Latest News

Sam Houlding becomes Chief Commercial Officer at Spotlight Sports Group

Published

6 years ago

October 1, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Spotlight Sports Group has announced Sam Houlding will replace Mike Griffin as Chief Commercial Officer. Griffin left his role as Chief Revenue Officer of the group, on September 30th.

Griffin said ‘After an extended period, it is now time for me to step away from the Spotlight Sports Group and see what the next chapter of my life holds. It’s been more than a job, it has been a way of life, and like life itself, there have been some lows, but mainly it has been lots of highs, created by the brilliant people I have had the opportunity to meet and work with within the industry. However, even in these difficult circumstances with a heavy heart, I have decided the time is right for me to leave Spotlight Sports Group to pursue an exciting new challenge. I leave a transformed business safe in the knowledge that we have the best talent in the industry working for Spotlight Sports Group. This wasn’t a decision I have taken lightly but one that has been in planning from pre-covid. I’m leaving a business that has changed so much in my time and has transformed into a leading data technology business. I’m delighted my good friend and colleague, Sam Houlding, will take over the reins across the Spotlight Sports Group from 1st October and I trust he is going to continue to an incredible job.’

Houlding said ‘I am thrilled to be taking the role of Chief Commercial Officer at Spotlight Sports Group. This is an incredibly important time for the business and we are set up to continue our exciting evolution over the coming years thanks to the legacy Mike leaves after changing this business during his time here. Mike’s journey at Spotlight Sports Group has seen the establishment of our strong affiliate channels, the rapid growth of our content syndication business, the launch of our trading platform – AllSported – and integrating us with high street bookmakers across the UK and Ireland. Our aim is to continue to provide our partners with fantastic value across every area of our business and whilst Mike has set a very high bar over the years, my aim is to ensure that we continually improve the level of value we can offer and cement Spotlight Sports Group as the leading service provider in the industry.’

Spotlight Sports Group is the home to highly successful brands in the betting world including Racing Post, one of the most recognised and trusted names in sports betting with more than 34 years of intimate industry experience. The global reach and sports expertise are further strengthened by My Racing, Free Super Tips, Pickswise and Intellr. The specialist international agency services, ICS-digital and ICS-translate, help improve clients’ effectiveness in the marketplace by driving extended reach and increased traffic through performance marketing and by providing expertise in SEO, content marketing, digital PR and translation services.

casino

Plaza adds Monday Night RAW ticket raffle to WrestleMania 42 viewing party

Published

24 minutes ago

April 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

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

Published

24 minutes ago

April 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

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

Published

24 minutes ago

April 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

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.

Relevant data as follows:

Soft2Bet: https://soft2bet.com/ Company site for background, brand portfolio, and corporate updates referenced in the release.
Alberta iGaming (AGLC) – regulatory information: https://aglc.ca/ Official Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis information relevant to the stated Alberta license application.
Swedish Gambling Authority (Spelinspektionen): https://www.spelinspektionen.se/en/ Regulator context for the Sweden brand launch mentioned (Lodur).
Romanian National Gambling Office (ONJN):https://onjn.gov.ro Regulatory reference for Romania activity and brand launch (Zinx).