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Flutter UKI Invests Nearly £7M into Community Sports

Published

7 months ago

September 10, 2025

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Former England heroes Alan Shearer and Peter Crouch are urging community sports clubs to take advantage of a £500,000 funding lifeline – as polling shows more than 40% (43%) of grassroots organisations are having to cancel services because of a lack of funding.

Clubs offering vital sports and fitness activities blame rising day-to-day costs, insurance bills and a difficulty in finding staff and other volunteers – with almost a quarter (22%) fearing they will be financially unsustainable within the next year.

The warning comes as Flutter launches Cash4Clubs 2026 – offering £500,000 to sports clubs across the UK and Ireland. Two hundred and fifty clubs will be able to bid for grants of £2000 a time to help buy new equipment, hire coaches, run training programmes or simply boost their marketing to bring in new members.

The polling, commissioned to coincide with the launch of Cash4Clubs 2026, shows grassroots sports funding has never been so important. Only 45% of clubs believe they can fully meet their members’ needs.

This year’s Cash4Clubs programme is backed by a host of sporting celebrities who are calling on clubs to apply for the money from Flutter UKI.

Paddy Power ambassador and former England and Liverpool striker, Peter Crouch, said: “An additional £2000 can make all the difference to local clubs – it can keep the lights on, keep facilities open and accessible and provide much needed funds to invest in equipment or training volunteers.

“These clubs aren’t just about sport – they’re giving people a place to belong, to build confidence and stay active. It’s why Cash4Clubs is so important, and I would urge people to apply.”

Alan Shearer, Betfair ambassador, said: “Throughout my career, on and off the field, I’ve witnessed the incredible power of sport to transform lives. Local grassroots clubs and organisations aren’t nice to have; they are essential community assets. These grants can provide a vital helping hand and the impact, particularly in deprived areas, can be profound.”

Acting on its commitment to Do More for Communities, Flutter UKI has invested nearly £7 million into community sports since Cash4Clubs launched in 2008. Earlier this year, almost 32,000 people from 200 different clubs benefited from this fund. Seventy-six percent worked with lower socio-economic groups, and 86% of clubs polled by leading UK charity Sported, who deliver the Cash4Clubs programme, reported they had grown their membership in the months since receiving funding.

Winners in 2025 included the Swindon Storm American Football Club, the Sunderland Deaf Darts Society and Wigan-based Parkinson’s Ninja – a pioneering club using the power of taekwondo, rock-steady boxing and mixed martial arts to tackle Parkinson’s disease.

Paul Williams, Parkinson’s Ninja says: “The grants from Cash4Clubs have allowed us to expand our offering to meet this need, including fulfilling the cost of additional coaching fees as well as maintaining the existing classes. As such we can continue helping people with Parkinsons by giving them the physical and social activity they vitally need.”

Sport England earlier this year showed significant growth in the number of adults and disabled people playing sport but said more work was needed in the most deprived areas. The UK Government has vowed to put tackling inactivity at the heart of its preventative health agenda.

Dame Caroline Dinenage, the Conservative Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, added: “I’ve seen first-hand the difference Cash4Clubs can make to the local community, and I would urge clubs to apply for the funding that Flutter is making available. Physical activity is vital for fitness and well-being and it’s always great to see the wide range of community organisations that benefit from Cash4Clubs. I hope this year’s programme is a huge success.”

Flutter UKI chief executive Kevin Harrington said: “Grassroots sports clubs are the beating heart of communities, but rising costs mean too many are now fighting to survive. That’s why we’ve committed £500,000 through our Cash4Clubs programme this year – to give local organisations the support they need to keep doors open, inspire participation and provide opportunities for adults to stay active and engaged with sports and all of the additional benefits that brings with it.”

Community clubs have until 8 December to apply for a grant through the Cash4Clubs website. This year’s programme is putting a particular emphasis on clubs that want to increase participation in sport in their local community, with the most recent round of grants attracting over 2500 new adults to recipient clubs in 2025.

The post Flutter UKI Invests Nearly £7M into Community Sports appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Casino Malta

EvenBet Gaming and SBC set private poker tournament for SBC Summit Malta

Published

30 minutes ago

April 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

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Invite-only No Limit Hold’em event runs 30 April at Casino Malta, InterContinental Hotel, with prizes for SBC Summit attendees.

EvenBet Gaming will host an invite-only No Limit Hold’em poker tournament with SBC on 30 April, the final day of SBC Summit Malta. The event will take place at Casino Malta at the InterContinental Hotel and is restricted to conference delegates.

The companies are positioning the tournament as a networking format built around a “premium, fast-paced poker experience,” with professional hosting at the venue.

Prizes listed for the event include an iPad Air, Apple Watch 11, and AirPods Pro 3.

Dmitry Starostenkov, CEO at EvenBet Gaming, said: “This tournament is sure to be one of the highlights of SBC Summit Malta, combining the thrill of competition with the social and strategic elements that make poker such a powerful connector.

“Taking place in Casino Malta, the event is reserved exclusively for conference attendees, and we look forward to welcoming them to the table to create new connections while enjoying one of the industry’s most iconic card games.”

The post EvenBet Gaming and SBC set private poker tournament for SBC Summit Malta appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Just Slots

QTech Games adds Just Slots to its aggregation platform

Published

30 minutes ago

April 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

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Deal expands distribution for Just Slots titles via QTech’s operator network, with a focus on Africa and Latin America.

QTech Games has signed a new content partnership with slots studio Just Slots, adding the supplier’s catalogue to QTech’s aggregation platform for its operator clients.

The integration makes a range of Just Slots titles available via QTech, including Shogun Skylord, Rain and Ruin, Book of Abyss, and Shadow Pirates. The companies said the deal is aimed at extending distribution across emerging markets, particularly Africa and Latin America.

QTech Games CEO Philip Doftvik said: “We’re dedicated to rolling out more and more elite content and product innovation that drives revenue for our partners. So, this deal with Just Slots extends our impressive sequential pipeline into 2026 – and we’ve so much more to come this year! In today’s marketplace, only premium games of the highest standard separate you from the crowd. So, we look forward to sharing their wide spectrum of games with both leading and challenger operator brands in emerging markets worldwide.

“Just Slots’ stunning portfolio will assist any platform partner ensure a complete brand experience that players enjoy and return to, driving dwell-time and fresh revenue streams. Their games introduce compelling narrative twists to their features, appealing to the culturally varied proclivities of new players across a swathe of untapped territories.”

Nick Formosa, Head of Client Strategy at Just Slots, said: “This is a partnership we’re genuinely excited about. QTech has the reach, the operator relationships, and the on-the-ground expertise in markets where slot demand is growing fastest. Being part of their platform puts our content exactly where we want it to be, and we’re looking forward to seeing our games find new audiences across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.”

The post QTech Games adds Just Slots to its aggregation platform appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

BettingStartups

Defy the Odds partners with BettingStartups to boost early-stage igaming support

Published

30 minutes ago

April 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

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The groups will collaborate on startup programming starting at SBC Summit Americas on June 9–11 in Fort Lauderdale.

Defy the Odds (DTO) and BettingStartups have announced a strategic partnership to support early-stage startups across igaming and sports betting. The first public collaboration is scheduled for SBC Summit Americas (June 9–11) in Fort Lauderdale, where both organisations said they will support startup-focused programming.

DTO, which advises early-stage founders in igaming, sports betting, sportstech and fintech, and BettingStartups, which focuses on the real money gaming early-stage ecosystem, said the partnership aims to improve access to community, collaboration and capital for founders.

The organisations said the combined effort is intended to increase visibility for emerging companies, improve connections across fragmented industry networks, and help founders become “investor-ready,” including support such as pitch preparation, financial modelling and introductions to investors active in the sector.

Kelly Kehn, Co-Founder of Defy the Odds said of the partnership, “Innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It happens when founders connect, share ideas and push each other forward. That’s what community does. This partnership with BettingStartups is about bringing more startups together and making sure the wider industry pays attention to what they’re building. Because the future of our industry is being shaped by these founders.”

Jesse Learmonth, founder of BettingStartups, adds “We’ve always been about providing high-signal infrastructure for founders to scale. This partnership with DTO doubles down on that mission, linking our audience with a community that actually opens doors. Starting with the Startup Zone at SBC Americas, we’re giving founders a direct, affordable line to the operators and investors who define this industry.

Both organisations said additional joint initiatives are planned throughout 2026.

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