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

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BOS in letter to the Government: appoint a new Gambling Inquiry
BOS – The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling – is today sending a letter to the Ministry of Finance with a proposal to appoint a new gambling inquiry. The inquiry’s task should be to propose measures that strengthen the proportion of legal, licensed gambling in Sweden, that is, the so-called channelization.
The Swedish Gambling Authority confirmed earlier this week in a report that the state’s goal with the gambling policy regarding its channelization is not being reached. The goal is at least 90 percent channelization, but Sweden only reaches 85 percent. And for online casino, the product category where it is most important for consumer protection reasons that the proportion of legally licensed gambling is the highest, it is actually the lowest (72-82%).
During September this year, government investigator Marcus Isgren is expected to present a proposal that aims to strengthen channelization within one area, namely the so-called scope of application of the Gambling Act. It is a welcome proposal, but few stakeholders believe that this single adjustment is enough to achieve the goal of the gambling policy, at least 90 percent channelization.
For this reason, BOS is proposing today in its letter to the Ministry of Finance that the government appoint a new broad gambling inquiry, with the task of proposing measures that strengthen channelization in the Swedish gambling market. Among the proposals that should be considered, BOS mentions a somewhat less rigid regulation of loyalty bonuses, which are currently completely prohibited.
BOS Secretary General Gustaf Hoffstedt comments:
“We hope that the government will take to heart the serious situation for the licensed gambling market, most recently confirmed in the Gambling Authority’s report on the proportion of unlicensed gambling in Sweden. The appointment of a broad inquiry tasked with preventing leakage to the unlicensed gambling market would undoubtedly be this government’s most important measure to protect and strengthen the legal regulated gambling market, before Sweden goes to the polls in September next year.”
The post BOS in letter to the Government: appoint a new Gambling Inquiry appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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BETBY SUCCESSFULLY WRAPS SiGMA EUROMED 2025 PARTICIPATION WITH SPORTSBOOK RECOGNITION
BETBY has been awarded the Best Online Sportsbook Provider at the SiGMA EuroMed Awards 2025. This accolade highlights the company’s unwavering dedication to delivering robust sportsbook tech solutions that empower iGaming operators worldwide.
However, SiGMA EuroMed 2025 provided a platform not only to showcase BETBY’s accomplishments but also to reaffirm its role as an industry leader.
Already preparing for the next major event, SBC Summit Lisbon 2025 taking place later this month, BETBY will once again present its cutting-edge sportsbook tools and insights to operators worldwide.
BETBY is an international technology company which for the past eight years has carved a role in the sportsbook supplier scene developing innovative solutions renowned for their excellence for the iGaming industry. BETBY holds a number of gaming licences and is a one-stop-shop for all sportsbook requirement for iGaming projects.
To find out more about BETBY’s cutting-edge sportsbook solution visit booth C110 during SBC Summit Lisbon. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with BETBY’s team, and discover how the company’s solutions and services can be their winning aspect for their iGaming project.
Alternatively, please visit: https://betby.com/
The post BETBY SUCCESSFULLY WRAPS SiGMA EUROMED 2025 PARTICIPATION WITH SPORTSBOOK RECOGNITION appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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GR8 Tech’s Bet It Drives Puts the Pedal Down with Rohini Sardana—From Esports Pioneer to iGaming Visionary
GR8 Tech’s drive-time podcast, Bet It Drives, returns for a high-speed third episode with Rohini Sardana, Founder & CEO of WiseWager Consultancy Ltd. A 20-year veteran in sports, esports, media, and tech innovation, Sardana has been behind some of iGaming’s boldest product launches—from introducing Competitive Gaming at SIS to spearheading the EsportsEvolved platform at Pinnacle Solution—and she’s nowhere near the finish line.
On this ride, Rohini shares:
- The iGB side events she’s most excited about
- The industry leaders she’d invite to her dream dinner
- The iGaming product she wishes she had invented
- Where esports stands today as a betting product
- Her vision of what “iGaming hell” would look like
“Rohini has that rare combination of big-picture vision and ground-level experience,” said Yevhen Krazhan, Chief Sales Officer at GR8 Tech and host of Bet It Drives. “She’s been on the front lines of iGaming innovation, and in this episode she brings the kind of fearless opinions and smart observations that make you want to keep driving just to hear more.”
Bet It Drives swaps the static studio for the streets, turning every interview into a rolling conversation through London. Host Yevhen Krazhan sits alongside iGaming’s most interesting voices, letting the road rhythm shape the dialogue. With multiple cameras capturing the ride and an award-winning crew behind the scenes, each episode mixes sharp industry insight with the unscripted moments you only get when the scenery—and the conversation—are always moving.
Episode 3 with Rohini Sardana is live now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Buckle up for expert insights, bold ideas, and a few turns you won’t see coming.
The post GR8 Tech’s Bet It Drives Puts the Pedal Down with Rohini Sardana—From Esports Pioneer to iGaming Visionary appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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