Hot Star

What is Hot Star?

Excluding lotteries, the Gambling Commission reported that GGY rose 4.7% to £13.2 billion ($17.7 billion) between April 2025 and March 2026.

Growth was strongest online, where remote casino, betting, and bingo GGY climbed 6.9% to £8.3 billion ($11.1 billion), compared with a modest 1.1% increase across land-based sectors.

This digital expansion coincided with a continued shrinkage in physical retail. Great Britain had 8,081 licensed premises at the end of the period, down 2% year-on-year.

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“The Commission’s approach to reporting may well create the inaccurate impression that the industry is inherently non-compliant,” he adds. A more balanced account might place failures alongside the majority of licensees that pass assessments or lead on customer wellbeing, although Waugh considers such a shift unlikely.

The “too easy to get a licence” argument doesn’t necessarily hold up to scrutiny, to be fair. Andrew Bentley, co-founder and CEO of regulatory technology startup LiSense, is one who rejects the suggestion.

“There are significant checks on individuals and businesses before a licence is granted,” he says. “The UK Gambling Commission has set out what it expects. If you want a licence in the UK, you need to meet those expectations.”

What is Hot Star?

Ryan Lawrence, founder of Engage Games, added: “Partnering with SSG – one of the most trusted names in global racing and sports betting – reflects the reputation and results we’ve built, and it’s the natural next step in our mission, to get better game experiences into the hands of as many players as possible.

“Through SSG’s network, we can now put proven, performance-driven capabilities in front of operators and rights holders worldwide.”

Spotlight, the group behind the media outlet Racing Post, hired Adam Gill as its new CTO in June amid continued investment in expanding the company’s product offering.