Latest News

Rank extends partnership to support unpaid Carers

Published

5 years ago

July 28, 2020

George Miller

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Rank is delighted to announce that we have extended our groundbreaking partnership with Carers Trust into 2021.

This hugely successful partnership has had a major impact in supporting Carers Trust’s work with hundreds of thousands of unpaid carers right across the UK. Since its inception more than six years ago in February 2014, Rank colleagues and customers have raised a very impressive £2.6 million for the charity, with the money raised benefitting over 12,000 unpaid carers. Funds have typically been provided to adult carers in the form of grants, distributed through Carers Trust’s network of over 120 local carers charities.

These grants can be life changing for carers struggling to provide round-the-clock care for members of their families experiencing long-term illness, disabilities, poor mental health or substance addiction. The grants provide money for essential household items that would otherwise remain unaffordable. Money for new beds, cookers and washing machines – or to pay for hospital visits – can have a major impact in making the lives of unpaid carers much more manageable.

From the very beginning of the partnership, Rank’s employees and customers have enthusiastically embraced the fundraising drive for unpaid carers. This commitment has seen an impressive £300,000 raised in the last twelve months alone. And since early April this year, Meccabingo.com has increased its contribution to Carers Trust, raising over £77,500.

Back in December our Mecca colleagues launched a special pre-Christmas fundraising drive that raised an impressive £39,000 over the festive season. And in addition to fundraising, colleagues also worked hard to bring some Christmas cheer to carers. This included Mecca venues inviting unpaid carers from their local area in for a much-deserved Christmas lunch and a break away from their caring roles. One of these was Mecca Knotty Ash near Liverpool. They laid on an extra special day including a pampering and spa treatment session for 12 very deserving carers from Sefton Carers Centre.

We also gifted our sponsorship logo placement on Ipswich Town FC’s kit to Carers Trust for the 2020/21 season. The shirt is a special commemorative edition, celebrating forty years since the club won the UEFA Cup Final and is bound to attract a lot of attention, not just in Ipswich but across the UK!

Most impressively of all, colleagues from across the Group have continued to fundraise and support unpaid carers throughout the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown. Even though traditional fundraising events like sponsored runs have not been possible due to the lockdown, we have shown how money can still be raised with challenges like ‘Walk the UK’ which saw team members walking the equivalent of Land’s End to John O’Groats while sticking to their local streets and parks.

Welcoming Rank’s extension of the partnership, Carers Trust’s CEO, Gareth Howells, said:

“This is fantastic news for Carers Trust and all the unpaid carers across the UK we are working with to make their caring responsibilities more manageable. On behalf of those unpaid carers, and everyone at Carers Trust, I’d like to offer our heartfelt thanks to Rank’s employees and customers for all their generosity and tireless commitment to going the extra mile to support unpaid carers.

“And coming as it does within the context of a global pandemic and an increasingly challenging funding environment, today’s announcement could not be more timely. Such sustained support for unpaid carers is also particularly important given the UK’s ageing population and the increasing pressure being put on health and social care budgets.”

Rank chief executive, John O’Reilly, said:

“I am really pleased with the fantastic support that Rank’s colleagues and customers have shown Carers Trust over the last year. It’s extraordinary to see that, despite the difficulties we’ve faced over the last five months with our Mecca and Grosvenor venues closed and over 7,000 colleagues having to be on furlough, we have continued with our efforts to raise money and have now topped £300,000 this year. This is an outstanding amount of which everyone should be very proud.

“There has never been a more important time to be raising money to support carers and the amazing work of the Carers Trust. We are committed to continuing this high level of support with our colleagues across the Group inventing ever more ingenious ways of raising money for this marvellous charity. Thank you to all our colleagues and our customers for your amazing efforts and long may it continue.”

Australia

RTG Announces Evive Australia as the First Innovation to Take the Stage at Pitch!

Published

15 hours ago

October 15, 2025

Niji Narayan

rtg-announces-evive-australia-as-the-first-innovation-to-take-the-stage-at-pitch!

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Regulating the Game (RTG) has announced Evive Australia as the first innovation to take the stage at Pitch! – part of the annual RTG gathering in Sydney in March.

The event will take place at the famous Sydney Opera House on 9 March 2026, as part of the sixth edition of the international regulatory and industry conference.

Evive is an app designed to help people change how they play or seek support for gambling harms. Created by Sam DeMello, a tech specialist drawing on his lived experience of gambling harm, and supported by Jay Robinson, a safer-gambling expert with over two decades of harm-minimisation and prevention experience, Evive Australia aims to deliver personalised tools, resources and pathways for anyone seeking to reduce risk or access help.

“Evive brings together real-world experience, clinical expertise and technology to create an accessible and credible platform for change. Pitch! was conceived to spotlight exactly these kinds of innovations – ideas that challenge convention, improve safeguards and reimagine the future of regulation and industry practice,” said Paul Newson, Principal at Vanguard Overwatch and founder of Regulating the Game.

“Evive isn’t just another app, it’s a bridge between lived experience, behavioral science and practical support. It shows that compliance and compassion can coexist, and when they do, everyone benefits. The app gives regulators and operators confidence in credible harm reduction tools, while giving people a safe, stigma free path to change,” Robinson said.

The post RTG Announces Evive Australia as the First Innovation to Take the Stage at Pitch! appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

bet365

Hacksaw Gaming Goes Live with bet365 Brazil

Published

15 hours ago

October 15, 2025

Niji Narayan

hacksaw-gaming-goes-live-with-bet365-brazil

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Celebrating yet another market expansion together, Hacksaw Gaming and bet365 are now live in Brazil, via Light & Wonder.

Currently sporting their very own superhero in the form of the branded Spinman slot, bet365 Brazil users can look forward to an array of Hacksaw Gaming slots becoming available very soon.

Hacksaw and bet365 already boast a long-standing partnership, with content live in a notable amount of markets, including Mexico, Ontario and the UK. This is yet another standout go-live that highlights both their relationship and their shared ambition of bringing innovative, quality content to users worldwide. By continuing to expand alongside industry leaders like bet365, Hacksaw reinforces its commitment to delivering boundary-pushing content to players worldwide, while strengthening its position as a key supplier in regulated markets.

A spokesperson at bet365 said: “We’re thrilled to extend our partnership with Hacksaw Gaming into the Brazilian market. Our players are always looking for fresh and engaging content, and Hacksaw’s portfolio has proven time and again to deliver exactly that. We’re confident this expansion will be a big hit with our growing audience in Brazil.”

Marcus Cordes, Operational CEO of Hacksaw Gaming, said: “Going live with bet365 in Brazil is a proud moment for us. Latin America is a key growth region for our industry, and to expand with one of the biggest names in the industry showcases the strength of our content and the trust we’ve built through our partnership. We look forward to entertaining new players with our unique and innovative titles.”

The post Hacksaw Gaming Goes Live with bet365 Brazil appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Africa

Shacks Evolution Announce Strategic Partnership with Moja Group

Published

15 hours ago

October 15, 2025

Niji Narayan

shacks-evolution-announce-strategic-partnership-with-moja-group

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Shacks Evolution Studios, a leader in mobile-first gaming innovation, has announced a strategic partnership with Moja Group Inc., the parent company of Mojabet, one of Africa’s top online betting platforms.

This collaboration aims to redefine Africa’s iGaming experience through locally inspired, high-performance digital entertainment. As part of this partnership, Shacks Evolution Studios is launching two exclusive instant games: Mojawheel and Moja Citadel fully customised for Mojabet users.

These titles will be accompanied by a broader rollout of Shacks Evolution’s instant games portfolio, now accessible to audiences across multiple African markets.

“At Shacks Evolution Studios, we believe in creating games that resonate with the environment and culture of the people playing them. This partnership with Moja Group allows us to bring cutting-edge gameplay to millions while staying true to the realities of Africa’s digital landscape, including low network availability and diverse cultural tastes,” said Kwame Mensah, CEO of Shacks Evolution Studios.

“This collaboration is about more than just gaming, it’s about celebrating African creativity and delivering world-class entertainment with a local touch. By working closely with Shacks Evolution Studios, we are offering our Mojabet users something truly unique, games that feel like they were made just for them,” said Amina Diallo, Chief Marketing Officer at Moja Group Inc.

The post Shacks Evolution Announce Strategic Partnership with Moja Group appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.