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The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has been in conversation with UK government officials in an attempt to dissuade incoming tax reform.
In a statement that endorses the BHA “#AxeTheTax” promotional campaign, which aims to battle the proposed tax levies that would mirror online betting taxes, the sporting body is continuing a dialogue with government ministers up until November 26, 2025.
British Horseracing Authority against the new tax proposals
In addition to the ministerial talks, the BHA has stated that it will be investing considerably in advertising, which strongly advocates against the new tax, which would reportedly equate to £4.1 billion ($5.6 billion) annually. These adverts will be placed across the Financial Times and news providers like Reuters.
The BHA statement also said, the racing body will “deliver further mainstream media coverage over the next six weeks that highlights the potential impact of gambling tax hikes on British racing. This will include broadcast and print plus a suite of products across social media.”
The BHA was active across all party conferences in opposition to the new taxes, and the incoming changes to racing wagering that would include financial affordability checks and other well-being mechanisms to support UK gamblers.
BHA argues job losses would be devastating
As we reported last month, the BHA Chief Executive, Brant Dunshea, was vocal about the financial impact the new tax could have on British racing.
He said the sport is “already in a precarious financial position and research has shown that a tax rise on racing could be catastrophic for the sport and the thousands of jobs that rely on it in towns and communities across the country.”
At the end of September, Chancellor Rachel Reeves was interviewed by broadcaster ITV, saying “They (gambling firms) should pay their fair share of taxes, and we’ll make sure that that happens.”

‘I do think there’s a case for gambling firms to pay more,’ said the chancellor when asked if she would consider increasing the taxes gambling firms pay
‘They should pay their fair share of taxes, and we’ll make sure that that happens’ pic.twitter.com/iNPyki9EVN
— ITVPolitics (@ITVNewsPolitics) September 29, 2025

The BHA made mention of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Shadow Gambling Minister Louie French MP in their release, saying that both supported opposition to any new tax increases, with the latter doing so on the main stage of the Conservative Party Conference.
Featured image: BHA
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A 20-year-old man has been arrested in Fort Payne, Alabama, following a search at three business locations where 38 illegal gambling machines were found.
It was on Monday (October 20) when officers from the Fort Payne Police Department conducted operations at three different businesses located at 601 Gault Ave S, 515 Gault Ave N and 1506 A Gault Ave N.
The police department says they received several tips that there were gambling machines located at these businesses. It was during the operation that 38 gambling machines were located.
The police force has taken to social media to share the insight into the situation, writing: “After further investigation it was discovered these machines were doing cash payouts.
“During the investigation Chief Davis reported over $7200.00 was seized. Gael Garcia, age 20 of Albertville was arrested and charged with: Possession of Gambling Devices, Conspiracy to Promote Gambling, Promoting Gambling, Possession of Gambling Records.”
Man arrested after 38 illegal gambling machines found. Credit: Fort Payne Police
The police force, which is based in the state of Alabama, regularly posts arrests and updates onto its Facebook page.
Can you gamble legally in Fort Payne or the state of Alabama?
The gambling laws in the United States have changed considerably over the last few years, but in Alabama gambling devices are banned.
While these are banned in the state, the federally recognized tribe known as the Poarch Band of Creek Indians legally operates three casinos in Atmore, Wetumpka and Montgomery. These are the only casinos in the state, with them including electronic bingo machines. However, table games aren’t legal so the casinos don’t have roulette, blackjack, poker, and similar gambling games.
In March, an Alabama publisher interviewed the executive vice president of business development and government relations for the Poarch Creeks, Arthur Mothershed, who said that some would-be customers take their business elsewhere, like to the casinos in Mississippi.
“You just have some folks that aren’t entertained by playing slots,” Mothershed said. “Most people I talk to, they feel more in control of their destinies sitting at a card table. There is a skill,” he told the publisher. In order for table games to be introduced in Alabama, it would take an act of the Legislature followed by a vote.
Featured Image: Via Fort Payne on Facebook
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The European Gaming & Betting Association (EGBA) has launched an all-new pledge which establishes standards for responsible influencer marketing across the gambling sector.
The framework includes three core pillars which will apply to all forms of influencer content, including live streams, stories, posts, videos, and any digital content formats.

We’re pleased to have launched the Responsible Influencer Marketing in Online Gambling Pledge.
This pledge will be implemented through EGBA members’ marketing practices.
Read more: https://t.co/1D0ZS8VBUZ
1/3 #InfluencerMarketing #ResponsibleAdvertising pic.twitter.com/iifrEFvWTY
— EGBA (@EUgambling) October 21, 2025

One of the major parts of the pledge is the ‘Enhanced Advertising Standards’ category, which introduces rules and guidelines on transparency and age-gating mechanisms to prevent minors from accessing influencer marketing content for online gambling.
The Pledge on Responsible Influencer Marketing in Online Gambling was created in collaboration with the European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA) and is the first industry-wide set of influencer marketing standards in Europe’s gambling sector.
The trade association says this marks “a significant step forward in addressing the fast-paced evolution of online marketing, particularly the growing use of influencers in the gambling industry.”
What does the EGBA pledge on responsible influencer marketing include?
The ‘Enhanced Advertising Standards’ section aims to build on the EGBA Code’s prohibition of gambling market content appealing to minors by introducing content moderation requirements and audience demographic checks.
Another pillar is the ‘Influencer Selection Criteria’ which is where EGBA members are to commit to working exclusively with influencers who have been screened for responsible marketing conduct and who abide by advertising standards and legislation.
The members of the association are urged to use training programs to ensure the influencers they work with remain on top of the latest regulatory and self-regulatory developments for advertising.
The final core pillar is ‘Independent Monitoring and Compliance’ whereby EGBA members commit to regularly monitoring their influencer marketing content by independent entities and to promptly remove any content that is non-compliant with the pledge.
The Secretary General of EGBA, Maarten Haijer, explained more about the introduction of the pledge: “As the online advertising landscape continues to evolve, we’re proud to lead the industry with the first comprehensive standards for influencer marketing in Europe’s gambling sector.
“This pledge demonstrates our members’ commitment to responsible advertising and willingness to go beyond regulatory requirements to ensure the highest standards of transparency and minor protection in their influencer partnerships.”
Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram
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The sports technology company Sportradar is the latest to be awarded a gaming-vendor license in the UAE.
The company joins a growing list since the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) was established in the UAE in September 2023, with this being the federal executive agency responsible for regulating and overseeing commercial gaming in the United Arab Emirates.
According to the GCGRA website, it aims to “drive sustainable growth by cultivating world-class commercial gaming operations and implementing efficient regulation, grounded in the principles of integrity, innovation, and responsible practices.”
Since its inception, it has slowly built up its list of license holders and Sportradar is the 17th addition under the gaming-related vendor section. It’s these licensees that are authorized to do business in commercial gaming in the area.
While gambling is a sensitive issue and mostly illegal across the conservative Muslim Gulf region, economic competition has influenced major change. The Australian gambling supplier Aristocrat was the recipient of the inaugural vendor license, with it able to provide its land-based electronic games machines and online gaming products to approved commercial operators in the Gulf state.
Others on the list include Novomatic, Light & Wonder, Konami Gaming, Hub 88 Holdings, IGT Global Services Limited, and more.
Who is Sportradar, the latest to be given a UAE license?
The Sportradar Group is a sports technology company that provides sports federations, news media, consumer platforms and sports betting operators with a range of products and services. It closely covers ‘close to’ a million of events annually across all major sports.
Although founded in 2001, the company appears to have made significant strides over the last few years with a number of major partnerships having been announced or extended. At the beginning of the year, in February, its deal with Major League Baseball (MLB) was extended as they expanded on the duo’s decade-long partnership.
Its other partnerships include UEFA, FiA, NHL, ATP Tour, NBA, NASCAR, UTR Pro Tennis Tour, European Handball Federation, and more.
Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram
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