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National Lottery Heritage Fund Supports Dean Heritage Centre

Published

3 years ago

November 20, 2023

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A collaborative project involving University of Gloucestershire, the Dean Heritage Centre and local volunteers and schools to establish a unique literary collection, has been awarded £133,8867 by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The literary papers of past Forest of Dean writers will be conserved and made available to researchers, schools and the public.

The new project will bring together a unique collection of material spanning more than 200 years, some written in local dialect, that reflects the landscape, people and places of the Forest of Dean.

The Forest of Dean Writers Collection will complement Dean Heritage Centre’s archive of British television playwright Dennis Potter (1935-1994), which was also the product of previous work with the University.

The two-year-long project will see the original handwritten manuscripts, including poems, novels, play scripts, notebooks, drawings and photographs held by descendants from all over the UK and the US, become part of the Forest community museum’s permanent collection.

Specialists from University of Gloucestershire will work with museum staff and local volunteers to research and catalogue the more than 400 unique items making up the new collection, while a series of events and exhibitions will showcase the fascinating new material.

Schools will have access to the collection’s literary, historical and dramatic content, to give their cross-curriculum work a local flavour and raise literary aspirations.

Unique Material

Among the unique material making up the new collection are previously unknown poems by “Forest Poetess” Catherine Drew (1784-1867); work by poet, biographer and literary editor Leonard Clark OBE (1905-1981); books once belonging to war-poet FW Harvey (1888-1957; a never-before seen novel by Valerie Grosvenor Myer (1935-2007) better known as an academic and biographer; a memoir by former collier and farmer Fred Boughton (1897-1985) written in Forest dialect with parallel “Queen’s English” translation.

Many of the papers were discovered by Dr Jason Griffiths and Dr Roger Deeks during their research for the University’s “Reading the Forest” project that was launched in 2015 to engage the public with the work, life stories and achievements of writers and poets from the Forest.

Dr Jason Griffiths said: “We’re so thrilled to hear we’ve received this support from the Heritage Fund. Thanks to The National Lottery players, more people will learn about the Forest of Dean’s rich and distinctive literary heritage.

“The work of these authors is of intense local interest, but it is also part of a much wider national body of work that captures the rich texture of this country’s fascinating places and people.”

Dr Roger Deeks said: “The literary heritage of the Forest of Dean is an important part of its wider cultural heritage. Many of these writers overcame economic hardship and class prejudice to achieve what they did. The story of their lives and careers will inspire young Foresters.”

Creative Talent

Dean Heritage Centre manager, Mark George, said: “This new collection plays an important part in our plans to diversify the museum’s displays and the new stories we tell about the Forest’s history. It will bring new visitors to the Centre too.”

Nicola Wynn, head of collections at Dean Heritage Centre, said: “This is fantastic news. I am so looking forward to working with this new collection. Alongside our existing Dennis Potter archive, this new material demonstrates the incredible depth of creative talent that has come out of the Forest of Dean over the years.

“Engaging young people with this work could create a whole new generation of Forest writers and poets.”

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SiGMA exclusive: Aleksandra Drigo on traffic shifts, transparency, and the future of SEO affiliates

Published

1 hour ago

July 6, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

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In an exclusive interview for the SiGMA News, Aleksandra Drigo, Chief of Business Development at SEOBROTHERS, shared her perspective on the future of affiliate marketing in Canada.

She discussed how Alberta’s upcoming market launch could reshape competition, why transparency has become a cornerstone of operator-affiliate partnerships, how compliance is changing the way affiliates choose partners, and why localisation, trusted brands, and data-driven decision-making will define the next generation of SEO affiliates.

Regulation will reshape Alberta’s affiliate landscape

As Alberta prepares to regulate its online gambling market, affiliates are entering a more challenging environment. While regulation brings greater transparency, it also increases compliance demands, acquisition costs, and competition – particularly from larger, well-funded companies.

“Many affiliates, especially independent SEO players, may decide not to enter fully regulated markets and instead focus on regions with more predictable economics and lower regulatory pressure,” Aleksandra said.

Bigger brands gain the advantage

According to Drigo, regulated markets naturally favour established affiliate businesses, whereas smaller publishers face much higher barriers to entry despite niche opportunities still existing.

“Regulated markets tend to favour larger players. Big affiliate companies have the resources for legal support, compliance teams, advanced tracking infrastructure, and long-term investment without expecting fast ROI.”

Compliance is now a deciding factor

Operator selection is no longer based solely on commercial terms. Affiliates increasingly assess partners by their transparency, reporting quality, responsible gaming standards, responsiveness, and ability to meet local regulatory requirements.

“We pay close attention to how consistent an operator is in terms of reporting, responsible gaming policies, speed of communication, and local regulations compliance. Reputation risks affect both sides. If an operator lacks transparency or fails to follow compliance standards, it directly impacts the affiliate business as well.”

Communication matters more than financial disputes

Drigo believes that most partnership conflicts arise not from payment issues, but from poor communication and limited access to performance data.

“Financial disagreements can usually be resolved quickly if there is trust and clear communication between both sides. Whereas, when affiliates do not receive timely information, face unclear reporting, or get no explanation for performance changes, tensions escalate very quickly. In regulated markets, communication and transparency become just as important as the financial terms themselves.”

The future belongs to trusted brands and localisation

Looking ahead, Drigo expects meticulous localisation, brand authority, first-party audiences, and community-driven products to define success in regulated North American markets. As AI reshapes search, affiliates will need stronger technology, diversified traffic sources, and compliance-friendly SEO strategies to remain competitive.

“With AI and online search ecosystem changes already transforming the SEO landscape, affiliates need to become much more flexible and technology-driven than before. And compliance-friendly SEO strategies and diversification beyond traditional search traffic are becoming increasingly important.”

The post SiGMA exclusive: Aleksandra Drigo on traffic shifts, transparency, and the future of SEO affiliates appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Belgium

EveryMatrix to replace Betcenter Belgium sportsbook platform in omnichannel deal

Published

2 hours ago

July 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

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Merkur Group-owned operator will migrate retail and online sports betting across 50+ shops and hundreds of terminals onto EveryMatrix’s full stack.

EveryMatrix has agreed an omnichannel partnership with Betcenter Belgium to power the operator’s sports betting platform, replacing an in-house legacy setup with EveryMatrix’s full technology stack.

Under the deal, EveryMatrix will migrate Betcenter’s customer activities and operations and deliver sportsbook services across both retail and online channels. Betcenter operates online and in more than 50 retail betting shops, with 600 Self Service Betting Terminals (SSBTs) and 300 SSBT-light units, according to the companies.

The agreement extends EveryMatrix’s relationship with Betcenter owner Merkur Group, following a March announcement that EveryMatrix would power Merkur’s Cashpoint brand in Denmark for online sports and casino and more than 1,000 sports betting terminals in 230 shops.

Ebbe Groes, Group Co-CEO & Co-Founder, EveryMatrix, said: “To be able to extend our partnership with Merkur Group in Belgium so soon after agreeing to work with its Cashpoint brand in Denmark is something you rarely see in our industry.

“There has been, and continues to, be an enormous amount of hard work put into both making and delivering these deals on both sides so I’d like to thank the Merkur Group and my own internal EveryMatrix teams for making this a reality.”

Mathias Dahms, Managing Director of the Sports Betting Division, Merkur Group, said: “We have learned to regard EveryMatrix as a reliable and competent partner and look forward to taking the next step with them on this challenging project in Belgium.

“Through this partnership, we will consolidate our market-leading position in Belgium and further expand it with new products.”

The post EveryMatrix to replace Betcenter Belgium sportsbook platform in omnichannel deal appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Blueprint Gaming

Blueprint Gaming rolls out Rapid Fire Jackpots to NetBet UK

Published

3 hours ago

July 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

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The expanded integration will bring Blueprint’s full Rapid Fire Jackpots portfolio into NetBet’s casino lobby over time.

Blueprint Gaming has expanded its partnership with UK-facing operator NetBet by rolling out its Rapid Fire Jackpots progressive jackpot content to the operator’s casino lobby.

The companies first partnered in 2025, with NetBet already offering Blueprint releases including Fishin’ Frenzy Lure ‘Em In, Eye of Horus and King Kong Cash. NetBet has also run a selection of Rapid Fire Jackpots titles, including Fishin’ Frenzy Big Catch 3, The Goonies Quest for Treasure 2 and Fishin’ Frenzy Even Bigger Fish 2.

Under the extended collaboration, Blueprint said the entire Rapid Fire Jackpots portfolio will be integrated into NetBet’s casino lobby over time, starting with an initial batch of titles now made available to NetBet players.

Rapid Fire Jackpots launched in June 2024 and is positioned by Blueprint as a complementary mechanic to its Jackpot King product, designed to deliver more frequent jackpot wins. Jack Lawson, Senior Account Manager at Blueprint Gaming, said: “Rapid Fire Jackpots has added a new dimension to our portfolio since launch, giving players access to more frequent jackpot drops alongside the premium gameplay experiences our content is known for.

“Expanding the rollout of the mechanic with NetBet allows us to build on the strong momentum already generated through our partnership, while further cementing our position as a leading supplier in the UK market.” Claudia Georgevici, PR Manager at NetBet Casino, said: “Blueprint Gaming’s titles have proven to be a strong addition to our casino lobby over the past year, and the integration of Rapid Fire Jackpots is set to further boost that offering.

“The mechanic’s combination of achievable, frequent jackpot wins and engaging gameplay delivers exactly the type of experience that resonates with our players, making it a valuable addition to our growing content selection.”

The post Blueprint Gaming rolls out Rapid Fire Jackpots to NetBet UK appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.