Latest News

Seven Commissioners Appointed to the UK Gambling Commission

Published

2 years ago

November 2, 2023

Reading Time: 4 minutes

The Secretary of State has appointed seven Commissioners to the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC).

Charles Counsell, Helen Dodds, Sheree Howard and Claudia Mortimore have been appointed for terms of five years. Lloydette Bai-Marrow, Helen Philips and David Rossington have been appointed for terms of four years.

Lloydette Bai-Marrow

Lloydette is an anti-corruption expert and economic crime lawyer. She is the Founding Partner of Parametric Global Consulting, an economic crime investigations consultancy.

Lloydette is the Chair of the Board of Spotlight on Corruption, a UK based anti-corruption charity, she sits on the Legal Panel for WhistleblowersUK and is a trustee for the Unite Foundation. She is a Member of the Conduct Committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales.

Lloydette is a Senior Visiting Lecturer at the International Anti-Corruption Academy in Vienna, Austria. She is a Co-Founder and Director of the Black Women in Leadership Network (BWIL), a non-profit network committed to increasing the representation of black women in leadership and decision-making positions.

Charles Counsell OBE

Charles was Chief Executive Officer of The Pensions Regulator from April 2019 to March 2023. Prior to this he was CEO of the Money Advice Service and Executive Director of Automatic Enrolment at The Pensions Regulator.

As CEO of The Pensions Regulator, Charles developed the new corporate strategy to put the pension saver at the heart of the Regulator. He delivered their first Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Climate Change strategies – both focused on driving change in the regulator and across the Pensions Sector.

Throughout his career, his roles have focused on setting up and delivering large change programmes requiring significant stakeholder relationship engagement: initially in the private sector and latterly in senior public sector appointments.

Helen Dodds OStJ

Helen Dodds is an international lawyer, consultant and board member. She is currently a board member of the Human Tissue Authority, a director and trustee of the St John’s Eye Hospital Group, a director of LegalUK, and an Honorary Senior Fellow of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law. Prior to this, she was a board member of the London Court of International Arbitration.

She is a qualified (now non-practising) solicitor and in her executive career she was Global Head of Legal, Dispute Resolution at Standard Chartered Bank. She has a degree in Modern History from Oxford University.

Sheree Howard

Sheree has over 25 years’ experience in the UK financial services industry with knowledge of the process of regulation and a key focus on risk management, audit and controls. Sheree is currently the Executive Director of Risk and Compliance Oversight at the Financial Conduct Authority. She is a Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.

Sheree has held roles in banking in areas of risk and compliance including Director of Advisory (Compliance), Commercial and Private Banking for the Royal Bank of Scotland; and Chief Risk Officer at Direct Line Group.

Sheree has been a Governor, including Chair, for more than 10 years of a maintained Special Needs School and has provided pro bono advice to a number of other charities.

Claudia Mortimore

Claudia has over 25 years’ experience of criminal law and regulation. She spent the first 10 years of her career working as a barrister then, after a career break to raise three children, prosecuted drugs, tax and money-laundering offences for the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office and fraudulent trading offences for the Department for Business.

Since 2013 Claudia has worked in senior positions in the Enforcement Division of the Financial Reporting Council, the body which regulates accountants, auditors and actuaries in the public interest and which sets the UK Corporate Governance and Stewardship Codes. Claudia has led major investigations into serious and complex audit and accountancy failures.

Claudia has a particular interest in Diversity and Inclusion, she has also played a key role in promoting the importance of mental health and well-being at the Financial Reporting Council.

Helen Phillips

Dr Helen Phillips is an experienced executive and non-executive, with a career spanning the public, private and not for profit sectors. Helen’s current non-executive appointments include Chair of NHS Professionals Ltd and Chair of the Chartered Insurance Institute. Helen is concluding a nine year term as Chair of Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

In 2015 she was appointed as a lay member of the Legal Services Board (LSB), she was appointed independent Chair in 2017, and served a six year term to 31 March 2023. She served as a non-executive director of Social Work England from 2018 to 2021. Helen has also held non-executive director roles in Higher Education and the schools sector. Previously Helen was Board Director of Yorkshire Water and Chair of Loop Customer Management Ltd, a Kelda Group subsidiary. Prior to that, her career as a regulator was as founding Chief Executive of Natural England and a Director of the Environment Agency.

Helen has a BSc in Zoology and a PhD in Environmental Science from University College Dublin. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Insurers.

David Rossington CB

David is a former senior civil servant. He has worked for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), including as Finance Director and acting Director General, and other Government departments including what is now the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Since stopping full time work, he has been a member of the Advisory Committee on National Records and Archives and currently serves as its Deputy Chair. He is Treasurer and Deputy Chair of Stoll, a charity for veterans and Treasurer of Arts at the Old Fire Station, an Oxford community arts charity.

David holds a degree in History and French from Oxford, a Masters in Public Policy from the Kennedy School, Harvard University, and an economics MSc from Birkbeck College, London. David took an accountancy qualification while a civil servant, although is no longer in practice.

Latest News

NetBet Partners with Fight Disciples

Published

4 hours ago

July 4, 2025

George Miller

Reading Time: 2 minutes

NetBet, a leading online gaming platform, has announced an exciting new partnership with world-renowned boxing & MMA podcast the Fight Disciples, co-hosted by award-winning broadcasters Adam Catterall and Nick Peet.

The partnership will span some of the UFC’s biggest events, including Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier at UFC 318, as well as major upcoming boxing bouts.

This partnership builds on NetBet’s recent announcement as the official betting partner of the UFC in the UK and other parts of Europe. It will play a key role in boosting visibility for NetBet’s popular UFC Predictor Game. As part of the collaboration, NetBet branding will feature across all Fight Disciples UFC content, including behind-the-scenes access and exclusive fighter interviews.

Part of this deal will also see the Fight Disciples and NetBet team up to provide all-encompassing coverage for three huge upcoming boxing fights; Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois, Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez vs Terrance Crawford.

Adam Catterall, co-host of the Fight Disciples Podcast, said: “We’ve always prided ourselves on being the voice of the fight fan, so teaming up with NetBet – the official sportsbook and betting partner of the UFC – is a massive moment for us. This partnership gives us the opportunity to get even closer to the action and, more importantly, bring our audience along with us. Whether it’s behind-the-scenes insight, exclusive content, or on-the-ground access at the biggest events, it’s all about delivering that front-row feeling to our listeners.”

Tristan Wootton, Head of UK at NetBet added: “With NetBet making huge waves in the world of fight sports, this partnership with the Fight Disciples represents another exciting opportunity with regard to brand development. We feel confident that our players will enjoy the engaging content produced from this partnership, with so many brilliant UFC and boxing shows just on the horizon!”

The post NetBet Partners with Fight Disciples appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Latest News

Soft2Bet’s brand Don.ro Becomes Main Sponsor of CFR Cluj in Multi-Year Agreement

Published

4 hours ago

July 4, 2025

George Miller

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Soft2Bet continues its strategic expansion in Romania through its rapidly growing online entertainment brand, Don.ro, which has entered a multi-year agreement as the main sponsor of CFR 1907 Cluj, one of Romania’s leading football clubs.

Beginning with the 2025-26 Liga 1 season, leading Romanian brand Don.ro’s logo will feature prominently on CFR Cluj’s home and away kits, training gear, and throughout the “Dr. Constantin Rădulescu” stadium. The partnership with CFR Cluj also includes a slate of live and digital activations powered by Soft2Bet’s innovative platform, designed to deepen fan engagement.

“We are excited to announce our partnership with Don.ro, a Romanian brand that shares our values of performance, professionalism, and the desire to build something lasting. The fact that Don.ro is becoming the main partner of our club is both a validation of the work we do every day and an important step in strengthening CFR Cluj’s image both nationally and internationally.

We are pleased to have a dynamic partner by our side, one with a modern vision who believes in the power of sport to inspire and bring people together. Moreover, Don.ro has chosen to offer each season ticket holder this season an official jersey — a gesture of appreciation for the passion and loyalty with which they support us.” — Cristian Balaj, CFR Cluj President.

The partnership between Soft2Bet and CFR Cluj brings together Don.ro’s award-winning online gaming brand and a club with a rich history of success, including eight league titles, four Romanian Cups, and four Super Cups. Both sides are driven by a commitment to high performance, bold ambition, and fresh ideas, which makes this collaboration especially well-aligned.

“We are honored to join the CFR Cluj family, a symbol of excellence in Romanian football. This partnership reflects the shared values that bring us together — performance, responsibility, and respect for the community.

At Don.ro, we are committed to promoting a safe and balanced entertainment environment, and through our collaboration with CFR Cluj, we aim to deliver a strong message about the importance of responsible play, both on and off the field.” — Marius Mirasovici, Official representative of Don.ro brand

The partnership is designed to deliver real value to Don.ro’s players and the wider local community. With Soft2Bet’s backing, Don.ro will launch a range of activations tailored to Romanian audiences, such as exclusive match-day experiences, localised campaigns, community events, and responsible gaming initiatives, bringing fans closer to the action and rewarding their loyalty in meaningful ways.

Oksana Tsyhankova, Chief Marketing Officer at Soft2Bet, highlighted: “At Soft2Bet, we excel in building powerful and award-winning brands that forge deep connections with players through localised experiences. Don.ro’s partnership with CFR Cluj embodies this vision,combining a top-performing club with our drive for tailored gamified experiences, product excellence, and a passion for performance.”

Launched in 2024 and recognised as “Best Launch of the Year” at the 12th Meeting of Gambling Professionals, Don.ro delivers over 3,484 casino games, a full live-dealer lineup, and a complete sportsbook. The platform runs on Soft2Bet’s proprietary MEGA (Motivational Engineering Gaming Application) technology, which enhances player engagement through mission-based features and in-game challenges.

The post Soft2Bet’s brand Don.ro Becomes Main Sponsor of CFR Cluj in Multi-Year Agreement appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Latest News

Week 27/2025 slot games releases

Published

6 hours ago

July 4, 2025

George Miller

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Here are this weeks latest slots releases compiled by European Gaming

PG Soft has served up a classic slot with its Diner Frenzy Spins. This is a 5-reel, 4-rows video slot featuring connecting ways and sticky symbol respins. Diner Frenzy Spins is set within a vibrant, retro-futuristic diner with a buzzy atmosphere thanks to a playful soundtrack. During any spin, the Mystery Respin may be randomly triggered while the reels are spinning.

ELA Games calls back to a classic yet luxurious gaming experience with its new title, Juicy Crystal. The game offers a unique and modern twist on the beloved and familiar fruit machine format, featuring timeless symbols and rich visuals. The studio’s trademark attention to detail and quality delivers a game that’s exciting, memorable and elegant.

Amusnet presents its newest Online Casino portfolio expansion – a royal-themed slot filled with exciting bonus features. The release adds to the fun of the player-favourite Extra Crown game series, this time with six reels and 100 paylines, top-notch graphics and a vibrant soundtrack. A total of 11 symbols are scattered across the now six reels and 40 fixed paylines, along with some special features that make the gameplay more engaging and fun.

Play’n GO illuminate their classic Moon Princess universe once more with Moon Princess Stargazing, a grid slot set among icy stars and rising multipliers. Set beyond Neptune in the icy reaches of the Kuiper Belt, Moon Princess Stargazing marks a radiant new chapter in one of Play’n GO’s most celebrated series. Players reunite with Star, Nova and Astra – the celestial trio whose powers help forge constellation connections and unlock sky-high wins.

Step into the golden sands of Ancient Egypt with Ra’s Relics Bonanza, a thrilling 6×5 cascading slot adventure from Booming Games! Land 8 or more matching symbols anywhere on the reels to secure a win, as winning symbols vanish and new ones tumble down, unlocking endless chances for treasure. Keep an eye on the Divine Scarab, collecting scatter symbols throughout the base game and triggering Free Spins at any moment.

The post Week 27/2025 slot games releases appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.