Devil Fire

What is Devil Fire?

Jean-Michel Costes has also left the board after concluding his role at France’s Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ). 

Costes was involved with GREF at a time when numerous European regulators, including the ANJ, focused on tightening advertising regulations and boosting player protection frameworks. The forum thanked Costes for his dedicated service.

Replacing Miller as treasurer is Ian Angus, director of policy at the UK Gambling Commission where, since 2020, he has been closely engaged in policy development. This includes the Gambling Act white paper and its recommendations on financial risk assessments.

How to play Devil Fire

Fred Done, the 83-year-old founder of Betfred and Britain’s highest-paying taxpayer this year, has issued a stark warning about the impact of further tax increases on the gambling industry. 

In an interview with the Financial Times over the weekend, Done cautioned that additional tax hikes could result in widespread betting shop closures, harm related sectors such as horse racing and accelerate the decline of the high street.

Betfred currently operates approximately 1,094 retail shops across the UK. Done highlighted the concrete risks of Machine Gaming Duty – taxes on gambling machines – doubling from 20% to 40%, a move reportedly under consideration by Chancellor John Healey ahead of the Autumn Budget.

About Devil Fire

While the company did not comment on how its market share had progressed since then, on Sun International’s post-H1 earnings call on Mondat, Bengtsson reiterated that product was key for its next phase of expansion.

He also hinted at opportunities to expand both within and beyond its core market of South Africa.

On the earnings call, Bengtsson said Sun International viewed “plenty of inorganic opportunities” around the business.