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Digital & Entrepreneurship in Sports: Former sport’s pro taking Sport Integrity and Management lessons for a new career in the digital economy
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The training program launched by SKS365 through its brand dedicated to CSR, Training Program, and LVenture Group, a listed VC operator among the main startup accelerators at European level, gets to the heart. The goal is to transform the former professional sportsmen who are taking part at the Digital & Entrepreneurship in Sports course, into digital business managers.
After the first two workshops organized by the LVenture Group’s Open Innovation division, dedicated to personal branding and the entrepreneurial ecosystem, the third appointment, which is going to take place on Monday the 19th April, is entirely dedicated to Corporate Social Responsibility and Sport Integrity. The experts of the SKS365 team, one of the leading players in the Italian betting and gaming market, will lecture on these matters, with the valuable contribution of ex football player and example of sporting integrity Simone Farina as special speaker.
The 30 former professionals participating in the course comes from different disciplines (volleyball, swimming, athletics, football, tennis, rowing and rugby) including sportsmen of the likes of Stephen Makinwa, 120 appearances and 16 goals in Serie A with Lazio, Chievo Verona, Reggina, Palermo, Genoa and Atalanta; Giovanbattista Venditti, 44 caps and 8 tries with the Italian Rugby team; former baseball and modern pentathlon Olympians Roberto Cabalisti and Stefano Pecci.
The main theme and purpose of the workshop is to provide an overview about the “behind the scenes of the sport system”, to understand the main risks that lie behind a business project in the sports world. Illicit phenomena such as match-fixing are concrete and serious dangers that anyone who wants to start a business in this market must be able to recognize, using the tools that regulate the sector.
“We wanted to set up this workshop to offer valuable information for those who are planning their professional future within the sports industry”, explains Brian Dean, Chief People Officer of SKS365. “As part of the gaming and sports betting sector, we are focused on providing a safe and compliant form of entertainment for our customers. We are fully committed to protecting our customers and upholding these values, and, as a consequence, we provide support in defending the regularity of competition. We see training and education of staff as well as customers as fundamental, as knowledge and information are the most effective weapons to tackle similar dynamics. Each sport has its rules, but awareness and responsibility are common to all disciplines. We will use our corporate social responsibility initiatives to build awareness around integrity in support and to tackling undying legacy issues associated with our industry.”
For example, the match fixing, which occurs when a match is played to a completely or partially pre-determined result, is an integral part of a circle of illegal business, that is worth 120 million euros globally [Europol data, 2020]. Antonio Papa, Director of Business Analysis of SKS365 will explain the dynamics and methods to preserve the integrity of the whole system. The seminar will go on with the speech of Farina, who in 2011 reported an attempt of match fixing and whose testimony kicked off the second part of the “Last Bet” operation on clandestine bets and settled matches. Farina will talk about his personal path and the goals he has achieved internationally after his sporting career ended.
“Training contributes to the progress, and the growth for the new generations – Farina added – Attending this workshop on defending the values of sport, represents for me an important opportunity for development. I am happy to bring my contribution to the understanding of match-fixing, one of the main dangers for the sport integrity. I firmly believe that in-depth knowledge and sharing of information, experiences and thoughts are the best tools in defence of the sports world, which must transmit healthy and positive values.”
Regarding the CSR and entrepreneurial management topics, there will be also a session about HR and resource management. Alessia Casonato, Group HR Operations Director of SKS365 will analyse the life cycle of a typical employee within a company.
Thanks to LVenture Group expertise in the digital field and SKS365‘s deep understanding of the sports world, Digital & Entrepreneurship in Sports responds to the need of many ex professional athletes to have a second opportunity, once their sport career ends. Most of them, in fact, find it difficult to reintroduce themselves into the labour market, without the appropriate skills or knowledge. The training program will end in June with the presentation of the best projects created by the participants during the course, which will be ready to be launched on their respective markets.
More information is available at: https://www.digitalinsportstraining.com/.
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The Pokémon Company and Skyesports Unveil the 2026 Pokémon UNITE Asia Champions League – India
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The Pokémon Company has announced the return of the Pokémon UNITE Asia Champions League (PUACL) with the launch of the PUACL 2026 India League, a $20,000 multi-stage online tournament that will determine the team advancing to the prestigious PUACL 2026 Offline Finals, an international championship featuring a significant prize pool and global participation. The PUACL 2026 Offline Finals will be held at the Yokohama Buntai Arena in Yokohama, Japan.
The India League will be fully executed by Skyesports, one of the country’s leading esports tournament operators.
The PUACL 2026 India League brings together 10 of the country’s top esports organisations. The participating teams are:
- Autobotz
- GodLike Esports
- Marcos Gaming
- Meta Ninza
- Reckoning Esports
- Revenant XSpark
- S8UL
- Team Tamilas
- True Rippers
- WELT Esports
With the growth of Pokémon UNITE in the region and a rising competitive base in India, the 2026 season aims to strengthen the pathway from local champions to international contenders. The league will feature a Group Stage across five match days, followed by the King of the Hill Playoffs, where the top eight teams compete for the title and qualification to the global finals.
The schedule for the PUACL 2026 India League is as follows:
- Group Stage Day 1: November 29, 2025
- Group Stage Day 2: November 30, 2025
- Group Stage Day 3: December 14, 2025
- Group Stage Day 4: January 11, 2026
- Group Stage Day 5: January 18, 2026
- King of the Hill Playoffs: January 31, 2026
The total prize pool for the India League is $20,000, while the PUACL Offline Finals will feature a significantly larger prize pool. The India League champion will secure India’s slot at the global event, competing against the best teams from across Asia.
Speaking on the announcement, Shiva Nandy, Founder and CEO of Skyesports, said: “Pokémon UNITE has built a strong and passionate competitive community in India, and the return of the Asia Champions League gives our teams another platform to show what they are capable of. We are proud to execute the India League once again and to provide a clear path for Indian players to compete at the highest level in Asia. This league showcases the quality of talent we have in the ecosystem and the growing opportunities for teams and professionals who are committing themselves to the title. With ten leading organisations competing, the stage is set for an exciting season and we look forward to sending a representative from India to the global finals.”
The PUACL 2026 India League will be broadcast live on official Pokémon UNITE and Skyesports channels, giving fans across the country the opportunity to follow their favourite teams throughout the season.
With established organisations such as S8UL, GodLike Esports, Team Tamilas, and Revenant XSpark in the mix, the level of competition is expected to reach new heights, building momentum for India’s presence on the international Pokémon UNITE stage.
Last year, GodLike Esports emerged as the champions of the India League, and made it to the PUACL Finals in Japan. Here, the team was eliminated in the group stage. The team will be looking to reclaim its title in 2026 and put up a better international showing.
The post The Pokémon Company and Skyesports Unveil the 2026 Pokémon UNITE Asia Champions League – India appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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This December, Tom Horn Gaming invites players to the snowy mountain peaks in its new release, Santa Yetti, a playful holiday adventure where the jolly king of the mountains swaps his sleigh for snow boots to deliver frosty fortunes and festive fun.
Santa Yetti brings a flurry of excitement to the reels with Expanding Wilds, Multipliers, Respins, and the Respin Booster feature.
The Snowman is a Wild symbol. When it lands on any of the three reels, it expands and triggers a single respin. During the respin, seven win lines transform into twenty-seven ways to win, piling up prizes like Christmas presents. When all three reels are fully stacked with the same symbol, the total win is multiplied by ten, creating a snowstorm of rewards.
Players can also activate the Respin Booster, which increases their total bet by 1.5x and boosts the chance of triggering a respin by 300%. The feature remains active until manually switched off, giving players full control over their gameplay. For those feeling extra lucky, the Star Gamble Ladder appears after every base game win, allowing them to gamble their winnings by guessing the next star’s colour – pink or blue. Each correct guess doubles the prize and pushes the player up one level. The Golden Star can randomly appear at levels two to five to double the win instantly, no guess required.
“Santa Yeti brings together everything players love about Tom Horn games – fun, engaging mechanics, and a great story to match. It’s festive, it’s fresh, and it’s packed with features that keep the excitement rolling. We wanted to end the year on a high note, and Santa Yetti does exactly that with humour, charm, and plenty of win potential,” said Ondrej Lapides, CEO at Tom Horn Gaming.
Blending simple yet fast-paced gameplay with dynamic mechanics, Santa Yetti offers short, mobile-optimised sessions that are sure to delight both casual spinners and seasoned players. Its engaging format and rewarding features make it a perfect choice for operators looking to boost engagement during the high-traffic festive season. With its playful theme, quirky light-hearted style, and generous win potential, Santa Yetti is set to make this Christmas truly santastic.
The post Tom Horn Gaming Unwraps a Frosty Treat with Santa Yetti appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Emily Tofield has been the appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of Ygam, the UK’s leading charity dedicated to preventing gaming and gambling harms among children and young people. She will officially join the charity on the 6 January 2026.
Emily joins the charity following a 20-year career in leadership roles across UK government, local government, higher education and research, the media, and the not-for-profit sector. Her previous roles include posts in the Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Justice, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, the University of Sussex, and at the City of London Corporation. With a distinguished breadth of expertise in strategic communications, she is recognised as a leading adviser across strategy, corporate affairs, reputation, marketing, policy, and fundraising.
Emily is an experienced non-executive, currently serving on the board of the Kent homelessness charity, Porchlight. She is Chair Designate of the Girls’ Learning Trust (GLT), the largest all-girls state multi-academy trust in the UK and was recently appointed to the Board of the British Dietetic Association (BDA).
Mike Wojcik, Chair of Ygam, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Emily to Ygam following a highly competitive recruitment process. Her depth of experience and proven leadership across stakeholder and political engagement, and social impact, will be instrumental as we enter our next strategic cycle. Emily joins an exceptionally strong leadership team, and this appointment marks an important new chapter for Ygam as we continue to strengthen our position as a trusted expert voice and sector leader dedicated to preventing gaming, gambling, and digital harms among young people.”
Emily Tofield, Incoming Chief Executive of Ygam, said: “Ygam has reached record numbers of young people as part of its critical mission to protect children and young people from gaming and gambling harms and to help safeguard their digital futures. As a passionate advocate for the benefits of prevention, it is a huge privilege to take on the role of Chief Executive of such a respected national education and prevention charity whose work already makes a difference to so many. High-quality, inclusive, evidence-based, preventative education around gaming and gambling harms remains as important today as when Ygam was founded, and I’m looking forward to working with the impressive Ygam team to further grow its reach, partnerships and impact in the years ahead.”
The post Ygam appoints Emily Tofield as new Chief Executive appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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