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Racecourse Media Group results return to pre-Covid levels
Racecourse Media Group (RMG) has revealed its payments to racecourses have returned to pre-Covid levels, with £110m forecast to be paid to its shareholders for 2021.
The payments, earned through racecourses’ media and data rights, are expected to exceed 2019’s pre-Covid payments of £107m, and have been a contributory factor to many racecourses being able to return prize money to its pre-pandemic levels.
RMG is 100% owned by its racecourse shareholders and pays 100% of operating profit back to racecourses. This collective and collaborative ethos has seen RMG’s businesses become the biggest single funder of British horseracing. The 2021 results follow a hugely challenging year in 2020 when, due to the pandemic, RMG payments to racecourses fell by 25.9% on the previous year.
Chairman Roger Lewis said: “I thank and congratulate everyone involved in racing for their herculean efforts in 2021. The RMG racecourses ensured that horseracing continued for a second year in the most demanding of circumstances, which allowed RMG to deliver as great a return as possible for racing. The RMG model was again tested in 2021 and again proved to be resilient and reliable.
“The investment in, and development of, our media assets and new innovative products – such as the Watch & Bet service, ultra-low latency, on-screen timing data, the exploration of in-play opportunities, and enhancements on Racing TV, headlined by the stunning Virtual Studio – aided our recovery.
“These initiatives all contribute to the RMG strategy of attracting more eyes on to our racing which, in turn, drives betting turnover, subscriptions, and sponsorship opportunities in the sport. And this all feeds into the RMG vision of increasing returns to our racecourses for the benefit of the industry.
“The 2021 performance will mean that RMG will have delivered £1bn to racecourses since the start of the business in 2004. This is a testament to our racecourses’ dedication and commitment to working together for the greater good of racing.”
Lewis steps down from his role at the end of 2022 and the search for a new Chairman is underway.
He joined the Board of RMG in 2012 and was appointed Non-Executive Chairman on January 1, 2019. Over a 40-year career in sport, media and business, Lewis has held senior positions at the BBC, ITV, Classic FM, EMI and Decca, and was GCEO of the Welsh Rugby Union for nine years.
Lewis continues as Chair of the Churchill Lines Foundation, a military charity, a Director of Festival UK 2022 and President of the National Museums of Wales. He also sits on The Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours Panel.
He added: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my decade at RMG and have been humbled by the boundless enthusiasm and support that we receive from our shareholder racecourses.
“I am particularly pleased RMG was able to announce last July that our British racecourses agreed a media rights renewal extension until December 31, 2028.
“This was a pivotal moment for British racing. The RMG racecourses have created business clarity and confidence for years to come. The certainty which this landmark, long-term agreement provides is very special for everyone involved in British racing.
“I pay particular tribute to the outstanding leadership of the RMG CEO, Martin Stevenson, who together with his great team of RMG executives navigated this complex and detailed process with rigour, patience and clear focus and who continue to lead the business with dynamism.
“I have been very fortunate to have worked alongside an outstanding Board of Directors and I sincerely thank them for their friendship, help and support and their incredible insight into the business.”
The business is aiming to exceed 2021’s forecast payments of £110m for the year ahead.
Lewis continued: “RMG can now look forward to serving its shareholder racecourses, which, in turn, benefits the sport of racing for the foreseeable future.
“The unity of purpose which the RMG racecourses have created over the past 18 years, to build an evolving yet sustainable and secure financial business, is a rare and precious thing. It has been a privilege and an honour to have served racing for the past ten years. It’s been one hell of a ride!”
Martin Stevenson, CEO of RMG, paid tribute to Lewis, saying: “I would like to pay tribute to Roger, who during his tenure as first Board member and then Chairman, has been instrumental in the development and success of RMG and its businesses over the last decade.
“In particular, Roger has helped steer RMG through the pandemic, and all the huge challenges it presented, to the point where the business is now producing results, which were on a par with pre-covid payments to racecourses. That is a terrific outcome.
“I thank Roger for his leadership and friendship and for all that he has done for horseracing. We wish him all the best for the future once his tenure comes to its conclusion at the end of the year.”
Walking into the racetrack at Santa Anita on Saturday was more like walking into a sophisticated Hollywood mansion party than a gambling venue.
Santa Anita went ‘all in’ by throwing one heck of a horse racing celebration aimed at attracting a young, stylish group of fans. There was a thrilling three-horse photo finish in The California Crown $1 million stakes race, but the crowd was there to party and mingle first, cocktail and dine second, and maybe add in a bit of old-fashioned horse race gambling too.
SGG Media, the leading sports social media marketing agency, was one of the selected advertising partners to ensure the word got out about this ‘must attend’ L.A. event.
SGG’s young CEO, Troy Paul, (age 27) knew just what to do – by arranging seating and private boxes for six of his top L.A.-based social media Influencers and their 10 million social media followers. The value of SGG Media’s in-depth understanding of how to interact with younger fans certainly came to the fore in the run-up to the race, with the company’s clever strategic planning creating one million event-focused social media impressions that helped draw fans into the action.
SGG Media has a strong track record for promoting top sporting events by using its extensive network of 2,500 sports micro-influencer content creators and their 75 million sports fan followers – and Troy is certainly no stranger to the racetrack either, having begun attending races with his dad at the age of four before going on to visit major races such as the Derby and the Belmont.
Troy Paul, Chief Executive Officer at SGG Media, said: “Santa Anita threw one great race day party, bringing guests food from L.A.’s trendiest restaurants such as Funke and Wally’s while also giving them the chance to dance to first-class entertainment from star artists including Shaboozey.
“From SGG’s perspective, we’re thrilled to bring younger fans to events like this by showing them the excitement and beauty of horse races in stunning venues like Santa Anita, so we’re happy with the buzz we could create around what was a stunning party and an exciting day at the races.”
Peter Rotondo, Senior Vice President at 1/ST Racing, said: “California Crown was a huge success that featured top quality stakes horses, drew over 21,000 fans and generated total national wagering of nearly $24 million dollars”.
Chris Scrivner Executive Director of Gaming and Hospitality Choctaw Nation of Oklahom
Shape Games signs long-term agreement with Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
One of the largest tribal operators in the U.S. to leverage Kambi Group division Shape Games’ front-end development capabilities across its sportsbook and iCasino operations
Shape Games, an award-winning provider of front-end solutions to the betting and gaming industry and part of the Kambi Group, has agreed to a long-term front-end services partnership with Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (“Choctaw Nation”), one of the largest Indian Nations in the United States.
The partnership will see Shape Games supply Choctaw Nation with its fully managed front-end services and extensive suite of customer engagement solutions, supporting Choctaw in delivering superior product journeys and user experiences across both sportsbook and iCasino through its best-in-class, fully native technology.
Choctaw Nation owns a selection of gaming and hospitality destinations throughout southeastern Oklahoma – including its flagship resort located near the Texas border and in close proximity to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex with a population of more than eight million people – and joins several existing Kambi sportsbook partners such as BetCity, BetWarrior, Paf and Svenska Spel in leveraging Shape Games’ market-leading front-end services.
Martin Mouroux Dam, Managing Director at Shape Games, said: “We are excited to begin working in close partnership with the Choctaw Nation, who have a clear track record in developing successful digital businesses while creating unforgettable gaming and sports betting experiences for their valuable customers.
“The agreement represents a real milestone for Shape Games, extending our presence in the Americas with a hugely recognizable and successful operator. Trust is paramount in tribal partnerships, and we look forward to delivering a best-in-class gaming experience promoting long term sustainable revenues for the Choctaw Nation.”
Chris Scrivner, Executive Director of Gaming and Hospitality, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, said: “We are delighted to be enhancing our customer acquisition and retention capabilities in partnership with Shape Games.
“Shape Games’ commitment to offering seamless and engaging user experiences and proven delivery in both the sports betting and iCasino spaces aligns with our own, making them an ideal partner as we continue our growth trajectory.”
Galaxy Gaming is going to showcase its innovative new table game operating system, brand-new table games, and extensive online content portfolio at this year’s Global Gaming Expo (G2E), taking place from October 7-10 at booth #4016.
Matt Reback, President and CEO of Galaxy Gaming, said: “We are thrilled to showcase our category-leading collection of table game brands that resonate with players. By combining these with our cutting-edge technology, we deliver enhanced table gaming experiences—both in the casino or card room and online. This powerful combination not only enhances player engagement but also drives exceptional results for operators.”
This year’s booth will feature their standout table games collection alongside the latest in gaming technology. Highlights include:
Galaxy Operating System Sapphire – The Jewel of the Casino Floor
Galaxy Operating System (GOS) Sapphire is a next-generation game management system developed by the industry’s leading table game experts. Featuring innovative progressive jackpot options, eye-catching Nebula sensors, and groundbreaking digital tracking capabilities, GOS Sapphire is at the forefront of table game technology.
GOS’ flexible electronic bonusing platform powers the world’s first Dynamic Progressive. Unlike any other progressive, Dynamic Progressive adds an electrifying twist to Galaxy’s most popular progressives and paytables, with random pays multiplied by up to 10x each round! GOS Sapphire also features enhanced TableVisions with a fully customizable screen and integrated min/max table limits.
The Smart Bet – The World’s Greatest Collection of Table Games
Boasting the most robust table games library in the industry, Galaxy Gaming fuses established classics with exciting novelties. Level up your casino floor with player favorites like 21+3, Perfect Pairs, and Lucky Ladies, or amp up the excitement with fresh additions like Roulette UP and Dynamic Progressive, both powered by GOS.
Making its debut at G2E, EZ Baccarat is now enhanced with Galaxy Gaming’s Golden Talons and Divine 9 side bets—at no additional cost. For the first time in gaming history, these popular side bets are available as enhancements to EZ Baccarat, delivering an even more thrilling experience for players. These titles, along with the ever-popular Heads Up Hold’em, Player’s Edge 21, Deuces Wild Xtreme, High Card Flush, and more, will be available to play at the booth.
Galaxy Gaming Digital – Over Three Billion Wagers & Counting
Galaxy Gaming is the premier licensor of exclusive casino table games for live dealer and RNG online gaming. Renowned titles like 21+3, Lucky Ladies, Perfect Pairs, Caribbean Stud Poker, Buster Blackjack, and numerous others are available on over 3000 of the most popular iGaming sites worldwide. Galaxy’s online titles accounted for over 3.5 billion wagers in the last calendar year alone, a testament to their widespread popularity.
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