Aviatrix and Hollywoodbets ready for take-off in South Africa

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Racing1, the brand name for the newly created Strategic Alliance between Tabcorp, Racecourse Media Group (RMG), 1/ST CONTENT and Arena Racing Company (ARC), has quickly broken new ground in an industry-first deal with SOREC (Société Royale d’Encouragement du Cheval) to import international racing into Morocco across digital and retail channels.

By leveraging Racing1’s truly global distribution network and reach, Moroccan racing fans can now enjoy a best-in-breed racing experience from the comfort of their homes, on the move, or in-store at their local retail outlet. The integration arrives courtesy of Racing1’s four cornerstone partners, who are already providing daily racing from the UK, North America and Australia via SOREC, creating an immediate spike in new revenues, and opening the door to many of the planet’s most prestigious racetracks.

Via the Racing1 brand, 1/ST CONTENT, ARC, RMG and Tabcorp are deploying their collective expertise to deliver targeted, localised solutions (featuring bespoke 24/7 racing video, data and wagering packages, including tote and managed trading services) that appeal to assorted audiences and their respective betting proclivities, whether they’re already familiar with racing, or new to the sport and in need of more educational content.

More broadly, Racing1’s compelling daily timetable of engaging horse racing action from around the world boasts a 24/7 chronology to seamlessly complement any racing or sporting schedule across all time-zones, supplying global partners with a reliable source of fast-settling betting content at varied viewing windows throughout diverse territories.

Racing1 confirmed the announcement at the recent ALA Conference (Association des Lotteries d’Afrique, 1 November) in Marrakesh which drew 12 African delegations, including representatives from national lotteries and government ministries. In a continent where football is king, there is now an emerging opportunity for North and West African operators and their customers to be introduced to more worldwide racing and the flexibility its 24/7 program presents.

Simon Fraser, spokesperson for Racing1, said: “The new Racing1 name symbolises the network of content leaders and right holders that our Strategic Partnership has conveniently coalesced into one all-access 24/7 hub. Transcending international boundaries, Racing1 is untying the tangled worldwide web of racing rights, while simultaneously bringing data-led innovation that dramatically deepens fans’ engagement. Our goal is to improve access and international interest in horse racing at a time when the sport is facing certain regulatory headwinds.

“It’s a great way to help global operators engage new and under-served audiences by delivering 24/7 horse racing. And, in this instance of Morocco, courtesy of our good friends at SOREC, international racing is now both complementing their domestic cards and also being broadcast at peak evening viewing slots. It’s all part of our wider Strategic Alliance promise to return better value to racing’s key stakeholders through more and more international deals.”

Omar Skalli, CEO of SOREC, added: “This partnership with Racing1 is a milestone for Moroccan horse racing fans, offering unprecedented access to the excitement of international horse racing and enriching their understanding of the sport. With daily coverage from top racing regions like the UK, North America and Australia via SOREC networks, our audience can now experience the thrill of the world’s most prestigious racetracks.”

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The Competition Tribunal (“Tribunal”) has issued an interim order directing Google Ireland Ltd and Google South Africa (Pty) Ltd (collectively, “Google”) to permit Lottoland South Africa (Pty) Ltd (“Lottoland”) to access its advertising services known as “Google Ads”, for so long as Google permits any firm in South Africa to utilise Google’s Ads Services to advertise fixed-odds betting on the outcome of lotteries. The Tribunal’s order applies for a period of six months from its date, or the conclusion of a hearing into the prohibited practices alleged by Lottoland, whichever is the earlier.

This platform enables advertisers to display ads to users who utilise Google search, with Google Ireland acting as the service provider for Google Ads in South Africa.

The Tribunal’s order follows an interim relief application by Lottoland, a licensed bookmaker, which, inter alia, offers fixed-odds bets on the outcome of various lotteries around the world, including the South African national lottery, sporting events and other betting contingencies. Lottoland competes with other licensed bookmakers in South Africa such as Hollywood Bets, World Sports Betting, Betway, Betfred (which owns Lottostar) and Netbet (which trades as Sportingbet).

In summary, Lottoland alleged that Google terminated its access to Google Ads without justification while allowing access to its competitors, causing it financial harm and distorting competition in the market that Lottoland operates in, to the detriment of consumers.

Google contended that Lottoland’s offering of fixed-odds bets on the outcome of the national lottery in South Africa contravenes sections 57(1) and 57(2)(g) of the Lotteries Act. It submitted that in terms of its online advertising policies, which are designed to protect users, restrictions are placed on the promotion of certain gambling activities. Of particular relevance, the promotion of lotteries is limited to state-licensed entities and that this restriction is in place to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Lotteries Act.

Reasons for Decision

A non-confidential version of the Tribunal’s reasons will be published in due course once any confidentiality claims in relation to the reasons have been finalised with the parties involved. In deciding the matter, the Tribunal considered the following three factors holistically, balancing each factor against the other to determine what is reasonable and just:

• Evidence relating to the alleged prohibited practice;

• The need to prevent serious or irreparable damage to the applicant (Lottoland); and

• The balance of convenience.

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 Booming Games proudly informs about its newest partnership with leading operator Hollywoodbets.

Booming Games is thrilled to announce this significant collaboration with Hollywoodbets, one of the largest operators in Africa.  The South African online gaming market is one of the world’s most exciting and rapidly emerging regulated markets. This tier-one partnership will allow Booming Games to provide its entire portfolio of slot games, ensuring a broad and engaging selection for players. Among the top-performing titles included are Ronaldinho Spin, Burning Classics, Gold Gold Gold 5000, TNT Bonanza 2, and Cash Pig. Both companies are confident that this partnership will bring unparalleled gaming experiences to the South African market.

Solomon Godwin, Head Africa at Booming Games, said: “South Africa, a robust market on the continent, offers tremendous opportunities for Booming Games. Partnering with a top-tier operator like Hollywoodbets enhances this potential. Hollywoodbets exemplifies the tier-one client we seek to support our growth ambitions in the region, and we are thrilled to collaborate with them.”

Wayde Dorkin, Head of Product at Hollywoodbets, said: “We are excited to partner with such a progressive slots provider. We expect our customers to take well to Booming Games and are planning to launch some of their groundbreaking new content exclusively in South Africa.”