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Allwyn’s Local Retail Champions Completed First Stage of Their Social Value Store Makeover
National Lottery operator, Allwyn’s, 2024 Local Retail Champions, Natalie and Martin Lightfoot – who own Londis Solo Convenience in Glasgow – have completed the first stage of their Social Value store makeover by installing new colleague headsets to help with security at the store.
The husband-and-wife shopkeepers were awarded £5000 cash and a Social Value store makeover worth up to £20,000 when they were crowned National Winners at Allwyn’s first ever Local Retail Champions awards in December. They had been nominated for the award by their customers for a host of community-focused work, such as organising charity fundraising events and local litter-picking activities, as well as providing a home delivery service for those in need.
Natalie and Martin have beallgun the Social Value store makeover work – which will take a number of months to complete – by installing six new colleague headsets to improve security at the store. The headsets enhance communication between store staff, increasing safety for both customers and staff and enabling colleagues to respond quickly to assistance requests.
The next stage of the store makeover activity will see the installation of new CCTV equipment, replacing the current 15-year-old system. As well as protecting the store, the CCTV currently helps keeps the community safer, with cameras located outside of the store successfully having been used in the past to help with investigations.
The final stage of the makeover will include installation of retail AI technology, with initial plans for this currently being looked at by Natalie and Martin.
Natalie said: “We’re really grateful to Allwyn for what the Local Retail Champions store makeover money is helping us do with security in the store. The headsets have been a godsend. The store has thick walls, making it difficult to hear each other in different areas of the shop, so the headsets allow us all to communicate and respond to things quickly as a team. We’re also in the process of getting new CCTV installed which will provide clearer pictures as the current system is quite pixelated and very dated. We wouldn’t have been able to get any of this new equipment without the Local Retail Champions makeover money, not for a long while anyway.”
Allwyn’s Director of Commercial Partnerships and Retail Sales, Alison Acquaye-Acford said: “We know Natalie is passionate about store security for retailers and has spoken publicly about the subject in the past, so we’re really happy we’ve been able to support her own store’s security needs with the store makeover. And she and her husband are absolutely deserving of the prize – they are a shining example of retailers who go above and beyond for their local community, which is precisely why they were crowned one of our two National Winners at Allwyn’s 2024 Local Retail Champions awards. We’re looking forward to hearing about how the project progresses further.”
The Local Retail Champions initiative is paid for with money from Allwyn’s dedicated Social Value Fund, which is an annual £1 million that the company has committed to using to support operating The National Lottery in an environmentally and socially responsible way. Last year, Allwyn used a portion of the fund to reward and recognise the important role its retail partners play in every community across the UK and Isle of Man – and arrangements for this year’s programme will become available over the coming months.
The post Allwyn’s Local Retail Champions Completed First Stage of Their Social Value Store Makeover appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
“Cheer Like a Corinthian”
In a World Cup year, Corinthians’ master sponsor uses the unwavering loyalty of the club’s fanbase as an example.
Brazilians’ relationship with the national team and their passion for football take on a new perspective in a World Cup year.
Master sponsor of Corinthians, Esportes da Sorte reinforces the club supporters’ long-standing reputation for unconditional loyalty with the launch of the “Cheer Like a Corinthian” manifesto, a movement aimed at reconnecting Brazilian fans with the national team.
Created by Agência Brenda, the project seeks to redefine the term “to choke” (“amarelar” in Portuguese), transforming it into a call for unwavering belief and determination.
“The campaign draws inspiration from the symbolic strength of Corinthians fans and football’s power to emotionally unite the country.
The idea is to encourage Brazilian supporters to reconnect with the national team through values such as loyalty, presence, and unconditional support,” said Davi Oliveira, Sponsorships Head at Grupo Esportes Gaming Brasil, owner of the Esportes da Sorte brand. Watch the video here.
The campaign debuted on Sunday (10), airing on TV Globo during programs such as Em Família, Eliana, and Fantástico. Simultaneously, the video was displayed on the giant screen at Neo Química Arena during the Corinthians 3–2 São Paulo derby, valid for the 15th round of the Brazilian Championship.
To bring the concept to life, players entered the pitch wearing shirts featuring the phrase “Cheer Like a Corinthian,” which was also displayed across the stadium’s LED boards.
Fans received handheld banners in the stands, while a giant flag bearing the campaign slogan was unveiled by supporters.
Directed by Lucca Meloni and Adriano Alarcon (Nocandy), the film’s visual identity uses symbolic elements to reinforce a sense of persistence.
Rain appears in unexpected settings, while the soundtrack, based on authentic fan chants — creates an immersive sensory atmosphere.
The production also featured real supporters, including historian Fernando Wanner and iconic Corinthians fan Wanda Vitorino, adding authenticity to the message.
“This campaign was developed with great responsibility because we were entering sacred territory. Hearing from legendary players like Marcelinho Carioca that we were on the right path was extremely important,” said Raphael Pinteiro, partner at Agência Brenda.
“Our intention was to inspire Corinthians fans through pride while making supporters of other clubs agree with the message: Brazil’s supporters need this spirit and determination,” added Bernardo Barbosa, also a partner at the agency behind the campaign.
“Convoque” campaign
Also inspired by the World Cup, Esportes da Sorte launched the “Convoque” campaign on Friday (8), using the brand’s iconic blue hat as a portal to a playful universe.
The film features celebrities such as Léo Santana, Jojo Todynho, and Marcelinho Carioca, transforming the user journey into a fun and immersive experience while always promoting responsible gaming.
Esportes da Sorte
Esportes da Sorte is one of Brazil’s leading sports betting platforms, operating entirely within the country and licensed by the Ministry of Finance (SPA/MF) under Esportes Gaming Brasil — the group that also owns the Onabet and Lottu brands.
The company belongs to a Great Place to Work-certified group and generates around 1,000 direct and indirect jobs. Its core pillars include innovation, responsible gaming, and support for market regulation.
Esportes da Sorte maintains strategic partnerships with institutions such as ANJL, IBIA, Sportradar, EBAC, and IAA, strengthening practices related to oversight, gambling harm prevention, and user protection.
Beyond sports betting, the company consistently invests in sports, culture, and social initiatives. It serves as master sponsor of clubs including Corinthians, Ceará, Ferroviária, and Náutico, while also supporting major cultural events such as Galo da Madrugada, Carnival celebrations in Recife, Olinda, Salvador, Maceió, Natal, Caicó, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo, as well as the Parintins Festival.
The brand also expands its digital presence through creative campaigns and influencer partnerships, strengthening engagement with audiences across online platforms.
The post Esportes da Sorte campaign celebrates fans’ resilience in support of Brazil appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Este artículo de opinión del CEO de Pay4fun, Leonardo Baptista, analiza por qué Pix se ha convertido en una de las herramientas más estratégicas para combatir el mercado ilegal de apuestas en Brasil y por qué el rastreo financiero puede ser más efectivo que simplemente bloquear sitios web.
Segun su publicación en el portal Poder360, existe actualmente una pregunta recurrente cuando hablamos del mercado de apuestas en Brasil: ¿por qué el sector ilegal sigue operando incluso después de la regulación?
La respuesta es simple y, al mismo tiempo, incómoda: porque aún no hemos abordado el problema de la forma más eficiente.
Durante mucho tiempo, los esfuerzos para combatir las apuestas ilegales se centraron en el bloqueo de sitios web. Es una medida importante, pero insuficiente.
La dinámica es conocida: se bloquea un dominio hoy, otro aparece mañana con pequeñas variaciones. Es una tarea casi interminable, a menudo descrita por el propio sector como “una lucha sin fin”.
Si realmente queremos ser efectivos, necesitamos cambiar el enfoque.
El camino es otro: seguir el dinero — y es precisamente aquí donde Brasil tiene una enorme ventaja competitiva: Pix.
Hoy, Pix es el único medio de pago aceptado en el mercado de apuestas del país. Por primera vez, esto proporciona a las autoridades un instrumento capaz no solo de rastrear, sino principalmente de interrumpir el flujo financiero que sostiene estas operaciones.
Cuando se corta el flujo de pagos, se corta el negocio.
Este movimiento ya ha comenzado.
La Secretaría de Premios y Apuestas (SPA) ahora cuenta con herramientas de fiscalización más estrictas contra instituciones que operan de forma ilegal. Las multas pueden alcanzar valores extremadamente significativos.
Al mismo tiempo, el Banco Central ha aumentado sustancialmente los requisitos para las instituciones de pago.
Este segundo punto es fundamental.
En los últimos años, Brasil ha sido testigo de la proliferación de instituciones más pequeñas, muchas veces con estructuras de control débiles.
Con requisitos más estrictos de capital, cumplimiento y prevención de lavado de dinero, muchas de estas operaciones han salido del mercado.
En la práctica, esto ya ha reducido el espacio para la actividad ilegal.
Pero aún no es suficiente. El mercado irregular sigue representando una parte significativa del sector: las apuestas ilegales representan actualmente entre el 41% y el 51% del mercado brasileño, según una investigación de Instituto Locomotiva y LCA Consultoria Econômica.
En otras palabras, estamos hablando de un enorme volumen de recursos que no generan impuestos, empleo ni protección al consumidor — pérdidas que podrían alcanzar hasta R$40 mil millones por año en ingresos fiscales, según las mismas estimaciones del sector.
Esto nos lleva a otro punto importante: no tiene sentido discutir aumentos de carga tributaria o restricciones adicionales para las empresas que operan dentro del mercado regulado mientras una parte tan grande continúa operando fuera de la ley.
Si aumenta la presión sobre los operadores regulados, el efecto es directo: los operadores — y muchas veces los propios usuarios — se desplazan hacia el mercado ilegal.
La forma más eficiente de aumentar la recaudación no es subir impuestos, sino traer la actividad ilegal al mercado legal. Si eso ocurre, el sector regulado prácticamente se duplicaría en tamaño y, con ello, también los impuestos recaudados.
Por eso, el enfoque debe ser claro: fiscalización.
La supervisión de los medios de pago, proveedores y operadores en ambos lados del mercado es esencial. Ya no hay espacio para empresas que permanezcan “en la zona gris”, atendiendo simultáneamente al mercado regulado y al ilegal.
Otro punto que necesita avanzar es la integración regulatoria.
El Banco Central y la Secretaría de Premios y Apuestas deben trabajar cada vez más en conjunto. La lucha contra la ilegalidad depende directamente de esta coordinación.
Brasil ha construido un modelo regulatorio sólido para las apuestas en relativamente poco tiempo. El mercado está funcionando, generando ingresos, empleo y protección al usuario.
Ahora el país entra en una nueva fase: la consolidación.
En esta etapa, no debe haber dudas sobre dónde concentrar los esfuerzos.
La lucha contra el mercado ilegal no ocurrirá en la superficie, simplemente eliminando sitios web. Ocurrirá a través de los flujos financieros. Pix nos da esa posibilidad.
Quizás sea la herramienta más poderosa que tenemos hoy.
La pregunta no es si puede ayudar. La verdadera pregunta es hasta qué punto estamos dispuestos a utilizarla de forma efectiva.
Leonardo Baptista
Es CEO y cofundador de Pay4Fun, una institución de pago reconocida por su tecnología, seguridad y prevención del lavado de dinero en el mercado regulado de apuestas en Brasil.
Con más de 20 años de experiencia en los sectores de gaming y tecnología de la información, creó en 2004 el primer bingo online del país. En 2022 fue nombrado uno de los 10 CEOs más inspiradores por CIO Business Review.
The post ¿Por qué Pix es central en la lucha contra el mercado ilegal de apuestas? appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Flashscore has been ranked the fastest sports results platform by UK fans, according to new research into how audiences consume live sport.
In the UK survey of 2,000 sports fans, 46% identified Flashscore as the quickest platform. Flashscore said the pattern was similar in Italy, where 49% of 2,000 respondents named Flashscore the fastest, and in Brazil, where 53% of 3,300 participants reached the same conclusion.
Respondents also associated Flashscore with reliability. In Italy, Flashscore (known locally as Diretta) was recognised as being more accurate than competitors and national broadcasters’ platforms, while in the UK and Brazil it was recognised as being equal to or close to competitors and national broadcasters’ platforms.
Flashscore Director of Engineering Tomáš Kavka said: “It is not one magic technology that solves everything, it is a lot of small and larger right decisions over time.
“Serving a user in South America from Europe is technically possible, but speed is in our DNA. If we want to be the fastest on every continent, we need to be as close as possible to the user. And the data needs to reach that location the moment it appears in our database.”
The company said it continues to scale globally in its 20th year since launch, reporting more than 125 million monthly users worldwide, more than 400 million app downloads across its portfolio, and approximately 145 billion monthly impressions. Flashscore also reported over four million UK downloads, more than two billion monthly impressions, and average daily time spent close to 30 minutes. On infrastructure, Flashscore said it moved to a new data centre in Prague in 2024, tripling processing capacity, and uses a distributed cloud architecture. It added that during a major Champions League matchday earlier this season it handled 34 million users in a day, delivered 700 million notifications, and processed up to 1.3 million requests per second.
The post Flashscore tops speed rankings in UK fan survey ahead of 2026 World Cup appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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