Industry News
ULIS Elects New President and Executive Committee
ULIS has elected new President and Executive Committee for the 2023-2025 term during its General Meeting in Sibenik, Croatia, on June 6.
The new President, Gilles Maillet, brings a profound knowledge and expertise in the area of work carried out by ULIS. He has been Director of Sports Integrity at La Française des Jeux (FDJ), France, for almost six years, and a member of the ULIS Executive Committee for four.
In these combined roles, Gilles Maillet has actively contributed to ULIS development, broadening its collaboration with key sports and public stakeholders, at national and international levels, including among others, the Council of Europe, IOC, FIFA, Interpol, ITIA and UEFA.
Additionally, as a member of the French national Platform, working to combat the manipulation of competitions, FDJ has initiated preventative actions with several sports federations and clubs, which have been a source of inspiration for developing the awareness-raising strategy of ULIS, adapted to the context of each member country.
The Executive Committee (2023-2025)
Enhancing global expertise in lotteries and sports betting sector, the new committee comprises:
- Gilles Maillet (Chair), Director of Sports integrity, La Française des Jeux, France
- Stéphane Fraser (Vice-Chair), Executive VP and Chief Operating Officer of Gaming Establishments, Loto-Québec, Canada
- Chee Wend Lam, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Pools, Singapore
- Jens Nielsen, Sports Betting, Director, Danske Spil Denmark
- Younes El Mechrafi, Chief Executive Officer Marocaine des Jeux et des Sports (MDJS)
- Chris Lo, Head of Trading The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Hong Kong, China
- Ales Vesely, Chief Executive Officer, SAZKA a.a. Czech Republic
- Lemeng Wang, Board Director China Sports Lottery Operation Co., Ltd, China.
PTSB has launched a digital voluntary block for customers who wish to stop card transactions involving gambling merchants. This is an important initiative in promoting financial wellbeing and supporting customers in managing gambling-related harm.
The new feature allows PTSB customers to block debit and credit card transactions that are classified as gambling instantly through their PTSB App.
If customers choose to remove the block, a 48-hour impulse delay period will apply before gambling transactions can resume.
Along with betting sites, the block also covers online casinos, poker sites and lottery websites.
An analysis of PTSB banking data from January to June 2025 shows:
• 91% of gambling spend was completed online.
• 80% of gambling spend was completed by men, versus 20% completed by women.
• The age group with the highest spend on gambling sites for both men and women is 40-49.
• 2% of those who gambled in June 2025 spent over €1000, which falls into the threshold of problem gambling, according to ESRI Research.
ESRI research found that there are 130,000 adults with problem gambling in Ireland. There is also growing evidence that gambling offers lure people to bet more, particularly those at risk of problem gambling.
As part of the Bank’s 2025-2027 Sustainability launched earlier this year, PTSB is committed to playing its part in supporting customers with their financial wellbeing and has a continued focus on improving the financial literacy of its customers through education, inclusion supports and the delivery of digital tools. This includes raising awareness of the risks associated with problem gambling and providing support for those affected.
PTSB also has a dedicated Enhanced Customer Support team within their Contact Centre should customers need to access this support via phone.
Patrick Farrell, PTSB’s Retail Banking Officer, said: “At PTSB, the safety and welfare of our customers is of the utmost importance, and we’re committed to ensuring our customers have the knowledge and confidence to make informed financial decisions and plan for their future.
“Problem gambling is increasingly becoming a societal issue that warrants the closest attention, as it can have hugely damaging implications for individuals, their families and loved ones. We know from ESRI research that one in 30 adults in Ireland suffers from problem gambling, but worryingly a further 279,000 adults show moderate evidence of it. That’s why we have introduced this voluntary gambling block in-app so that it is accessible when our customers need it most.”
Oisín McConville of GamblingCare.ie said: “I am delighted that PTSB has introduced a Gambling Block feature to their app. Having this service available to customers digitally will make a huge difference as it is accessible to them on the go, which is particularly important given the prevalence and availability of online gambling.
“Initiatives like this from PTSB are crucial in supporting those who experience problem gambling and really complement the support services GamblingCare offers in managing gambling-related harm.”
The post PTSB Launches ln-app Voluntary Gambling Block to Support Customer Financial Wellbeing appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Apple iSports, a gaming, entertainment, and technology services company, announced that it has signed a Definitive Agreement with LBC Enterprises Pty Ltd (LBC or Lucky Bet), an online gaming, wagering, and payment systems company.
The proposed acquisition underscores Apple iSports’ ability to execute strategic transactions pursuant to its stated business strategy. This transaction will underpin the Company’s ambitions and excellent relationships in the gaming and entertainment communities by securing highly accretive gaming and wagering revenue streams from business-to-business (B2B) and consumers (B2C). In doing so, this will position the Company to become a highly competitive player in the U.S. online gambling services ecosystem.
Ian Parke, CEO of LBC, said: “The proposed acquisition of our company by Apple iSports validates the global opportunity we see in regulated, tech-driven gaming. By combining LBC’s platform and operational expertise with AiS’s capital markets presence and distribution network, we are primed to accelerate our expansion into new markets and scale our white label program. This partnership represents a major step forward for Lucky Bet and the broader LBC ecosystem.”
Joe Martinez, CEO and Chairman of Apple iSports, said: “The Board of Directors is excited to continue rolling out our stated objectives with our proposed acquisition of LBC. Our service offerings to B2B and B2C will now be significantly enhanced in a rapidly growing sector. Combined with our exceptional team, this transaction catapults us into the US and international gaming markets.”
Board member and director Lyndon Hsu, who is based in Singapore, said: “This defining transaction will expand our reach into gaming, wagering, and payment services markets via B2B and B2C opportunities. AiS will also be able to accelerate its stated capital raising objectives and further anticipated business acquisitions. Apple iSports remains on track to become a NASDAQ mainboard-listed company.”
The post Apple iSports Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire LBC Enterprises Pty Ltd appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Carlo Santarelli
Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. Names Carlo Santarelli Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations
Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. announced that Carlo Santarelli has been appointed Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations, a new position at the Company. Mr. Santarelli will begin his new position on August 18, 2025 and will report to GLPI President and Chief Operating Officer, Brandon Moore.
Mr. Santarelli brings over 25 years of Wall Street experience in Equity Research and Investment Banking to his new role and joins the Company from Deutsche Bank where he was Managing Director of Gaming & Lodging Equity Research. Prior to Deutsche Bank, Mr. Santarelli held similar positions at Bear Stearns, JP Morgan and Wells Fargo. He consistently ranked highly in Institutional Investor and other sell-side analyst research polls as a thought leader in the space, providing unique perspectives on industry events and trends with his data-driven approach and stock picking talent. Carlo Santarelli graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Economics in 2000.
Peter Carlino, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GLPI, said: “We’ve known and respected Carlo’s research work on the gaming, lodging and gaming REIT sectors for many years. Carlo brings to GLPI an in-depth knowledge of the industry and its participants, having experienced GLPI’s original formation of the gaming triple-net-REIT structure from a research analyst and capital markets perspective. We value his deep network of contacts among institutional investors, sell-side analysts and a wide range of gaming industry operators and we look forward to the value of his contributions.”
In his new role, Mr. Santarelli will work with Mr. Carlino and GLPI’s senior management to develop and evaluate growth opportunities and strategic relationships, and will oversee investor relations interactions.
The post Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. Names Carlo Santarelli Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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