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.

GCGRA

South African expat wins AED 5m in The UAE Lottery’s Wednesday Lucky Day draw

Published

12 minutes ago

May 11, 2026

Wladimir P.

south-african-expat-wins-aed-5m-in-the-uae-lottery’s-wednesday-lucky-day-draw

A 39-year-old South African expat, Branden Tekram, has won AED 5 million in The UAE Lottery’s Lucky Day draw, according to the operator. The company said the win marks “the first time the second prize has been won on a Wednesday draw since its recent introduction.”

Tekram said he discovered the result while checking email. “It’s still overwhelming and unbelievable. I don’t know how to explain it. I mean, I’m a millionaire in Dubai,” he said. He added that he told his wife at home and they “sat there in disbelief.”

The winner said the family plans to take a staged approach to using the money, including funding a prototype linked to a patent application his wife is working on, and potentially moving into a villa. He also said the win could help them access additional support for their son.

The operator said it has awarded more than AED 300 million in prizes to more than 340,000 winners across its portfolio, including Lucky Day, Scratch Cards, and E-Instants. Lucky Day draws run every Wednesday and Saturday, with prizes including the AED 30 million grand prize and AED 5 million second prize. The company said all games are regulated by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA).

The post South African expat wins AED 5m in The UAE Lottery’s Wednesday Lucky Day draw appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

game release

Spinomenal adds Desperado Drifter Hold & Hit 3×3 to slot portfolio

Published

12 minutes ago

May 11, 2026

Wladimir P.

spinomenal-adds-desperado-drifter-hold-&-hit-3×3-to-slot-portfolio

Spinomenal has released The Desperado Drifter Hold & Hit 3×3, the latest addition to its Hold & Hit portfolio.

The Western-themed slot uses a 3×3 bonus grid and features a Wild symbol (a bag of gems) that substitutes for all symbols except Bonus and Bonus Collect. Bonus coins land on reels one and three, while the Bonus Collect coin lands on reel two.

When Bonus Collect lands alongside one or more Bonus symbols, the game triggers an Instant Win Feature that collects the values and adds them directly to the player’s balance. The same symbol combination also starts the Bonus Game, with triggering symbols locked in place and three spins awarded initially.

During the Bonus Game, only Bonus and Bonus Collect symbols can appear. Spins can apply multipliers of x1, x2, x5, x7, x10 and x15, and the feature includes jackpots set at Mini (x25 total bet), Minor (x50 total bet), Major (x150 total bet) and Grand (x5,000 total bet) for filling all nine positions. The spin counter resets each time a new symbol lands.

Spinomenal CO-CEO, Omer Henya, commented: “The Desperado Drifter Hold & Hit 3×3 gives players the chance to join a high-stakes Wild West adventure. Smart visuals, nail-biting gameplay and a four-tier jackpot peaking at x5,000 make this a title that will keep players coming back for more.”

The post Spinomenal adds Desperado Drifter Hold & Hit 3×3 to slot portfolio appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Affiliate Succes

Kwiff appoints RavenTrack as primary affiliate tracking provider

Published

12 minutes ago

May 11, 2026

Wladimir P.

kwiff-appoints-raventrack-as-primary-affiliate-tracking-provider

Kwiff has appointed RavenTrack as its primary affiliate tracking provider, as the sports betting operator looks to strengthen oversight and reporting across its affiliate channel.

The companies said the partnership will see Kwiff integrate RavenTrack’s platform-as-a-service tracking technology to support “greater transparency, accuracy, and efficiency” for its affiliate programme.

Kate Scowen, sales and growth manager at RavenTrack, said: “From our very first conversation, it was clear that Kwiff were looking for more than just a tracking platform, they needed a partner who could genuinely match their ambition and long-term strategic vision. We’re truly grateful that Kwiff chose RavenTrack in what was a highly competitive process, and I’m personally proud to have helped bring the partnership together.”

Jack Milner, campaign manager at Kwiff, added: “RavenTrack came highly recommended and with a strong track record within the iGaming sphere. We have enjoyed a fantastic start, working with their brilliant and incredibly helpful team and I look forward to a long and fruitful partnership together.”

Kwiff said the move supports its ongoing expansion across the UK and international markets, and that RavenTrack will provide infrastructure to manage affiliate data and optimise ROI for the channel.

The post Kwiff appoints RavenTrack as primary affiliate tracking provider appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.