Latest News
Rank extends partnership to support unpaid Carers
Rank is delighted to announce that we have extended our groundbreaking partnership with Carers Trust into 2021.
This hugely successful partnership has had a major impact in supporting Carers Trust’s work with hundreds of thousands of unpaid carers right across the UK. Since its inception more than six years ago in February 2014, Rank colleagues and customers have raised a very impressive £2.6 million for the charity, with the money raised benefitting over 12,000 unpaid carers. Funds have typically been provided to adult carers in the form of grants, distributed through Carers Trust’s network of over 120 local carers charities.
These grants can be life changing for carers struggling to provide round-the-clock care for members of their families experiencing long-term illness, disabilities, poor mental health or substance addiction. The grants provide money for essential household items that would otherwise remain unaffordable. Money for new beds, cookers and washing machines – or to pay for hospital visits – can have a major impact in making the lives of unpaid carers much more manageable.
From the very beginning of the partnership, Rank’s employees and customers have enthusiastically embraced the fundraising drive for unpaid carers. This commitment has seen an impressive £300,000 raised in the last twelve months alone. And since early April this year, Meccabingo.com has increased its contribution to Carers Trust, raising over £77,500.
Back in December our Mecca colleagues launched a special pre-Christmas fundraising drive that raised an impressive £39,000 over the festive season. And in addition to fundraising, colleagues also worked hard to bring some Christmas cheer to carers. This included Mecca venues inviting unpaid carers from their local area in for a much-deserved Christmas lunch and a break away from their caring roles. One of these was Mecca Knotty Ash near Liverpool. They laid on an extra special day including a pampering and spa treatment session for 12 very deserving carers from Sefton Carers Centre.
We also gifted our sponsorship logo placement on Ipswich Town FC’s kit to Carers Trust for the 2020/21 season. The shirt is a special commemorative edition, celebrating forty years since the club won the UEFA Cup Final and is bound to attract a lot of attention, not just in Ipswich but across the UK!
Most impressively of all, colleagues from across the Group have continued to fundraise and support unpaid carers throughout the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown. Even though traditional fundraising events like sponsored runs have not been possible due to the lockdown, we have shown how money can still be raised with challenges like ‘Walk the UK’ which saw team members walking the equivalent of Land’s End to John O’Groats while sticking to their local streets and parks.
Welcoming Rank’s extension of the partnership, Carers Trust’s CEO, Gareth Howells, said:
“This is fantastic news for Carers Trust and all the unpaid carers across the UK we are working with to make their caring responsibilities more manageable. On behalf of those unpaid carers, and everyone at Carers Trust, I’d like to offer our heartfelt thanks to Rank’s employees and customers for all their generosity and tireless commitment to going the extra mile to support unpaid carers.
“And coming as it does within the context of a global pandemic and an increasingly challenging funding environment, today’s announcement could not be more timely. Such sustained support for unpaid carers is also particularly important given the UK’s ageing population and the increasing pressure being put on health and social care budgets.”
Rank chief executive, John O’Reilly, said:
“I am really pleased with the fantastic support that Rank’s colleagues and customers have shown Carers Trust over the last year. It’s extraordinary to see that, despite the difficulties we’ve faced over the last five months with our Mecca and Grosvenor venues closed and over 7,000 colleagues having to be on furlough, we have continued with our efforts to raise money and have now topped £300,000 this year. This is an outstanding amount of which everyone should be very proud.
“There has never been a more important time to be raising money to support carers and the amazing work of the Carers Trust. We are committed to continuing this high level of support with our colleagues across the Group inventing ever more ingenious ways of raising money for this marvellous charity. Thank you to all our colleagues and our customers for your amazing efforts and long may it continue.”
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Big Daddy Gaming
Big Daddy Gaming® goes live with casino games aggregator St8
Big Daddy Gaming® has entered a content distribution partnership with St8, a fast-growing casino aggregator with a strong footprint across regulated European markets and a recent expansion into Canada.
Under the agreement, Big Daddy Gaming’s early portfolio will be integrated into St8’s single-API platform, providing operators with seamless access to the studio’s distinctive Reel Fun. Real Value. content offering.
This partnership is part of Big Daddy Gaming’s ongoing commercial momentum, supporting the newly launched studio’s expansion into key regulated European markets.
As part of the rollout, St8 will onboard an initial selection of Big Daddy Gaming’s early titles, including Going Ape, Legacy of Desperados, and Redneck Dynamite, all featuring high-impact mechanics designed to maximize operator value.
Leveraging St8’s established presence in multiple regulated markets and reputation for fast, stable integrations, the partnership offers Big Daddy Gaming® a scalable distribution channel to accelerate its European growth strategy.
Erland Hellström, CEO at Big Daddy Gaming®, said: “Partnering with St8 is a big step forward for us at this early stage. Their compliance credentials and strong operator network make them an ideal aggregator to help deliver our content to the right markets quickly and reliably. We are delighted to be working together and look forward to seeing our first titles go live through St8’s platform.”
Vladimir Negine, CEO at St8, added: “Big Daddy Gaming® is one of the standout new studios to launch this year, and their early portfolio shows real promise. Their creative DNA and focus on delivering genuinely entertaining content make them a valuable addition to our offering. We’re excited to introduce their first wave of titles to our operator partners and expect a strong reception from players.”
The post Big Daddy Gaming® goes live with casino games aggregator St8 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Denmark
ELA Games Strengthens Danish Market Presence via Stake.dk Tie-Up
The partnership enhances ELA’s European strategy, bringing its high-quality creative portfolio to an important market.
ELA Games is excited to reveal a significant collaboration with Stake.dk, the Danish division of the globally recognized betting brand, Stake. The agreement will incorporate the creative excellence and strong performance of ELA Games’ expanding portfolio into the Stake.dk platform, enhancing the operator’s localized content selection.
With this collaboration, Stake.dk players will receive instant access to ELA Games’ distinctive “WinPot” features and narrative-based slots. The integration features the studio’s best-selling games alongside the visually captivating journey, Wealth of Legends. This partnership allows Stake’s Danish clients to access the same high-quality, engaging content that is contributing to ELA Games’ achievements throughout Europe.
Collaborating with a brand as internationally acknowledged as Stake marks a significant achievement in ELA’s growth approach, confirming its status as a preferred provider for Tier-1 operators in regulated markets such as Denmark.
“At Stake Denmark we are thrilled to welcome ELA Games as we continue to elevate our offering to the Danish market. Our goal has always been to provide local players with a world-class gaming experience, and integrating ELA Games’ high-performance portfolio, including fan favorites like Wealth of Legends is a major step toward that. Their unique mechanics and immersive storytelling perfectly complement our brand’s innovative edge, and we look forward to seeing our players engage with this exciting new content,” said Peter Eugen Clausen, Managing Director of Stake.dk
Marharyta Yerina, Managing Director of ELA Games, added: “Stake is one of the most bold and recognizable names in our industry, so launching with Stake.dk is a massive achievement for us. We know their players expect fast-paced, high-quality action, which is exactly what titles like It’s Shark Time and Cash of Gods deliver. We are thrilled to bring our vision of immersive gaming to their expanding Danish community.”
The post ELA Games Strengthens Danish Market Presence via Stake.dk Tie-Up appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Brazilian market
ThrillTech enters Brazilian market with EstrelaBet
ThrillTech, a global leader in side-bet jackpot technology for iGaming operators and game studios, has partnered with EstrelaBet to launch ThrillPots in the regulated Brazilian market. EstrelaBet has established a strong presence in Brazil by embracing innovation and collaborating with international technology partners, making it an ideal launch partner for ThrillTech’s market entry.
This partnership marks ThrillTech’s first operator deal in Brazil and follows the company’s expansion into the market under a regulated framework. Through the agreement, ThrillPots will be integrated into EstrelaBet’s platform as ThrillTech continues to grow its presence across Latin America’s regulated iGaming markets.
The EstrelaBet collaboration builds on a year of robust momentum for ThrillTech, following recent operator launches including a deal with NordPlay. In 2025, the company expanded its regulatory footprint to 10 jurisdictions, achieved ISO 27001 certification, and strengthened its senior leadership team in preparation for further geographic growth. ThrillTech’s ThrillPots and ThrillDrops products are now deployed across 10 regulated markets worldwide.
Ben Bradtke, Co-Founder of ThrillTech, said: “This partnership brings ThrillTech into Brazil, which is a market that’s developed fast and is setting the pace for regulated growth in the region. EstrelaBet knows the market inside out, and together, we’re bringing ThrillPots live and opening up new jackpot experiences for Brazilian players.”
Pedro Schmidt, Chief Commercial Officer for EstrelaBet, added: “This partnership introduces a new jackpot technology to the Brazilian regulated market. We are pleased to be among the first operators to make this solution available locally, expanding the range of experiences offered to our players while maintaining our commitment to responsible gaming.”
The post ThrillTech enters Brazilian market with EstrelaBet appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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