New content partnership sees maverick game studio hit Octavian Lab platform

Award-winning game studio Peter & Sons has amped up its presence in the Italian market thanks to a new deal with Octavian Lab.

Rome-based software provider Octavian is a major supplier of igaming solutions to the Italian market, and the deal sees it become one of Peter & Sons’ main aggregate partners in Italy. The company powers big players like Entain-owned Eurobet, Snaitech, Sisal, Betfair and many others. Octavian Lab has recently received a special mention as best aggregator of the year during EGR Italy awards 2024.

Under the new partnership, Peter & Sons first went live with Italian gaming powerhouse Eurobet. Founded in 1995, the brand is an igaming pioneer, having offered digital betting since 1999. As a land-based sports betting operator, it’s one of the most recognizable gaming brands in Italy.

Peter & Sons has been wowing the industry since its 2019 formation with a stream of games that dare to be different.

Drawing on influences from everything from cult comic books and cartoons to obscure science fiction, and with an emphasis on storytelling, audio-visual excellence and playability, the maverick Barcelona-based studio is creating some of the most strikingly original and avant garde casino games on the market today.

The studio picked up three awards at the recent MiGEA Malta iGaming Excellence Awards 2024, including Best New Slots Developer of The Year.

Yann Bautista, Founder and Commercial Director at Peter & Sons said: “Our games have already proved popular in Italy, so to move forward with a really big player like Octavian Lab was the next logical step. Italy is a very exciting market that has doubled in size over the last seven years, and we’re thrilled to increase our reach significantly through this deal.”

Emanuele Nocentelli, CEO at Octavian Lab said: “Our platform powers some of the biggest names in Italian gaming, and that means we always want leading-edge content. Peter & Sons are a breath of fresh air. There’s no one reimagining casino gaming quite like Peter & Sons, and the result is a portfolio of inventive and unparalleled games that have a unique power to delight.”

Stacked Walking Wilds and Power Reset feature deliver 3,000x win potential

Independent slots studio Thunderkick has unveiled Split Happens, the latest addition to its product portfolio that combines a quirky bowling theme with Walking Wilds and respins to provide a unique and compelling gaming experience.

The action takes place across a classic 5×3 grid, where winning combinations can be formed both ways to help unlock 3,000x maximum wins.

Base game action is enhanced by Walking Stacked Wilds, which award a minimum of two respins whenever reels two, three or four are filled with bowling pin Wild symbols. Wilds are transformed into Stacked Wilds and move one position toward the outside of the reels with each respin, boosting wins until they leave the grid.

If a Walking Stacked Wild lands on reel three, the Split Happens feature is triggered, cutting the icon in half and placing a Stacked Wild on both reels two and four before respins commence.

The bonus round is activated when three bowling ball scatters are collected in the bonus meter, with five Free Spins awarded. During the feature, a multiplier remains in place above the reels, which increases by 1x with each respin and is applied to all wins featuring a Stacked Wild.

Every time a Stacked Wild lands, the Power Reset feature resets the Free Spins counter to 5, while retaining the existing multiplier to significantly increase wins.

Split Happens is a vibrant addition to Thunderkick’s constantly evolving product portfolio that showcases the provider’s distinctive approach to game creation, leveraging its best-in-class production team to deliver immersive and entertaining gameplay.

Mike Collins, Game Product Owner at Thunderkick, said: “We continually strive to diversify our product portfolio to appeal to a broad player base. Split Happens is our latest creation that combines whimsical graphics with 3,000x win potential to provide something a little different for players.

“In a highly competitive market, embracing themes rarely utilised allows us to stand out as a brand and provide real value for our operator partners.”

Lord Allen of Kensington CBE is confirmed as the new Chair of the British Horseracing Authority.

As a highly experienced Chairman, and one of the most prominent business leaders of his generation, Lord Allen brings a wealth of experience to the role including in the financial and commercial sectors, Government, broadcast, international companies and global sports events.

He is due to assume his post on 1 June 2025 and will work closely with current Chair Joe Saumarez Smith in the months ahead of taking up the role to ensure a smooth transition.

Lord Allen is currently Chairman and Trustee of the Invictus Games Foundation and was Chairman of the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2000-2003 for which he was awarded a CBE.

He oversaw London’s bid for the 2012 Olympics and was Board Director on the Organising Committee. His ability to deliver critical projects that made the Games such a success saw him knighted in 2012.

He was a Chief Adviser to the Home Office from 2006 to 2008. In 2012, he was appointed by Ed Miliband to the position of Chairman of the Management Board of the Labour Party. In 2013 he was made a Life Peer, taking the title Baron Allen of Kensington.

Lord Allen began a distinguished career in broadcasting and media with Granada TV in 1991 before going on to have senior roles in leading companies in the sector including EMI, Virgin Media and Endemol. He is currently Chairman of Global Media and Entertainment Limited.

He is currently Advisory Chairman to global independent investment bank Moelis & Company, Chairman of multinational infrastructure group Balfour Beatty PLC, and Chairman of e-commerce retailer THG (formerly The Hut Group).

Lord Allen said: “I am honoured to be appointed to the role of Chair of the British Horseracing Authority at this important time for the organisation.

“I look forward to building a strong relationship with the new CEO and the Board and all our stakeholders, delivering the vision of building the commercial and reputational aspects of the sector.

“My love of horses stems from learning to ride as a youngster and enjoying the sport of horseracing over many years.

“My knowledge, skills and experience from various sectors, including media and entertainment, and having led many regulated and sporting organisations will hopefully stand me in good stead to bring a fresh perspective to this incredible sport.”

Chair of the BHA Nominations Committee and the BHA’s Senior Independent Director, David Jones, said: “Lord Allen is a very experienced Chairman, and I am delighted that we have appointed a candidate of such outstanding calibre.

“His record speaks for itself and his impressive leadership skills, financial and commercial acumen, broadcast experience and an understanding of Government will bring a fresh and independent perspective to the BHA’s work.

“Combined with his wealth of experience in global sporting events, Lord Allen impressed the committee with his perceptive grasp of the challenges facing racing and will be a powerful advocate for the sport.”