Press Releases

Racing Post and SIS cancel 2020 Betting Shop Manager of the Year

Published

5 years ago

April 17, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

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.

European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

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.”

Latest News

ComeOn Group partners with Culture Amp to elevate employee engagement and drive cultural growth

Published

46 minutes ago

June 26, 2025

George Miller

comeon-group-partners-with-culture-amp-to-elevate-employee-engagement-and-drive-cultural-growth

Reading Time: 2 minutes

To further reinforce and deepen its long-standing people-centric strategy, ComeOn Group has partnered with Culture Amp. This collaboration underscores the ongoing commitment to empowering employees, fostering an even stronger workplace culture, and leveraging data for enhanced decision-making throughout the organisation.

Culture Amp will serve as the central platform for measuring and improving employee engagement. Through this partnership, ComeOn aims to enhance its ability to listen to employees, act on meaningful insights, and drive continuous improvement in performance and wellbeing.

Daniela Vella, Chief Product & Operating Officer at ComeOn Group, commented: “Culture Amp gives us the tools to better understand what truly drives engagement, retention, and performance across our organisation. More than just data, it provides actionable insights that enable our leaders to make informed decisions, foster meaningful dialogue, and continuously improve the employee experience. This is a strategic investment in building a culture where every voice matters – where people feel valued, heard, and empowered to contribute their best, every day. It reinforces our commitment to putting people at the centre of how we grow and succeed as a business.”

This strategic integration of Culture Amp will streamline key HR processes, providing an even more robust framework for our people-centric approach. The platform simplifies 360-degree feedback and makes insights more accessible, while the new “Shoutouts” feature enables more immediate and meaningful recognition of great work. Centralising data enhances visibility, and smarter 1:1s and goal tracking will directly support stronger alignment with our company OKRs, driving collective success.

The implementation of Culture Amp represents a tangible expression of ComeOn Group’s core values. By choosing a solution that empowers teams to Run Together, fosters accountability to Show the Way, and enables action to Make It Happen, the company is embedding its values into the everyday employee experience. Through Culture Amp, leaders and teams are better equipped to act on what matters most – together, and with purpose.

This partnership with Culture Amp underscores ComeOn’s broader commitment to continuous improvement, people empowerment, and cultivating a high-performance culture.

The post ComeOn Group partners with Culture Amp to elevate employee engagement and drive cultural growth appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Eastern Europe

GGBET UA became the title sponsor of FC Dynamo Kyiv

Published

46 minutes ago

June 26, 2025

George Miller

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

The partnership was announced on 25 June at the Dynamo 3.0 media event held in Kyiv, Ukraine. GG.BET is the first betting brand in the club’s history to be given title sponsor status.

Kyiv was the venue of a press conference with the leadership of UPL team FC Dynamo, who were celebrating another special occasion: 30 titles in the club’s history. CEO Dmytro Brif, team captain Vitaliy Buyalskyi, and midfielders Oleksandr Karavayev and Andriy Yarmolenko spoke about their journey to this latest achievement and future plans for the football club.

At the event, they presented a new title sponsor: the GGBET UA will be a partner of FC Dynamo Kyiv for three years. Plans include continuing to bring the fans and the team closer together, opening up new sides of Dynamo to supporters through joint projects, custom content, and special offers.

During the announcement, GGBET UA CEO Sergii Mishchenko revealed the symbolism of the name: “Dynamo 3.0 isn’t just about the thirty titles, although of course this is a momentous and historic event. It’s also about a new era for Dynamo and GGBET UA. It’s a totally new level of collaboration, with a status that no betting company has ever been awarded by the Kyiv club, and involving lots of time and possibilities for carrying out special projects. For us, this is an opportunity to work even more closely with football fans, to increase brand awareness, and to achieve both our own business objectives and those we can work towards with the club. So, I’m confident that during three years of collaboration, we’ll be able to impress both our users and Dynamo fans”.

”Keeping the bar high and working with the best – that’s the dream of every club. This is a very inspiring period for Dynamo. We have thirty incredible successes under our belt. We’re entering the new season as reigning champions. We’re being supported by a partner who can significantly boost our media presence and help us to organize a range of activities that will surprise even the most demanding football fans. We’ll do everything we can to make sure that this season, the quality of our football and the ideas we embody with GGBET UA shine as brightly as the stars on our new emblem,” commented FC Dynamo’s CEO Dmytro Brif.

Previously, GGBET UA had been the official sponsor of FC Dynamo Kyiv for European cup matches, as well as the sponsor of its winter training camp in Turkey.

The post GGBET UA became the title sponsor of FC Dynamo Kyiv appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Latest News

ThrillTech powers Paf with bespoke, player-funded jackpot solution

Published

2 hours ago

June 26, 2025

George Miller

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Reading Time: < 1 minute

New partnership will drive revenue and monetisation across Paf’s gaming ecosystem through bespoke side-bet mechanic

Nordic-based gaming operator Paf has partnered with ThrillTech, the specialist B2B provider of licensed, player-funded jackpot mechanics, to launch its innovative side-bet jackpot products across Paf’s gaming portfolio.

The integration will see ThrillPots™ deployed across key verticals, enabling Paf to deliver engaging, compliance-led jackpot experiences designed to increase session value, drive incremental GGR and boost monetisation—without disrupting existing revenue streams.

Unlike traditional jackpots, ThrillTech’s products are fully licensed and funded directly by players via opt-in side bets, giving operators access to new revenue opportunities while maintaining regulatory standards. The rollout was achieved through a seamless technical integration and will be made available across multiple markets, including Finland, Sweden and Estonia.

“This partnership with Paf is a milestone moment for ThrillTech,” said Faye Williams, Head of Business Development at ThrillTech. “Paf is one of the most respected operators in the Nordics and their focus on social responsibility makes them an ideal partner for our licensed jackpot ecosystem. We’re thrilled to bring our customisable side-bet jackpots to their players.”

ThrillTech’s flagship jackpot products serve complementary purposes: For example, ThrillPots™ drives incremental monetisation through pooled side-bet mechanics, while ThrillDrops™ delivers real-time, rule-based rewards that enhance engagement.

Kim Johansson, Chief Gaming Officer of Paf, added: “ThrillTech’s jackpot mechanics offer a fresh and modern take on how to create value for both players and operators. We’re excited to be able to offer this concept to our players and to further explore the possibilities of bespoke jackpot campaigns.”

Founded in 1966, Paf is a licensed operator known for its commitment to responsible gaming, community reinvestment, and innovation in regulated markets.

The addition of ThrillTech’s jackpots further enhances Paf’s platform with tools that support sustainable growth and player-friendly features.

The post ThrillTech powers Paf with bespoke, player-funded jackpot solution appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.