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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

6 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.

exclusive-content

Lottomart launches S Gaming slot Dragon’s Rage as permanent UK exclusive

Published

7 minutes ago

June 23, 2026

Wladimir P.

lottomart-launches-s-gaming-slot-dragon’s-rage-as-permanent-uk-exclusive

Lottomart has launched Dragon’s Rage, a new S Gaming slot available as a permanent exclusive to Lottomart players in the UK.

The release follows the partnership’s previous exclusive title, Fisherman’s Fortune, and adds another game to Lottomart’s exclusive-content portfolio.

Set in a dragon’s treasure lair, Dragon’s Rage uses a 1,024-ways-to-win format. Features include the Coil Collect mechanic, choice-led Free Spins, and Rage Spins. The game also includes three fixed-level jackpots: Inferno, Flame and Ember.

Chris Ruddock, Commercial Director at Lottomart, commented: “We’re delighted to launch Dragon’s Rage as a permanent UK exclusive. Developed in close collaboration with S Gaming, the game combines a strong fantasy theme with engaging features designed with our players in mind. We’re looking forward to seeing how our customers respond to the launch.”

Charles Mott, CEO of S Gaming, added: “Dragon’s Rage is the latest title developed through our close collaboration with Lottomart. It has been a pleasure working together on the concept and development of the game, and we’re proud to bring this new fantasy adventure exclusively to Lottomart players in the UK.”

The post Lottomart launches S Gaming slot Dragon’s Rage as permanent UK exclusive appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

DATA.BET

DATA.BET reports 39.7% GGR growth in year one of sports betting vertical

Published

7 minutes ago

June 23, 2026

Wladimir P.

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Supplier cites 147.6% active user growth and increased bet activity across football and basketball in the first 12 months.

DATA.BET has published first-year performance results for its sports betting vertical, marking 12 months since the product’s official launch. The supplier said results from newly acquired clients show 39.7% GGR growth and 147.6% growth in active users over the period.

The company also reported turnover up 30.7% quarter-on-quarter. It said betting activity increased, with the number of bets and stake volume up 83.5%, while combo bets rose 160.5%.

By sport, DATA.BET said football led engagement, with bet counts up 107.5% and active users up 173.1%. Table Tennis saw a 172.5% increase in its player base, while tennis posted bet counts up 33.6% and active players up 35%. The supplier pointed to basketball as the strongest commercial contributor, with turnover up 83.7% and its user base up 96.8%.

DATA.BET attributed performance to product features including Bet Builder (football, basketball, baseball, and American football), streaming within the betting interface, and widgets for match and player data. The company also highlighted official data partnerships with Infront (tennis), Odds Composer (basketball), Genius Sports, and BETER.

At tournament level, DATA.BET said the England Premier League was the most profitable tournament over the full year, with event count up 45.7% and “close to half of total betting volume” generated through the 1X2 market. The supplier added that top-tier tournaments outperformed low-tier disciplines across turnover (102.7%), profit (187.2%), and bet count (196.6%).

“Taken together, the first year demonstrated that scale and stability are not opposing forces — broad coverage, official data, and engagement-focused features directly contributed to growth across turnover, player numbers, and betting activity”, said Yevhenii Ilchenko, Head of Sports at DATA.BET. “We built the vertical on the right foundations from the first, and the numbers reflect that. “

The post DATA.BET reports 39.7% GGR growth in year one of sports betting vertical appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

GGPoker

GGPoker adds Kick support to Streamer Mode

Published

7 minutes ago

June 23, 2026

Wladimir P.

ggpoker-adds-kick-support-to-streamer-mode

Approved creators can now stream directly to Kick via the desktop client, alongside Twitch and YouTube.

GGPoker has expanded its Streamer Mode feature to support Kick.com, enabling approved creators to broadcast directly to Kick through the GGPoker desktop client.

Streamer Mode is GGPoker’s in-client streaming feature for approved broadcasters, offering tools and rewards while they stream. The company said benefits include up to 100% cashback on poker games played while actively streaming, automatic hole-card hiding to reduce stream sniping, and a dedicated Streamer Panel for managing open tables.

GGPoker also said Streamer Mode includes streamer-exclusive in-game cosmetics and the option for a live stream to be showcased within the main lobby of the GGPoker software.

“Our streamers are the heartbeat of the modern online poker community, sharing the thrill of the game with audiences worldwide,” said Sarne Lightman, Managing Director of GGPoker. “We are constantly looking for ways to empower these creators. Integrating a dynamic, creator-friendly platform like Kick into our Streamer Mode gives our players even more ways to build their brands, engage with fans, and maximize their rewards. We can’t wait to see the incredible content our community brings to Kick.”

To use Streamer Mode on Kick, YouTube, or Twitch, players must apply to become an approved GGPoker streamer. GGPoker said applicants who have streamed poker consistently for the past three months with an average of 40+ concurrent viewers are encouraged to contact its talent team at [email protected].

The post GGPoker adds Kick support to Streamer Mode appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.