Press Releases
William Hill crowned Sports Betting Operator of the Year at IGA Awards 2020
William Hill won the prestigious award Sports Betting Operator of the Year 2020 at the IGA Awards.
The yearly gala event held at the Savoy in London gathered the industry to celebrate and recognise the major brands showing significant positive impact across a range of categories. For the second year in a row, William Hill received one of the most sought after headline awards – Sports Betting Operator of the Year.
The IGA jury defined the category winner;
“This award recognises the operator in the sports arena that has shown to lead the field, not only in capacity of customers, but in originality of betting, including mobile and tablet customers while offering a high level of customer service including importantly telephone service and online with marketing of the product, usability and growth. The range of sports betting is also an important factor to who will be decided as the winner in this highly competitive category.”
Patrick Jonker, CEO Mr Green Ltd, MD William Hill International comments: “The year could not have started in a better way. Last week our main Gaming brand Mr Green won the headline category Operator of the Year at the EGR Nordics Awards, and on Monday night our main Sports brand William Hill received the award for Sports Betting Operator of the Year. This shows how well positioned we are with two strong brands across our product offer. I could not be prouder of our teams, and I feel very excited knowing we have a great plan in place for 2020.”
About William Hill:
William Hill PLC is one of the world’s leading betting and gaming companies, employing over 16,000 people. Its origins are in the UK where it was founded in 1934, and where it is listed on the London Stock Exchange. The majority of its $2.1 billion annual revenues are still derived from the UK, where it has a national presence of licensed betting offices and one of the leading online betting and gaming services. In 2012, it established William Hill US with a focus on retail and mobile operations in Nevada, which is now the largest sports betting business in the USA. William Hill US (www.williamhill.us) currently operates 114 race and sports books in Nevada and the state’s leading mobile sports betting app. William Hill is operating in New Jersey at Monmouth Park Racetrack, Ocean Resort Casino, Tropicana Atlantic City, and online with the William Hill New Jersey sports betting app. It is also a licensed sports betting provider in numerous casinos in Mississippi, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island and serves as the exclusive risk manager for the sports lottery in Delaware. William Hill also has licensed operations in The Bahamas, Italy, Spain and Sweden. Following the acquisition of MRG Group in March 2019 its international operations are now based in Malta with its Gibraltar hub continuing to focus on the UK market.
casino
Plaza adds Monday Night RAW ticket raffle to WrestleMania 42 viewing party
Downtown Las Vegas casino also brings in WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam for a live Q&A on April 18.
Plaza Hotel & Casino will host WrestleMania 42 viewing parties on April 18 and April 19 in its showroom in downtown Las Vegas, adding a ticket giveaway for WWE Monday Night RAW on the second night.
The casino said all guests attending the Sunday, April 19 viewing party can enter a free raffle to win two tickets to Monday Night RAW on Monday, April 20 at T-Mobile Arena, seated in one of the venue’s premier Loge Boxes.
On Saturday, April 18, the Plaza will feature WWE Hall of Fame wrestler Rob Van Dam (RVD) as a special guest. The property said RVD—also billed as “Mr. Monday Night”—will lead a live Q&A at 1:30 p.m. ahead of the WrestleMania 42 start time at 3 p.m., and will be available for autographs and photo ops.
Both events are 21+ and run in the Plaza showroom, with doors opening at 1 p.m. and the viewing party starting at 3 p.m. The Plaza said it will offer drink specials and buckets of beer priced at $30 for domestic brands and $35 for imported.
Tickets with seat selection are priced at $40 per person (plus fees and taxes), according to the casino, with details and purchasing available via the Plaza’s website.
Relevant data as follows:
- Plaza Hotel & Casino WrestleMania viewing party details: https://www.plazahotelcasino.com/entertainment/wrestlemania-viewing-party/ Primary source for ticketing, schedule, and pricing referenced in the article.
- WWE Monday Night RAW: https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw Official WWE show page to support the RAW reference and event context.
- T-Mobile Arena events calendar: https://www.t-mobilearena.com/events Venue source to corroborate event location and provide broader event context.
- Plaza Hotel & Casino: https://www.plazahotelcasino.com/ Company homepage for readers seeking more information on the property hosting the viewing parties.
The post Plaza adds Monday Night RAW ticket raffle to WrestleMania 42 viewing party appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
eSports
MEGA hires Leapfox founder Patrick Collins as VP of Growth
The ex-Wasserman and former Excel Esports partnerships lead joins the London-based group behind the Esports Awards and MOBIES.
The Mobile, Esports and Gaming Alliance (MEGA) has appointed Patrick Collins as Vice President of Growth, the company said on April 15, 2026. Collins will lead growth strategy, including commercial partnerships and new business development, from London.
Collins joins from boutique agency Leapfox, which he founded in early 2022. Prior to that, he led commercial partnerships at UK esports organisation Excel Esports, securing deals with brands including BT, Sony, JD Sports, Neosurf and Chupa Chups, alongside partners such as HyperX, Anda Seat, Belong Gaming Arenas and Chillblast PCs.
Earlier in his career, Collins worked at sports marketing agency Wasserman, where MEGA said he helped secure EE’s six-year partnership with Wembley Stadium and advised brands including American Express, Vodafone and PepsiCo. The company also cited experience working with Premier League football clubs and brands including Barclays, Santander, Under Armour and Puma.
“I’m pleased to officially join MEGA at such an important time for esports and gaming,” said Patrick Collins, VP of Growth at MEGA. “Having worked across traditional sport, esports, and commercial partnerships, and founding Leapfox to bridge these worlds and guide my clients, I’m looking forward to applying my experience to support MEGA and our properties as we continue to grow.”
“We’re delighted to welcome Patrick to MEGA as our new Vice President of Growth,” said Michael Ashford, Co-Founder of MEGA. “His extensive experience, including founding Leapfox, uniquely positions him to shape the future of our company. With Patrick on board, MEGA is determined to accelerate our growth, embark on transformative partnerships, and deliver world-class experiences that will define the next era of esports entertainment.”
Relevant data as follows:
- MEGA (Mobile, Esports and Gaming Alliance): https://themega.global/ Official company site to support the appointment and provide background on MEGA.
- Esports Awards: https://esportsawards.com/ Official site for one of the properties referenced in connection with MEGA.
- MOBIES: https://mobies.com/ Official site for the Mobile Gaming Awards referenced alongside MEGA.
The post MEGA hires Leapfox founder Patrick Collins as VP of Growth appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
iGaming
Soft2Bet adds five brands in Q1 2026 and lines up Alberta licensing bid
Soft2Bet said it opened 2026 with five new brand launches and four sponsorship deals, alongside market planning for Q2 2026. The company shared the update from Malta on April 15, 2026 as part of its Q1 2026 results.
In Q1, Soft2Bet launched Lodur in Sweden and Zinx in Romania. In Denmark, it launched Betinia, Betoro and QuickCasino. The company said the rollouts were part of a localized approach aligned with player behavior and regulatory environments.
Soft2Bet also announced four sponsorships aimed at strengthening regional visibility. In Canada, it partnered with the Oshawa FireWolves and Rock League Curling. In Romania, it renewed its partnership with football club CFR Cluj. In Denmark, it cited brand exposure through the Betinia League and CampoBet Division.
For Q2 2026, Soft2Bet said it has submitted a license application in Alberta, Canada, and is evaluating Spain and Portugal. The company also said it plans to offer players a gamified tournament module for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, designed to extend engagement beyond traditional sportsbook formats.
Soft2Bet did not disclose revenue, active user metrics, or market-by-market performance data in the release.
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Soft2Bet: https://soft2bet.com/ Company site for background, brand portfolio, and corporate updates referenced in the release.
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Alberta iGaming (AGLC) – regulatory information: https://aglc.ca/ Official Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis information relevant to the stated Alberta license application.
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Swedish Gambling Authority (Spelinspektionen): https://www.spelinspektionen.se/en/ Regulator context for the Sweden brand launch mentioned (Lodur).
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Romanian National Gambling Office (ONJN):https://onjn.gov.ro Regulatory reference for Romania activity and brand launch (Zinx).
The post Soft2Bet adds five brands in Q1 2026 and lines up Alberta licensing bid appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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