Press Releases
Racing Post and SIS cancel 2020 Betting Shop Manager of the Year
Racing Post and SIS have cancelled this year’s Betting Shop Manager of the Year competition due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the retail bookmaking industry. The event, the nomination and judging process for which was due to begin last week, normally runs throughout the summer with 48 candidates whittled down to a final eight with the winner crowned at an awards ceremony in November.
Due to the current shutdown, all non-essential shops, including high street betting outlets, across Britain and Ireland are currently closed.
Both Racing Post and SIS, who have sponsored the event for over 30 years, have furloughed large numbers of employees as a consequence of the lack of racing and sport around the world. The shutdown has resulted in Racing Post temporarily stopping the publication of the industry’s daily newspaper.
Sandra Gilmartin was named 2019 Racing Post/SIS Betting Shop Manager of the Year last November, giving Paddy Power their first success in the competition. Sandra will continue her ambassadorial role throughout 2020 in the absence of a new winner.
Explaining the cancellation and the uncertainty the industry faces, Racing Post Chief Executive and Editor-in-Chief Alan Byrne said: “It is hugely disappointing that we have to cancel this year’s Betting Shop Manager of the Year. However, our first thought is the safety of those involved. With the current restrictions in place, including betting shop closures, it is simply not feasible to run a competition that also involves shop visits and one-to-one interviews.
Byrne continued: “When the various government measures are lifted, the first focus of retail bookmakers will be on the health and wellbeing of staff and customers alike. It is important that we all work together to ensure everyone in our industry is safe, and then we can begin to get all our businesses back to their best. Once we come out the other side of this pandemic, we will be in a better place to celebrate the people who are the backbone of the retail bookmaking industry.”
Echoing Alan Byrnes words, SIS Chief Executive, Richard Ames said: “The opportunity to help stage the competition and annual awards is one of the highlights for everybody here – it is particularly disappointing not to be able to look forward to that this year.
“Of course, we all hope our staff, customers and friends can safely emerge from this challenge and I know there will be huge enthusiasm to resume Betting Shop Manager of the Year come 2021. That will indeed be something to look forward to.”
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Andrew Bramley Commercial Director at FairPlay Sports Media
UK Sportsbooks Recognised in the 2026 ‘Oddschecker Endorsed’ Campaign
bet365 Leads Pack with Three Category Accolades
Oddschecker, the UK’s leading betting comparison service and FairPlay Sports Media brand, has announced which sportsbooks have been recognised in the 2026 edition of the ‘Oddschecker Endorsed’ honours list, which encompasses several categories covering the most important products and offerings to UK bettors.
Standout sportsbooks from the 2026 accolades include bet365, having come out on top in three categories including ‘Best Bet Builder’, ‘Best In-Play Product’, and the blue riband category of ‘Most Popular Sportsbook’. It was a repeat of the category successes seen in 2025, with the brand ranking top in betslip activity on oddschecker for every month in 2025.
Other brands to achieve recognition include Betfred for its Football Product, attracting an 82% favourable rating from customers, and William Hill for its Horse Racing product, supported by a successful launch of Horse Racing Bet Builder in 2025 seeing the Evoke brand achieve a standout 67% positive customer rating.
Unibet came out on top as ‘Most Generous Bookmaker’ with 72% of surveyed Unibet customers describing the brand as highly rewarding, whilst BoyleSports picked up the gong for ‘Best New Promotion’ with their ‘1 UP Early Payout’ offering launched earlier in 2025. PricedUp claimed ‘Best New Bookmaker’, attracting significant volumes of new customers in the brand’s maiden year on Oddschecker.
Matchbook took home ‘Best Odds on Football’ via its Exchange product, whilst AK Bets claimed ‘Best Sportsbook Odds’ with the brand’s tight overround strategy proving particularly popular amongst Oddschecker users.
Spreadex and Quinnbet were the remaining operators to receive ‘Oddschecker Endorsed’ recognition, with the brands seeing significant gains in betslip activity across Football and Horse Racing respectively over the last 12 months.
Judged on both proprietary quantitative data over the last 12 months, such as site traffic and betting activity across the oddschecker site, plus qualified factors such as user opinion and perceived product quality, recognised brands can now apply to license the ‘Oddschecker Endorsed’ branding across their marketing assets for 2026. Utilisation of oddschecker branding has been proven in partnerships with the likes of William Hill and Sky Bet to boost customer trust and engagement in competitive betting environments.
Andrew Bramley, Commercial Director at FairPlay Sports Media, said: “Oddschecker brings a unique combination of betting expertise and accessible data, encompassing traffic insights, odds and promotion comparison, and qualified user perceptions. Leveraging these strengths, we’re proud to once again provide the ‘Oddschecker Endorsed’ stamp as a trusted recognition of the industry’s top sportsbooks in their respective categories.
Congratulations to all those recognised for their achievements across highly competitive fields. We look forward to collaborating with our distinguished partners to further leverage our rich data set and maximise the impact of their marketing plans through 2026 and beyond.”
The full list of ‘Oddschecker Endorsed’ sportsbooks are as follows:
– Best Bet Builder – bet365
– Best In-Play Product – bet365
– Best Safer Gambling Tools – Sky Bet
– Best Football Product – Betfred
– Best Horse Racing Product – William Hill
– Best Odds on Football – Matchbook
– Best Sportsbook Odds – AK Bets
– Most Generous Bookmaker – Unibet
– Best New Promotion – BoyleSports (1UP Early Payout)
– Best New Bookmaker – PricedUp
– Rising Star – Football – Spreadex
– Rising Star – Horse Racing – Quinnbet
– Most Popular Sportsbook – bet365
The post UK Sportsbooks Recognised in the 2026 ‘Oddschecker Endorsed’ Campaign appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Zitro is expanding its presence in Colombia with the deployment of more than 70 machines across Grupo Aladdin venues in key cities, including Cali, Bogotá, Barranquilla, and Pereira. This rollout strengthens Zitro’s position in the Colombian market and its partnership with one of the country’s leading casino operators.
The lineup includes proven performers such as Fu Frog, Fu Pots, and King Fu Frog—titles that have delivered strong results in gaming floors nationwide.
“We are also introducing a Wide Area Progressive (WAP) as part of the gaming experience on our Altius Glare cabinets. Given its track record, we are confident this will be a significant success for the group,” says Iván Gómez, Sales Manager at Zitro Colombia.
Jorge E. Vélez, Director of Gaming Technology and IT at Grupo Aladdin, comments: “Expanding our portfolio alongside a leading supplier like Zitro is a significant milestone for us. The performance of these titles has exceeded our expectations, further reinforcing the long-standing trust we place in their products.”
Alejandra Burato, Zitro’s Regional Director for Latin America, adds: “We are very pleased to see our games featured across Grupo Aladdin’s venues. This partnership is a reflection of the success of our expansion strategy in Colombia and our commitment to delivering high-performing products to the market.”
The post ZITRO INSTALLS OVER 70 MACHINES ACROSS GRUPO ALADDIN CASINOS IN COLOMBIA appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
PlayStar has expanded its online casino offering in New Jersey through a new content partnership with Greentube, the NOVOMATIC Digital Gaming and Entertainment division.
This fresh integration now makes a selection of the supplier’s top titles available on PlayStar, adding both recent releases and established games that have performed consistently across regulated US markets.
The launch is also an action of PlayStar’s ongoing strategy to broaden its content portfolio with suppliers that have a proven track record of success in the United States.
New additions to the PlayStar online casino include Greentube’s latest titles, such as Piggy Prizes
: Wand of Riches 2, Firecracker Frenzy: Empress Wealth and Starlight Jackpots: Odds of the Gods. These are complemented by several established games familiar to US players, including Charming Lady’s Boom, Silver Lux Big Win Spinner, and Thunder Cash – Dolphin’s Pearl.
The selected titles newly featured on the platform were ultimately chosen for their suitability to the New Jersey market and for their demonstrated performance with American audiences. Greentube has been active in the US since 2021, supplying localised content to a growing number of regulated jurisdictions.
For PlayStar, the agreement supports its focus on delivering a curated casino experience tailored to local player preferences, while maintaining a broad mix of recognised and newer titles. For Greentube, the launch marks further expansion of its US distribution footprint, this time in the Garden State.
Commenting on the collaboration, Director of Gaming Operations at PlayStar, Duncan Hamilton, said: “Greentube has built a strong reputation in the US for delivering high-quality, engaging titles, and we’re thrilled to bring their games to our players in New Jersey.
“This partnership supports our mission to provide a premium, curated casino experience, and we’re confident that Greentube’s content will be a standout addition to our portfolio.”
Patryk Igras, Sales and Key Account Manager at Greentube, said: “This strategic partnership marks a significant milestone in Greentube’s ongoing expansion in the US, bringing a diverse portfolio of trusted, high-quality online gaming content to PlayStar’s growing player base.
“Together, we aim to elevate the gaming experience in New Jersey by delivering innovative titles, seamless gameplay, and a strong commitment to responsible entertainment.”
The post PlayStar Expands New Jersey Casino Offering with Greentube Content Integration appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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