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Infantino: Football will play a central role in bringing communities together
FIFA has recently built alliances with a number of United Nations agencies for the realisation of social development objectives
On 6 April, the United Nations celebrates the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, (https://bit.ly/323SQ4t) recognising the role that sport and physical activity plays in communities and in people’s lives across the world.
The occasion holds special resonance this year as the world seeks to recover from the devastation wreaked by the COVID-19 pandemic, with sport sure to play a crucial role in that effort.
To mark this important date in the calendar, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has written the following article in the UN Chronicle in which he details how FIFA and its many programmes remain “at the service of society” in this time of global need.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented time of distress and loss for the whole world. Foremost is the tragic loss of loved ones that so many have suffered. We have also largely lost our social lives and human interaction, including everyday activities such as participating in, or attending, a football match.
But there is light at the end of the tunnel, and with the roll-out of vaccines, we hope life will return as it is meant to be lived: together, without the barriers and constraints imposed by the pandemic.
As it has done before, football, the most popular sport in the world, will play a central role in bringing communities together. Through football, we will be able to get back in shape physically, socialise with our teammates and rivals, and fill stadiums again. We will regain some of what was lost in the past year and hopefully bring back joy and smiles.
We also have a unique opportunity for a fresh start. Football can be a powerful tool for action on many pressing global issues, including several of the most important United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as those related to health and well-being (SDG 3), quality education (SDG 4), gender equality (SDG 5), peace and conflict resolution (SDG 16).
Football and the sport’s governing institution, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), have an unparalleled global reach. The 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia was watched by more than half the world’s population, and the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 was seen by over 1 billion people. Such wide visibility provides our sport with a unique platform to promote the universal values of fair-play, inclusion, solidarity, diversity and teamwork, all critical to achieving the SDGs.
We are equally fortunate to be able to call on football stars – the FIFA Legends – who are living examples of those values. They generously use their own platforms to spread messages about important social issues and help us reach a much wider audience, beyond football fans.
Sports organisations themselves have their role to play and should lead by example by engaging in partnerships to contribute to the international development agenda. FIFA has recently built alliances with a number of United Nations agencies—notably with the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), UN-Women, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World Food Programme (WFP)—for the realisation of social development objectives, including promoting healthy lifestyles, crime prevention, sports integrity, youth development, gender equality and women’s empowerment, as well as education.
Education is indeed central to our global efforts to create a better world. Thanks to the Football for Schools Programme, we are investing $120 million in the education, through football, of the world’s young people to help them develop key life skills. Delayed because of the pandemic, the Programme is expected to start operations fully in 2021, when it can also help address disruptions in education caused by COVID-19, especially in some of the most affected regions of the world.
FIFA is also leading the way to create safer sporting environments, putting in place safeguarding measures to protect children through the FIFA Guardians programme, which aims to professionalize the role of safeguarding officers in football.
Since we must work together with state and local authorities in this area we have entered into a memorandum of understanding signed last year with UNODC, aimed at potentially establishing an independent, multi-sport, multi-agency, international entity with the authority and experience to assist international sports and ensure that we work together with law enforcement agencies and governments to eradicate any form of abuse and investigate cases as appropriate.
As we continue to fight back against COVID-19 and its effects, we do so with the aim of not just helping football—as we have with an unprecedented support package of $1.5 billion for the game’s organisers around the world through the FIFA COVID-19 Relief Plan (https://fifa.fans/39NYP1j) – but also society as a whole. From the moment the pandemic was declared, we, in collaboration with WHO, have contributed to vital public health messaging to promote safe hygiene practices aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19. We continue to collaborate closely with WHO and amplify messages that support good health and save lives.
Football and society have a symbiotic relationship: what is good for society is good for football and vice versa. On this International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (6 April 2021) (https://bit.ly/323SQ4t), FIFA is at the service of society, and we will continue to play any role we can in supporting the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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One of the UK’s leading betting aggregators, betting.bet, has introduced the Free Bet Wheel, a new free-to-play tool designed to increase user retention and interaction. Tied to the weekend’s Premier League football, this gamified feature offers users the opportunity to earn free bets and a weekly £100 cash reward.
At a time when most iGaming affiliates are focused on developing foreign markets such as Latin America and Africa, the function illustrates betting.bet’s ongoing commitment to the UK.
About the Free Bet Wheel
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Weekend Availability: The Free Bet Wheel runs every weekend, aligned with major Premier League and international football matches.
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Multiple Chances to Win: Players receive up to four spins to try their luck each weekend.
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Winning Free Bets: Match three free bet colours within five spins to win a free bet on the featured match.
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£100 Cash Jackpot: Land on the jackpot segment five times consecutively to win £100 in cash.
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Loyalty Rewards: Players also collect bCoins, Betting.bet’s exclusive loyalty currency, which can be redeemed for a range of prizes, vouchers and rewards.
Strengthening Operator Partnerships Through Enhanced User Experience
By launching the Free Bet Wheel, betting.bet is not only elevating the player experience but also delivering tangible benefits to its network of partner operators. The feature offers a new avenue to profile selected betting partners, direct qualified traffic to safe free bets and reinforce affiliate partnerships through increased user activity and conversions.
Steve Gummer, Director of Betting.bet, stated: “We at betting.bet are dedicated to developing products and experiences that not only interest players but also provide clear value to our partners. Designed to benefit our UK community in a fun, frictionless manner, the Free Bet Wheel also supports important weekend traffic and sportsbook conversions.”
Driving Retention Through Gamification
This launch is part of a broader strategic focus on gamification and loyalty at betting.bet, aligning user enjoyment with commercial objectives. As the UK version of the platform continues to grow, features like the Free Bet Wheel are designed to support player acquisition, maximise LTV and drive weekend re-engagement.
The Free Bet Wheel is now live at betting.bet and available to all UK users aged 18+,
The post The Free Bet Wheel: Betting.bet Increases Player Engagement with New Gamification Tool appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
GR8 Tech has unveiled a powerful new upgrade to its high-performance sportsbook platform: high-quality, real-time Match Trackers—designed to bring more action, insight, and excitement to players. Match Trackers are available across all of GR8 Tech’s sportsbook solutions, including iFrame and the Hyper Turnkey.
“We’re always looking for ways to elevate the player experience and give our partners a competitive edge,” said Denys Parkhomenko, CPO at GR8 Tech. “Match Trackers have smart features that drive engagement, boost retention, and power faster betting decisions in real-time.”
With broad coverage across football, basketball, tennis, hockey, volleyball, and handball, the trackers are live for pre-match analytics and in-game updates. Key features include:
- Detailed Stats: From xG in football to rebounds in basketball and aces in tennis, players get live and historical stats tailored to each sport.
- Key Moments & Summaries: Goals, assists, red cards, substitutions, and more delivered in real-time.
- Pitch Animation: A dynamic, visual alternative to video streaming, showing key moments as they unfold on the field.
- Lineups & Live Updates: Full team sheets, coaches, and live substitutions, so players are always in the know.
- Live Standings: Updated rankings and tournament tables across all supported sports.
By providing operators with the tools to deliver everything players need in one place, GR8 Tech enhances the sportsbook user experience, enabling more confident betting and driving longer player sessions.
The launch of Match Trackers marks another step in the company’s long-term strategy to deliver a best-in-class, sportsbook-driven platform and become the leading sportsbook provider by 2028. Coverage will soon expand to even more sports to meet operators’ needs.
The post GR8 Tech Powers Smarter Betting with New Match Trackers appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Midnite creates free limited-edition beer for fans to enjoy at World Snooker Championship
Midnite is the new official UK betting and casino partner of the World Championship, Snooker’s greatest event, which will run from April 19 to May 5.
To celebrate the partnership, Midnite has created a FREE limited edition lager – with one free beer available per person – which will be served at a local pub throughout the tournament.
The one-off lager will be served at The Graduate, an iconic Sheffield pub a short walk from The Crucible, with fans able to enjoy a new beer on tap while the World Championship comes to the city.
Midnite has partnered with London-based brewery Drop Project to bring the concept to life. Drop Project creates the freshest, premium flavoursome beers with consistent high-quality results, and pushes creative boundaries and brews the beers that both inspire their passions for the industry and our lifestyles.
A Midnite spokesperson, commented: “We have worked with Drop Project to bring fans a Midnite lager that they can enjoy throughout the whole tournament. We wanted to create something tangible that snooker fans can enjoy throughout, and to have been able to create our own beer is something we’re pleased with.
“The World Snooker Championship brings real excitement to the city, and fans can head straight from The Crucible, to The Graduate and enjoy a pint or two of our specially brewed lager, just for the occasion.”
Midnite is providing the beer free of charge – one free drink per person of Midnite Lager Only and for ticket holders to the Snooker World Championship (18+). Redeem by showing your matchday ticket at The Graduate. While stock lasts.
The post Midnite creates free limited-edition beer for fans to enjoy at World Snooker Championship appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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