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David Darling – Key Architect Of The UK Video Games Industry And Founder Of Kwalee, Honoured With Fellowship From WCUC

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A key architect of the UK video games industry has been honoured with a Fellowship from a Midlands college group and university centre.

David Darling, Founder & CEO of game development studio and publisher Kwalee and co-founder of Codemasters, has been named a Fellow of Warwickshire College and University Centre (WCUC).

The Fellowship was awarded in a ceremony at St Mary’s Church in Warwick on 13th October, which also saw students graduating from across the university centre.

David Darling, CEO of Kwalee, receiving the Fellowship Award from Angela Joyce, CEO of WCUC.

WCUC is the Higher Education arm of college group WCG (formerly Warwickshire College Group), which includes Royal Leamington Spa College, Warwick Trident College, Moreton Morrell College, Rugby College, Pershore College, and Evesham College.

Royal Leamington Spa College is based in the heart of Silicon Spa, a moniker for Leamington Spa, one of the biggest clusters of games developers in the UK.

The college runs a series of Games Design and Games Art courses from Level 3 up to degree level, with many of its graduates going on to work for games developers including Kwalee.

David Darling is recognised as one of the founding fathers of ‘Silicon Spa’, having founded Codemasters with his brother Richard in the region in 1986.

Codemasters launched classic game series, including Micro Machines, Dizzy, and Colin McRae Rally, which have gone on to sell millions of copies worldwide. In 2007, the Darlings sold their interests in the business.

David Darling founded Kwalee in Leamington Spa in 2011 and has grown the business into one of the world’s most successful hypercasual game publishers. Since its inception, their games have been installed over 900 million times. Darling is still innovating after decades in the industry and he remains as committed as ever to bringing great games to millions of players on mobile, PC, and console platforms.

Kwalee employs approximately 300 people across its studios in the UK, India, Portugal, and China and remote team members worldwide. The company’s success has seen more than £1.5 million in profits paid directly to its employees. Currently, Kwalee has over 180 open roles on its careers portal.

David Darling opened up about his shared history with Warwickshire, saying: “It was a great surprise and I’m really proud to have been made a Fellow of WCUC. I’ll try and motivate the students and take a particular interest with those on the games art and games design courses. My daughter studied at the college and really enjoyed and benefited from their creative, practical, and hands-on approach.

We’re always looking for new talented people at Kwalee and the educational system’s role is very important in developing that talent.”

It’s great that people have the opportunity to learn about games now, that wasn’t really an option when I was a student back in the 1980s.

When I was a child, we moved around the world. I went to 14 different schools and lived in a lot of countries. We settled here in Warwickshire and have been here for 30 years now. It’s home to me, a beautiful place, and I love living here in the heart of the country.

Angela Joyce, CEO of WCUC, said: “The title of Fellow is the highest accolade we can award as a college group and university centre. Fellowships are presented after great consideration, and we were delighted to recognise David Darling this year.

David is one of the most influential figures in the nation’s video game industry of the last 40 years and is still innovating and creating great games for millions of players worldwide.

His work has had a significant positive impact on the economy in Leamington and wider Warwickshire, and we are pleased to welcome David to our select group of Fellows.”

Watch the video from the ceremony:

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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Sterling Lotteries selects Yaspa as its primary open banking payments partner

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Yaspa, the award-winning Pay by Bank fintech, today announced a new partnership with Sterling Lotteries, the UK’s market-leading External Lottery Manager (ELM). Sterling has selected Yaspa as its primary open banking payments provider for prize-led fundraising, enabling faster, safer, and more efficient supporter payments across its charity lottery programmes.

Sterling powers weekly lotteries and raffles for 800+ UK charities, from local organisations to national causes. By integrating Yaspa, Sterling can offer a streamlined Pay by Bank experience that confirms entries in real-time, reduces processing costs, and strengthens fraud protection, thereby freeing up more funds for impact.

Yaspa’s Head of Commercial, Amie Kadhim, said: “Sterling sets a high bar for reliability, security, and supporter experience. We’re proud to power their next chapter with instant bank payments that help charities move faster, enhance engagement, and achieve more with every donation.”

The partnership aligns with Sterling’s ongoing modernisation of the charity lottery model, bringing the convenience supporters expect, while improving cashflow and operational efficiency for fundraising teams. Entry confirmation is immediate and funds settle instantly, helping charities plan with confidence and reduce admin overheads.

Richard Dixon, Managing Director at Sterling, said: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Yaspa to deliver an open banking solution that represents a true sector-first innovation. From the outset, it was clear that Yaspa shares Sterling’s vision for using technology to drive meaningful change in the charity lottery space. Open banking has transformed retail and financial services and now we’re bringing that same innovation to fundraising. It’s faster, more secure, and significantly more cost-effective for charities. By harnessing open banking, we offer charities a bold, efficient, and future-proof way to engage supporters, especially digital-first donors who expect a seamless experience.”

Key benefits for Sterling and its charity partners include:

  • Instant payment settlement and immediate entry confirmation

  • Lower processing costs compared with traditional methods i.e. debit and credit cards

  • Reduced fraud and chargeback risk, utilising bank-grade security

  • A smoother, mobile-first, user journey for supporters

The post Sterling Lotteries selects Yaspa as its primary open banking payments partner appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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RocketPlay wins Best Customer Service at European iGaming Excellence Awards

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RocketPlay Casino has been awarded Best Customer Service at the European iGaming Excellence Awards 2025 — a widely respected industry award celebrating excellence and innovation worldwide.

For RocketPlay, this award marks a major milestone — proof that genuine care, innovation, and consistent performance are noticed and appreciated by the iGaming industry.

“Our goal has always been simple — to create a service that players can rely on,” said Alex Martin, PR Manager at RocketPlay. “Winning this award highlights that our focus on trust, speed, and human connection truly makes a difference.”

This recognition also reflects the daily work of RocketPlay’s 24/7 multilingual support team, which delivers help within seconds and reaches 90%+ one-touch resolution. The casino maintains a CSAT score above 90%, and over half of all inquiries are now handled through AI-powered chat while keeping the tone personal and friendly.

The brand continues to strengthen its reputation across the community, holding top ratings such as 9.8/10 on CasinoGuru, 9.1/10 on AskGamblers, 4.4/5 on Trustpilot, and 4.3/5 on LCB.

RocketPlay remains committed to pushing standards higher — ensuring every player receives fast assistance, transparent communication. We thank the award organizers and the jury for this meaningful recognition.

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Boomerang Partners celebrated Golden Boomerang League winners and engaged booth guests with a gift auction at SiGMA Europe 2025

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Boomerang Partners, an affiliate marketing agency and an Official Regional Partner of AC Milan, participated in SiGMA Europe 2025 in Rome from November 4th to 6th, 2025. The company’s booth generated heightened interest among conference participants throughout the event. It was designed in the signature ‘Boomerang Arena’ concept, effectively connecting sports and modern technologies. The booth was divided into several themed zones dedicated to football, tennis, basketball, and boxing, as well as locations for sports-related activities.

One of the main highlights of Boomerang Partners’ participation in the Rome event was the announcement of the Golden Boomerang League winners. This sports traffic tournament took place from September 1st to October 31st. It involved current and new Boomerang Partners’ affiliate partners. 68 teams, which generated 20+ sports FTDs for brands from Boomerang Partners’ client portfolio over the two-month tournament period, made it to the final draw. On November 4th, the company determined the winners using certified randomization tools. The winners became:

  • QQMedia (prize — direct access to the annual Golden Boomerang Awards tournament)
  • Apex Media (AC Milan Experience package, including paid flight, accommodation, and attendance at an AC Milan home match at San Siro Stadium in Milan)
  • Luis Xavier (AC Milan Experience package, including paid flight, accommodation, and an AC Milan home match attendance).

The CEO of QQMedia commented: “Those who know me understand that I work with some of the largest operators in the industry, but Boomerang Partners will always hold a special place in my heart. What they are building is truly impressive, and I am proud to be part of this journey, witnessing how Boomerang Partners is steadily evolving from an underdog into a true power player.

A big thank you also goes to their entire team, especially the affiliate department, and in particular to Lilli, whose outstanding work, constant availability, and solution-oriented approach deserve special recognition.

The next goal is of course to win the Golden Boomerang Awards 2026, and we will give it our all to make that happen.”

Boomerang Partners’ booth guests could play ping-pong with promoters, who were actually professional players in disguise, as well as participate in Soccer Penalty Shootout, bowling, volleyball, tennis, and badminton using Nintendo Switch Sports. For participation and wins, they received chips of various denominations. Chips could also be earned by completing tasks on the Wheel of Fortune, ordering drinks at the bar, and even finding them in the open areas of the SiGMA Rome venue. On November 5th, Boomerang Partners hosted a gift auction at their booth, with chips as a currency. These prizes were raffled off:

  • Luka Modrić (AC Milan) signed jersey
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max
  • Ray-Ban | Meta Wayfarer smart glasses
  • Apple AirPods Pro 3

Those participants who failed to win the auction were in for a surprise. The next day, November 6th, a gift shop with items of varying prices opened at the Boomerang Partners booth. Booth guests could exchange chips for these gifts, which included, for example, AC Milan t-shirts, electric air pumps, instant photo printers, and other prizes.

Anton Eshtokin, Chief Marketing Officer at Boomerang Partners, commented: “Continuing the development of the ‘Boomerang Arena’ concept, we tried to bring numerous sports elements and meanings into the booth atmosphere, thus once again revealing our sports DNA and strategic vector. We traditionally applied the formula that connects business solutions, entertainment, and marketing activities.

We strive to make our booth a place that attracts partners and media, putting considerable effort into preparation, and believe that we have managed to solve the set tasks. We are already preparing for iGB Affiliate in Barcelona and invite you to visit our booth in advance.”

Boomerang Partners are ending 2025 on a major note, but they’re not saying goodbye for long. Stay tuned.

About Boomerang

Boomerang Partners is a rapidly growing global marketing agency offering a wide range of services. Boomerang Partners is the Official Regional Partner of AC Milan. 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. The agency launched six new products in 2024-2025, contributing to a nearly 1.5-fold increase in product users.

The agency’s client portfolio contains 13+ brands offering affiliate and entertainment services across 40+ markets in compliance with local regulations. These products provide personalized bonuses and 24/7 multilingual support.

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