Weekend Report: Raketech’s new chair, Georgia’s gambling exclusion surge
Summary
Mon, 04 Aug 2025 12:49:15 +0000 | By Richard Mulligan
Welcome to the Weekend Report. This edition flags four short items: Raketech has a new chair after an extraordinary meeting; Georgia’s self-exclusion register has passed 30,000 people; Alderney’s Gambling Control Commission has appointed a new commissioner; and Annexio has surrendered its Isle of Man B2C licence as part of a regulatory realignment.
Author’s note (punchy): Leadership and regulatory shifts that matter to operators and affiliates. We’ve skimmed the detail so you don’t have to — but do read the bits that affect licences and self-exclusion rates.
Source
Key Points
- • Raketech appointed Kathryn Moore Baker as chair; Magnus Alebo joins the board and shareholders approved squeeze-out provisions plus authorisation to repurchase up to 25% of shares before the 2026 AGM.
- • Georgia’s national gambling exclusion registry topped 30,000 (30,451) entries for the first time; 30,392 are voluntary self-exclusions, 59 via court order; registrations run for five years under law.
- • Alderney’s Gambling Control Commission named Richard Walker (Guernsey’s financial crime lead) a commissioner — the first new commissioner in 15 years and seen as a landmark appointment.
- • Annexio Limited will stop taking bets under its Isle of Man B2C licence, citing the cost and complexity of multiple licences; it will continue operating under UK, Jersey and Northern Territory (Australia) licences.
Content summary
Raketech: Kathryn Moore Baker, formerly chair at Catena Media and ex-board member at GiG, replaces Ulrik Bengtsson as Raketech chair after shareholder approval at an extraordinary general meeting. The meeting also approved squeeze-out provisions and authorised a share buyback of up to 25% ahead of next year’s AGM.
Georgia: The Revenue Service’s figures show the self-exclusion register has climbed to 30,451 names, a near 4,000 increase since early May. Most people opted in voluntarily; being listed bans participation across online and land-based gambling for five years.
Alderney: Richard Walker, who led Guernsey’s interagency response to the Moneyval evaluation, joins the AGCC as a commissioner, replacing long-serving Jeremy Thompson. The AGCC chairman called the hire “a landmark appointment.”
Annexio: The group is streamlining its regulatory footprint by giving up its Isle of Man B2C licence, while keeping licences in the UK, Jersey and Australia’s Northern Territory. Annexio’s consumer brands include LottoGo and the Affiliate Empire programme.
Context and relevance
These items signal ongoing sector dynamics: boardroom reshuffles and corporate governance moves (Raketech), rising demand for self-exclusion tools and responsible gambling measures (Georgia), strengthening of regulatory expertise in small but influential jurisdictions (Alderney), and cost-driven licence rationalisation among operators (Annexio). Together they matter to operators, affiliates, compliance teams and investors watching licensing costs, reputational risk and responsible gambling trends.
Why should I read this?
Short version: if you work in operations, compliance, affiliates or investor relations, this is useful. Raketech’s board changes and buyback authorisation could affect strategy; Georgia’s jump in self-exclusions is a signal on demand for safer-gambling tools; Alderney’s hire tightens regulatory firepower; and Annexio’s licence move shows operators trimming regulatory complexity. We read it so you don’t have to — but these bits are worth a quick note in your next risk or strategy meeting.