News
Can EURO 2020 Spark a Betting Boom for Britain’s Bookies?
With UEFA and football fans breathing a sigh of relief that EURO 2020 is finally to be held this summer, will UK bookmakers be celebrating too come July?
Clawing Back the Lost Pounds
The coronavirus pandemic has proved a disruption to every walk of life in the UK. Successive lockdowns, closed schools, homeworking, and furlough schemes have changed the entire country over the past 12 months.
And for sports fans and online bookmakers, the past year has been equally disruptive. 2020 should have been a bumper year for Britain’s bookies. Instead, many of the bookmakers’ most active markets were either curtailed or wiped completely from the calendar.
The English Premier League was suspended – although it eventually came to a spluttering end just before the summer – while Wimbledon was cancelled and the Grand National went virtual. By the time of the first national lockdown, gamblers were resorting to betting on the only football around – Asian Handicaps featuring actual Asian teams, and the far reaches of the Belarus Premier League.
In fact, total tax receipts for the period April 2020 to March 2021 came to “just” £2.83bn. That marked a staggering drop of £182m – or 6% – compared to the previous year.
But it was the cancellation of EURO 2020 that really hit bookies hard. Major football events are normally huge cash cows for online bookmakers. And 2020 was due to be an even bigger betting bonanza for the betting sites: Scotland had qualified for their first major tournament in over 20 years, while for England EURO 2020 would have been as close to a home tournament as they had seen since EURO 1996.
Betting Bonanza Expected This Summer
Betting companies recovered as 2020 came to a close. Most players migrated online as the continuing closure of retail betting shops and casinos continued. Indeed, poker activity and online casino gameplay helped to soften the blow.
But nothing compares to a major football tournament to turn around betting sites’ fortunes. At the last big footballing festival – the 2018 World Cup – over €136bn in bets were taken by the bookies.
And with EURO 2020 being held across multiple countries, including England, UK bookies will be looking forward to a release of cash from gamblers itching to put their bankrolls and footie knowledge to good use.
England will play all of their group games at Wembley, as well as a potential semi-final and final – if they make it that far. The better Gareth Southgate’s team does, the more money will be flowing through the UK bookies’ coffers. Simply put, England have a very real chance of winning their first major trophy since the 1966 World Cup. And that could translate into a big payday for the bookmakers.
Bonuses & Promotions for EURO 2020
To take advantage of an expected bumper EURO 2020, major brands will have exclusive offers and promos for the event. The tournament starts on June 11 but we already know the 24 teams taking part. And if the 2018 World Cup is anything to go by, bookies will be going all out with a raft of special deals.
England specials will almost certainly be on the table. Money back on losing England bets may be offered, as well as enhanced odds on the team’s home games. New players will also be able to claim free bets when they open their accounts.
Moving Forward: What’s in Store for UK Gamblers?
Despite a year of betting shop closures and delayed or cancelled sporting events, the UK sports betting industry rode the storm well. Revenues at the big betting companies like William Hill and Sky held firm.
In the case of the Sky Betting and Gaming Group (SBG), online sports betting revenue actually increased by 26%. New player acquisitions and more customers betting online seems to have helped companies weather the COVID-19 storm.
But assuming a good EURO 2020, what lies in store for the UK bookmakers? There is a review of the 2005 Gambling Act which may see some of the bookies’ powers scaled back.
Affordability checks are a definite possibility, and an ombudsman may come in to force betting forms to reduce stakes where needed. In addition, visible gambling advertising on football shirts may become a thing of the past. Indeed, more and more football clubs are terminating deals with shirt sponsors from the gambling industry.
For now, the betting companies will be concerned with the success of EURO 2020. And with football punters promised a first bonanza of football since the 2018 World Cup, expect a similar bonanza on the bookmakers’ sites.
Affiliate Success
ReferOn Wins Prestigious “Best Affiliate Software 2025” at SiGMA Central Europe B2B Awards
A milestone achievement as ReferOn continues to impress
ReferOn, the next-generation affiliate management platform, has taken the title of “Best Affiliate Software 2025” at the SiGMA Central Europe B2B Awards, held in Rome.
The award recognises ReferOn’s rapid growth in becoming a leader in iGaming. It distinguishes the platform for its cutting-edge architecture, exceptional product innovations, and measurable impact on affiliate operations.
Redefining Affiliate Management
In a short amount of time since its inception, ReferOn has become one of the most recognised names in affiliate technology, leading the way by creating user-centric features that help the real needs of affiliate managers.
The platform recorded rapid adoption, supporting an influx of tens of thousands of affiliates and millions of clicks while continuously evolving and growing with new features and refinements. The platform’s approach to innovation and user-facing experiences is its new living interface, Refie. Refie brings awareness and human-like interaction to the platform, helping make affiliate operations more personable and accessible.
Building Beyond the Standard
Alex Bukin, General Manager at ReferOn, commented on the win, “This award is more than recognition. It empowers and validates our team, encouraging us never to stop building. At ReferOn, we always aim to shape how affiliate marketing should work. At its core, it should be simple, transparent, and powerful. Every new integration and feature comes from a team that deeply understands the product and what real affiliate managers need. This helps us refine our platform to be the best it can be. And we’re only getting started!”
Continued Momentum
ReferOn’s win at SiGMA Central Europe marks another significant achievement. In 2025, the platform conducted multiple migrations and released groundbreaking features to transform affiliate operations. Its sights are set on 2026 — a year that will be focused on product refinements, sustainable growth through key industry partnerships, and delivering more key solutions for real affiliate managers.
Affiliate Success
Casino Guru secures SiGMA Central Europe B2C Awards’ Best Affiliate 2025 distinction
Casino Guru has won the “Best Affiliate 2025” category at the SiGMA Central Europe B2C Awards, distinguishing the company’s efforts in delivering the best online casino database and guiding players to the safest casinos of their choice.
Via Tuscolana hosted the ceremony on Tuesday, November 4, in Rome, Italy, distinguishing a number of companies, among which was Casino Guru, which secured the landmark accolade for itself.
Commenting on the win, Casino Guru’s Head of Casino Research, Matej Novota, said: “Winning the Best Affiliate 2025 award at the SiGMA Central Europe B2C Awards is a meaningful milestone for us as we approach the end of the year. At Casino Guru, we are honored to be recognized in this category. Our mission has always been to build the world’s most comprehensive online casino database and to offer impartial insights that empower players to make informed decisions. This award strengthens our resolve to continue serving as a trusted bridge between players and operators, while upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and fairness in everything we do.”
Casino Guru has been awarded for its unflagging commitment to providing players with the most reliable up-to-date information about casinos and bonuses.
At its core, Casino Guru is committed to making the gambling industry safer and promoting best practices in Responsible Gaming. The company plays an active role in shaping these standards, drawing on its extensive experience, expertise, and firmly held values of fairness, integrity, and transparency.
Platforms such as the Global Self-Exclusion Initiative and Casino Guru Academy have been created to foster a better understanding of Responsible Gambling and how players and industry professionals can leverage it to their benefit.
Notably, the Casino Guru Awards have become a trend-setter in actively encouraging change on the part of industry stakeholders, and distinguishing deserving individuals and companies across numerous categories, such as Rising Star in Responsible Gambling, Most Impactful Social Responsibility Initiative, Fairest Bonus Policy, Industry Culture Shaper, and more.
Casino Guru has worked tirelessly, developing the world’s most complicated ranking system, the Safety Index, which carefully examines each casino’s offer, focusing on criteria favored by players, and issues an objective score that is also regularly updated.
Besides the Safety Index, Casino Guru has launched and maintains a world-beating independent adjudication service, the Complaint Resolution Center, which has returned more than $50m to players, including closing cases that involved more than $1m disputed by a single player.
Casino Guru is proud to receive the latest accolade from the SiGMA Central Europe B2C Awards, celebrating the company’s commitment to making gambling safer and better for everyone out there.
The Eastern European Gaming Summit (EEGS) is proud to announce Palms Bet as the General Sponsor of this year’s Affiliate Conference, taking place alongside EEGS 2025 – where innovation, regulation, and strategic collaboration converge.
As one of Bulgaria’s leading gaming and entertainment brands, Palms Bet has played a pivotal role in shaping the local and regional iGaming landscape. Its continued investment in digital innovation and affiliate partnerships reflects a deep commitment to responsible growth and industry excellence.
The Affiliate Conference at EEGS will gather affiliate leaders, operators, digital marketers, and regulators to explore the evolving landscape of player acquisition, data-driven marketing, and compliance in regulated markets.
Through its support, Palms Bet reinforces the mission of EEGS — to create a dynamic space for learning, networking, and advancing the future of the gaming and affiliate ecosystem across Europe.
🎯 Save the date:
🗓️ 26 November 2025
📍 Inter Expo Center, Sofia
Join us for an inspiring edition of EEGS and the Affiliate Conference, powered by Palms Bet!
Let’s shape the future of iGaming together – where innovation meets collaboration, and affiliates lead the way!
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News1 week agoN1 Partners at SiGMA Central Europe 2025 Results: A Key Pit Stop on the Road to the Helicopter
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Affiliate Success5 days ago
Casino Guru secures SiGMA Central Europe B2C Awards’ Best Affiliate 2025 distinction
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Conferences6 days ago
Palms Bet Takes Center Stage as General Sponsor of the EEGS Affiliate Conference
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Affiliate Success1 day ago
ReferOn Wins Prestigious “Best Affiliate Software 2025” at SiGMA Central Europe B2B Awards