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GambleAware Awards £250,000 Grant for New Research into Women’s Lived Experience of Gambling Harms
GambleAware has announced the outcome of its recent grant award process to build evidence of the lived experiences of women in relation to gambling and gambling harms, both as gamblers and/or as “affected others”.
The grant was awarded through a competitive process to a team led by Kelsey Beninger, Director at IFF Research in collaboration with Maria Fannin, Professor of Human Geography and Sharon Collard, Professor of Personal Finance at the University of Bristol, and Dominique Webb, Head of Programmes and Marina Smith Women’s Programme at GamCare.
The 18-month programme is taking a mixed-method, multidisciplinary and multi-sector approach and will include roundtables, depth interviews and community committees with women with lived experience of gambling harms. The specific objectives of the programme are to:
- Explore the reality and lived experiences of women and their engagement with and experience of gambling, gambling harms, and gambling treatment and support services.
- Establish and explore the drivers of gambling harms amongst women in Great Britain.
- Explore the services, interventions, and policies needed to reduce and prevent gambling harms for women.
The research has been commissioned as part of GambleAware’s wider five-year Organisational Strategy, guided by an overarching vision of a society free from gambling harms.
Alison Clare, Research Director at GambleAware, said: “Women’s experiences of gambling harms are under-researched, often presented as homogenous and in terms of how they differ to men’s experiences. We are pleased to have awarded this grant to this strong multi-agency, multi-disciplinary team which will be drilling down into the experiences and needs of different communities of women. This is an important step towards ensuring GambleAware and others are commissioning the range of treatment and support services women want and will use.”
“GambleAware is committed to delivering a whole-system public health approach to gambling harms and understanding the wider determinants that drive these – including gender, health, race, ethnicity, and inequalities – is fundamental to achieving this.”
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10p jackpot bet
10p Jackpot Bet Delivers £1.7m Win on BetVictor
A BetVictor customer has turned a 10p jackpot side bet into a life-changing £1,744,000 win after landing the top-tier Epic jackpot prize on the slot game Magnificent Power Spartan.
The extraordinary win occurred last Friday via The Jackpots — an exclusive in-house jackpots product available across the portfolio of gaming brands operated by BVGroup. The feature allows any qualifying spin to trigger one of four progressive jackpot tiers, including the headline Epic prize.
On this occasion, a single 10p side bet instantly transformed into a seven-figure payout.
The winning BetVictor customer, based in Scotland and choosing to remain anonymous, successfully triggered the Epic jackpot — the largest prize available — demonstrating that every qualifying spin carries the potential to unlock a substantial reward.
Eoin Ryan, Director of Sportsbook & eGaming at BVGroup, commented:
“We’re absolutely thrilled to congratulate our first newly created millionaire. This life-changing win perfectly demonstrates how The Jackpots are designed to work, where any spin can trigger any jackpot, including the Epic pot. We’re excited to deliver many more unforgettable moments for our customers over the remainder of the year.”
The win has been fully verified, with the payout processed in line with standard casino verification and payment procedures.
This milestone highlights the continued appeal of progressive jackpot mechanics and reinforces BetVictor’s commitment to delivering high-impact gaming experiences across its platform.
The post 10p Jackpot Bet Delivers £1.7m Win on BetVictor appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Bloko Padel Tour 2026
Blokotech finalises Gold Plus Sponsor portfolio for Bloko Padel Tour 2026
Blokotech, a leading innovator in iGaming software solutions, has officially completed its Gold Plus Sponsor portfolio for the inaugural Bloko Padel Tour 2026, finalising the premium partner lineup ahead of the tour’s international debut.
The milestone reflects strong industry endorsement for the new sport-driven networking concept. Confirmed Gold Plus Sponsors include Clutch, Felina, Scoreconnect, The Power Plugin, and most recently, Belatra Games.
As the final premium sponsor, Belatra Games will benefit from prominent brand exposure throughout the tournament. The company, which operates its Latin American headquarters in Buenos Aires, will receive visibility across official event branding and publications, as well as customised branded padel rackets and exclusive gifts presented to tournament winners.
Launched in collaboration with SiGMA, the Bloko Padel Tour blends competitive sport, high-level networking, and the global iGaming community across four international destinations in 2026. The tour will open in Buenos Aires before heading to Malta, Miami, and concluding with a Grand Finale in Rome during SiGMA World.
The partnership further reinforces the tour’s strong Latin American dimension. Belatra Games’ long-standing presence in the region — anchored by its Buenos Aires headquarters — makes its involvement particularly aligned with the Argentina opening leg.
Blokotech Co-Founder and CEO Salvatore Messina commented:
“We’re delighted to finalise our Gold Plus Sponsor portfolio for the Bloko Padel Tour 2026. The strength and diversity of partners supporting this initiative demonstrates the appetite for meaningful industry connection beyond traditional conference settings. We’re proud to see such strong backing as we prepare to launch in Buenos Aires.”
With its premium sponsor lineup now complete, the Bloko Padel Tour 2026 is positioned to deliver a unique blend of competition, collaboration, and commercial opportunity across key global iGaming hubs.
The post Blokotech finalises Gold Plus Sponsor portfolio for Bloko Padel Tour 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
iGaming
Soft2Bet Powers NEXT Summit: New York as Headline Partner for Third Consecutive Year
New York has firmly established itself as the definitive US-focused iGaming and sports betting event on the East Coast. As one of the first major industry gatherings of the year, NEXT Summit: New York brings together senior leaders shaping the future of regulated gambling across North America and beyond.
Now entering its third year, the Soft2Bet – NEXT collaboration has evolved into a long-term strategic alliance, reflecting shared growth, stability, and a joint commitment to advancing meaningful industry dialogue. What began as headline sponsorship has matured into an ongoing partnership that has consistently elevated the Summit’s seniority, relevance, and commercial impact.
NEXT Summit: New York 2026 is expected to welcome more than 1,500 industry professionals, with a highly curated audience dominated by C-level executives, founders, and directors. The agenda will focus on regulation, market entry, M&A, player engagement, brand trust, and long-term value creation in regulated markets.
As Headline Partner, Soft2Bet’s collaboration with NEXT.io is designed to foster a collaborative environment for sharing market intelligence and strengthening professional ties across the iGaming ecosystem.
Senior Soft2Bet executives will play an active role in the programme:
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Andrew Cochrane, Chief Commercial Officer at Soft2Bet, will deliver a keynote session, drawing on over two decades of experience across regulated markets, international expansion, and commercial transformation.
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David Yatom Hay, General Counsel at Soft2Bet, will join a panel discussion exploring the evolving dynamics of player engagement, offering a legal and regulatory perspective on one of the industry’s most commercially critical challenges.
Pierre Lindh, Co-Founder and Managing Director of NEXT.io, said:
“Reaching a third year with Soft2Bet as our Partner says a lot about the strength and stability of this relationship. We’ve grown together, we’ve scaled together, and we share the same belief that meaningful industry progress comes from collaboration, not just visibility. Soft2Bet consistently shows up with insight, ambition, and a genuine commitment to moving the industry forward, which is exactly what NEXT Summit: New York stands for.”
Andrew Cochrane, Chief Commercial Officer at Soft2Bet, added:
“Our partnership with NEXT.io is built on alignment, not just sponsorship. We share a belief that sustainable growth in regulated markets comes from open dialogue, transparency, and collaboration across the ecosystem. Supporting NEXT Summit: New York for a third consecutive year reflects our commitment to contributing to the industry’s long-term development — bringing operators, suppliers, and regulators into the same room to exchange insight and raise standards together.”
Soft2Bet is widely recognised for its innovative iGaming product development, including its proprietary Motivational Engineering Gaming Application (MEGA), and its expanding footprint across regulated global markets. The continued headline partnership reinforces the company’s long-term commitment to North America and its active role in shaping the industry’s most important strategic conversations.
NEXT Summit: New York 2026 will also feature a dedicated side event, NEXT Focus: Emerging Verticals, alongside an expanded programme designed to maximise senior-level networking, deal-making, and knowledge exchange.
The post Soft2Bet Powers NEXT Summit: New York as Headline Partner for Third Consecutive Year appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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