Latest News
Entain Doubles Funding to SportsAid Through to Paris 2024 Olympics
Leading Corporate SportsAid Sponsor Backs 2021 Paralympians
Entain, the leading global sports betting and gaming entertainment operator, is today pleased to announce that its Foundation has extended its long-term partnership with sports charity, SportsAid, to provide critical funding to the most talented young British athletes all the way through to the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Entain Foundation will double its financial backing thus far to SportsAid, taking its total financial commitment to around £500,000 by Paris 2024– making Entain one of SportsAid’s largest corporate partners.
The extension comes as the Paralympic Games get underway in Tokyo. Around a quarter of the Entain-SportsAid recipients are para-athletes, aiming to compete in future Paralympic Games. Recipients include para table tennis player Craig Allen; the wheelchair fencer Abigail Marshall; track and field stars Charles Dobson and Joel Clarke-Khan; and wheelchair basketball talent Dylan Wade.
Overall, 165 of the 227 members of the Paralympics GB squad in Tokyo (73%) have received financial support and recognition from SportsAid during their careers. Forty-eight of the SportsAid alumni announced to represent Paralympics GB in Tokyo have received support from the charity since Rio 2016.
Entain (owner of Ladbrokes and Coral in the UK) first partnered with SportsAid, a charity dedicated to support the next generation of elite British athletes, in 2018. Entain supports over 50 aspiring athletes a year across England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland with each athlete receiving an annual financial support to contribute towards training, competition, travel and equipment costs.
The Entain-SportsAid partnership has so far distributed over 150 athlete awards with sponsorship and event fundraising key to this. Previous beneficiaries of the Entain-SportsAid partnership include Bethany Shriever, who this weekend added the World title to the gold medal for she won for BMX Supercross and at the Tokyo Olympics.
In the recent Tokyo Olympics, SportsAid alumni starred for Team GB, winning 14 gold, 19 silver and 14 bronze medals – 72% of Team GB’s total medal haul – across 20 different sports, surpassing the total of 46 medals won at Rio 2016.
In addition to direct financial assistance, Entain also works with SportsAid to supply athletes with recognition and personal development opportunities. An integral aspect of the partnership is the delivery of workshops for the athletes and their parents and guardians, where they receive expert advice on a range of topics including nutrition, mental wellbeing and dealing with the media.
Grainne Hurst, Group Director of Corporate Affairs at Entain: “Following the incredible performance from British athletes at this year’s Olympic Games and the Paralympics getting under way in Tokyo, we are delighted to extend our SportsAid partnership for a further three years. Our collaboration with SportsAid is a huge source of pride for everyone at Entain and plays a pivotal role in supporting the next generation of British sporting heroes.”
Danny Crates, former 800m Paralympic gold medallist, world Champion and former world recorder holder: “Talented young athletes need the right support, at the right time, to help them fulfil their potential and ultimately achieve their ambitions,” said Danny Crates – a Paralympic gold and bronze medallist who is a leading SportsAid ambassador. “SportsAid has maintained a crucial presence across British sport over the last 45 years – playing an important role in the country’s international success throughout that time.
“It’s the overall package offered by SportsAid which helps make such a difference to athletes – financial backing, recognition of talent, workshop support, personal development opportunities – and this has really been enhanced in recent years. The outstanding commitment of the charity’s partners, such as Entain, is vital to making that a reality and I’m delighted to see this relationship going from strength-to-strength.
Tim Lawler, CEO of SportsAid said: “Entain’s extended commitment will take us all the way up to the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2024 and comes at a very important time for talented young athletes – particularly following a challenging period over the last 18 months.”
“Our partnership with Entain has continued to evolve year-on-year and the well-rounded support provided to these aspiring young sports stars gives them added confidence and motivation to pursue their ambitions. We have also seen an increased awareness of SportsAid and a much wider audience is hearing the stories behind the next generation of sporting heroes.”
The support for young athletes via SportsAid is part of The Entain Foundation’s multi-million-pound grassroots sports investment programme. This also includes support for local football clubs in the Trident Leagues, as part of the “Pitching In” initiative, backing for aspiring Greek athletes through bwin’s Team Future programme and further international initiatives in the countries in which Entain operates to support grass roots and community sport.
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Gambling in the USA
GGPoker sets $300m guarantee for 2026 GG World Festival series
Online poker festival runs May 3 to June 9 and includes a $3m leaderboard plus three $10m guaranteed flagship events.
GGPoker has announced the return of its GG World Festival tournament series, set to run from May 3 through June 9, 2026. The operator said the schedule will offer $300,000,000 in guaranteed prizes across the series, up from the $250m guarantee it offered last year.
The festival is split into four buy-in tiers: Low ($3–$25), Medium ($26–$150), High ($151–$1,050) and Super ($1,051+). GGPoker said the series will include hundreds of tournaments over five weeks.
GGPoker is also bringing back its festival leaderboard with $3,000,000 in additional prizes across the four tiers: $300K (Low), $700K (Medium), $1M (High) and $1M (Super).
Three events will anchor the schedule, each with a $10,000,000 guarantee: the $525 World Bounty Festival (Day 2) on May 18, the $10,000 GGMillion$ Main Event (Day 2) on May 25, and the $1,500 GG World Championship (Day 2) on June 1.
“Last year we set the bar at $250 million, and the community response was legendary,” said Daniel Negreanu, GGPoker Global Ambassador. “But at GGPoker, we don’t just want to meet expectations; we want to smash them over and over again. This year, we’re going to $300 million. Whether you’re playing a $3 Low Tier tournament or the $10K GGMillion$ Main Event, you’re part of the biggest thing to ever happen in online poker. This is the stage where legends are made.”
Relevant data as follows:
- GG World Festival page on GGPoker: https://ggpoker.com/tournaments/ggpoker-world-festival Primary source for dates, schedule structure and guarantees referenced in the article.
- GGPoker tournaments hub: https://ggpoker.com/tournaments/ Supporting context on GGPoker’s tournament offerings and satellite qualifiers mentioned in the release.
- GGPoker homepage: https://ggpoker.com/ Company reference link for readers seeking broader operator information.
The post GGPoker sets $300m guarantee for 2026 GG World Festival series appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
celebrity-partnerships
Tyga Enters 1win VIP Program, as Platform Blends Crypto and Entertainment
1win continues to evolve its VIP ecosystem, bringing global rapper Tyga into its high-tier community while reinforcing its positioning as a crypto-first entertainment platform.
The update follows several days of speculation across social media, after the artist was spotted boarding a branded 1win private jet and later shared content featuring the brand. Confirmation was subsequently published via the 1win Owner’s official channels on X and Telegram.
According to sources close to the activation, Tyga was welcomed by 1win with a full-scale premium setup. This included a private jet flight and a genuinely VIP gift – a heritage model of Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 14700BA watch. The experience reflected 1win’s signature approach to its top-tier clients: personalized, highly exclusive, and luxury activations.
Tyga’s inclusion highlights how 1win is blending product, service, and culture, integrating high-profile figures directly into its ecosystem rather than relying on traditional endorsement models.
This philosophy is already reflected in 1win’s broader strategy of redefining VIP engagement. The company has previously made headlines for organizing private jet evacuations for its top users during global travel disruption in the Middle East. The brand also regularly cherishes 1win VIP users with extraordinary gifts and experiences, such as luxury cars and private tours to sports and art events.
While further details are undisclosed, the move signals continued expansion of 1win’s crypto-driven VIP strategy and growing influence across the iGaming and Web3 space.
1win operates as a crypto-first platform designed for a fast, seamless user experience. It offers a wide range of digital assets and quick transactions, including BTC, ETH, TRX, TON, and SOL, and grants unique incentives for crypto users, such as bonuses of up to 600% on deposits.
About 1win
Founded in 2016, 1win is a crypto platform in the global gaming industry. Operating across Asia, Latin America, and Africa, 1win offers a wide range of services adapted to regional audiences. In 2024, 1win partnered with actor Johnny Sins as its brand ambassador. In 2025, MMA legend Jon Jones joined 1win as its global ambassador. Rising UFC star and Tokyo 2020 Olympics gold medalist Gable Steveson stepped into the 1win global ambassador team earlier this year.
The post Tyga Enters 1win VIP Program, as Platform Blends Crypto and Entertainment appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Latest News
“‘The Wall’ is just a mental hurdle”: FGN founder Fernando Saffores shares his core business values
Fernando Saffores, founder of Focus Gaming News, shares the core values that have guided him through over 20 years of success in the iGaming industry in a new interview with Slotegrator. He also highlights what business leaders can learn from running marathons and flying private planes, as well as the biggest challenges new operators face and the markets and trends that will shape the future of iGaming.
Fernando Saffores, founder of Focus Gaming News, has seen some massive changes in the iGaming industry in his 20+ years of experience: the shift from an unregulated “Wild West” to a sophisticated, multi-billion dollar industry, the overturning of PASPA, and the introduction of AI tools, which his company quickly adopted. He shares the core values that have guided him to success throughout it all in a new interview with Slotegrator.
The wisdom you need to rise to the top of an industry like iGaming can come from anywhere: In addition to running one of the industry’s most prominent media brands, Fernando finds time to run marathons. In his view, the planning, discipline, and mental fortitude it takes to run 42 km mirror what it takes to run a business. One key is consistency: “You don’t run a marathon on the day of the race; you run it during the months of training at 5:30 AM.”
Another parallel is Fernando’s experience as a private pilot. Flying requires extreme focus and an ability to make split-second decisions under pressure, skills that belong in the boardroom as well as in the cockpit — he shares other concrete takeaways in the interview.
Fernando also breaks down the biggest challenges facing new operators today: “meaningful differentiation in a saturated market.” New iGaming businesses have to contend with soaring CAC, complex compliance requirements, and the struggle of finding the right unique niche — whether that’s through hyper-localized content, superior UX, innovative gamification, or something else. In the interview, Fernando shares the one approach he sees making the biggest difference for emerging operators.
Every business makes scaling a priority, but navigating varying laws, tax structures, and cultural nuances across global jurisdictions is no small task; in the interview, Fernando highlights the one strategic misstep he sees operators make again and again that stops them from becoming a global player.
Fernando also covers the markets and trends that will shape the near future of the iGaming industry, the brands he first turned to for support when founding FGN, the extent of FGN’s reach, his thoughts on the global AI boom, and more — read the full interview here to learn more about Fernando’s lessons in resilience, inspiration, and commitment.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Since 2012, Slotegrator has been one of the iGaming industry’s leading software and business solution providers for online casino and sportsbook operators.
The company’s main focus is software development and support for online casino platforms, as well as the integration of game content and payment systems.
The company works with licensed game developers and offers a vast portfolio of casino content: slots, live casino games, poker, virtual sports, table games, lotteries, casual games, and data feeds for betting.
Slotegrator also provides consulting services in gambling license acquisition and business incorporation.
The post “‘The Wall’ is just a mental hurdle”: FGN founder Fernando Saffores shares his core business values appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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