Bookmakers accused of bypassing FOBT rules with roulette-style games. New high-stakes games pop up after government reduces stakes from £100 to £2. Bookmakers have been accused of trying to cheat rules curbing fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) after a Guardian investigation found high-stakes roulette-style games being launched on the same day restrictions on the machines came into force. A reduction in FOBT stakes from £100 to £2 was introduced on Monday, after the government branded them a “social blight” following a long-running campaign highlighting huge losses suffered by gamblers, some of them addicts. But less than 48 hours after the industry regulator warned bookmakers against trying to bypass the law, high street firms were accused of doing just that. The Gambling Commission said on Monday it was investigating the new products. The new games launched by bookmakers Betfred and prompted condemnation from campaigners, former sports minister Tracey Crouch and Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson, who branded them “FOBTs by the back door”. William Hill (WMH) is planning a similar product but has yet to launch it.
EasyJet warns of slow summer sales amid Brexit uncertainty. Budget airline says it is well-prepared for UK’s exit from EU but profits may be affected. easyJet (EZJ) expects profits for 2019 to be hit by falling demand as it blamed economic uncertainty and Brexit for spooking passengers. The airline said it was more cautious about the summer after weaker ticket sales in the UK and across Europe. Airlines and holiday firms have reduced prices because of the UK’s prolonged and uncertain withdrawal from the EU. In a trading update, easyJet confirmed the revenue generated per passenger had declined by 7.4%, in line with previous warnings, and it expected first-half losses of about £275m. The chief executive, Johan Lundgren, said the UK’s departure from the EU would affect trading over the next six months. “For the second half we are seeing softness in both the UK and Europe, which we believe comes from macroeconomic uncertainty and many unanswered questions surrounding Brexit, which are together driving weaker customer demand.”
G4S stripped of contract to run Birmingham prison. Most violent prison in England and Wales returned to public control on permanent basis. G4S (GFS) is to be permanently stripped of its contract to run Birmingham prison after the government was forced to take control of the failing jail. The Ministry of Justice took the unprecedented step of seizing control of the prison last August, removing its governor and moving out hundreds of prisoners, hours before a severely critical report was published by the prisons inspectorate. Ministers had hoped to restore management of the prison to G4S, which operates four other major prisons in the UK, but after extending the takeover in February to the end of summer, have decided to terminate the contract.
Superdry’s co-founder and chief to clash in battle over chain’s future. Julian Dunkerton has vowed to restore brand to ‘former glory’ if investors let him rejoin board. A co-founder of Superdry (SDRY) and its chief executive will face off in a shareholder vote on the future of the fashion retailer, which has lost its “cool” and 65% of its market value over the past year. Julian Dunkerton, the chain’s multimillionaire founder, is seeking shareholders’ backing to reinstall him on the board of the company he quit last year in a row over strategy. Dunkerton, who owns 18% of Superdry, has vowed to restore the brand to its former glory and turn around the “catastrophic” decline in its share price. However, Superdry’s board, led by the chief executive, Euan Sutherland, are urging shareholders to reject Dunkerton’s plan, claiming his return would be “extremely damaging”.
