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SAZKA Group teams up with Sir Keith Mills in bid for Fourth UK National Lottery Licence
SAZKA Group, Europe’s largest lottery operator, today announced it has appointed Sir Keith Mills as Bid Chair of the UK team for the Fourth National Lottery Licence Competition. Sir Keith, a successful entrepreneur whose creative talent conceived the loyalty programmes so ubiquitous today, brings a wealth of experience from his roles across sport, charities, and business. He played a pivotal role in London’s successful bid to host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and subsequently, their successful staging. For the past six years he has chaired the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, a role he hands over to Lord William Hague next month. He is also Chairman of the Invictus Games, the international adaptive multi-sport event created by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.
Commenting on the announcement, Sir Keith said, “I am driven by organisations that make a real contribution to society. I chose to team up with Sazka for the Fourth National Lottery Licence Competition because I believe the UK National Lottery needs to grow and be engaging if it is to continue to fund the thousands of good causes every year. Our lottery is a national treasure with nearly 26 years of history; however, the landscape has changed immeasurably since it was first launched back in 1994. The challenge now is to ensure the lottery connects with people right across the country, making it fresh and exciting as it once was, bringing new ways that are relevant for today and tomorrow’s generation. I feel passionately that it needs to be restored to the nation’s hearts, especially in these difficult times. I teamed up with Sazka because they have a proven record of taking established lotteries, growing them and evolving them to be relevant for the future. I am cognisant that much has to be done for us to make a winning case in this competition, but I believe that over the course of this process we will be able to demonstrate how Sazka’s expertise coupled with the experienced British team that we are building in the UK will offer the right stewardship for the UKNL for 2023 and beyond.”
As Bid Chairman, Sir Keith will lead a team with world-class bidding and delivery experience, including for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Comic Relief. Sazka has appointed former London 2012 employee, Alastair Ruxton, as the Bid Director, together with British experts in key areas such as Player Protection, Good Causes, Innovation, Digital, Retail and Customer Experience.
Commenting on the agreement, SAZKA Group CEO Robert Chvátal said, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Sir Keith Mills and have him lead our entry in the Fourth National Lottery Licence Competition. We are hugely excited to be participating in this competition and for the chance to take stewardship of the National Lottery, helping the UK to fall back in love with this vital institution. Operating in five different national markets (Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus) has given us an unprecedented level of insight and experience in running lotteries. In addition, we have consistently increased participation and revenues for the lotteries we operate. We want to bring this deep knowledge and customer insight to revitalise the UK National Lottery increasing sales and money raised for good causes, thereby providing a much-needed long-term boost to community, arts, sports and heritage institutions across the UK.”
After submitting the Selection Questionnaire earlier this month, SAZKA Group has been accepted into the competition by the Gambling Commission, the body running the Competition. The team will now review the final bid application documents and continue to assemble a strong consortium capable of submitting a winning bid in 2021.
About Sir Keith Mills
Sir Keith Mills GBE DL is a British business entrepreneur who founded the Air Miles and Nectar customer loyalty programmes and has established numerous businesses, both in the UK and internationally. In September 2003, Sir Keith was appointed International President and CEO of London 2012 established to bid for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Having won the bid, he established LOCOG to organise the Games, where he was Deputy Chairman alongside Lord Sebastian Coe. In 2007 Sir Keith established an Olympic related charity, International Inspiration, which he chaired, and in 2008 he established a UK charity, Sported, which he funded and chaired for 10 years. In 2014 Sir Keith established, and was Chairman of, the Invictus Games, working with Prince Harry to deliver a new major international sport event for wounded servicemen and women. Sir Keith Chairs the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and the Invictus Games Foundation. Sir Keith is also a Director and an investor in a number of private companies.
Sir Keith has received numerous awards including: Master Entrepreneur of the Year, Chief Executive of the Year, and the Sports Industry Businessman of the Year, and was knighted by The Queen in 2006 and again in 2013 when he received the Grand Knight Cross for his services to sport.
About SAZKA Group
The SAZKA Group is a national lottery, instant lottery and digital gaming operator, with our trusted brands and industry-leading technology delivering over €17bn in annual sales. Established in 2012, SAZKA Group is already one of Europe’s largest and fastest growing lottery companies and our strong performance across our markets is helping to fund good causes in the Czech Republic, Greece, Cyprus, Austria, and Italy.
Since entering the lottery market in 2012, SAZKA Group has quickly expanded from the Czech Republic into four other European markets. SAZKA Group has consistently taken on established lotteries and made them better, while also expanding into new market segments through market-leading technology platforms. The Group’s unique experience of operating in different jurisdictions enables it to adopt a tailored approach to customer experience in each market, helping to increase sales and returns to good causes.
Responsible gaming and funding good causes are at the heart of SAZKA Group’s business and culture. it promotes responsible gaming in all of its markets and is committed to having a positive impact where it operates. From building children’s hospitals in Greece to support for the Czech Olympic Foundation, SAZKA Group has put its business skills to the benefit of the local community.
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: SAZKA Group teams up with Sir Keith Mills in bid for Fourth UK National Lottery Licence
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GGPoker Unveils $24M End Of Year Giveaway – Celebrate December with Over $24 Million in Prizes!
December 1 through 31 – GGPoker to say #Thanks2024 with ticket drops, daily rewards and more
GGPoker, the World’s Biggest Poker Room, is excited to announce its $24M End of Year Giveaway, an extraordinary month-long festival running from December 1 to December 31, 2024. Packed with giveaways, tournaments, and rewards, the promotion is designed to delight players of all levels and close out the year in style.
The $24M prize pool includes the following highlights:
- $1M Paradise Online Ticket Drops: Randomly distributed tournament tickets during the upcoming WSOP Paradise Online series
- $12M 12 Days of Christmas Gift Boxes: Daily rewards for players logging in from December 15 to December 26
- $1M End of Year #Thanks2024 Flipout Tournament: A fast-paced, unique event running December 27 to December 31
- $10M December Cash Game Giveaway: Monthly leaderboards and promotions across GGPoker’s popular poker variants, plus $2.5M in GGCare & GGCheers rewards and $1M in bonuses for new players joining GGPoker in December
$1M Paradise Online Ticket Drops
Players participating in WSOP Paradise Online tournaments – running December 1 through December 15 – will automatically get a shot at winning one of $1M worth of tournament tickets, which will be dropped randomly as each event plays out. These tickets can be used to access some of the most exciting tournaments in the WSOP Paradise Online series, offering a shot at major prize pools.
$12M 12 Days of Christmas Gift Boxes
From December 15 to December 26, every player who logs in will receive a daily Christmas Gift Box. These festive surprises include:
- C$ Rewards
- Tournament Tickets
- Daily $100K Freeroll Tickets
- Sit & Go Tickets
- Snow Splash Items
Unwrapping a new surprise every day ensures that the holiday season is both fun and rewarding for GGPoker players.
$1M End of Year #Thanks2024 Flipout Tournament
To wrap up the year, GGPoker will host its #Thanks2024 Flipout Tournament, running from December 27 to December 31 and open to all GGCheers and GGCares qualifiers during this time. This fast-paced, unique format automatically pushes every player all-in each hand, creating an adrenaline-fueled path to big prizes. Qualifying is simple, and the players that make it through to Stage 3 will share in a $1M prize pool.
$10M December Cash Game Giveaway and more!
GGPoker’s popular monthly leaderboards will distribute $6.5M in prizes across multiple game variants, including:
- Rush & Cash
- Omaha
- All-In or Fold
- Short Deck Poker
Another $2.5M will be awarded through the long-running GGCare & GGCheers promotions, which reward players for bad beats, coolers, and lucky moments alike. Additionally, new players joining in December can claim up to $1M in bonuses, including welcome packages and daily freerolls.
“2024 has been an incredible year, and we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than by giving back to our players,” said Sarne Lightman, Managing Director of GGPoker. “With over $24M in prizes, including tournament tickets, cash giveaways, and festive rewards, the End of Year Giveaway ensures that every player, whether they’re seasoned grinders or just starting out, has the chance to finish the year on a high note. It’s our way of saying thank you and welcoming even more players to the GGPoker family!”
For full details about the $24M End of Year Giveaway, including terms and conditions, please visit: ggpoker.com/promotions/2024-end-of-year-giveaway/
The post GGPoker Unveils $24M End Of Year Giveaway – Celebrate December with Over $24 Million in Prizes! appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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GIANTX announces its Valorant team for 2025
Westside, Runner, and Tomaszy join Purp0 and Cloud to aim for a return to the top of one of the most prestigious international esports competitions
The global esports organization GIANTX has unveiled its new Valorant team for the 2025 Valorant Champions Tour (VCT). The primary goal is to qualify for the Valorant Champions, the world championship that will take place in Paris, after an uneven 2024 season.
The roster includes Cloud, Purp0, Westside, Runner, and Tomaszy. Cloud and Purp0 remain with the organization, while Westside, Runner, and Tomaszy are new additions.
- Cloud will take on the role of in-game leader (IGL).
- Purp0 will continue to bring his ability to perform in key situations.
- Westside joins from Diamant Esports and makes his debut at the highest level.
- Runner, previously with Team Vitality, played in the 2024 world championship.
- Tomaszy, formerly of Rebels Gaming and Karmine Corp, also joins the project.
The coaching staff will be led by Pipson, with Waylander as assistant coach. Both bring extensive experience from the competitive scenes of Valorant and Counter-Strike.
The EMEA region will feature 12 teams in the 2025 VCT:
- GIANTX,
- Fnatic,
- Natus Vincere,
- Team Liquid,
- KOI,
- Team Heretics,
- Apeks,
- BBL Esports,
- FUT Esports,
- Gentle Mates,
- Karmine Corp,
- and Team Vitality.
The official competition kicks off in January with the Kickoff Tournament, where teams will compete for a spot at the first international event of the year: Masters Bangkok.
This weekend, GIANTX will participate in the preseason tournament Intel Monsters Reloaded 2024 in Istanbul.
Their first opponent will be Team Liquid on Saturday at 6:00 PM. If they win, they will face the winner of the match between BBL Esports and SuperMassive in the final.
The post GIANTX announces its Valorant team for 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Sportradar Launches Gen AI Audio Advertising for Sportsbook and Casino Operators
Sportradar announced the launch of generative AI (gen AI) audio, a new feature within its ad:s multi-channel marketing service. The tool leverages the power of gen AI integrated with Sportradar’s live data, to automate the creation of personalized, real-time audio adverts for sportsbook and casino operators across one of the fastest growing digital marketing channels globally.
Ad:s gen AI audio provides operators with a ready-to-use audio marketing solution, allowing them to generate creative content during key sporting and gaming moments to efficiently scale advertising efforts into podcast streaming services and internet radio networks. Sportradar’s industry-leading technology automatically creates customised and dynamic adverts – featuring live-data to update odds, jackpots, and upcoming events— to increase brand awareness, uplift purchase intent and increase the likelihood of customer acquisition.
AI-generated audio adverts are the latest addition to Sportradar’s comprehensive, industry-leading, end-to-end marketing services, driving brand awareness, acquisition and retention across channels including programmatic display, video, audio, digital-out-of-home (DOOH), paid social media, paid search, sponsorships and affiliate marketing.
Niki Beier, SVP Marketing Services, said: “Sports fans and bettors are increasingly consuming audio content, with listenership increasing by over 1000% in the past seven years1. To deliver maximum marketing efficiency, we’re providing a sophisticated yet simple-to-use solution to sportsbook and casino operators. Through our gen AI technology, we’re making it easy for clients to integrate audio adverts into their acquisition and branding campaigns, to reach more customers with real-time relevant audio messages, without the need for creative teams or a high production budget.”
The post Sportradar Launches Gen AI Audio Advertising for Sportsbook and Casino Operators appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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