DraftKings has brokered a deal to become the official sports betting and daily fantasy partner of Major League Baseball team the Chicago Cubs, while the operator has also opened a second retail sportsbook in New Hampshire.

Australian gaming machines and content provider Ainsworth Game Technology (AGT) has posted an Aus$39.6m (£21.8m/€24.3m/US$29.0m) comprehensive loss for its 2020 financial year, after the group’s operations were hit by the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

The Japan Racing Association (JRA) announced that horse racing in the country will continue to take place behind closed doors until at least 4 October.

The significant expansion and diversification of Flutter Entertainment’s operations through its acquisition of The Stars Group helped the operator mitigate the disruption caused by novel coronavirus (Covid-19) in the first half of the year.

British operator Betfred has made an offer to purchase struggling South African racing operator Phumelela for between ZAR875m and ZAR925m (£39.6m-£41.9m/€44.2m-€46.7m/$52.1m/$55.0m).

France Galop, the governing body for the country’s flat and steeplechase racing sector, says that while proceeds from betting on racing will be down year-on-year, it has been encouraged by growth in the sector from June onwards. This growth, it noted, had prompted horse race betting operator Pari-Mutuel Urbain (PMU) to raise its full-year profit forecasts.

Bettors in Illinois will be able to sign up for an online sports betting account without travelling to a physical location after Governor J.B. Pritzker reinstated an executive order suspending in-person registration.

Denmark’s regulated gambling revenue fell 19.2% year-on-year in the first half of 2020, after novel coronavirus (Covid-19) slashed land-based gaming and sports betting’s contribution in the second quarter.