Latest News

Mark O’Hare: The sky’s limit for The Unit and Red Knot

Published

3 years ago

January 9, 2024

mark-o’hare:-the-sky’s-limit-for-the-unit-and-red-knot

Reading Time: 4 minutes

We speak to The Unit’s Head of Business Development Mark O’Hare about the company’s strategic alliance with PR and communications specialists Red Knot Communications, which was announced last year…

Can you let us know a little bit about what Red Knot does and why The Unit and Red Knot decided to enter into a strategic alliance?

We’ve worked with Red Knot since the summer of 2023, after a successful spell of Red Knot providing their PR and media services to us, particularly in the B2B domain. We knew they had worked with some of the biggest names in media, and we were instantly impressed with the support they’ve given us and the press coverage they have been able to generate from press releases, interviews, thought leaderships and social media marketing.

Very quickly, though, we established a crossover between the two companies whereby we could exploit some natural synergies. By way of an instructive example, just take my own position role, which began as Head of Business Development for The Unit. More recently, though, I’ve performed a twin-track biz-dev role for both companies. At The Unit, software development is a core part of the business and we have a talented marketing team that does traditional marketing like SEO, PPC, social media etc. However, our clients often also asked us about PR services, which was something we didn’t have the expertise in-house to provide. In the past, we would have simply handed that off to Red Knot. But now The Unit’s Co-Founder Paddy Casey and Red Knot’s Co-Founder Andy Clerkson (who had previously worked well in tandem at Grand Parade) thought I could manage sales for both and oversee how these complementary connections interlink, creating organic efficiencies from which to scale both businesses, rather than oscillating from one to the other in more disjointed fashion.

This is quite an interesting partnership, because the two companies come from very different areas, so what brings Red Knot as a media company in line with a software development company like The Unit and vice versa?

We have talked to clients in the past and interpretations of PR can be quite different, from the more traditional to the increasingly technical. For example, some just want PR to be back-linking and SEO, which was not necessarily Red Knot’s initial expertise. But the scope of its services has now evolved to include this, thanks to The Unit’s input. As in any domain of discourse, you have to embrace the latest tools of innovation and tech if you want to distil clear messaging and engage with your target audience. Nowadays, some people’s perspective of PR speaks to a more technical side which we have the experience in, so we can help each other by combining both.

How does your role differ from what you were doing for The Unit previously?

For The Unit, my day-to-day responsibilities varied from account management to working on sales leads or assisting in marketing projects, whereas Red Knot is more streamlined for me to focus on the sales process. Red Knot had a structure in place for lead management and outreach that we’ve been able to incorporate into The Unit’s structure. The role can develop as I continue to learn about what works well for both companies and I’m learning a lot.

How have you found the challenge of splitting your time between both companies?

That’s something that’s played out differently to how we may have thought. It isn’t as simple as having a set structure of focusing on The Unit in the mornings and on Red Knot in the afternoons, and I just have to be honest with myself and both companies about what I’m able to do. Some days I might work on a proposal for a The Unit client and then work on a different project for Red Knot. You have to work around time zones as well, because Red Knot’s team are spread out across Europe and the US, whereas the team I work closest with at The Unit is based in Dundalk, Ireland. I’d been at The Unit for five years and knew how we operate. From my experience now with Red Knot, I’d say both cultures are very similar, so that certainly helps.

How likely is it this partnership could expand with more staff or services?

I think there is huge potential to expand the partnership. There will certainly be other colleagues representing both sides of the business in due course. That’s not something we’ve put into place yet, but we’ve already entered mature conversations for the next phase, and ICE London (6-8 February) will see us unveil the next building block in this lockstep journey.

I personally feel the sky is the limit, because both companies are growing and can help each other in so many ways, as we seek to optimize our strengths and deliver exceptional services across the dynamic world of igaming and sports betting. I couldn’t put a timeline or a figure on things, but our growth in the last 12 months has been fantastic and we wish to continue that. The opportunity is now as palpable as it is obvious. After all, our respective skill sets, target territories and client lists are totally complementary. This global partnership crystallises a hive mind of two successful companies, comprised of very experienced gaming industry professionals who can supercharge marketing for any B2C or B2B gaming or betting brand, anywhere in the world.

eSports

Esports Foundation names Faker Game Ambassador for EWC and ENC through 2028

Published

7 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

esports-foundation-names-faker-game-ambassador-for-ewc-and-enc-through-2028

Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok joins Cristiano Ronaldo and Magnus Carlsen in the Esports Foundation’s Ambassador Program.

The Esports Foundation (EF) has appointed Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok as a Game Ambassador for the Esports World Cup (EWC) and Esports Nations Cup (ENC) through 2028, the organization said on July 15, 2026 in a statement issued from Riyadh and Paris.

EF said Faker joins Cristiano Ronaldo, listed as the Foundation’s Global Ambassador, and Magnus Carlsen as part of the Esports Foundation Ambassador Program. The Foundation said Faker will represent “the perspective of esports players” across its international events, athlete initiatives, media engagements and leadership forums.

“You can’t talk about esports without mentioning Faker. He is the defining athlete of competitive gaming: a champion whose excellence, discipline and longevity have inspired an entire generation,” said Ralf Reichert, Chief Executive Officer of the Esports Foundation. “As our Game Ambassador, Faker represents something fundamental to the Ambassador Program: esports creates its own global sporting icons. Across EWC, ENC and NGSC, he will help ensure that the players who built this sport have a voice in shaping where it goes next.”

Faker said: “Competition has shaped my life, and I am proud to join the Esports Foundation as Game Ambassador. I want to continue competing for the biggest titles with T1 while representing the players and fans who have helped esports grow worldwide. Through the Esports World Cup, Esports Nations Cup and the Foundation’s wider platforms, I hope to inspire the next generation to pursue excellence, remain resilient and believe in how far competitive gaming can take them. There is still much more to achieve.”

EF highlighted Faker’s competitive record, describing him as a six-time League of Legends World Champion, EWC 2024 winner, two-time MSI champion and ten-time domestic champion with T1. The Foundation also said Faker became the first esports athlete to receive the Blue Dragon Medal in 2026, describing it as the Republic of Korea’s highest sporting honor awarded by President Lee Jae-myung.

The post Esports Foundation names Faker Game Ambassador for EWC and ENC through 2028 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Brand Partnerships

Midnite signs as Middlesbrough FC principal partner for 2026/27 season

Published

14 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

midnite-signs-as-middlesbrough-fc-principal-partner-for-2026/27-season

Midnite has agreed a partnership with Middlesbrough FC that will see the UK bookmaker become the club’s principal partner and front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2026/27 campaign, which Middlesbrough describes as its landmark 150th season.

The companies announced the deal alongside a fan activation at Riverside Stadium on Thursday, July 9, branded “This Season’s On Us”. The initiative offered supporters prizes including 2026/27 season tickets, 2026/27 shirts, match tickets, or a £25 club shop voucher, with fans required to answer Middlesbrough trivia and complete a football challenge.

Middlesbrough former players Craig Hignett and David Wheater attended the event, and, according to the company, took bonus attempts on behalf of participants who missed out.

Andrew Mook, Midnite’s Head of Brand Marketing, said:

“Middlesbrough have a storied history and we’re delighted to announce this partnership during such a monumental year with the club celebrating their 150th anniversary.

“It was great to see so many Middlesbrough fans at the “This Season’s On Us” activation, we hope they enjoyed taking part and meeting club legends, with David Wheater hitting top bins on several occasions and allowing fans to win big with season tickets.

“We can’t wait to get to Riverside Stadium in August to kick-off a new season and we’re excited to say that we have plenty of new and captivating campaigns planned.”

Lee Fryett, Middlesbrough FC Chief Commercial Officer, added:

“We’re delighted to welcome Midnite as our new Principal Partner.

“We’re looking forward to working closely with Midnite to develop engaging campaigns, content and unique experiences that bring our fans even closer to the club.

“We’re confident this partnership will provide real value for our supporters while supporting our ambitions both on and off the pitch.”

The post Midnite signs as Middlesbrough FC principal partner for 2026/27 season appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

AGCO

ThrillTech secures AGCO supplier licence for Ontario launch

Published

14 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

thrilltech-secures-agco-supplier-licence-for-ontario-launch

ThrillTech has been awarded a Gaming-Related Supplier licence by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), clearing the company to launch in Ontario’s regulated market.

The licence allows ThrillTech to deploy its opt-in side bet jackpots technology with regulated online casino, sports betting and lottery operators across the province.

Benjamin Bradtke, Co-Founder of ThrillTech, said: “Securing our AGCO licence is a major step in our mission to transform how jackpots are delivered at scale across regulated markets. This latest certification is testament to our robust technology and trusted compliance frameworks, allowing us to continue our global growth trajectory. We are thrilled to bring our proven, compliant jackpot technology to Ontario, empowering locally licensed operators to uplift revenue without cannibalising existing spend.”

The company said its “ThrillPots” mechanics sit as an independent, player-funded side bet and do not alter the underlying game’s return-to-player mathematics.

ThrillTech said the Ontario approval enables its existing multinational partners that also operate in the province to launch its side bet jackpots locally, while it also holds talks with potential new operator partners. The company lists its regulated footprint as including the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Romania, Malta, Gibraltar, Brazil and Peru.

The post ThrillTech secures AGCO supplier licence for Ontario launch appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.