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‘Making a positive difference’: YGAM undergraduate apprentice, Nadia Tarik, reflects on a year studying and working for social change

Published

6 years ago

July 3, 2020

Reading Time: 5 minutes

In 2019 23-year old Nadia Tarik made history when she was among the first students to participate in the ground-breaking apprenticeship degree course in Social Change at Queen Mary University of London. Thanks to pioneering sponsorship from Caesars Entertainment EMEA, Nadia has been able to combine a four year degree course with her work as a Development Officer at YGAM, the UK charity that works to inform, educate and safeguard young people against gambling and gaming related harms. Nadia reflects on her first year of studying and working.

The Social Change degree course attracted six times more applicants per place than Oxford University – can you explain the challenges of being accepted onto the course and what was the interview process like?

Being the first degree of its kind meant that there was very high demand for places. The recruitment process was extremely challenging and detailed to ensure that recruiters were selecting candidates that would make the most of the opportunity as well as identify those with the capabilities to impact social change. The academic requirements were very high with three As at A level in order to ensure that applicants would be academically capable of completing the course and understanding the set modules. I had to present a detailed explanation as to why I should be accepted, what I would bring to the programme and my future goals. We then had a group based interview, followed by a 2:1 interview in which I was asked multiple questions regarding my application and a full explanation of my career and work history. After several phone interviews with recruiters, I met YGAM CEO Lee Willows and Mike Wojcik the Chair of Trustees and then completed a final round interview with the CEO after which I was offered the position.

Can you describe what your post at YGAM entails and what the challenges are?

The Development Officer Apprentice role involves frequent rotations across disciplines including marketing, education and fundraising. The diversity of the apprenticeship programme has, I think, put me in an extremely favourable position with regards to the development of my career that I would not have been exposed to if I had chosen a more traditional route. The accessibility of technology resources has enabled organisations of all sizes to become digitally focused. Regarding the current pandemic crisis, many firms have had to redesign their business plan and create a virtual presence. The introduction of YGAM’s Webinars has allowed me to develop an understanding of numerous programmes such as Salesforce and WordPress. I am now able to utilise my knowledge and incorporate the software on a day to day basis, building my IT literacy and enabling me to contribute to projects such as the design of YGAM’s virtual resources and registrations. This year we’ve introduced Parental Engagement educational resources, allowing me to be part of the development of a new service right from the very start. I have particularly enjoyed working with the team to design surveys for our focus groups and I have now been given the task to create interactive animations for our new educational materials.

In many ways YGAM has been ahead of the curve, as even prior to the pandemic it has operated a remote working environment with employees spread all across the UK. Working remotely at such an early stage in my career has been a definite plus enabling me to experience the challenges of goal-setting, motivation and discipline that are so important whilst working independently.

A lot of people are put off further education due to the fear of accumulating student debt – does the apprenticeship help in that respect?

Yes, student debt is a big deterrent for many individuals especially those from challenging backgrounds. An apprenticeship programme is highly beneficial for those struggling with the decision to undertake a degree or to earn a full salary as it provides the benefits of both options. I am of course extremely grateful for the support provided by Caesars in this respect. The apprenticeship programme eliminates financial constraints by providing free intuition, the standard living wage salary or above as well as any resources required for the course. There is a big misperception that those operating in the third sector/not-for-profit do not become financially successful. The Social Change degree apprenticeship programme provides the training, resources, networks and knowledge to ensure you are on the right path to achieve personal and career goals.

Can you explain how the course operates and the split between working at YGAM and studying at Queen Mary University?

The Chartered Degree Apprenticeship in Business Management (Social Change) is a four-year programme. After completion, apprentices gain a Business Management (Social change) BSc Degree as well as a Chartered Management qualification. During university term time we operate with two full days of education and three full days of working with our employer. Outside university term time I work full time, five days a week at YGAM. Throughout the four-year programme the apprentices are required to create a portfolio which examines how we have met the KPIs for our Chartered Management qualification. Thus, challenging us to translate the skills and experiences from our workplace with the theory taught in our modules. In our final year we will undergo a six-month work project where we take on the role as project manager to showcase our skill sets and finally present it to a panel for grading.

What modules do you study at Queen Mary?

It is a really comprehensive course covering marketing, the law, accounting, leadership, ethics, governance, social responsibility, fundraising management, mentoring and coaching. The course is varied and provides opportunities to deep dive into specialist interests.

Is it difficult combining work and education?

It can be demanding, especially during exam periods. Communication is very important, I have found that being able to liaise with fellow apprentices on my course extremely beneficial. Moreover, having open communication with my line manager relieved any stress I may have had. Management is very understanding and flexible with our work demands during assessment periods.

Can you provide some background – did you go to school in London and do you live in London?

I was born and raised in the London Borough of Bromley whilst living in a traditional Moroccan household. Growing up I spent a lot of time abroad in Holland and Morocco visiting family for extended periods of time. In terms of education I always studied in my local area so I was excited to attend Queen Mary’s University which is situated in the heart of East London. I love the fact that I can now explore a new area of London and experience a whole fresh wave of cultures.

Reflecting on your first academic year as an undergraduate apprentice – what have been the high points?

There have been a lot of high points, not least featuring in an article which was published in The Guardian newspaper which I think demonstrates how ground-breaking and different this course is. The ability to get hands-on experience in a real and relevant work environment, being able to participate in important initiatives and to contribute to the objectives and goals of YGAM are all really significant take outs from my first year. Currently I am part of a team developing interactive animations for our Parental Engagement resources – this is a new and exciting opportunity that allows me to hone into my creativity. It’s been a hugely exciting year of growth and impact at YGAM and I’m proud to be part of it.

If you hadn’t succeeded in being accepted on the apprenticeship degree course what do you think you would be doing?

My lifelong ambition has been to dedicate my career to the third sector. Equally, I am fascinated by the world of business so I think I would have followed a traditional business-related degree, whilst continuing to volunteer until I was able to merge both passions. I feel fully motivated and grateful to YGAM, Queen Mary and Caesars knowing that I am working for an organisation that is making a positive difference and impacting social change – which is exactly what I want to achieve in my career.

CJEU

Malta faces new dawn as EU courts gather strength

Published

1 day ago

April 24, 2026

Wladimir P.

malta-faces-new-dawn-as-eu-courts-gather-strength

With Bill 55 on increasingly shaky ground amid a transitional era for online gambling, what does the future hold for Malta’s point-of-supply industry?

This week has seen the EU heap yet more pressure on Bill 55, a defensive measure introduced by the Maltese government to hold back a tidal wave of player refund lawsuits that could cost the industry hundreds of millions of euros.

Players in Austria and Germany have been able to successfully argue in court that they should be repaid all money lost to operators that offered gambling in their countries without a local licence. The cases stand to erase years of grey market earnings at many operators.

Bill 55, which in June 2023 became an official amendment to the Malta Gaming Act under the title Article 56A, allows judges to reject court rulings from other EU nations if they threaten the economic security of the island’s gambling industry.

It has served Maltese operators well since it was enacted, effectively blocking lawyers from passporting claims from Austria, Germany and elsewhere to the location where operators are legally headquartered, in order to force them to pay out.

This has triggered an international legal wrestling match, now being fought via a series of cases at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), the EU’s highest judicial authority.

So far, the judgements and opinions issued have not made comfortable reading for the Maltese industry or its regulatory officials.

Earlier this month, the court appeared to settle a longtime debate on which the entire premise of Malta as an offshore hub is founded. Judges said that the freedom to provide services within the EU does not allow for operators to ignore local prohibitions on certain types of gambling.

That was followed this week by an Advocate General (AG) advising judges that if they were to consider the legality of Bill 55, it should be struck down.

It also reaffirmed the court’s dim view of gambling as a cross-border service.

As the opinion put it: “Under the current state of EU law, Member States are under no obligation to recognise gambling licences issued by other Member States. Accordingly, a Maltese gaming licence is, in principle, valid only in Malta.”

This opinion is only advisory, and is unlikely to amount to anything in this particular case (C-683/24) because the AG also recommended that the case as a whole should be ruled inadmissible.

But this is just one in a handful of similar issues being considered by the CJEU and the more time that passes, the greater the pressure appears to be on Malta and Bill 55.

The EU is also taking a tandem approach: The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, has itself opened an investigation into Malta and the legality of Article 56A and has indicated through its own statements and submissions to the CJEU that it considers the provision to be against EU law.

New tactics needed?

All of which leads to several difficult questions for Malta and the many gambling companies based there.

The first is a defensive issue: With Bill 55 on the ropes, how will the nation prevent the many operators who call its islands home from being stuck with a huge refund charge?

Work is already underway to mount a new defense. The tactic uses the same inspiration as Article 56A, which argues that allowing the foreign court judgments that demand large payments from operators would seriously damage the Maltese economy and thereby upset its “public policy”.

The EU principle, also known as “ordre public”, allows for member states to make legal exceptions in order to protect their society.

In a pair of new cases addressing transferred player refund claims from Austria, Maltese lawyers have argued, without reference to Bill 55, that granting the payment orders would upset the nation’s public order.

These two cases are a clear attempt to establish that, even without any specific Gaming Act amendments, the principle of ordre public protects Maltese gambling firms from having to pay up.

The problem is, the CJEU may have seen this coming.

“The fact that the enforcement of certain judgments may entail serious economic consequences for a national operator, an industry or even the Member State addressed does not justify recourse to the ‘public policy’ clause,” reads the recent AG opinion.

Although lawyers in Malta insist that the AG’s comments should be taken only to refer to Bill 55.

Meanwhile, lawyers fighting to recover refunds believe that cases like these, which have already been appealed, will themselves wind up in the CJEU and at least buy more time for Malta before payouts need to be made.

A new kind of industry hub?

Perhaps the more fundamental question is what Malta offers as a gambling hub over the next decade.

It’s been apparent for some time that the value of a Maltese licence is degrading, through no fault of local authorities.

As European nations gradually switched on their own licensing models, operators have needed to collect local approvals.

Even where nations have clung firmly to monopolies, like in Norway, authorities have also become more effective in enforcing against offshore operators who offer into their territories.

The clear trend of the CJEU also indicates that arguments based on the freedom to provide services are practically finished.

In face of this reality, regulators and business leaders in Malta are looking further afield. Maltese law firms have appeared in locations as far afield as the UAE and Taiwan in recent years, as they look to advertise the nation’s status as a centre of iGaming excellence to emerging online gambling markets.

Leaning into the density of online gambling expertise is also an increasingly important strategy for those looking to attract investment to Malta.

The reason that the industry flocked to Malta in the first place may no longer be relevant, but it’s still the case that two decades later the nation boasts a greater concentration of industry talent than in any other European nation.

There’s also been an increased focus on suppliers, which typically have lower local compliance overheads and more ability to run their businesses remotely from the territories where their content is used.

Although this sector is increasingly subject to local licensing, as well as new compliance burdens designed by regulators looking to drive a wedge between on- and offshore online gambling markets.

Change is inevitable

Malta has demonstrated its ability to adapt and survive, but there’s little denying that the nation’s gambling industry has never been more under siege than it is now.

After decades of growth and success, new ideas are needed to steer the sector into a new phase.

The success with which it emerges from the Bill 55 era will have a dramatic impact on Europe’s online gambling sector and beyond.

The post Malta faces new dawn as EU courts gather strength appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

av advertising

BetVictor rolls out new brand campaign with biggest AV spend to date

Published

2 days ago

April 24, 2026

Wladimir P.

BVGroup’s flagship brand BetVictor has launched a new brand campaign, “For All Your Favourite Things”, backed by what the company said is its largest AV investment to date.

The campaign, created by Barn Door Studios, uses a rewrite of “My Favourite Things” from The Sound of Music over visuals of sporting events. BetVictor said the creative focuses on “the uncomplicated thrill of sport and betting”.

BetVictor is timing the launch around this weekend’s Premier League schedule, with spots running alongside Arsenal vs Newcastle on Saturday evening and Chelsea vs Leeds on Sunday afternoon.

Media planning is led by Bountiful Cow. The plan includes a new partnership with Sky, spanning live sport integrations, on-demand, YouTube channels and targeted digital placements via Sky Advance. BetVictor also outlined a data-led SVOD and BVOD strategy across ITVX, Channel 4, Prime Video and Netflix, plus digital and social.

Richard Walters, Director of Brand and Creative at BetVictor, said:

“‘For All Your Favourite Things’ captures what BetVictor stands for today – a premium, straightforward experience that enhances the thrill of sport.

When done right, we believe that gambling is a simple pleasure; one that we love connecting our customers to. We wanted to celebrate the moments that matter most to sports fans.”

The post BetVictor rolls out new brand campaign with biggest AV spend to date appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Africa

QTech Games wins Leader in Online Casino at SBEA+ Eventus Awards 2026

Published

2 days ago

April 24, 2026

Wladimir P.

qtech-games-wins-leader-in-online-casino-at-sbea+-eventus-awards-2026

QTech Games has won the Leader in Online Casino award at the Annual Sports Betting East Africa (SBEA+) 2026 Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.

The company said it beat other shortlisted suppliers including SA Gaming, BetConstruct, and DST Gaming. The award is described by the event as recognising the “top all-round online casino platform for innovation, user engagement, and sustained growth” over the past year.

The SBEA+ Eventus Awards focus on the East African igaming and sports betting sector and were presented at a gala ceremony at the Argyle Grand Hotel. QTech Games said the judging period covered 2025/26 and that its aggregation platform performance was ranked highest by the panel.

QTech Games CEO Philip Doftvik said: “We’re thrilled to have walked off with another notable award for the best overall online-casino-platform provision in East Africa. Being shortlisted in such good company was already a result, but victory provides the real validation, particularly after running a great campaign at recent Eventus events in Africa. We’ve been promoting QTech Hybrid, our breakthrough retail solution, to great effect and it’s been fantastic to see that going live with a handful of top-tier clients on this continent has led to such overwhelmingly positive feedback and immediate success cases in the realm of genuine innovation.

“This win is testimony to our diligent team at QTech Games, and to the constantly growing group of innovative suppliers that our platform represents. It’s a truly collaborative effort. We remain committed to rolling out high-quality content that drives revenue for our worldwide partners across Africa and beyond. After all, in today’s marketplace, only premium games of the highest standard will separate you from the crowd, so we were delighted to see the panel acknowledge how our premier platform is delivering across Africa’s eclectic ecosystem. We’ve made our name as the pre-eminent aggregator in these evolving margin markets, delivering localised games that speak to a host of player proclivities. This award win will spur us on to new horizons.”

The post QTech Games wins Leader in Online Casino at SBEA+ Eventus Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.