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Leading bookmaker places itself “at the heart of Irish racing” with new Each Way Extra Challenge Series

William Hill has further signalled their backing of Irish racing with sponsorship of the new William Hill Each Way Extra Challenge Series. Beginning on October 3^rd at Gowran Park, the series will run over seven months until April 2026, spread across 50 races at 28 meetings across 13 Irish racecourses.

The series will see points allocated per race to trainers and jockeys allocated on a first to seventh place finishing basis (10,6,5,4,3,2,1) with an overall table to decide the prize winners at the final fixture on 24^th April 2026. The winning trainer will receive €50,000, and the winning rider and stable staff will receive €10,000 respectively.

All trainers can compete in the series races, but the bonus point element is only open to trainers with 50 or fewer winners in either of the last two seasons in either code. Any rider who rides for a qualifying trainer will have bonus points allocated, while riders who ride for ineligible trainers will not receive series points for those rides only.

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Stable staff from all yards will qualify for the bonus element, including staff of trainers who are ineligible. A €100 best-turned-out award will be given to the stable staff for each race in the series.

Supported by key industry stakeholders the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association (IRTA), Irish Stable Staff Association (ISSA) & IJA (Irish Jockeys Association), the William Hill Each Way Extra Challenge Series aims to incentivise the grassroots of Irish racing and demonstrate the leading bookmaker’s commitment to the sport at every level.

William Hill’s Director of Horse Racing, Sandro Di Michele, commented on the new series: “We’re thrilled to launch the new William Hill Each Way Extra Challenge Series. This initiative runs through the real backbone of the Irish National Hunt season and should have a positive impact on the grassroots of the sport. We really want to position William Hill at the heart of Irish racing, and we believe this series is the perfect way of doing that. We’re very excited to see action get underway on Friday 3^rd October at Gowran Park, and we look forward to the series’ narrative building throughout the campaign.”

Jane Mangan, William Hill racing ambassador, shared her views on the series: “It’s extremely exciting for Irish racing that William Hill are launching this series. Kicking off on Friday at Gowran, there are 50 races and €135,000 in bonus money to be won. This series really has something for everyone, with bonuses for trainers, jockeys and stable staff, it’s set to give a much-needed boost to the heart of the Irish National Hunt season. Spread across tracks all over Ireland, the series will run right through the core of the industry. What’s not to like!”

Trainer Philip Rothwell commented on the series: “This is a huge new initiative for Irish racing, and we must thank William Hill for sponsoring it. What the series will offer is a massive plus for a trainer like me, as it takes the handlers with big numbers of horses out of the equation, giving the likes of me a real chance of winning a trainer’s prize at the end of the season. It’s a massive opportunity for trainers around my level to earn a good living in this sport, and I think thanks to series likes these, there’s never been as much opportunity for guys in similar shoes to me in Irish racing. It’s also fantastic that the stable staff are getting recognition with their own bonus in the series. They are the real backbone of this industry, so we’re delighted to see this support from William Hill and the IRTA.”

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Feidhlim Cunningham, CEO of the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association, commented on the new series: “This initiative is a fantastic opportunity for medium and smaller trainers. The IRTA is delighted to have developed this series in partnership with William Hill which rewards trainers, their riders & stable staff. The races are open to all trainers, ensuring nobody is excluded from running, while the bonus element is specifically reserved for those who trained fewer than 50 winners last season. This represents real, meaningful support for grassroots racing in Ireland.

“With €100,000 in bonuses available for trainers, the €50,000 first prize equates to winning €732,000 in gross prizemoney. The exposure this series will provide to trainers nationwide will be hugely important, and we are very grateful to William Hill for sharing our vision of what this series can achieve.”

Full information on the William Hill Each Way Extra Challenge Series can be found here.

The post William Hill backs grassroots Irish racing with new series sponsorship appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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We are honoured to announce that Baroness Rosie Winterton of Doncaster DBE has become a Patron of our charity.

Baroness Winterton served as the Member of Parliament for Doncaster Central from 1997 to 2024. During her distinguished parliamentary career, she served under Prime Minister Tony Blair as a Minister in the Department of Health, and later under Prime Minister Gordon Brown in several ministerial roles.

She was Labour Chief Whip for six years from 2010 and, most recently, served as a Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons from 2017 until she announced her intention to stand down as an MP at the 2024 general election.

In the 2024 Dissolution Honours, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer nominated Rosie for a life peerage, and she now sits in the House of Lords.

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Poignantly, Baroness Winterton was the local MP of our co-founder Anne Evans at the time of her son Alan’s suicide following a devastating gambling addiction. Anne reached out for support as she sought to make a change, raise awareness, and ensure that more children had access to education on gambling harms. They became close friends, and Baroness Winterton played an instrumental role in supporting Anne to establish Ygam and ensure her voice was heard and her cause recognised.

Baroness Winterton will now serve as a prominent ambassador for Ygam, using her profile and platform to champion the charity’s mission in Parliament and beyond.

Baroness Rosie Winterton said: “It is an honour to become Patron of this remarkable charity. Over a decade ago, my constituents Anne and Keith Evans turned their family’s tragedy into a beacon of hope and a force for change through Ygam. Since then, I have seen Ygam grow and witnessed first-hand the incredible work they do. Ygam are the trusted experts in this field, and their work is needed more than ever. Following Anne’s passing earlier this year, it feels like a deeply poignant honour to be asked, and I am determined to continue her legacy in any way I can. Anne truly inspired me, and I hope I can make her proud.”

Helen Martin, Interim CEO of Ygam, said: “We are proud to welcome someone of Baroness Winterton’s profile and experience as a Patron of our charity. Her unwavering support for Ygam since our inception has been invaluable, and her passion for improving the lives of children and young people aligns perfectly with our mission and ethos. Through her relationship with Anne, she understands what is at the heart of Ygam. She also brings a wealth of experience, insight, and an impressive network that will help us amplify our voice, impact, and reach.”

The post Ygam announce Baroness Winterton as Patron appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Peter & Sons games now live at Videoslots five powerhouse brands

Maverick game studio Peter & Sons’ portfolio is now live with Videoslots, one of Europe’s leading online casino operators.

The new distribution partnership sees Videoslots unleash Peter & Sons’ uniquely quirky and imaginative games across its five powerhouse brands, Videoslots, Mr Vegas, Kungaslottet, Mega Riches and dBet, which serve players in Sweden, Denmark, and the UK.

Peter & Sons’ mission is to embody the “anti-boring” by creating slots with cool visuals, engaging gameplay and innovative mechanics. Focusing on storytelling, beautiful hand-drawn animation styles and cinematic soundtracks, the studio builds games that dare to be different.

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Videoslots, part of the Immense Group, offers one of the largest and most varied casino game selections on the market, with more than 7,400 games from over 140 providers. The operator has established itself as the premier destination for players who love choice, quality, and cutting-edge entertainment.

The partnership is the latest in a string of content deals that sees Peter & Sons expand its footprint in regulated markets across the globe, and it allows Videoslots to bolster its portfolio with content that resonates strongly with players worldwide.

A spokeperson from Peter & Sons said: “We are thrilled to partner with Videoslots, a major operator known for its innovation and player-first approach. Videoslots has a huge reach, which gives us the opportunity to bring our crazy vision to a wider audience across multiple jurisdictions.”

Klas Winberg at Videoslots said: “Our mission has always been to provide players with the best and most diverse selection of games possible, which made adding Peter & Sons to our roster an easy choice. Peter & Sons isn’t afraid to stand out. Their games look and feel different, and we believe their intriguingly left-field approach to slots will capture the imagination of our customers.”

The post Peter & Sons Joins Forces with Videoslots to Reach Players Across Europe appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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