NEWS
Gambling industry targeted in UK Budget tax raid
The UK’s gambling industry could suffer job losses following a tax raid on the industry announced by Rachel Reeves in her recent Autumn Budget.
The Chancellor confi rmed that the changes are forecast to raise an additional £1.1billion a year by 2029-30. Although horse racing has been spared from the increases, remote gaming duty on online casinos will rise from 21% to 40% from April. Meanwhile, the levy on online sports betting will increase from 15% to 25%. Evoke, the owner of William Hill and 888, described the move as “ill-thought-through and counter-productive”. Other industry fi gures have also warned that thousands of jobs could be lost as a result.
Evoke raises over £153k for MND Association
Reeves said she is targeting the industry because it is “associated with the highest levels of harm.” As well as leaving horse racing alone, the Chancellor did not increase machine gaming duty which is charged on incoming revenue generated from slot machines.
TCSJOHNHUXLEY acquires GPI dice business
TCSJOHNHUXLEY, the leading global supplier of world-class casino equipment and services, has announced the strategic acquisition of the dice manufacturing business from Gaming Partners International (GPI). This landmark acquisition provides TCSJOHNHUXLEY with immediate ownership of GPI’s dice manufacturing capabilities, signifi cantly expanding the company’s
production footprint and product portfolio. With this purchase, TCSJOHNHUXLEY will now offer three premier dice brands: TK, Paulson, and TCSJOHNHUXLEY. Crucially, operations will be maintained in both Mexico and Missouri, USA, providing customers with dual supply capabilities for enhanced supply chain resilience and fl exibility across all global markets. This acquisition is a strategic move that enhances TCSJOHNHUXLEY’s core offering, secures its dominance in the dice sector, and ensures the continued delivery of the highest quality and most secure gaming dice to casinos worldwide.
ECA to hold Slot Floor Excellence Awards at ICE Barcelona
The European Casino Association (ECA), which represents the interests of 700 casinos in 29 countries, has announced that it will be using the platform provided by ICE Barcelona to stage the inaugural 2026 ECA Slot Floor Excellence Awards.
Following the presentation of the fi rst Slot Team of the Year Award during the European Dealer Championship in Bregenz, Austria, and the feedback received on this event, the ECA is expanding its recognition programme. The worthy winners of this fi rst award of its kind were the slot team of Casino de Monte-Carlo. The awards recognise the hospitality, professionalism and team spirit of the casino industry, celebrating both rising and established talent.
Entries will be judged by an independent panel comprising ECA representatives and
4 DECEMBER 2025
Evoke plc, one of the world’s leading betting and gaming companies with internationally renowned brands including William Hill, 888, and Mr Green, is delighted to announce that it raised £153,907 for the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association, at its second annual Charity Gala. Building on the success of last year’s inaugural event, this year’s gala once again surpassed expectations, raising more than last year and reinforcing evoke’s position as the highest-ever corporate fundraiser in the charity’s history. The fundraising milestone follows a year of activity including the joint Charity Race Day at Ripon Racecourse.
On the night, evoke also confi rmed a two-year extension of its partnership with the MND Association, setting a new combined fundraising target of over £1,000,000.
Merkur Group expands alliance with Spintec
Merkur Group has acquired a signifi cant stake in Spintec, a Slovenia-based developer and manufacturer of premium Electronic Table Games (ETGs), marking a new chapter in the companies’ collaboration. “Spintec is a highly innovative and successful ETG specialist, distinguished above all by
leading global slot manufacturers, under the supervision of ECA Honorary President Ron Goudsmit.
Hosted in partnership with Clarion Gaming, the ceremony will take place on Day Two of ICE (20 January 2026) at 5pm on the Enterprise Stage at Fira Barcelona Gran Via.
outstanding quality and a strong global footprint,” said Dominik Raasch, management board member, Merkur Games. “This investment is a real asset for the Merkur Group and an important driver of our international growth strategy.” The success of the partnership so far has been built on the combination of Spintec’s ETG technology and Merkur Group’s distribution structure, international network, and long- standing customer relationships. “Our collaboration creates valuable synergies that enable us to bring these high-quality ETG solutions to a signifi cantly broader audience,” Raasch explained.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104
