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SAZKA Group teams up with Sir Keith Mills in bid for Fourth UK National Lottery Licence

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SAZKA Group, Europe’s largest lottery operator, today announced it has appointed Sir Keith Mills as Bid Chair of the UK team for the Fourth National Lottery Licence Competition. Sir Keith, a successful entrepreneur whose creative talent conceived the loyalty programmes so ubiquitous today, brings a wealth of experience from his roles across sport, charities, and business. He played a pivotal role in London’s successful bid to host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and subsequently, their successful staging. For the past six years he has chaired the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, a role he hands over to Lord William Hague next month. He is also Chairman of the Invictus Games, the international adaptive multi-sport event created by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.

Commenting on the announcement, Sir Keith said, “I am driven by organisations that make a real contribution to society. I chose to team up with Sazka for the Fourth National Lottery Licence Competition because I believe the UK National Lottery needs to grow and be engaging if it is to continue to fund the thousands of good causes every year. Our lottery is a national treasure with nearly 26 years of history; however, the landscape has changed immeasurably since it was first launched back in 1994. The challenge now is to ensure the lottery connects with people right across the country, making it fresh and exciting as it once was, bringing new ways that are relevant for today and tomorrow’s generation. I feel passionately that it needs to be restored to the nation’s hearts, especially in these difficult times. I teamed up with Sazka because they have a proven record of taking established lotteries, growing them and evolving them to be relevant for the future. I am cognisant that much has to be done for us to make a winning case in this competition, but I believe that over the course of this process we will be able to demonstrate how Sazka’s expertise coupled with the experienced British team that we are building in the UK will offer the right stewardship for the UKNL for 2023 and beyond.”

As Bid Chairman, Sir Keith will lead a team with world-class bidding and delivery experience, including for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Comic Relief. Sazka has appointed former London 2012 employee, Alastair Ruxton, as the Bid Director, together with British experts in key areas such as Player Protection, Good Causes, Innovation, Digital, Retail and Customer Experience.

Commenting on the agreement, SAZKA Group CEO Robert Chvátal said, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Sir Keith Mills and have him lead our entry in the Fourth National Lottery Licence Competition. We are hugely excited to be participating in this competition and for the chance to take stewardship of the National Lottery, helping the UK to fall back in love with this vital institution. Operating in five different national markets (Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus) has given us an unprecedented level of insight and experience in running lotteries. In addition, we have consistently increased participation and revenues for the lotteries we operate. We want to bring this deep knowledge and customer insight to revitalise the UK National Lottery increasing sales and money raised for good causes, thereby providing a much-needed long-term boost to community, arts, sports and heritage institutions across the UK.”

After submitting the Selection Questionnaire earlier this month, SAZKA Group has been accepted into the competition by the Gambling Commission, the body running the Competition. The team will now review the final bid application documents and continue to assemble a strong consortium capable of submitting a winning bid in 2021.

About Sir Keith Mills
Sir Keith Mills GBE DL is a British business entrepreneur who founded the Air Miles and Nectar customer loyalty programmes and has established numerous businesses, both in the UK and internationally.  In September 2003, Sir Keith was appointed International President and CEO of London 2012 established to bid for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.  Having won the bid, he established LOCOG to organise the Games, where he was Deputy Chairman alongside Lord Sebastian Coe.  In 2007 Sir Keith established an Olympic related charity, International Inspiration, which he chaired, and in 2008 he established a UK charity, Sported, which he funded and chaired for 10 years. In 2014 Sir Keith established, and was Chairman of, the Invictus Games, working with Prince Harry to deliver a new major international sport event for wounded servicemen and women.  Sir Keith Chairs the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and the Invictus Games Foundation.  Sir Keith is also a Director and an investor in a number of private companies.
Sir Keith has received numerous awards including: Master Entrepreneur of the Year, Chief Executive of the Year, and the Sports Industry Businessman of the Year, and was knighted by The Queen in 2006 and again in 2013 when he received the Grand Knight Cross for his services to sport.

About SAZKA Group
The SAZKA Group is a national lottery, instant lottery and digital gaming operator, with our trusted brands and industry-leading technology delivering over €17bn in annual sales. Established in 2012, SAZKA Group is already one of Europe’s largest and fastest growing lottery companies and our strong performance across our markets is helping to fund good causes in the Czech Republic, Greece, Cyprus, Austria, and Italy.
Since entering the lottery market in 2012, SAZKA Group has quickly expanded from the Czech Republic into four other European markets. SAZKA Group has consistently taken on established lotteries and made them better, while also expanding into new market segments through market-leading technology platforms. The Group’s unique experience of operating in different jurisdictions enables it to adopt a tailored approach to customer experience in each market, helping to increase sales and returns to good causes.
Responsible gaming and funding good causes are at the heart of SAZKA Group’s business and culture. it promotes responsible gaming in all of its markets and is committed to having a positive impact where it operates. From building children’s hospitals in Greece to support for the Czech Olympic Foundation, SAZKA Group has put its business skills to the benefit of the local community.

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Big Betty Partners

Big Betty Partners Launches the Big Deal Promo for Affiliates

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Big Betty Partners, an iGaming affiliate program operating since 2021, has announced the launch of its new large-scale campaign, Big Deal Promo, designed for both new and existing affiliates working with Tier-1 markets.

Over the past several years, the program has built a reputation as a fast-growing affiliate platform offering flexible monetization models, high-converting brands, and transparent analytics tools that help partners scale their traffic effectively. Working directly with advertisers, Big Betty Partners provides affiliates with multiple cooperation models, including RevShare, CPA, and hybrid structures.

The newly launched Big Deal Promo introduces an additional reward layer to the standard affiliate revenue model. During the campaign, partners continue earning their regular commissions while simultaneously participating in the Big Deal Show rewards campaign, creating a double-benefit structure for traffic monetization.

For new affiliates joining the program, Big Betty Partners is also offering RevShare of up to 65% for the first three months with the promo code BIG-65, providing an additional incentive to start working with the program during the promotional period.

Affiliates can already join BigBetty.io, activate the promotion, and begin accumulating Betty Points through their traffic performance.

How the Big Deal Promo Works

The promotion runs from March 10 to June 1, 2026, giving affiliates several months to test strategies, scale their campaigns, and accumulate Betty Points.

The campaign operates alongside the standard affiliate model. Partners generate FTDs as usual, while each new deposit contributes to their Betty Points balance. These points later determine which rewards affiliates can claim.

The accumulation rules are straightforward:

PPC and SEO traffic
1 FTD = 2 Betty Points

ASO, Influencer, Email, and SMS traffic
1 FTD = 1 Betty Point

As affiliates generate deposits during the campaign, their Betty Points balance steadily increases. The structure rewards consistent performance over time and allows partners to scale their activity throughout the promotion gradually.

Partners who join earlier gain more time to accumulate points, while affiliates entering later in the campaign can still build a competitive balance through effective traffic strategies.

Markets and Campaign Scope

The Big Deal Promo focuses on Tier-1 markets and includes all projects operated by Big Betty Partners.

Affiliates working with these markets can integrate the promotion into strategies across multiple traffic sources, including:

  • SEO
  • PPC
  • ASO
  • influencer marketing
  • email marketing
  • media buying campaigns

Each FTD generated during the promotion adds Betty Points to the partner’s balance, turning performance directly into reward potential.

The campaign includes 100 prize positions, allowing affiliates to exchange their accumulated points for rewards depending on the number of Betty Points they have earned during the promotion.

Throughout the campaign, affiliate managers provide partners with guidance on GEO selection, campaign optimization, and traffic strategies to help maximize results.

What Happens at the Big Deal Show?

The campaign will conclude during the Big Deal Show, streamed live on June 5, 2026, on the official Big Betty Partners YouTube channel.

During the broadcast, the Big Betty team will unveil the full catalogue of prizes available within the promotion. Each reward will correspond to a specific Betty Points value, allowing partners to determine which items they can claim based on their accumulated balance.

The prize catalogue remains undisclosed throughout the campaign, building anticipation until the live reveal.

Following the broadcast, affiliates will be able to exchange their Betty Points through their affiliate managers. The reward exchange window will remain open until June 10, 2026.

Join the Big Deal Promo

Registration for the Big Deal Promo is already open.

Affiliates interested in participating can sign up at BigBetty.io, activate the promotion, and begin accumulating Betty Points while continuing to earn their regular affiliate commissions.

With several months available before the finale, partners have time to test traffic strategies, scale their campaigns, and build their Betty Points balance ahead of the Big Deal Show reveal.

For affiliates looking to combine traditional revenue models with additional incentives, the Big Deal Promo introduces a campaign format built around measurable performance and long-term partner engagement.

The post Big Betty Partners Launches the Big Deal Promo for Affiliates appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Carsten Koerl Founder and CEO of Sportradar

Sportradar Introduces Playradar, Delivering Sports-Data-Backed Casino Content to Operators Around the Globe

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New brand to link sportsbook and casino experiences via exclusive hybrid content.

Sportradar Group AG, a prominent worldwide sports technology firm that develops engaging experiences for sports enthusiasts and bettors, today unveiled Playradar, a specialized brand providing a comprehensive ecosystem of interconnected gaming experiences for international operators. This signifies the subsequent phase in the development of Sportradar’s iGaming operations.

Sportradar has recently appointed Edo Haitin, the former CEO of Playtech Live, to head its iGaming division as part of this expansion. Haitin offers over 20 years of experience in iGaming operations, live casino development, and executive leadership, contributing senior-level knowledge to enhance Sportradar’s iGaming expansion.

Playradar will leverage Sportradar’s live and historical sports data and AV streams, combined with casino games, to create unique, proprietary, hybrid products featuring:

  • Live 24/7 Experience Centre – players will be offered a game and a live stream to watch simultaneously on the same screen, blending sports viewing and gaming for pure engagement or betting real money. This creates a community and opportunities for players to interact in real-time, sharing tips, game preferences and reactions.
  • Live & Historical Streaming Sports/Casino Hybrid Content – transforming real sporting moments into interactive event driven gameplay by blending live and historical sports streaming with casino mechanics to create innovative hybrid gaming experiences. A live prediction product will also be powered by Sportradar’s live data.
  • Premium iGaming Content – virtual sports and a full suite of casino games, from slots and table games to arcade and crash, developed to the highest standards for a positive player experience.

Sportradar is exceptionally poised to expand its iGaming operations by leveraging its current game studio, sports data knowledge, streaming abilities, and worldwide distribution network. The marketing, acquisition, and retention technologies of the company utilize profound understanding of player behavior across both betting and iGaming sectors, strengthening Sportradar’s connections with sportsbook and casino operators globally. Since most of Sportradar’s clients already function in both areas, iGaming serves as an organic pathway to foster sustained monetization and lifetime value in conjunction with betting.

Playradar will function solely in regulated markets, incorporating responsible gaming and integrity into each product it offers. Game launches are planned for 2026, starting in the UK, North America, and Latin America. The complete product lineup will include classic table games, arcade games, slots, and virtual sports.

Carsten Koerl, Founder and CEO of Sportradar, said: “iGaming represents a natural and scalable extension of our business, and a strategic acceleration of our long-term growth roadmap. Playradar content is designed to provide optimized cross-sell between the worlds of sport and casinos, helping operators to increase player value and session length at a time when engagement and retention are key to operational sustainability. In Edo, we have an experienced and proven industry leader to drive the business forward, with the support of a passionate and dedicated team.”

Edo Haitin, EVP of iGaming added: “By combining our unrivalled experience in sports data and live streaming, along with a proven track record of product development, we aim to create hybrid content and gaming experiences to capitalize on the rising popularity of sports casino consumption. We’re uniquely positioned to seamlessly blend live and historical sports events, innovative gaming mechanics, and casino content and have the advantage of being able to distribute games to an already licensed portfolio of operators. I’m incredibly excited to be further strengthening our iGaming business through Playradar and to grow it into a leader in iGaming content, leveraging Sportradar’s existing resources and the highly experienced and skilled team already in place.”

The post Sportradar Introduces Playradar, Delivering Sports-Data-Backed Casino Content to Operators Around the Globe appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Games Global

Games Global and Just For The Win® continue the ghostly adventure in Dark Waters III Power Combo: The Cursed Voyage™

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Games Global, in collaboration with studio partner Just For The Win, has launched Dark Waters III Power Combo: The Cursed Voyage™, the latest entry in its established pirate-themed slot franchise.

The release builds on the success of previous titles in the Dark Waters™ series, introducing new mechanics and enhanced progression systems designed to increase player engagement. As competition intensifies in the online slots market, sequels that evolve proven formulas are becoming a key strategy for suppliers looking to retain player interest.

Set within a supernatural seafaring world, the game features a 6×4 grid with 4,096 ways to win. A central addition is the Sail into Riches progression meter, which guides players through a six-stage journey, unlocking feature upgrades and gameplay enhancements as they advance. This progression-based approach reflects a broader trend in slot development, where layered mechanics are used to extend session time and improve retention.

At the core of the gameplay is the Cash Collect feature, allowing Money Symbols ranging from 5x to 5,000x to land across the reels. Wins are triggered when a Collect symbol appears, creating the potential for high-value payouts.

The game also incorporates a Free Spins mode activated by Bonus Tokens, showcasing the signature Power Combo™ mechanic. This includes features such as Giant Reels, Stack Collect, and Golden Reels, which can combine and upgrade across four levels. At maximum progression, the reel layout expands to a 6×8 grid, offering up to 262,144 ways to win and significantly increasing payout potential.

Additional gameplay depth is introduced through the Diamond Menu, which offers features like Bonus Hunt, Coin Burst, Crew’s Choice, and Captain’s Choice—each providing alternative paths to access or enhance bonus functionality.

Commenting on the release, Edward Eklund, Account Manager at Just For The Win® Studios, said:

“With Dark Waters III Power Combo: The Cursed Voyage™, we wanted to build a sense of progression that players can really feel, where every spin contributes to something bigger.

“Combining that journey with the flexibility of the Power Combo™ mechanic allowed us to create a game that constantly evolves and keeps players engaged.”

David Reynolds, Director of Games Strategy and Partner Management at Games Global, added:

“This latest instalment shows how Just For The Win® continues to refine and elevate a proven concept, building on the strong success of the Dark Waters™ series so far.

“Dark Waters III Power Combo: The Cursed Voyage™ stands out for the way it keeps gameplay fresh while staying instantly accessible. It is a fantastic addition that strengthens what has already been a hugely popular trilogy.”

The release aligns with broader industry trends highlighted by organisations such as the Malta Gaming Authority, where innovation in mechanics and responsible engagement remain central to market growth.

For more on slot development trends, see Europa Gaming’s coverage on Slot Mechanics Evolution and iGaming Game Design Trends.

As suppliers continue to refine successful franchises, releases like Dark Waters III demonstrate how iterative innovation—rather than entirely new concepts—can play a key role in sustaining long-term player engagement in the iGaming sector.

The post Games Global and Just For The Win® continue the ghostly adventure in Dark Waters III Power Combo: The Cursed Voyage™ appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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