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Virgin Bet Acts as Headline Sponsor for Easter Saturday Raceday at Musselburgh Racecourse

Published

2 years ago

March 22, 2024

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

Virgin Bet has been announced as the headline Easter Saturday Raceday sponsor at Musselburgh Racecourse – ahead of one of the biggest days of racing in the Scottish calendar.

Featuring the £100,000 Queen’s Cup and The Scottish Sprint Cup – regarded as Scotland’s fastest race – The Virgin Bet Easter Saturday Raceday will see some of the country’s top horses, trainers and jockeys converge on the East Lothian course on March 30.

Bill Farnsworth, Racecourse Director with Musselburgh Racecourse, said: “In Virgin Bet we have a headline sponsor that matches our ambitions, to continue growing our Easter event and building its reputation as the pinnacle of horse racing in Scotland.

“We have a packed programme for avid racing fans. The £100,000 Virgin Bet Queen’s Cup, a Heritage Handicap staged over 1m 6f, is the feature race. With total prize money nudging £300,000, there is also a superb supporting card boasting contests such as the Virgin Bet Scottish Sprint Cup and Virgin Bet Silver Arrow, which are run over five-furlongs and seven-furlongs, respectively.

“Last year’s winner of the Queen’s Cup, Wise Eagle, went on to finish second in a Group 3 contest at Ascot while the 2022 hero Enemy was a close runner-up in a race in Saudi Arabia worth a whopping £1.2 million.

“The Scottish Sprint Cup attracts some of the fastest horses in the country, and twelve months ago, was won in blistering style by Silky Wilkie, who, just four weeks later, was just pipped by a short-head at Epsom on Derby Day. He was also second twice in Listed grade at Beverley and York.

“Musselburgh’s five-furlong track record was set in this race by 2018 winner Caspian Prince, who stopped the clock at 56.77sec, and meant he was travelling quicker than the cars on the adjacent road!

“Top jockey Hollie Doyle landed the 2019 renewal with Saheeq, who, like Caspian Prince, was trained by Mick Appleby. Last year’s Silver Arrow winner, Gweedore, was successful for the second year running, and his Galashiels trainer, Katie Scott, reports that she is preparing her stable star for the hat-trick!”

Ric Leask, Marketing Director at Virgin Bet, said: “We are thrilled to announce Virgin Bet as the headline sponsor for Easter Saturday Raceday at Musselburgh Racecourse.

“We are passionate about delivering an unparalleled sports betting experience, and there’s no better way to showcase this commitment than by supporting one of the biggest days of racing in the Scottish calendar.

“Musselburgh holds a special place in the hearts of racing enthusiasts, and we are excited to be a part of the excitement and tradition that the Easter Saturday Raceday brings.

“This sponsorship reflects our dedication to being a leading player in the horseracing world, and we’re delighted to continue to be deeply embedded within the highlight moments of the sport.”

Aisling Johnston, Head of Marketing and Business Development with Musselburgh Racecourse, said: “Easter Saturday is one of our biggest annual events that has grown over the years, gaining the royal seal of approval along the way.

“Virgin Bet coming on board is helping us to be even more ambitious with our plans, so that we can put on the perfect holiday weekend event for all manner of racegoers.

“This includes us expanding the off-track entertainment and hospitality offering. We believe it will be our best easter raceday to date.”

The post Virgin Bet Acts as Headline Sponsor for Easter Saturday Raceday at Musselburgh Racecourse appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

bet365

Octoplay launches with bet365 in the UK

Published

48 minutes ago

May 8, 2026

Wladimir P.

Octoplay has gone live with bet365 in the United Kingdom, adding the operator to its roster of tier-one partners in the regulated UK market.

The supplier said the bet365 rollout follows recent UK launches with Virgin Bet and BetVictor as it expands distribution with major local brands.

Outside the UK, Octoplay pointed to recent go-lives with Paf in Finland, PokerStars in Spain and Italy, and Superbet in Brazil.

“Our partnership with bet365 represents another step in our accelerating UK expansion,” says Ralitsa Georgieva, CEO at Octoplay. “Working with one of the industry’s most recognized operators validates our approach and builds on the momentum we’ve established through successful integrations with leading UK brands throughout 2025.”

“We are pleased to partner with Octoplay and introduce their game portfolio to our UK players,” says Clement Le Scanff, Head of Gaming at bet365. “Their focus on quality content and player engagement aligns with our commitment to providing the best entertainment to our customers.”

Octoplay said it holds active licenses in 17 jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom, Malta, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Greece, Spain, Finland, Brazil, New Jersey, Michigan, Ontario, and Georgia.

The post Octoplay launches with bet365 in the UK appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Barcelona Technology Campus

Zitro Achieves ISO 27001 Recertification at its Barcelona Technology Campus

Published

48 minutes ago

May 8, 2026

Wladimir P.

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Zitro has successfully renewed its ISO 27001 certification for the Information Security Management System (ISMS) at its Barcelona Technology Campus. This achievement, framed within the company’s ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) commitments, reinforces its ongoing commitment to cybersecurity and ensuring the confidentiality, integrity and availability of sensitive customer and employee data.

ISO 27001 is part of the ISO 27000 family of international standards for information security. This framework enables organisations to identify risks, implement effective controls and ensure information protection in line with global best practices, while also ensuring compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

For Zitro, this recertification confirms the rigorous and continuous work the company carries out in the field of information security. The Barcelona Technology Campus—dedicated to the development of software and hardware for the gaming industry—maintains the highest standards, and this recognition reflects the level of commitment embedded across all its processes.

The post Zitro Achieves ISO 27001 Recertification at its Barcelona Technology Campus appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Asia

Kazakhstan Orders Telecom Providers to Block Illegal Online Casino Payments via Mobile Balances

Published

48 minutes ago

May 8, 2026

Wladimir P.

kazakhstan-orders-telecom-providers-to-block-illegal-online-casino-payments-via-mobile-balances

Kazakhstan authorities have moved to tighten controls on illegal online gambling payments after uncovering schemes that use mobile phone balances to fund unlicensed casino activity.

The Financial Monitoring Agency (FMA) issued instructions to telecom providers to strengthen monitoring and introduce systems to detect and block suspicious transactions.

According to the FMA, mobile operators including Tele2, Altel, Beeline, Kcell and Activ were called to a working meeting where regulators demonstrated how illicit payment flows to online casinos are being processed.

To verify the issue, the FMA carried out test purchases across 10 illegal online casino websites using services from all major mobile operators. The tests confirmed that payments via mobile balances were possible.

The agency stated that the goal is to cut off financial access to illegal operators and reduce public exposure to unregulated platforms. Further enforcement actions are expected as monitoring continues.

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan is preparing to significantly tighten rules on the promotion of illegal gambling. A group of senators is advancing an initiative to introduce criminal penalties for influencers who advertise online casinos and organise “giveaways.”

In related developments, a Kazakhstani influencer has recently been arrested in Vietnam on suspicion of running an illegal gambling operation.

Furthermore, the country is also restricting citizens’ access to legal gambling options, indicating a broader anti-gambling stance towards locals while still pursuing gambling tourism.

Lawmakers introduced rules restricting access to casinos, slot machine halls and betting venues in several regions to foreign nationals only. The changes will take effect on 17 May.

In March, President Tokayev signed a law establishing four new gambling zones for foreigners in the country.

The post Kazakhstan Orders Telecom Providers to Block Illegal Online Casino Payments via Mobile Balances appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.