Author: Andrew Fletcher

IG Group has agreed to acquire prediction markets and daily fantasy sports operator Underdog in a deal valued at $1.1bn, equivalent to approximately £810m. The acquisition represents a major strategic pivot for the London-listed fintech firm, broadening its focus well beyond traditional leveraged trading and investing into a far wider range of markets. Underdog’s platform covers predictions spanning sports, politics, crypto, finance, and cultural events, giving IG Group a broad and diversified foothold in the fast-growing sector. The deal structure includes up to $200m in earnout payments tied to 2026 financial performance, alongside a management incentive plan worth as much…

The first half of the year has closed with operators tallying results from the World Cup, prompting SOFTSWISS to release its comprehensive iGaming Trends 2027 report. The report examines some of Europe’s largest but most complex regulated markets, with the UK and Netherlands drawing particular attention from analysts and operators alike. Across Europe, from the UK and France in the west to the Nordics and Balkan nations, regulators have been busy constructing new frameworks to govern the betting sector. In the UK, Remote Gaming Duty rose from 21% to 40% from April 2026, following the budget announcement made the previous…

GGBET UA and Ukrainian football club FC Polissya have reaffirmed their shared mission to “bring sport closer” to fans across Ukraine. The partnership, which first launched in June 2025, has evolved into a broad creative collaboration spanning exclusive content, fan events, and media activations. The 2026/27 Ukrainian football season kicked off on 2 August, with FC Polissya opening their campaign against Chornomorets Odesa on Sunday afternoon. GGBET UA has built its Ukrainian marketing strategy around the deep community roots that football clubs hold across the country, recognising sport as a powerful cultural touchstone. Beyond FC Polissya, the betting brand also…

Two Premier League clubs are scrambling to find a new main shirt sponsor just three weeks before the 2026/27 season gets underway. Sunderland AFC and Nottingham Forest FC both previously held front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship deals, but neither has secured a replacement as the new ban comes into effect. The front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship ban has been introduced for the 2026/27 Premier League season, forcing clubs to seek commercial partners from outside the gambling industry. W88, an operator without a UK licence, had its logo on the front of Sunderland’s shirts throughout the 2025/26 campaign, giving the club significant exposure in that…

Betfred is set to close more than 132 betting shops across the UK, putting up to 600 jobs at risk later this year. The closures represent approximately 10% of the company’s retail estate, which currently spans over 1,200 shops nationwide. Chief Executive Officer Joanne Whittaker has directly attributed the decision to a combination of difficult fiscal and regulatory pressures currently facing the industry. Whittaker said the decision to close the shops was taken with “deep regret,” acknowledging the significant human cost tied to the announcement. Remote Gaming Duty rose sharply from 21% to 40% from 1 April 2026, applying to…

Waterhouse VC, the gaming and wagering-focused venture capital fund run by Australian bookmaking figure Tom Waterhouse, has published its July 2026 newsletter. The fund invests globally in publicly listed and private companies across the wagering and gaming ecosystem and is available to wholesale investors only. Since its inception in August 2019, Waterhouse VC has achieved a net total return of +2942%, equivalent to 65% per annum annualised, as at 30 June 2026, assuming reinvestment of all distributions. This month’s newsletter focuses specifically on the impact prediction markets are having on the underlying economics of sports betting. The World Cup provided…

Wetherspoons has fired back at the Financial Times after a provocative analysis suggested its gambling machines may rival food sales in profitability. The FT’s calculations focused on the pub giant’s gaming machines, which represented just 3.4% of group revenue in 2025 but carry potentially higher margins due to leasing arrangements. Wetherspoons issued an unusually detailed rebuttal, accusing the newspaper of “voodoo economics” and pointing out that food sales remain more than 10 times larger than machine revenues. The company also noted that gaming machine revenue as a share of total sales has actually fallen dramatically since its original stock market…

Betfred, the bookmaker founded by Fred Done, is actively exploring entry into the Adult Gaming Centre space, also known as slot arcades, according to reports. The Warrington-based operator announced on 31 July 2026 that it would close 132 shops across the UK, representing around 10% of its total retail footprint. The closures will result in approximately 600 job losses, dealing a significant blow to Betfred’s workforce across the country. The decision follows the near-doubling of Remote Gaming Duty earlier in the year, with Betting Duty also set to rise from April next year. Joanne Whittaker, CEO of Betfred, said: “These…

Allwyn has announced the first recipients of its Player Protection Lab awards, with two separate research projects each receiving funding of up to €100,000. The awards were granted to psychologist and statistician Dr. Michael Auer and Newton University in the Czech Republic, with both studies expected to conclude by September 2027. Allwyn CEO Robert Chvátal stated: “Player protection is core to what we do and we are committed to making play better for all wherever we operate… The award aims to fund research that identifies novel solutions and tools that enhance safe play.” Dr. Auer’s project will test personalised messages…

The Court of Appeal has dismissed a legal challenge from The New Lottery Company and Northern & Shell seeking to overturn the award of the fourth UK National Lottery licence to Allwyn. Allwyn was granted the licence in March 2022, beating competition from The New Lottery Company, Italy’s Sisal, and incumbent operator Camelot to secure the deal. Both The New Lottery Company and Northern & Shell had alleged before the High Court that the Gambling Commission wrongly awarded the licence, arguing The New Lottery Company should have won instead. The High Court dismissed those claims in April, also rejecting allegations…