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Flutter’s UKI Division commits c.£8m to charitable causes in 2023
Paddy Power, Sky Betting and Gaming, and Betfair have all announced new funding campaigns
Additional funds of £250,000 have been raised for charity at events hosted by Flutter UKI
Flutter is proud to announce that its UK and Ireland division has committed up to £8 million to charitable initiatives this year, with its three key brands – Paddy Power, Sky Betting & Gaming (SBG) and Betfair – announcing new partnerships in recent weeks. A further £250,000 has been raised through fundraising events for its two Charities of the Year.
This activity forms part of Flutter’s wider global pledge to Do More for the communities in which it operates as part of the Group’s sustainability strategy – the Positive Impact Plan. The goal of Do More is to improve the lives of 10 million people by 2030, leveraging Flutter’s scale and the collective passion of its colleagues across three main areas of Sport & Play, Health and Wellbeing, and Tech4Good.
On Monday, in its own distinctive style, Paddy Power announced that it will be donating up to £1 million to Prostate Cancer UK as part of its lead sponsorship of the 2023 PDC World Darts Championship, which begins this month. The brand pledged to donate £1,000 for every 180 hit during the tournament and with 901 maximums scored during last year’s tournament, it is hoped that record will be smashed this year, meaning a possible £1 million donation to Prostate Cancer UK – a transformative sum for the charity that will ultimately save lives. In addition, the bookmaker and the PDC will join forces and use all their channels to encourage 180,000 fans, followers and customers in the UK to use Prostate Cancer UK’s online risk checker via prostatecanceruk.org/180-risk
This follows shortly after the launch of Betfair’s ‘Serial Winners Fund’ last month, in conjunction with Betfair ambassador and legendary jockey, Rachel Blackmore. The campaign will see Betfair support both the Injured Jockeys Fund and the Irish Injured Jockeys with an initial donation of £100,000, with a further £5,000 for every winner Blackmore rides between Betfair Chase Day and the Randox Grand National. This is likely to total a £250,000 donation, split equally between the two charities.
Earlier in November, Sky Bet launched its £6 million ‘Building Foundations Fund’ in partnership with the English Football League (EFL). This fund represents the largest multi-year, sponsor-backed fund that is dedicated solely to community activity and will give the 72 EFL clubs a chance to bid for grants of up to £100,000 to invest in ongoing programmes or to develop new initiatives. Sky Bet will invest £1 million per year into the Fund starting from the current 2023/2024 season.
Ian Brown, CEO of Flutter UKI, said: “I am really proud of the progress the UKI division has made this year to Do More for our communities as part of Flutter Group’s Positive Impact Plan. Our market-leading brands have each launched creative and impactful campaigns that directly support the causes that are close to our customers and our colleagues. Across Flutter, we hold ourselves to the highest standards in the industry, and we are passionate about making a lasting positive impact.”
Flutter also held its inaugural Charity Ball in Dublin in September in support of BUMBLEance, the Children’s Ambulance Service of Ireland, and its Annual Charity Gala in Leeds in November in support of the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund in Yorkshire. Flutter UKI donated £240,000 between the two charities and raised a further £250,000 across both events. Meanwhile, other donations across the year totalled £330,000, which included the re-launch of Cash4Clubs which provides small grants to local community sports clubs across the UK and Ireland.
Positive Impact Plan:
As part of Flutter’s Positive Impact Plan, we have set an ambitious goal to positively impact the lives of 10 million people by 2030. This initiative is aligned with our focus on sports, technology, health, and well-being and our aim is to create long-lasting, positive change in the communities we support.

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Wildz Group: iGaming Industry Leaders
A brand-new industry-facing name has been announced: Wildz Group™, powered by award-winning iGaming platform Rootz. In recognition of industry developments and company growth, Wildz Group™ has formed, as a collective of leading gambling entertainment brands.
The name directly references the Group’s iconic online casino and sports superbrand, Wildz.
Highlighting Our Products
The new Group will contain the Rootz Platform, powering the six existing gambling brands – Wildz™ Casino, Caxino™ Casino, Wheelz™ Casino, Spinz™ Casino, Chipz™ Casino, and Tuplaus™ Casino – with some exciting new additions in 2025 and beyond.
The leadership team believes Wildz Group will be the catalyst for even greater growth with suppliers, business partners, and collaborators across the gaming industry.
The post Wildz Group: iGaming Industry Leaders appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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ZITRO STRENGTHENS ITS CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY POLICY
A company-wide commitment that will guide all its locations and future sustainable initiatives.
Zitro is reinforcing its Corporate Sustainability Policy—a strategic framework integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles across all its global operations.
This policy applies to every office, employee, supplier, and part of the value chain, laying the foundation for responsible management that minimizes environmental impact, promotes inclusion and diversity, and upholds transparency and corporate ethics. Zitro reaffirms its dedication to sustainable development and making a positive difference in the communities where it operates.
Key focus areas include:
- Environmental commitment:Optimizing resources, improving energy efficiency, reducing emissions, and responsibly managing waste, aligned with international standards ISO 14064-1 and ISO 14067.
- Social commitment:Fostering diversity, inclusion, workplace wellbeing, and initiatives supporting community development and workplace safety.
- Governance commitment:Ensuring transparency, regulatory compliance, and cybersecurity, as well as encouraging responsible gaming.
With this policy, Zitro takes a step toward responsible and sustainable management across all business areas.
The post ZITRO STRENGTHENS ITS CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY POLICY appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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HIPTHER Community Voices: Interview with the CEO and co-founder of Nordcurrent Victoria Trofimova
In this edition of HIPTHER Community Voices, we talk with Victoria Trofimova, the CEO and co-founder of Nordcurrent, the biggest game studio to come out of Lithuania and the Baltics. Since starting the company in 2002, Victoria has led Nordcurrent from a small team to an international gaming success story — all without external funding.
She shares how key decisions like focusing on mobile games, building a diverse team, and staying true to their creative vision helped shape Nordcurrent’s growth. We also dive into how she’s helping put the Baltics on the global gaming map, supporting young talent, and what advice she has for the next generation of women leaders in tech.
Nordcurrent has grown into a Baltic powerhouse since its founding in 2002. What were some of the pivotal moments that shaped the studio’s identity and success—especially as a bootstrapped company?
One key moment was our decision to focus fully on mobile gaming early on. That shift, around 2010, allowed us to scale globally with titles like Cooking Fever, which became a long-term success story. Another pivotal step was building and retaining in-house capabilities, from development to marketing, while staying self-funded. Being bootstrapped taught us discipline, resilience, and how to make bold yet thoughtful decisions without external pressure.
You’ve scaled a 360-person team across multiple countries. What have been the biggest challenges—and advantages—of growing Nordcurrent without external funding?
The biggest challenge has been growth pacing. We had to build sustainably, without shortcuts. But that’s also been our advantage; we’ve kept creative control, built long-term trust with our team, and stayed focused on profitability and product quality. It’s a different rhythm, one that favors deep thinking over hype.
Diversity in gaming is still lagging behind. What concrete steps has Nordcurrent taken to drive inclusion, and how do you embed this into studio culture, hiring, and leadership?
We don’t overcomplicate it, we hire the best people who want to build great games with us. We don’t separate or label by gender, background, or title. If someone brings talent, drive, and a collaborative mindset, they belong here. That approach has naturally led to a diverse team, including strong female leadership across departments. We focus on creating an environment where everyone is treated equally, trusted, and heard.
You’ve spoken about attracting global talent to Lithuania and the Baltics. What makes the region appealing—and what misconceptions do you often have to overcome when recruiting internationally?
The Baltics offer a great work-life balance, strong tech ecosystems, and a tight-knit creative scene. But we still need to overcome outdated perceptions; for example, that it’s cold, isolated, or lacking opportunity. The truth is, Vilnius and other cities here are dynamic and are increasingly being recognized for innovation.
In such a saturated gaming market, how does Nordcurrent approach innovation and stay relevant without falling into trend-chasing?
We listen deeply. To players, to data, and to our instincts. With over two decades of experience, we’ve built a rich internal library of what works, what lasts, and what connects. Innovation for us isn’t about reinventing the wheel every time. It’s about layering insight, emotion, and cultural nuance onto strong foundations. We don’t chase trends, we ask how a game fits into people’s lives. That’s why titles like Airplane Chefs resonate. They’re familiar yet fresh, culturally rich but globally accessible. Years of learning has given us the confidence to trust our gut and the clarity to know when to try something bold.
From mobile hits to console and PC publishing—how has your portfolio strategy evolved, and how do you decide what kinds of games to invest in today?
Our mobile success gave us the freedom to diversify. With Nordcurrent Labs, we now publish PC and console games that align with our values: original IP, strong storytelling, and long-tail potential. We look for teams with vision and grit, whether it’s cozy games or narrative-rich adventures.
You recently acquired River End Games and the Cinemaware catalog. What’s the strategic thinking behind those moves, and what can players expect from these legacy properties going Forward?
River End Games brings deep narrative talent and AAA craftsmanship, which complements our publishing ambitions. With Cinemaware, we’re reimagining classics for a new generation. These acquisitions aren’t about nostalgia only, they’re about unlocking untapped creative value in ways that feel both respectful and bold.
How are you helping to nurture the next generation of game developers in the Baltics, and what role do you think studios should play in education or early talent development?
We take this responsibility seriously. As the largest Lithuania-born game developer, we feel a strong duty to help grow the industry, not just our studio. We actively collaborate with the Lithuanian Game Developers Association, support local game jams, and organize major meetups that bring the community together. Our goal is to make the gaming industry more visible, more accessible, and more appealing, especially to young people who may not yet see it as a real career path.
It’s not just about hiring talent, it’s about helping to create it. We believe studios should take an active role in popularizing the industry, opening doors, and building a future where game development is seen as a creative and respected profession.
You’re leading a company that’s rooted in Eastern Europe but competing on a global stage. How do you balance local values with global ambitions?
We don’t see it as a conflict. Our roots give us authenticity and resilience, and these are qualities that resonate globally. We build games that are grounded in strong craft and cultural richness but are universally relatable. Staying true to who we are has been our best strategy for going global.
And finally—what advice would you give to aspiring women leaders in tech and gaming who want to break into this industry and rise through the ranks?
Own your voice. You don’t need to fit a mold to lead. Surround yourself with people who challenge and support you. And remember, leadership isn’t just about a title, it’s about taking responsibility, lifting others, and staying curious. Tech and gaming need your perspective, and there’s room for you at the table.
The post HIPTHER Community Voices: Interview with the CEO and co-founder of Nordcurrent Victoria Trofimova appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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