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PokerStars Women’s Winter Festival Sets Historic Record as Largest Women’s Poker Event Ever Held Outside of Las Vegas
The inaugural Women’s Winter festival, sponsored by PokerStars, has entered the history books after attracting a record-breaking turnout to become the largest women’s poker event ever held outside of Las Vegas.
Held at the Hippodrome Casino in London, the festival saw 271 female players enter the $400 buy-in Main Event, which had a £100,000 guaranteed prize pool, to cement its place in history. Argentinian poker pro Maria Lampropulos won the Main Event for a £20,000 top prize and the prestigious Pokerstars trophy.
With approximately only 3% of tournament fields comprising women, the Women’s Winter Festival was designed to open doors for more women to engage confidently at higher levels of play in a competitive yet supportive environment. The festival’s success underscores a broader movement to elevate female participation in poker.
Founder of the festival and PokerStars Ambassador Kerryjane Craigie said: “This event was a celebration of women, and about championing and empowering women in poker. I’m so pleased that we have created this amazing community event that was accessible for everyone to come and have a go and was filled with fun, laughter, and fantastic poker. Thank you to everyone who joined us, I’m excited to see what’s ahead.”
In addition to the Main Event, the Women’s Winter Festival featured PokerStars first-ever Women’s High Roller event and the unique 50/50 event, which saw an equal field of female and male players take to the felt.
PokerStars Ambassador Jennifer Shahade played in the 50/50 event and said: “The innovative 50/50 event, with half women and half men was the most fun I’ve ever had at a poker tourney, with toasts, singing and belly laughs.”
The post PokerStars Women’s Winter Festival Sets Historic Record as Largest Women’s Poker Event Ever Held Outside of Las Vegas appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Former DAZN executive joins as the safer gambling consultancy scales internationally from Manchester.
EPIC Global Solutions has appointed Chetan Pandya as Managing Director, the company said on 5 May 2026. The Manchester-based gambling-harm prevention consultancy said the hire is part of its next phase of international growth.
Pandya joins from DAZN, where he held senior leadership roles. EPIC said the appointment is intended to help scale operations and expand its role with organisations in “high-risk sectors,” including sport, gambling, and education.
Chetan Pandya, Managing Director at EPIC Global Solutions, said: “EPIC operates in a space that is becoming increasingly critical to the future of global sport and gambling. The opportunity to help shape how organisations approach prevention, responsibility, and long-term sustainability at scale is incredibly compelling. I’m excited to be joining at such a pivotal moment in the company’s journey.”
Paul Buck, CEO of EPIC Global Solutions, added: “This is a significant moment for EPIC. Chetan brings the experience, leadership, and global perspective we need as we continue to grow and evolve. Our ambition is clear – to be the trusted partner to the world’s leading organisations in player protection, and this appointment strengthens our ability to deliver on that.”
EPIC said it is expanding its presence in North America and internationally, alongside the development of scalable and digitally-enabled solutions to support organisations across multiple markets.
The post EPIC Global Solutions names Chetan Pandya as Managing Director appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Manchester-based gambling-harm prevention consultancy says the hire supports expansion in North America and other markets.
EPIC Global Solutions has appointed Chetan Pandya as Managing Director, the Manchester-based gambling-harm prevention consultancy said on 5 May 2026.
Pandya joins from DAZN, where he held senior leadership roles. EPIC said the appointment is intended to support its next phase of international growth and to scale its operations as regulatory scrutiny increases and operators expand into new markets.
“EPIC operates in a space that is becoming increasingly critical to the future of global sport and gambling. The opportunity to help shape how organisations approach prevention, responsibility, and long-term sustainability at scale is incredibly compelling. I’m excited to be joining at such a pivotal moment in the company’s journey,” Pandya said.
CEO Paul Buck said the hire strengthens EPIC’s leadership as it expands its presence in North America and develops “scalable and digitally-enabled solutions” to support partners across multiple jurisdictions. “This is a significant moment for EPIC. Chetan brings the experience, leadership, and global perspective we need as we continue to grow and evolve. Our ambition is clear – to be the trusted partner to the world’s leading organisations in player protection, and this appointment strengthens our ability to deliver on that,” Buck added.
The post EPIC Global Solutions names Chetan Pandya as Managing Director appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Inaugural StreamRollers Top 100 Casino Influencer Awards were held May 2 at SAHARA Las Vegas and livestreamed globally.
StreamRollers has announced its Top 100 Casino Influencers of 2026 following the inaugural StreamRollers Top 100 Casino Influencer Awards, held May 2 at SAHARA Las Vegas in Nevada. The company said the event brought together casino content creators, gaming executives and media for a formal gala.
Former Nevada State Attorney General George Chanos presented the awards. “Nevada continues to lead in gaming and innovation,” said Chanos. “This new wave of creators represents the next evolution of how audiences engage with Las Vegas and gambling entertainment.”
StreamRollers listed its top 10 ranked influencers as:
- Raja Richter (The Big Jackpot),
- Vegas Matt,
- Lady Luck HQ,
- Brian Christopher Slots,
- NG Slot,
- D Lucky Experience,
- Mr. Hand Pay,
- Pompsie,
- Xposed
- and PokerMetarb.
The company said the full Top 100 list has been published on its Instagram account.
The company positioned the awards as a marker of the growing creator economy around casino content, which it said spans platforms including YouTube, Twitch and Instagram. StreamRollers said the awards event was livestreamed via StreamRollers.com and noted its platform is currently in beta with an official launch planned.
David Wang, Founder of StreamRollers, commented: “Casino influencers aren’t just playing games—they’re redefining how millions experience Las Vegas and gambling entertainment from their screens. This event is about recognizing the creators leading that transformation.”
The post StreamRollers names Top 100 casino influencers after Las Vegas awards gala appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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