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Former champion jockey Harry Skelton joins Star Sports as brand ambassador
Star Sports has signed Harry Skelton as a National Hunt brand ambassador.
Skelton won the 2020/21 Jump Jockeys’ Championship and is stable jockey to his brother Dan’s powerful yard in Warwickshire. Each week he will update Star Sports customers on his rides and the yard’s runners via a blog as well as providing regular video content and exposure on social media.
He joins recently retired jockey Davy Russell as a Star Sports ambassador and the pair will offer their insights and analysis each week, as well as each day during the major spring festivals.
“I’m really happy to be working with Star Sports,” said Skelton. “They have always invested in racing through sponsorships, Cheltenham preview nights and other activities. I’m looking forward to producing the blog and hopefully pointing their customers towards some decent winners over the next few months.
“Davy [Russell] is a top man and it will be great to catch up with him throughout the season. It will be strange not having him in the weighing room at Cheltenham in March, but I’m sure he’ll have lots of opinions on the English and Irish runners.”
Luke Tarr, Head of PR at Star Sports, said: “Harry is a great bloke and a brilliant jockey, and we are honoured to have him as our second National Hunt ambassador, joining the legend that is Davy Russell. How can you not love Harry’s airplane celebration? With Frankie Dettori in the final furlong of an amazing career, we need more characters in racing to attract new fans to the sport. Harry is just what the industry needs and with Davy alongside, the content we will be able to produce will be top class.”
Harry’s Five to Follow:
KATEIRA should be in for a good year. She’s stepping out of novice company for the first time, which we hope she will take in her stride. A possible starting point for her would be Wetherby, and we’ll look to go up in trip after that. She finished off last season with a great run at Aintree in a Grade 1. I think she’s a really tough mare, she’s by Kayf Tara, and hopefully she’ll only get better with age. All roads will hopefully lead to the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
HOE JOLY SMOKE is still a maiden and could be a bit more of a dark horse to follow this year. He’s by Black Sam Bellamy and has undergone a wind operation since he last ran in a Grade 2 at Kelso where he was going quite nicely but for stumbling after the second last and nearly pulling a shoe off. He was getting into the race nicely that day. He’s a nice big horse and hopefully he can lose that maiden tag fairly early on. He looks a nice type to follow down the handicap route in the early part of the season and we’ll see how and where he goes from there.
ETALON ran a nice race at the end of the season at Sandown in the EBF Final. He’s a nice, big horse who looks to go over fences now, where hopefully he can really progress. He’ll probably start off in handicaps, currently rated 120, and we hope he can move up the ranks and move into graded novice chases come the springtime.
TAKE NO CHANCES is due to go novice hurdling after three runs in bumpers. She ran very well twice but was slightly over the top by the time of her third run, so you can draw a line through that. She’ll probably start off around two or two-and-a-half miles. She showed some really nice form in a Listed bumper at Market Rasen last season behind Dysart Enos and Queens Gamble, so we hope that she can shake off her maiden tag early on and progress into better company in novice hurdles in the new year.
PIKAR is going to go novice chasing. He’s undergone a wind operation over the summer and has done very well physically. I think chasing is going to be his game – he’s a very good, neat jumper. We’ll start off over two miles and see if he needs to go up in trip. I could see this horse going into graded class – going chasing should suit him really well. He’s always been a good horse and has shown some decent form, but hopefully the wind op has worked and he can progress into those graded novice chases.
Skelton Stable Stars:
PROTEKTORAT is in great form. He’ll likely start off in the Betfair Chase and we’ll make further plans from there. He’s in great form at home and we’re really looking forward to Haydock. We hope he can defend his crown.
LE MILOS progressed up the weights last year after winning the Coral Gold Cup, from which we had our hearts set on the National. There’s a little bit of a different plan this year because he’s still young and probably has a little bit more to offer down the graded route. He’ll be out this side of Christmas and we’ll see where he takes us.
WEST BALBOA finished off the season very well at Aintree having won the Lanzarote prior to that. We now think three miles is going to be her game. She could start off at Wetherby in the West Yorkshire Hurdle, but that will depend on the ground. Then there’s the Stayers’ Hurdle and the three-mile hurdle at Aintree to look towards. A lot of water will go under the bridge before those two, but they will definitely be her main targets for the season. She was very progressive last season and the hope is that she is now ready for the big league.
MIDNIGHT RIVER will also probably start off at Wetherby before a tilt at the Coral Gold Cup. It’s a race that we won last year and it suits second-season novices. He’s progressed really well and is only now coming into his own, starting to get the hang of things. He was a boy who is now becoming a man. He’s up the weights, so he’s going to have to have a bit more in the locker in a very competitive handicap, but hopefully he’s ready for this now.
MY DROGO is back in after missing a year and a half. He seems in great form at home, but he’s a little bit hard to place at the moment given his experience and his rating. There aren’t that many options in the early season. He’s looking fit and well, though, so we’re looking to get started in the Old Roan at Aintree and will make more plans after that. He’s still got it and we’re very excited to get him back to the racecourse.
GALIA DES LITEAUX is all about very soft ground and three miles. There’s a Listed three-mile mares’ chase at Market Rasen which could be where she starts off. After that, we’ll know where we’re going with her. She’s a very honest mare, but those conditions are a must for her.
NURSE SUSAN is looking at the Listed mares’ novices’ chase which Galia Des Liteaux won last year at Bangor. Before she picked up a niggling injury, she looked pretty smart last season. She’s a great, big bull of a mare now – a whole different physique to what we had – and hopefully her time away has done her some good.
GREY DAWNING is going novice chasing. Three miles will probably be his trip and he will have learnt from last season – novices do make mistakes, that’s why they’re novices. He’s got all the ability in the world, even though he’s very unassuming at home and saves it for the track. He should be set for a good year in the novice chase division.

Latest News
Betano Transforms “El Loco” into “El Responsável”
Betano, the leading online sports betting and gaming brand owned by Kaizen Gaming, is launching its new responsible gaming campaign featuring former Uruguayan player Sebastián Abreu, nicknamed “El Loco”, as its ambassador.
The campaign aims to promote education about sports betting, reinforce its entertainment aspect, and dispel the idea that gaming is a form of investment.
Known for his irreverent style on and off the field, “Loco” Abreu entered the record books as the athlete who has played for the most clubs worldwide and was immortalised by his audacious “panenka” winning penalty kick in the 2010 World Cup quarterfinal (Uruguay vs Ghana). “El Loco” now assumes a new moniker as Betano’s ambassador: “El Responsável” (The Responsible One).
Using the concept of “Não mete o Loco” (Don’t Go Crazy) – a reference to Loco Abreu’s sports history – the new campaign premieres with an entertaining 60-second film starring the player. Speaking in his signature “portunhol” (a mix of Portuguese and Spanish) combined with popular expressions, Betano’s Responsible Gaming ambassador aims to raise awareness among football fans about the importance of time limits, controls, and breaks. By visiting the website naometeoloco.com, the public will have access to educational content on the subject, such as illustrative scenarios about respecting limits and knowing when to stop.
Media: youtu.be/1I8OZci5Hpw
Arthur Niggemann, Senior Marketing Manager for the Americas at Betano, said: “We brought a light and relaxed approach that will capture our audience’s attention to discuss a serious topic that Betano has been committed to since the beginning of its operations: responsible gaming.”
With the campaign designed to roll-out in phases, allowing the theme to be explored with the necessary teaching approach on an ongoing basis, Arthur Niggeman further explains: “In the next phases, the focus will be on educating the public more directly, with materials such as guides or step-by-step instructions for betting safely, reinforcing self-control and self-confidence as pillars of a conscious and responsible experience in the betting world.”
In addition to Brazil, the campaign will also be aired in Peru, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Argentina. Conceived by the Wieden + Kennedy SP agency, the campaign uses irreverence and a Latin American football idol to help boost awareness.
José Ferraz and Felipe Paiva, Group Creative Directors at W+KSP, explain: “Responsible gaming is a serious and extremely important topic for Betano. Therefore, to educate our consumers in a fun and relatable way, there’s no one better than the charismatic Loco Abreu. A player who took many risks on the field but returns to the game with a new role: spokesperson for conscious gaming.”
The campaign reinforces the three basic rules of responsible gaming: respect your limits, always playing with amounts within your financial reality; take breaks from gaming so it doesn’t become an intense routine; and bet for fun, without confusing entertainment with a form of supplementary income.
Campaign on the Streets, on Social Media, and in Stadiums
The communication for the campaign will be multiplatform and long-lasting, developed in three distinct phases. In addition to the main film, the campaign engages with the public through outdoor media around stadiums and light content on social media.
There will also be insertions during football broadcast intervals on open and Pay TV, even before ads from other betting houses. With the help of content creators and brand ambassadors – Adriane Galisteu and Felipe Massa – the campaign aims to make clear the entertainment nature of sports betting, but only when fun comes first.
Safe and Secure Platform
Responsible gaming is a pillar of Betano. The educational communications present on the platform will now be reinforced, highlighting Betano’s features for better time control and more responsible exposure to its games. Some examples include:
- Setting financial and time limits defined for different periods
- Session timers and other features that can be set by the customer
- Temporary and permanent self-exclusion options
- Time-out option
- Links to entities such as Gamblers Anonymous (Jogadores Anônimos) and other support organisations for players and families
- Rigorous verification that prevents underage entry
- 24/7 specialized support
Other relevant information for player protection already available on the Betano platform – such as ‘Avoid chasing losses’; ‘Only play when you can afford to lose’; or ‘Keep track of time and monitor the amount you spend’ – will be worked on in an even more didactic way, but also with lighter and more direct messages in online and physical actions: ‘A good player knows when to stop’ or ‘Respecting limits is part of the game’.
The post Betano Transforms “El Loco” into “El Responsável” appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Boomerang Partners wowed the guests of iGB L!VE London with a celebration of the first anniversary of the strategic partnership with AC Milan
On July 2-3, Boomerang Partners, a global marketing agency, participated in iGB L!VE London. One of the event’s highlights was the celebration of the first anniversary of the strategic partnership between Boomerang and AC Milan, one of the world’s premier football clubs. Boomerang is its Official Regional Partner.
Anton Eshtokin, Chief Marketing Officer at Boomerang Partners, commented: “We are very pleased with Boomerang Partners’ participation in iGB L!VE London. It is symbolic that, a year ago at iGB, we announced our strategic partnership with AC Milan. We celebrated the first anniversary of this epic collaboration in a great atmosphere, featuring match ticket raffles. We were delighted to welcome hundreds of guests to our booth, highlighting once again the prestige of our partnership with AC Milan in the industry. We have many more joint projects ahead of us, and we are sure that we will be able to surprise everyone.”
The celebration of the strategic partnership with AC Milan was one of the main (but not the only) reasons why the Boomerang Partners booth was a hotspot for visitors to the exhibition. More than 1,000 people visited it during the two-day event. Over 900 guests took part in the Penalty Challenge. The challenge featured two raffles — the first held offline at the Boomerang Partners booth on July 2, and the winner received premium tickets to one of the most famous football matches in the world between AC Milan and Inter FC. The second draw took place online on July 3 on Boomerang’s Instagram page. The winner will receive tickets to an AC Milan match in the Italian Serie A or the Coppa Italia.
The winner of the offline drawing on July 2 was Saad Shaikh, a data engineer at Betzoo Media. He shared his emotions: “This is my first time in iGB. My experience was truly great, and thank you again for giving me the opportunity to have a good time and enjoy the experience I’ll have in Milan. I haven’t been to Milan before. Back in my old days, my family went. Yeah, so this is my second chance. And thank you, Boomerang, for giving me this opportunity.”
iGB L!VE London was successful for Boomerang Partners. The increased attention from exhibition guests to the Boomerang Arena booth yielded impressive results. The agency held more than 120 business meetings and signed 15 new partnership agreements. As the brand enters its second year of partnership with AC Milan, it remains ambitious to follow its slogan, ‘Live without limits.’
About Boomerang
Boomerang Partners is a rapidly growing global brand offering a wide range of services. Boomerang is the Official Regional Partner of AC Milan and collaborates with women’s football star and influencer Alisha Lehmann. In 2024, it launched the inaugural Golden Boomerang Awards — a global tournament for affiliate teams. More than 400 affiliate teams participated in the second season of the tournament in 2025. Boomerang launched six new products in 2024, which contributed to an almost 1.5-fold increase in product users.
Boomerang’s portfolio contains 17+ brands offering affiliate and entertainment services across 40+ markets in compliance with local regulations. These products provide personalized bonuses and 24/7 multilingual support.
The post Boomerang Partners wowed the guests of iGB L!VE London with a celebration of the first anniversary of the strategic partnership with AC Milan appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Totogaming Joins Cernica Pantelimon RunFest: Not Just Present, But Fully Participating
“We weren’t just present — we were participants of Runfest. And that’s one of the most important aspects,” said Artak Ashkhatoyan, Deputy CEO of Totogaming.
On July 6, Totogaming joined the Cernica Pantelimon Runfest in Romania, once again emphasizing the importance of promoting amateur sports and a healthy lifestyle.
“Supporting such initiatives is a priority for TotoGaming. First, 50% of the proceeds from RunFest will be donated to the CLOVES Romania Foundation, supporting children affected by CLOVES Syndrome. And second, we’ve always believed in showing our passion for sports through actions, not just words. Have you noticed how we’re constantly rushing through life, yet when we look back, it often feels like we haven’t moved at all? It’s important for us to lead by example and show the importance of participation. This is exactly the message we’re promoting through our team’s active involvement in the marathon. After all, there can never be too much sport in our lives,” said TotoGaming’s Deputy CEO, Artak Ashkhatoyan.
A Simple Concept, a Powerful Impact
The concept of this sports event is straightforward: choose a distance between 1 to 21 kilometers and run. The goal? Make sport an integral part of everyday life. The crowd certainly embraced that, gathering as early as 8:30 a.m. — on a Sunday morning.
Totogaming contributed in two distinct capacities: as an official sponsor and as an active participant. A dedicated team of 13 employees represented the company at the Cernica Pantelimon RunFest, with 7 of them proudly taking part as runners.
More Than Just a Run
It wasn’t an easy challenge — especially because among Totogaming’s runners were people for whom running isn’t a daily habit, or even part of their life at all. Yet they couldn’t miss the opportunity, not least from the perspective of corporate responsibility.
“We just finished the 7.5-kilometer race!” shared Petrut-Adrian Toea from the Totogaming team.
“It was amazing, honestly. Around the 2-kilometer mark, I had this little battle with myself — I told myself I had to finish the race, no matter what. And I did it! I came in around 60th place out of over 100 runners, which for me is a really good result.”
“I see my participation as a small contribution toward promoting a healthy lifestyle. In my close circle, everyone knows I’m not exactly the sporty type. I’m not athletic, and I usually prefer having fun in other ways. But showing up here, early in the morning, in this intense heat, and completing almost 8 kilometers with just one short break — I think it set a good example.”
“I hope seeing someone like me finish this challenge motivates my friends to try something similar for their own health. I believe that’s a meaningful contribution”, – added Petrut-Andrea.
Totogaming also made it possible for every attendee to bring sport into their lives — quite literally. At the Totogaming tent, participants could ride stationary bikes and receive prizes based on the number of points they earned through their efforts.
Whether they were running, cycling, or simply cheering for friends, the goal for everyone was the same: to reach the destination of champions — by bringing sport into everyday life.
The post Totogaming Joins Cernica Pantelimon RunFest: Not Just Present, But Fully Participating appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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