheads and operational expenses that come with running a Sportsbook, or at a minimum – complement their own teams with our own. The MTS setup by Betradar has been designed to give operators the same access to the extensive Betradar odds and data offering without all of the technology, people or fixed fees previously needed to support it.So as at today, across our MTS relationships, we have clients with no trading room at all, through to clients with a full trading and risk team. The service fully flexible and so is equally well equipped to work for both start-up, or existing operators. SBC: Where do you feel your product best fits in betting current value chain? Is Trading no longer a core domain for betting stakeholders?HC: The MTS is designed to be over-arching: a service to support the entire value chain and operation. By partnering and working with a range of market leading collaborators, including various software providers, we are able to provide a truly bespoke turnkey solution to operators.Betradar truly offers the complete value chain when it comes to data provision and the betting services to support, and that is clearly evidenced by our most recent 7-year deal with the NBA.With regards to trading specifically, through our current foundation of having the best and biggest data – thanks to algorithms, quantitative analysis and models plus the technology focused on automation – the days of extensive manual trading or odds compilation should start moving into the rear-view mirror, leaving the management of offerings, pricing strategy and risk management as the key “trading” function.We believe as long as you have good people, processes and technology, risk management can be done equally well (or better) by our team. Using our own quants and algorithms, own technology and risk console, and importantly – our own team of experienced people, we feel we now have the complete service that allows Betradar to be a bona fide extension of an operator’s trading room.We believe we now have that to the standard of a Tier 1 bookmaker in our MTS team, meaning it is no longer as difficult, nor expensive for a new player or start-up Sportsbook to acquire this themselves, simply by utilising our service. SBC: Can you detail to SBC readers what is unique about your offering in the market, and what specific products or services are available?HC: The work that has been done over the last year with big data and now with over 90 operators already signed up to our MTS, this all allows us to model and price in a completely different way to the market standard. We now have the commercial ability to bear 100% of the risk, and this no longer makes sports betting a volatile or risky proposition – which I think makes it interesting for new entrants to the space, particularly from Casinos or Lotteries that perhaps may have previously been less inclined to launch the traditionally riskier Sports vertical.Secondly, I would draw attention to our independence and platform-agnostic approach. For those wanting to benefit from our official data and get a full ITF betting package, or an NBA package in partnership with our MTS – without the license fees, premiums or surcharges – it is no problem for us to offer a selective Tennis or Basketball-only trading and risk management solution, to an operator whether they are working on their own technology, or are relying on a pre-existing platform.At the end of the day, we have developed, over the last 2 years, our own console for risk management, that can quite painlessly be integrated to any commercial B2B, or operator’s own, sportsbook platform.We are really excited that ICE has rolled around again and we will get the chance to talk to such a broad range of operators about these developments.SBC: How has Betradar created an optimised betting and trading service for sports betting stakeholders?HC: The structure of a one-to-many, aggregated sportsbook, with tens of customers benefiting from the same high-quality risk management standards is at the heart of this solution.Operators can now focus on customer-facing differentiation through their own unique promotions, offering and MTS-configurable pricing and limit strategies, leaving our MTS to take care of the day-to-day risk in customer monitoring, supervision and the management of good business (VIP) as well as bad (restricted). The MTS also enables us to provide active management of risky or suspicious matches, offering administration and management of tournaments and competitions confidence levels, all while optimising pricing thanks to the swathe of insight generated by a far bigger and more diverse pooled liquidity than any smaller book could generate on their own.For example, it means that a large Korean baseball bet, placed by one of our operators’ customers, might be all that is needed to trigger a change in confidence levels in a match, market or price, and subsequently (indirectly) allow all of our other operators to benefit from this efficiency in odds and event management! This is far more than market average odds, and incorporates liabilities and exposure of the wider sports betting community, without sacrificing individual customer focus.Another benefit we will realise in the future through aggregation, is one of surplus management. In the future there will be the option that allows an operator never to reject a bet or limit a customer based on liability limits or risk appetite. Nor indeed any need for the operator to turn to a corporate outlet for hedging if over-exposed. MTS is currently developing a service called Surplus Trading, which will be available in the second half of 2017. With our customer base numbers growing, more and more operators are benefitting from our guaranteed returns through our 100% risk-free guaranteed margin trading service. This offering is really challenging the status quo as its relates to legacy trading.SBC: Why is Betradar’s independence such an important factor for supplier provision of ‘Managed Trading Services’?HC: Two words: flexibility and control…While we appreciate the importance of giving a start-up project a turnkey option for speed to market – which we accommodate frequently! – we feel it is far more important for the longer term future of a Sportsbook project that any operators launching sports betting have a choice when it comes to preferred technology and supplier. For that reason, we work in partnership (of varying degrees and levels) with as many platforms and software providers as possible, so that we can operationally support a start-up project on a case-by-case and needs basis, rather than having a single technology out-of-the-box option, with all of that option’s inherent limitations.So working independently, with numerous partners, we can help a sportsbook go live with an omni-channel responsive offering next month if speed is key, or launch in 6 months’ time at the start of the new football season, with a truly bespoke, customised and comprehensive multi-channel offering,depending on each client’s own priorities.Put bluntly, there are no limitations to your trading and offering with MTS!________________________Heath Cram Director Business Development – Sportradar AGICE 2017 delegates can hear Heath Cram discuss MTS and issues around trading and risk management with at the BetMarkets stream of the ICE VOX on Wednesday 8th at 3pm. The panel is entitled “The Future of Trading: Innovation at the Door”. Björn Nilsson: How Triggy is delivering digestible data through pre-set triggers August 28, 2020 StumbleUpon David Lampitt, Sportradar: F1 presents betting’s most sizeable opportunity August 14, 2020 Share
Share Paul Witten – SISUpdating its greyhound racing streaming portfolio, industry racing content provider SIS has announced that additional fixtures from Ireland’s Tralee Greyhound Stadium will be added to its client program,In partnership withe Irish Greyhound Board, Tralee fixtures will be available to UK and Irish betting shops, and online operators as part of SIS’s exclusive streaming portfolio.Commencing on March 4th 2017, the meeting will consist of eight races with the first starting at 9.11am. Later races will dovetail the SIS existing retail shop greyhound coverage from Crayford and Romford.SIS already own exclusive rights to broadcast three fixtures in Ireland, with current offerings from Youghal on Monday evenings, Mullingar on Sunday afternoons and a second fixture at Tralee on Tuesday evenings.Paul Witten, Commercial Director at SIS said: “We have added a second fixture from Tralee to our retail and online programs, following customer demand for greater coverage at suitable times and we see the Saturday morning slot as one of those times.“SIS endeavour to offer premium content and streaming provision across all bookmaker channels and the new deal will complement this, thanks to the help of the IGB.Joe Lewins at IGB commented on SIS provisions “This gives us a further opportunity to showcase our racing product to the SIS audience and to build on the success of the three meetings currently being broadcast throughout Ireland and the UK.”The extra meeting will add to SIS’ exclusive coverage across the UK and Ireland including horse racing and greyhounds, all facilitated by their market leading low latency streaming platform, SIS Stream.SIS’ greyhound offering currently includes 30,000 races a year, making it the most comprehensive in the market. Share SBC Magazine Issue 10: Kaizen Gaming rebrand and focus for William Hill CEO August 25, 2020 Submit Richard FitzGerald steps down as RMG CEO August 6, 2020 SIS grows Latin American footprint through Betcris deal August 12, 2020 Related Articles StumbleUpon
Richard FitzGerald steps down as RMG CEO August 6, 2020 StumbleUpon Submit Related Articles Share Share Scientific Games bolsters virtuals portfolio with Legends Racing addition July 29, 2020 ITV Racing begins contract renegotiations with UK Racing May 21, 2020 In partnership with Racecourse Media Group (RMG), the Investec Derby from Epsom Downs will have its biggest international broadcast coverage adding a number of new sports media partners.In a first for the Investec Derby, the 2400-metre showpiece will be shown live on selected aircraft and ships on 14 airlines and 11 cruise lines via the Sport 24 channel.NBC Sports Network in the US, which is broadcasting a live 90-minute programme, is also taking the fixture for the first time, while other broadcasters taking live coverage include ITV (UK), TV3 (Ireland), SuperSport (South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa), Match TV (Russia) and TVP (Poland).The MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region will be served by live coverage from Dubai Racing Channel, Abu Dhabi Sports and Al Kass (Qatar).The Investec Derby will also be broadcast OTT following an agreement with DAZN, which will be showing the race in Japan, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, and TV Maritim Norge AS, which covers Scandinavia.Furthermore, delayed coverage of the Investec Derby will swell the total audience reach to well over a billion. The race will be widely available to news outlets across the world via SNTV, the leading sports news video agency, while CNN is covering the race for its World Sport and Winning Post broadcasts.RMG will also make the fixture available in 40,000 betting shops across 43 countries and via 40 online bookmakers, which will be streaming the race. RMG’s TV channel, Racing UK, will also show the race to 50,000 subscribers and in 6,000 pubs and clubs in the UK and Ireland.Radio listeners will enjoy live coverage in the UK courtesy of BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT, while Racing UK Radio, which syndicates audio on behalf of Epsom Downs Racecourse, will distribute to regional, national and international news stations.Phil White, London Regional Director of Jockey Club Racecourses, which operates Epsom Downs Racecourse, said: “It is fantastic news that the Investec Derby will be available to hundreds of millions of people across the globe.“This race is part of the fabric of British sport and the result has implications in racing industries throughout the world. We look forward to all eyes turning to the famous turf at Epsom Downs Racecourse on Saturday June 3.”Adam Binns, RMG’s Director of Broadcast, commented on this year’s Investec Derby: “We are delighted the Investec Derby will enjoy the wide and varied exposure that one of the UK’s great sporting and social events merits.”
Related Articles Share UKGC hails ‘delivered efficiencies’ of its revamped licence maintenance service August 20, 2020 Mr Green to pay £3m for failures in gambling harm and money laundering prevention February 27, 2020 StumbleUpon The Gambling Commission has defended its focus on consumer protection amid concerns that the shift in focus under CEO Sarah Harrison is a case of ‘regulatory creep’.The comments came as part of the consultation process into the Commission’s enforcement strategy published today which revealed a new enforcement strategy which will be used to tackle operators who breach gambling regulations.Citing how a fast changing gambling industry requires everyone to stay alert to changing consumer experiences, including new risks to the detriment of consumers, the Commission added: “Placing a greater emphasis on consumer interest ensures that both operators and regulator recognise and respond to these changing circumstances, whilst remaining consistent with the licensing objectives.“It represents a far less radical approach than some respondents seem to suggest but we acknowledge that we could have been clearer in communicating how our approach relates back to the licensing objectives.”The Commission said that its licensing objectives have a clear focus on the consumer and wider public interest embedded within them and the changes were consistent with its longstanding obligations under the licensing objectives.The key changes of the new enforcement strategy include:Changes to the Commission’s statement on financial penalties including introducing higher penalties for breaches, particularly where it sees systemic and repeated failingsPutting all regulatory tools, including licence review (both of the operator and personal management licences), on an equal footing by removing the current bias in favour of settlement (1)Using time-limited discounts to create better incentives for early settlement.Sarah Harrison added: “We will use the full range of enforcement powers to ensure operators put customers first and raise standards. The industry can be assured that we will use our powers in a targeted way, and consumers and the public can be assured we will take robust and effective action when gambling companies don’t meet their obligations.” Betway to pay record £11.6m after Gambling Commission finds VIP customer failings March 12, 2020 Share Submit
Share Share FSB selects Glenn Elliott as new COO August 12, 2020 Submit Related Articles GVC absorbs retail shocks as business recalibrates for critical H2 trading August 13, 2020 StumbleUpon Bookies Corner: Trump Presidency sinks as US 2020 enters its 100 day countdown July 29, 2020 Updating the market, Ladbrokes has informed that it will continue to work with the Rugby Football League as title sponsor of its Challenge Cup, English Rugby League’s legacy knockout competition.Ladbrokes marketing has signed a one-year extension, which will see the competition continue to be branded as the ‘Ladbrokes Challenge Cup’. The sponsorship extension is signed on the week of the Challenge Cup final which sees Hull FC take on the Wigan Warriors at Wembley Stadium.Rugby Football League Chief Commercial Officer, Roger Draper, commented on the Ladbrokes partnership: “I am delighted that Ladbrokes have decided to extend their current partnership and that they recognise the value in being involved with such a prestigious and well-regarded competition.“The Ladbrokes Challenge Cup is rich in heritage and tradition and is known across the world, so to have a brand as successful and recognisable as Ladbrokes commit to extending their support is great news for the sport. Ladbrokes has been a fantastic supporter of Rugby League and we are delighted that they are continuing their association with our great sport.”Ladbrokes and the Rugby Football League had first entered partnership in 2015, with the bookmaker agreeing to a three-year title Challenge Cup title sponsorship.The bookmaker details that it has capitalised on the competition’s vast and growing fan base which is led through the competition’s broadcast on BBC and Sky Sports channels which have seen a record number of live games broadcast this year.Ladbrokes Coral Chief Executive, Jim Mullen, commented on the extension: “Our decision to sponsor the Challenge Cup was an easy one. We want our name to be associated with prestigious, passionate sporting events and this ticks those boxes, so it was a no brainer when it came to extending our association with the game. We play hard to win and that’s what the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup is all about.”
Share Share StumbleUpon Submit ‘Deal maker’ Rafi Ashkenazi ends Flutter tenure August 27, 2020 Related Articles SBC Magazine Issue 10: Kaizen Gaming rebrand and focus for William Hill CEO August 25, 2020 The degree to which the fortunes of the Stars Group and William Hill have diverged since their failed merger talks 18 months ago provides an interesting counterpoint to the current obsession with sector M&A.A recent note on Stars published by the Canadian analyst team at Canaccord Genuity noted that the company’s share price rose 54 percent in 2017, placing it at the top end of online gambling sector performers.The analysts said it was a year of “operational delivery” with the management team strengthened by a number of new appointments, the latest of which has seen ex-William Hill online chief Andy Lee announced as the new head of the BetStars sportsbook operation.The group’s financial metrics are certainly on the up. Free cash flow is expected to double year-on-year to C$449m with the net debt to EBITDA ratio falling back to 3.2 times from 4.3 times. This was after a $198m earnout payment to the previous owner of the company was met during the year. Full-year EBITDA guidance for 2017 has risen to between C$590m and C$610m compared to consensus of less than $540m at the start of the year.Stars chief executive Rafi Ashkenazi has said recently he is interested in potential M&A, with the acquisition of unidentified sportsbooks apparently at the top of his agenda. The merger chatter about William Hill might even be revived.Renewed speculation likely accounts for another 11 percent surge in the Stars Group share price since the start of the year. But the trajectory of William Hill since the near miss of October 2016 should give him and his shareholders pause, perhaps.The merger attempt failed due to concerns on the part of a key William Hill shareholders that the UK company would be shackling itself to a failing giant. In light of subsequent events, it might be that the shoe is on the other foot.The William Hill share price has been largely static over the course of the last year and recent newspaper stories suggesting the government was leaning towards a £2 maximum stake for the bookies’ gaming machines caused a 10 percent fall just the other week.It won’t have gone unnoticed that the combined movements mean that the Stars Group is just edging it as the larger company with a market cap of circa £2.7bn compared to William Hill’s £2.6bn valuation.The revival in Stars’ fortunes raises inevitable speculation about would have happened if the two had merged.Where Stars has been helped in recent years is in its ability to make its own luck. Ashkenazi has used the period of independence to manage the regulatory-driven headwinds (it has pulled out of Australia, the Czech Republic and Poland) and maintain growth in the core poker product without allowing the casino operations to wholly cannibalise revenues.In the meantime, William Hill has been through a relatively torrid time. The online operation has been in turnaround for a number of years and the soon-to-fall sword of Damocles that is the triennial review could yet decimate the company’s retail operations.The performance of the operation in Australia, meanwhile, provides illustration of the difficulties that can be encountered post-M&A. Recent statements from the management would suggest the attempt to buy its way into Australia via acquisition is at the point of failure.It demonstrates the adage that execution really is the be-all-and-end-all of M&A. For all the speculation, it is the work done post-deal that will determine a deal’s ultimate worth, not the valuation achieved when it is signed.The recent merger chatter involving both William Hill and Ladbrokes Coral has concentrated on what the triennial review means for the UK high street businesses, and with good reason.But necessary as the various valuation attempts are, they aren’t hugely enlightening about what the future holds should the big succeed. Certainly, the advent of the GVC bid has somewhat masked the evident struggle Ladbrokes Coral is having with the Ladbrokes brand itself. Execution there would certainly seem to be awry.GVC has a decent record of improving the prospects of its buyout targets. But it will have its hands full taking over the underperforming Ladbrokes and the more middling Coral.A combined Stars/William Hill entity would be well-placed if the US sports betting landscape were to open up and Ashkenazi would surely stay with the business post-deal to drive further online progress.But if the newspaper rumours are true about a £2 stake limit on gaming machines then whatever rump shop estate is left following the inevitable closures would act more as a drag than a driver.It wouldn’t be the sole cultural issue either. Excitable analyst chatter almost inevitably focuses on what are almost euphemistically called cost synergies – job losses in other words – and managing that process has proven to be a trial elsewhere in the sector.None of this will halt a deal – the momentum of M&A discussions is focused on getting it over the line. But spare a thought for those who pick up the operational baton once the bankers have collected their fees. Flutter moves to refine merger benefits against 2020 trading realities August 27, 2020
StumbleUpon Share Ben Keith, Star Sports: racing must be diverse, fun, and welcoming January 22, 2020 British retail bookmaker Star Sports recently launched its first online sports betting site, enlisting the help of London-based platform provider Two-Up Digital to do so. SBC caught up with Two-Up CEO Robbie Morris to find out more about the partnership.SBC: As a developer, how testing/difficult has it been to launch legacy racing bookmaker Star Sports digital proposition? How does this project differ to other industry product launches?Robbie Morris: It’s been a slog, but I wouldn’t say it’s been typically difficult. Because we took on the project as a start-up, we’ve battled through with a ‘just get it done’ attitude and that has helped us drive against the delivery milestones. A lack of process has meant some difficult periods, but we had a vision and we delivered it against our projected plans. When we look back at it like that, then it’s been a huge success and has given us the foundations to build a truly scalable platform in a truly agile environment. Having worked in delivery of projects for the last 10 years, there aren’t many that I can say went out exactly as projected.SBC: When taking on board this project, what unique factors and dynamics did you research with regards to Star Sports, its history, its brand, and its betting proposition?RM: Having worked with Star Sports for the last six years or so, we always had a strong idea of Star’s brand presence, where it was aiming itself in the market and what it wanted to achieve. Ben’s a big advocate of trying ideas and not being afraid to fail. This gave us licence to tackle the project in a way that suited both the build of Star Sports, and the scaling of the platform.We’ve been very keen all along to showcase our product and customer knowledge, and use the skill sets that we’ve garnered working in the industry to develop something that can allow us to move away from the industry norm. While we had an initial brief to get Star up and running online, we’re in a position now where we can quickly develop and launch new and exciting product quickly. Expect some exciting innovations in the Star product over the next few months.SBC: Did you develop Star Sports website with a particular target audience in mind or were you aiming for a wider public appeal?RM: This is where we had to define and develop a fine balance. Star’s customer base expect high levels of professionalism and customer service, but at the same time we wanted to be able to allow Star to evolve that customer base to attract a more casual punter. We also had to think about going to market with a B2B platform product so we had to factor in a lot.We consulted closely with a number of Star’s customers, and I like to think we delivered a website that they appreciate without closing off the more casual punter.SBC: Its appears that you have placed a high emphasis on highlighting Star Sports unique content and expertise on sports/racing. Why is this dynamic important for the portal’s user engagement?RM: The work Star are doing behind the scenes in both the horse racing and greyhound industry is only there to improve the outreach of both sports to a wider audience. Star are out to engage and retain customers, rather than just offer something that every other bookmaker is doing and we wanted to support that. It would be too easy too just go to market with the same as everyone else, we want to prove that we can offer a different experience for the operators on our platform based on where they want to position themselves.SBC: Finally, what is next install for the partnership between Star Sports and Two-Up?RM: It’s going to be an exciting few months. The casino (in partnership with NYX) will launch in the coming weeks. Our build-a-bet product, which we believe has the best interface of the ones out there, will launch in the next two months and we’ve got some strong visions on how to develop a different international racing product.Obviously America is something we’re exploring closely, and continuing to acquire and retain new customers will forever be at the forefront of any plans. We’re excited about what the future holds in store. Related Articles Submit Share Countdown to Cheltenham: Star Sports on why they ‘do not bet on an opinion’ March 10, 2020 On-course bookies rail against ‘severe’ age-verification penalties January 29, 2020