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Virgin Bet to Sponsor Women’s Day at Ayr

Published

2 years ago

February 26, 2024

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Virgin Bet has announced its first-ever “Women’s Day” event, taking place at the Virgin Bet Raceday on Saturday 9 March at Ayr Racecourse.

The day will serve as a platform to celebrate women in racing, making it the latest in a long line of social impact initiatives from Virgin Bet helping to create a more inclusive environment.

Open to everyone, the activity at the Virgin Bet Raceday at Ayr, exists as part of Virgin Bet’s new brand purpose, “A Good Bet”, a campaign focussed on ways in which the brand can knock down pre-existing barriers within sports and culture at large.

For the upcoming event, Virgin Bet has partnered with presenting star Natalie Pike, who will be acting as compere throughout events on the day, and as a trailblazing figure in broadcasting, further boosting Virgin Bet’s message of inclusion within sport.

As part of the day’s proceedings, aside from viewing Ayr’s spectacular race offerings, attendees will be able to attend a pair of panels hosted by Natalie which will inspire thought and lead conversation. At once both celebratory and insightful, the activities will introduce race fans to legendary women driving forward horse racing, as well as discussing diversity in the sport.

Panellists and subjects will include, with further names to be announced:

Panel 1: Legendary Women of Horse Racing

Delly Innes (Chief Executive, Scottish Racing)
Harriet Graham (Trainer)

Panel 2: Creative Inclusivity in Racing

Charlotte Jones (Jockey)
Emma Kay (WalkSafe Founder and CEO)

As part of the day and race sponsorship, Virgin Bet will continue to provide memorable experiences, with opportunities for female attendees to pick the Best Turned Out Award before each race and present the trophies to the winners. A donation will also be made to Ayr Racecourse charity partner, the Ayrshire Cancer Support charity, who through the CEO Sandra McCall and her team provide incredible support to the local community.

Furthermore, for the event, Virgin Bet will be partnering with WalkSafe, an app developed to provide women with confidence and support when walking alone; Virgin Bet will be highlighting WalkSafe’s functions and App details, giving women peace of mind when travelling from the venue.

Musical entertainment will be provided by local Scottish female talent to bring an added experience to raceday goers.

With this debut Women’s Day pilot event, a potential alternative to Ladies Day moving forward, Virgin Bet and Ayr are providing what proves to be a special and celebratory day, one which is open to all – reminding everyone that racing, truly welcomes everyone.

Virgin Bet Marketing Director, Ric Leask, said: “There are many incredible women involved in making horse racing the spectacle that it is, and for too long, their role has arguably gone uncelebrated and un-thanked. At Virgin Bet, as part of our ‘A Good Bet’ brand campaign, we want to make sport more accessible and to highlight brilliance, no matter who the subject, and this initiative is doing exactly that.”

Presenter and “Women’s Day Sponsored by Virgin Bet” collaborator, Natalie Pike said: “I’ve loved being a part of creating this project with the teams at Virgin Bet and Ayr Racecourse, and hope it can inspire the next generation of incredible women working in horse racing. Sport is for everyone, and activations such as this are crucial to ensuring inclusivity and safety for women at events, and ultimately heroing the brilliant people who work in the sport.”

Ayr Racecourse Marketing Manager, Lindsey Smith, said: “It’s fantastic to host Virgin Bet’s inaugural Women’s Day activity and our racecourse, and from minute one, we have wanted to back this campaign with everything we have. We are so proud to work with, host, and pay respect to an incredible array of women within this beautiful sport, and this work will go a long way to bringing attention to these excellent people.”

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Tony Bellew signs as PartyPoker brand ambassador through 2026

Published

1 day ago

July 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

Former WBC cruiserweight champion to appear at PartyPoker Tour UK stops and take part in online activations.

PartyPoker has appointed former WBC Cruiserweight World Champion Tony Bellew as a brand ambassador for the remainder of 2026, with appearances tied to the operator’s live PartyPoker Tour and online poker offering.

The company said Bellew will be “a regular face” at its remaining UK tour stops this season following an earlier appearance at the PartyPoker Tour Birmingham. Bellew will also take part in online activity linked to the PartyPoker schedule.

“I had such a great time at the PartyPoker Tour Birmingham. The atmosphere, the people and the passion for the game were incredible. I’m really excited to be joining the PartyPoker team for the rest of the year, getting involved at the live events, meeting players and seeing where the cards take me,” Bellew said.

PartyPoker said Bellew is scheduled to attend each remaining UK stop on the 2026 PartyPoker Tour: London in July, Glasgow in August, Cork in November, and London in December. The operator also referenced a series of exclusive online events running alongside the live calendar.

The post Tony Bellew signs as PartyPoker brand ambassador through 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Arizona

Arizona regulator orders five operators to stop alleged illegal gambling activity

Published

1 day ago

July 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

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Cease-and-desist letters cite alleged felonies and underage access tied to BetOpenly, Bookmaker, Club WPT Online Poker, Kutt Inc., and Raffle Creator.

The Arizona Department of Gaming said it has issued cease-and-desist orders to five online platforms—BetOpenly, Bookmaker, Club WPT Online Poker, Kutt Inc., and Raffle Creator—after investigations that the Department says involved alleged illegal gambling activity and underage access in Arizona.

In its announcement, the Department said each enforcement action alleges conduct giving rise to three felonies under Arizona law: promotion of gambling, illegal control of an enterprise, and money laundering. The agency cited Arizona’s prohibition on gambling unless specifically authorized (Ariz. Rev. Stat. Tit. 13, Ch. 33) and said the legal gambling age in the state is 21.

“Arizona is taking decisive action against illegal gambling operators that put Arizonans at risk,” said Jackie Johnson, Department Director. “Our top priority is protecting Arizonans and I’m grateful for the efforts of our intelligence unit led by Chief Law Enforcement Officer Doug Jensen to do just that. Through these cease-and-desist orders we are putting operators on notice: their conduct runs contrary to Arizona law and they must stop promoting illegal gambling.”

The Department’s letters describe different alleged violations by operator. For BetOpenly, the Department said peer-to-peer gambling rules prohibit third-party benefit, and alleged the platform benefited via a commission structure while enabling event wagering and daily fantasy sports contests without the required state licenses, including availability to underage Arizonans. For Bookmaker, the Department said its investigation found wagering on horse racing, casino games, and sports betting without an event wagering license or an advanced deposit wagering provider license, adding that online casino games are not legal in Arizona.

For Club WPT Online Poker, the Department alleged the platform enabled individuals under 21 in Arizona to enter pay-to-play online poker tournaments for prizes while using deceptive “no purchase necessary” language; the Department said online poker is illegal in Arizona. For Kutt Inc., the Department said Arizona “social” gambling prohibits third-party benefit and directed the operator to stop allowing Arizona users to deposit money and wager on sports, politics, pop culture, and casino-style games. For Raffle Creator, the Department said the operator did not meet requirements that allow Arizona nonprofits to conduct lawful raffles and alleged it allowed people under 21 to purchase tickets for prize chances.

The Department said the notified entities are directed to immediately stop all gambling operations and activities in Arizona “whether through mobile applications, online, or otherwise,” and to cease any future illegal gambling in the state. It added that future actions may include criminal charges or civil action against entities, principals, and employees, and that operators “may be subject to a potential award of restitution” and forfeiture of monies acquired due to the alleged conduct.

The post Arizona regulator orders five operators to stop alleged illegal gambling activity appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Latest News

Former WBC World Champion Tony Bellew Joins PartyPoker as Brand Ambassador

Published

1 day ago

July 10, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

Tony Bellew has officially joined the PartyPoker Brand Ambassador team for the remainder of 2026, strengthening the brand’s growing roster of ambassadors and reinforcing its commitment to bringing poker to a wider audience.

A former WBC Cruiserweight World Champion and one of Britain’s most recognisable sporting personalities, Bellew will play an active role across both PartyPoker’s live tour and online offering throughout the rest of the year.

Speaking about joining the team, Tony Bellew said: “I had such a great time at the PartyPoker Tour Birmingham. The atmosphere, the people and the passion for the game were incredible. I’m really excited to be joining the PartyPoker team for the rest of the year, getting involved at the live events, meeting players and seeing where the cards take me.”

His return follows a hugely successful appearance at the PartyPoker Tour Birmingham earlier this year, where he embraced the atmosphere, spent time with players and immersed himself in the event. After thoroughly enjoying the experience, Bellew will now become a regular face at the remaining UK stops on the PartyPoker Tour throughout the rest of the 2026 season.

As part of his ambassadorial role, Bellew will attend every remaining UK stop PartyPoker Tour in 2026:

London – July
Glasgow – August
Cork – November
London – December

With four live festival stops and a series of exclusive online events still to come, players will have plenty of opportunities to meet Bellew at the tables throughout the remainder of the 2026 PartyPoker calendar. Look out for opportunities to take him on online, and at the PartyPoker Tour in Glasgow, Cork and London.

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