Welcome to the Weekend Report, where iGB looks at the news that you may have missed across the last few days. This week includes a man arrested over horse race fixing in the UK, Bragg playing down a recent cyber incident and Paf partnering with Finnish Sky Association.
Arrest over horse race fixing in UK
A 42-year-old man has been arrested in connection with allegations of fixing horse races in the UK.
The unidentified man is alleged to have committed offences under section 42 of the Gambling Act 2005. This section concerns cheating at gambling or assisting someone else with cheating.
The arrest was part of a joint investigation by Greater Manchester Police and the Gambling Commission. This launched following reports of suspicious betting activity linked to horse races earlier this year.
The commission said it would not be commenting further on the case at this time.
Bragg seeks to allay fears over cyber incident
Bragg Gaming Group has played down a recent cyber incident, saying the issue has been resolved.
Bragg revealed the cybersecurity incident on 16 August. It said that it took appropriate steps to mitigate any potential impact of the breach, working with independent experts.
Bragg said there is no indication that any personal information was affected, nor was there any impact on its ability to operate. It also sought to reassure customers about the security of its game titles.
“The company has experienced no negative impact on its revenue or profitability and does not expect that the cost of responding to the incident will have a material financial impact on the company,” Bragg added.
Playbook Fusion enters Netherlands with Bingoal
Playbook Fusion has made its debut in the Dutch market through a partnership with Bingoal.
The deal will see Bingoal become the first operator in the Netherlands to launch Playbook Football. This real-money virtual football management betting game allows users to build teams, place bets, receive in-game rewards and climb divisions.
Bingoal customers can access the game across both the operator’s casino and sportsbook zones.
“This is a unique concept that offers gamification and persistence our bettors are seeking,” Bingoal Casino Product Manager Dany Salmon said. “We are confident that it will resonate well with our player base across Sports and Casino verticals.”
Games Global opens first live dealer studio in Brazil
Another new market entry comes from Brazil, where Games Global partnered with Spin Gaming to establish the country’s first live dealer studio.
Powered by OnAir, Spin Gaming will deliver live game streaming and technical support to its partners.
The agreement also marks the creation of the first Brazilian academy specialising in training live casino dealers. This, the two companies said, will help generate hundreds of jobs for people in Brazil.
“This landmark deal with Spin Gaming not only highlights Games Global’s unwavering commitment to delivering tailored solutions to local markets but also highlights our drive to support iGaming infrastructure in emerging jurisdictions,” said Ricardo Regner, director of LatAm at Games Global.
Paf lands Finnish Ski Association deal
Paf has signed a long-term partnership agreement with the Finnish Ski Association.
The deal runs through 2030, with Paf serving as the official main partner of the Finnish Ski Association. This will become effective when the new Finnish licensing system enters into force, provided Paf secures a licence.
The agreement covers the national A-teams in cross-country skiing, Nordic combined and ski jumping. It also includes the under-23 and under-20 national teams in cross-country skiing.
In addition, Paf will be an official partner of the FIS World Cup events in Ruka and Lahti, as well as the Finnish Cup in cross-country skiing.
“We are truly excited about this new main partnership with the Finnish Ski Association,” Paf Manager Thomas Näsman said. “Our shared values provide an excellent foundation for building a long-lasting and successful collaboration.”
This week, the Weekend Report includes horse race fixing in the UK and Bragg’s recent cyber attack.