Latest News

Southampton FC support launch of RecoverMe

Published

5 years ago

October 19, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Southampton Football Club is proud to support the launch of RecoverMe, a brand-new mobile health app that empowers individuals to manage a gambling addiction from their pocket.

The club will contribute significantly to support the growth and accessibility of the forward-thinking independent app, developed by three junior doctors, to help make treatment options more accessible and affordable for those suffering with gambling addiction.

Whilst the club recognises that gambling can form part of a fan’s enjoyment of football, we also believe that we have a responsibility to raise awareness of the support available for those that might need it.

RecoverMe’s app gives support for problem gamblers, encouraging them to seek help by providing a discrete option for support, with an aim to prevent gambling related harm nationwide.

The app’s multiple support functions, centred around scientifically-backed Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, allow its users to manage their addiction by reflecting on their gambling habits, challenging thoughts and feelings around gambling and accessing mindfulness sessions, as well as having access to an emergency helpline and self-help exercises.

Its bespoke design, structure and features have been developed in consultation with psychiatrists, psychologists and those currently struggling with gambling addiction in order to ensure the platform is as effective as possible, as well as providing a much more affordable form of treatment than standard methods.

Investment from the club will be used to fund further development of the app, supporting the goal of adding further features that can assist in an individual’s recovery journey, in addition to subsidising the cost of the app for individuals who need support.

This support for RecoverMe represents the latest step taken by the club to promote responsible gambling by building strong relationships with organisations positioned at the forefront of aiding those struggling with gambling addiction. It is also evidence of the club’s commitment to promoting safe gambling both on matchdays and non-matchdays, and signals the club’s intention to enhance and refine its practices in unison with industry experts.

The club and RecoverMe will work together to expand, develop and raise awareness of the support that exists on the app for those struggling to manage their gambling habits as well as extending the app’s reach so that as many users as possible can benefit from it.

Southampton Football Club’s Chief Commercial Officer, David Thomas, said: “I am delighted to announce the club’s support for RecoverMe. The club takes its responsibility to promoting responsible gambling extremely seriously and it is important that we are proactive in exploring new opportunities to implement our commitment to this cause.

“We’re proud to support the launch of the RecoverMe app and I am excited by the chance to work with an organisation so closely aligned to our values.”

RecoverMe’s co-founder, Minal Jain, commented: “We wholeheartedly believe RecoverMe will provide a lifeline to those suffering in silence. It has been incredible to see how motivated Southampton are in creating this meaningful change and we are extremely excited to be working with them to do this and we hope this is just the beginning!”

Gambling

League of Ireland to kick-off new gambling awareness programme for footballers

Published

3 hours ago

January 19, 2026

Wladimir P.

league-of-ireland-to-kick-off-new-gambling-awareness-programme-for-footballers

The League of Ireland has announced the rollout of an educational programme to proactively lead on the prevention of gambling harm in Irish football – a first-of-its-kind initiative for League of Ireland clubs.

EPIC Global Solutions – an award-winning consultancy currently working with several other major sporting bodies globally – will lead the sessions, which begin later this month.

Endorsed by the FAI, National League Committee and the Professional Footballers Association of Ireland (PFA Ireland) the programme will also see coaches, match officials and FAI staff receive this vital training.

Former professional footballers and athletes, who have personally experienced gambling harm in the past, will conduct the in-person sessions.

They include ex-EFL footballer Marc Williams, Scott Davies, who played for Ireland U21s and is now a player-manager at Slough Town & former Premier League star and Scotland international Dominic Matteo.

As part of the project, EPIC will also facilitate the delivery of UEFA standard betting integrity training in accordance with FAI rules.

The programme is funded by Flutter who supported EPIC’s launch of the world’s first gambling harm prevention programme in professional football eight years ago.

In 2017, EPIC launched the world’s first gambling harm prevention programme in professional football in partnership with Sky Bet (part of the Flutter family of brands) and the EFL. This collaboration had the goal of increasing preventative education and reducing harm and stigma in the game. Now in its eighth year, the programme’s impact is being positively felt by players, coaches, and youth academies, with more than 10,200 attendees since its inception. This remains the largest and most penetrative programme of its kind ever undertaken in European sport.

Today’s announcement means seventy individual workshops will be held for 32 Senior Teams (20 men’s and 12 women’s), 26 Academies, and 10 Women’s Development League teams at training facilities across Ireland with additional 2 sessions for FAI staff and League of Ireland Match Officials – reaching over 2,000 participants annually.

Breakdown of 70 sessions per annum at a glance:

32 sessions to senior LOI teams (20 Men’s & 12 Women’s)
26 sessions to LOI Academy clubs (U17s Men’s & Women’s)
10 sessions to Women’s Development League senior teams
1 session to League of Ireland Match Officials
1 session to FAI staff

League of Ireland director Mark Scanlon said: “As the League of Ireland grows each year, it is very important to work with all stakeholders including our players and match officials at the centre of the game to stress the importance of integrity at all levels.

“This partnership with EPIC also means we can also look to prevent potential gambling harm amongst our players.

“We know the vast majority of people gamble without an issue. But the seminars at our Academy clubs will be hugely beneficial and educate for the next generation of Irish footballers. We have seen the work that EPIC is doing with the English Football League and it’s having a measurable impact. We look forward to seeing that replicated in the League of Ireland.”

Speaking on behalf of the Professional Footballers Association, the union representing players, general secretary, Stephen McGuiness said: “This three-year partnership with EPIC and the League of Ireland is about safeguarding the future of our game. By delivering gambling awareness training to both male and female players at senior and academy level, we are ensuring that education and support reaches every player, regardless of where they are in their career.

“EPIC has an excellent reputation and a proven track record working with player organisations in Ireland, which gives us confidence in the quality and impact of this programme. We also look forward to former PFA Ireland members sharing their personal stories of how harmful gambling has affected their lives, bringing a powerful and relatable perspective to the training. Protecting player wellbeing and helping them make informed choices is a responsibility we take seriously and this initiative reflects our commitment to caring for players in the league of Ireland.”

Paul Buck, CEO of EPIC said: “Following the success of similar initiatives we’ve delivered in elite sport, this prevention-based programme looks to empower players to recognise the signs of gambling harm, be more informed about their relationship with betting and better equipped to understand pathways to support.

“More significantly, the message is conveyed powerfully and with real meaning by individuals whom players are likely to respect – former footballers and athletes sharing their individual experiences in face-to-face sessions. They have encountered problems, and they simply did not have the same opportunity or education around prevention that we are now in a fortunate position to provide for the league. We are really pleased to be able to bring this training to Irish players.”

Kevin Harrington, CEO of Flutter added: “As a major betting operator, we pride ourselves in leading the industry on safety and trust, and we take our responsibilities around protecting our customers and the integrity of sport seriously.

“As a global company founded in Ireland, we are incredibly proud to fund this independently provided three-year programme, supporting the League’s commitment to proactive prevention and education.”

The post League of Ireland to kick-off new gambling awareness programme for footballers appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Baltic Tech Week

HIPTHER Baltics Announces Riga Event and Strategic Partnership with LexLegas

Published

4 hours ago

January 19, 2026

Wladimir P.

hipther-baltics-announces-riga-event-and-strategic-partnership-with-lexlegas

HIPTHER is thrilled to reveal Lex Legas as a Strategic Partner for the HIPTHER Baltics conference series, which includes Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn. The collaboration incorporates LexLegas’s extensive knowledge in cross-border regulation, compliance, and high-risk legal structures into the targeted Baltic series.

Updated Date for Riga – Baltic Tech Week
The date for the Riga conference has been officially updated to 11 May 2026 (instead of the previously stated 12 May). The conference will remain the inaugural event of Baltic Tech Week in Riga.
After a robust debut set for 21 April 2026 in Vilnius, and prior to the Tallinn edition later in the series, HIPTHER Baltics: Riga strengthens HIPTHER’s dedication to locally anchored, high-quality discussions throughout the Baltic region, uniting regulatory, legal, fintech, and gaming participants around the most significant issues.

A Tactical Alignment: Lex Legas
Lex Legas is a specialized legal consultancy and research-oriented legal brand focusing on iGaming, fintech, payments, AML/CTF, and international regulatory frameworks, emphasizing Baltic, EU, and high-risk regions.
Integrating practical legal experience with regulatory investigation and strategic guidance, Lex Legas collaborates closely with operators, payment processors, software vendors, and international advisors engaged in regulated and semi-regulated sectors. Their expertise spans:

iGaming & betting regulation (EU & non-EU jurisdictions)
AML/CTF frameworks, risk assessments, and compliance structuring
Payment solutions, PSP integrations, and fintech regulatory analysis
Licensing, corporate structuring, and operational legal support
Regulatory trends, enforcement practices, and supervisory expectations
Cross-border legal risk management for high-risk business models

Lex Legas functions where law, compliance, business strategy, and technology converge, transforming intricate regulatory demands into practical, business-focused solutions. The company assembles a new wave of attorneys from the high-risk arena, known for addressing intricate regulatory and operational issues where conventional methods fail.

“At Lex Legas, we work daily at the intersection of regulation, technology, and high-risk business models, exactly where today’s iGaming, fintech, and payments industries are being shaped.

HIPTHER Baltics stands out as a rare platform that goes beyond surface-level discussions and creates space for real, jurisdiction-specific conversations around compliance, licensing, player protection, and operational risk.

Partnering with HIPTHER for the Baltics series feels like a natural extension of our mission: translating complex regulatory frameworks into practical, business-ready solutions. We’re excited to contribute our research-driven perspective and hands-on experience to the dialogue in Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn, and to help shape meaningful cross-border discussions across the region in 2026” – The Legal Experts of “Lex Legas” Team

HIPTHER Baltics 2026 – Three Capitals, One Vision

The HIPTHER Baltics series brings HIPTHER’s signature focus on regulation, compliance, fintech, and innovation to the heart of the Baltic region through three targeted, one-day conferences each hosted in a Baltic capital and built around locally-relevant themes with regional and cross-border impact.

“HIPTHER Baltics is built as a focused conference series for the region — not just a one-off event. From Vilnius to Riga and Tallinn, our goal is to create a high-level platform where regulators, legal experts, fintech leaders, and gaming stakeholders can connect around the real topics shaping the market: compliance, licensing, payments, player protection, and cross-border operations.

That’s why partnering with Lex Legas feels like a perfect match. Their research-driven approach and hands-on expertise in iGaming, fintech, and regulatory frameworks across the Baltics and beyond brings exactly the depth and clarity we want to deliver through the entire series. We’re proud to welcome them as a Strategic Partner and look forward to building meaningful, practical conversations together in 2026.” — Zoltan “Hawkie” Tundik, Co-Founder & Head of Business, HIPTHER

More information & tickets: https://hipther.com/events/baltics/

The post HIPTHER Baltics Announces Riga Event and Strategic Partnership with LexLegas appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

BTG

BTG’s Monopoly Rush Hour gets exclusive Gamesys launch ahead of global release

Published

4 hours ago

January 19, 2026

Wladimir P.

btg’s-monopoly-rush-hour-gets-exclusive-gamesys-launch-ahead-of-global-release

Are you ready for Monopoly Rush Hour? Mr Monopoly is back and revving up the roads in the latest release from Big Time Gaming.

Monopoly Rush Hour will go live exclusively with Gamesys brands on 19 January, before going on global release on 03 February 2026.

Monopoly Rush Hour sees players step into the fast lane, where each spin begins with each Token starting on the four corners of the board while Houses and Hotels are randomly distributed across the board.

Every Token can randomly boost its Multipliers up to a massive 500x.

Tokens spring into action wherever dice symbols appear on the Hat, Boat, Car or Dog – the dice roll determines how far each Token moves and for every three spaces travelled, the Token’s Multiplier climbs by +1.

If a Token lands on a space with a House or a Hotel, players win a Prize – these are Multiplied by the stake and the Tokens Multiplier.

This being Monopoly, there are Chance and Community Chest Card Bonuses in play. If as Token lands on either, one of the following outcomes is revealed:

Move to a random position
Move three spaces forward
Move three spaces backward
Award a Prize Bonus (multiplied by the Token’s multiplier)
Trigger Free Spins

With the Free Spins, players get an initial 12 Free Games plus six Extra Spins for every additional trigger. During Free Spins, Token positions and Multipliers persist, keeping the momentum building.

Hit the Water Works or the Electric Company and players scoop up an Instant Prize worth the Token Multiplier times the stake. Landing on Train Stations means retriggers, awarding 1, 3, 7 or 15 Extra Spins when 1, 2, 3 or 4 Tokens land there.

During Free Spins, Tokens that land on Chance or Community Chest reveal cards with one of three powerful Boosts. This includes:

Advance 2-12 spaces ahead
Increase the Multiplier meter by 2-12 steps
Add 2-12 Houses to the board

What’s more, when every property is upgraded to a Hotel, the excitement peaks as each Token’s Multiplier gets a huge +50 to +250 boost.

If players want to supercharge the action, they can tap the Power Play icon – this guarantees a dice roll and costs 8x the stake. For those who can’t wait to pass GO, tap the Bonus Buy icon and head straight to 12 Free Spins for 110x the stake.

Nik Robinson, CEO of Big Time Gaming, said: “Monopoly Rush Hour is our latest Monopoly branded game, offering high speed action with plenty of Multipliers, Free Spins and big wins on the board.

“We are thrilled to see players at Gamesys casinos be the first to step onto the board ahead of the game’s global general release.

“This is a true Big Time Gaming slot – a big brand combined with striking visuals, compelling game play, extreme volatility and massive win potential.”

The post BTG’s Monopoly Rush Hour gets exclusive Gamesys launch ahead of global release appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.