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Children’s sports to defeat pandemic: 2020 Football for Friendship Forum presents most successful projects to support children’s football

Published

5 years ago

December 8, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Over 25 successful projects to adapt children’s football to the 2020 pandemic were presented during the Eighth International Forum, which was held on November 30 – December 3 as part of the Gazprom International Children’s Social Programme Football for Friendship.

The International Football for Friendship Forum was held for the 8th year in a row, for the first time in the online format. The Forum is a unique platform for exchanging views on the development of children’s football in various countries around the world. At the Forum, coaches, athletes, public figures, and heads of sports organisations identify the best practices for supporting children’s sports and discuss the most effective ways to promote the key values of Football for Friendship in the world. The best practices are published with open access and become the basis for the free courses of the Football for Friendship Coaches Academy.

“Football is a social game that teaches important values. These include respect, honesty, fairness and devotion to a set task”, pointed out Frank Ludolph, UEFA Head of Football Education Services, Head of the Expert Council of the 2020 International Football for Friendship Award. “The idea behind Football for Friendship is to promote innovation in online learning, emphasize the social role of football and promote local community building to inspire more children around the world”.

In 2020, projects include successful application of organising online classes using video communication services, messengers, and social media. The SLSFA Sri Lanka Schools Football Association and the Sri Lanka Ministry of Education presented an online concept of competitions and contests for children of all age groups. The Brazilian Football Confederation launched several social projects, including those aimed at training goalkeepers, providing social services, and supporting a highly active lifestyle during the pandemic-related period of self-isolation. In total, over 100 football academies and federations submitted applications to participate in the Football for Friendship Forum. Projects were presented in the following nominations:

Changing the World: Educational Activities
Stadium Is Where I Am: Improving Football Skills
Earth is a Ball: Providing Football to Everyone
Driving the Planet: Building Football Community

All the projects were evaluated by the International Expert Council, which included world experts in the field of football education: Frank Ludolph, Germany, UEFA Head of Football Education Services, Head of the Expert Council of the 2020 International Football for Friendship Award; Pablo Cesar Torres, Uruguay, President of Youth Football and Scouting at Club Atlético Peñarol, Mike Puig, Spain, CEO of the Soccer Barcelona Youth Academy; and three Football for Friendship Young Ambassadors: Ananya Kamboj, India, Mohammad Yusuf Moazzam, Pakistan, and Sheqayli Ascencion, Aruba.

For the first time in the history of the world football movement, children assessed “adult” projects on equal terms.

“All the projects followed the values of Football for Friendship. And each of them has benefited children in uncertain conditions due to the coronavirus pandemic”, noted 15-year-old football player Yusuf Moazzam, a member of the jury, Young Ambassador from Pakistan. “Judging several projects at the international level was amazing, I really enjoyed it!”

All the projects presented at the International Football for Friendship Forum are open to the public on the programme’s official website https://footballforfriendship.com/experts-forum/. Those who initiated the projects hope that the best practices will be replicated in different countries, benefiting as many children around the world as possible.

On December 9, during the live broadcast of the 2020 Football for Friendship Season final, the best projects in the four nominations will be announced and given the Football for Friendship Award.

AI in gaming

ZingBrain AI Boosts Hondubet Engagement

Published

6 hours ago

April 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

ZingBrain AI Drives Hondubet Growth with Real-Time Personalisation

ZingBrain AI is reshaping the iGaming landscape by delivering measurable performance gains for Hondubet through advanced real-time personalization technology.

By replacing its manually curated casino lobby with a fully automated, API-driven solution, Hondubet has unlocked a new level of player engagement and operational efficiency. The AI-powered system dynamically adapts content to individual player behaviors, ensuring that each user encounters games tailored to their unique preferences.

Significant Performance Gains Across Player Segments

Data from a controlled A/B test comparing the legacy manual lobby with the new personalized system highlights substantial improvements:

A 25% increase in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) and turnover among newly registered players
A 10% rise in total bets placed by returning users
A 25% boost in the number of unique games explored across the player base

These results underscore the effectiveness of AI-driven personalization in enhancing both user engagement and revenue generation.

From Manual Management to Intelligent Automation

Previously, Hondubet relied heavily on manual processes to manage its casino lobby, requiring constant updates and resource-intensive oversight. According to Julian Pareja Garcia of Hondubet, the shift to ZingBrain AI has been transformative.

The automated system continuously learns from player interactions, refining game recommendations and lobby sections without human intervention. This allows the operator’s team to focus on strategic initiatives rather than routine maintenance.

Smarter Player Experiences Through AI Innovation

Oleg Smolerov emphasized the collaborative approach between the two companies, highlighting a shared commitment to innovation and product excellence.

Rather than static content placement, the AI engine ensures that every element of the lobby evolves in response to real-time data. This creates a more intuitive and engaging user experience, where players are presented with content that feels both relevant and natural.

Aligning Commercial Goals with User Experience

Beyond engagement metrics, the integration also supports Hondubet’s commercial strategy. Through ZingBrain AI’s Game Promotion tool, priority titles can be strategically surfaced within personalized sections.

Crucially, the system evaluates performance continuously. Games that fail to resonate with players are automatically deprioritized and replaced with more relevant options. This ensures a balance between promotional objectives and player satisfaction, maximizing both retention and monetization.

A New Standard for iGaming Personalisation

The success of this integration signals a broader shift within the iGaming industry toward intelligent automation and data-driven experiences. By leveraging AI to personalize every touchpoint, operators like Hondubet are setting new benchmarks for engagement, efficiency, and revenue growth.

As competition intensifies, solutions like ZingBrain AI are poised to become essential tools for operators seeking to deliver meaningful, high-performing user experiences at scale.

The post ZingBrain AI Boosts Hondubet Engagement appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Gambling in the USA

AGS Interactive Announces Launch of Cash Cow Bonus Wheel

Published

6 hours ago

April 9, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

ags-interactive-announces-launch-of-cash-cow-bonus-wheel

AGS yesterday announced the launch of Cash Cow Bonus Wheel marking the North American debut of AGS Interactive’s newest character-driven franchise, now available in all licensed real-money online gaming markets.

The title expands AGS’ stepper portfolio and introduces Bartholomoo the Cash Cow — a fresh, fully marketable character designed to anchor a multi-title franchise. Powered by AGS’ proven math models and player-favorite mechanics, Cash Cow Bonus Wheel delivers a contemporary take on the classic 3-reel stepper experience with energetic game play and an approachable design.

“We are so excited to introduce this innovative, character-driven game to the online gaming world,” said Zoe Ebling, Vice President of Interactive at AGS. “With Cash Cow Bonus Wheel, we are leveraging our proven performance-validated math models to reduce performance risk for operators, while pairing that strong foundation with a deliberate, recognizable character and IP strategy. This approach enables us to create franchise assets built for marketing impact, player delight, and scalable, long-term operator success – well beyond the lifecycle of a single title.”

The launch serves as the first chapter in AGSi’s new Cash Cow franchise, a long-term strategy built on character recognition, scalable assets, and compounding operator value. The franchise roadmap includes a buildable ecosystem designed to span multiple formats, channels, and promotional opportunities.

Additionally, Cash Cow Bounty Board will be available in all licensed real-money online gaming markets April 15, with the Cash Cow 3-pot game to follow later in the year.

For more information, visit newsroom.playags.com.

©2026 AGS LLC. All® notices signify marks registered in the United States. All notices signify trademarks, which are not registered on any country-wide basis. Products referenced herein are sold by AGS LLC or other subsidiaries of PlayAGS, Inc.

The post AGS Interactive Announces Launch of Cash Cow Bonus Wheel appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Latest News

N1 Partners at Search iGaming Conference 2026 in Limassol

Published

11 hours ago

April 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

n1-partners-at-search-igaming-conference-2026-in-limassol

The N1 Partners team will attend the Search iGaming Conference 2026, held on April 16 in Limassol, Cyprus.

The conference will bring together more than 1,200 professionals in SEO and iGaming, including PPC experts, ASO teams, and affiliate programs representatives for networking and sharing insights.

At the event, the N1 Partners team will not only be an active participant but also a conference bags sponsor for guests. This is the part of a comfortable event experience that helps participants focus on networking and knowledge-sharing.

The conference is a perfect place to discuss profitable deals and SEO traffic, as well as learn more about the N1 SEO Traffic Cup, the first tournament in the N1 Traffic Cups global promo series from N1 Partners. The team will explain how to enter the promotion with highest efficiency at the final stage — there’s still a chance to join the tournament until April 30th.

Participate in the largest SEO tournament in the industry this spring and acquire generous prizes!

In addition to the current promo, N1 Partners affiliate managers will be happy to discuss working with any of the 14+ brands in the portfolio, top Tier-1 GEOs, as well as individual payment terms and payment models.