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PAPYRUS & YGAM unite in their missions to keep young people safe
As UK Charity Week (7-13 December) draws to a close, the Young Gamers & Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM) is celebrating a unique partnership with suicide-prevention charity PAPYRUS, coming together to raise awareness of the harms affecting young people.
Both charities use educational workshops to help young people understand the potential risks and prevent future generations experiencing harm. YGAM specialise in gaming and gambling-related harm prevention whilst PAPYRUS’s mission is to reduce the number of young people who take their own lives by shattering the stigma around suicide.
As well as aligning their missions to safeguard future generations, the two charities also have another poignant link. PAPYRUS was founded in 1997 by a mother, Jean Kerr, from Lancashire following the loss of her son to suicide. YGAM was founded by Anne Evans in response to her own son Alan tragically taking his own life following a long battle with a gambling addiction. These sad stories are at the heart of everything both charities do, and their foundations form a powerful social purpose informed by lived experience.
Ged Flynn, Chief Executive of PAPYRUS, said: “We are proud to be working in partnership with YGAM and are looking at ways in which we can come together to support young people. We hear from young people every day on our helpline HOPELINEUK who are struggling with thoughts of suicide. Whilst there is never one sole reason that may lead a young person think suicide is an option, we know that gaming and gambling can be a contributory factor for some.”
“By working in partnership with YGAM we are able to better understand how gaming and gambling can impact on a young person’s mental health and offer the appropriate support. We know that this partnership will help to save lives.”
The team at YGAM have now received SP-ARK training from PAPYRUS. This enabled YGAM to reflect on their personal and organisational approach to discussing and reducing the stigma surrounding suicide in day-to-day life. It also highlighted and reaffirmed the importance of self-care, a key message that is included within YGAM’s own training where they seek to inform, educate, and safeguard young and vulnerable people.
Members of the PAPYRUS team has also undergone YGAM’s free training which covers information on gaming and gambling and provide the tools needed to protect people from the risks of gambling and gaming-related harm, including lesson plans, activities, signs to look out for and information on where to go for advice and support. All training sessions have been assured by City & Guilds and the resources have been approved by the PHSE Association.
Sandy Thompson, the YGAM Education Manager for Greater London, said: “It was fantastic to train more of our colleagues from PAPYRUS, working together to continue our shared commitment to improve young lives by increasing awareness around these crucial issues.”
She continued: “PAPYRUS provide vital support to young people struggling with thoughts of suicide, whilst also engaging and building awareness in communities, and training organisations and groups. Working together in partnership is a crucial step in highlighting these important areas and continuing to provide the support and information that our young people desperately need.”
Suicide is the biggest killer of young people under 35 in the UK. Every year many thousands more attempt or contemplate suicide, harm themselves or suffer alone, afraid to speak openly about how they are feeling. PAPYRUS believes that many young suicides are preventable, and today the charity engages communities and volunteers in suicide prevention projects and delivers training programmes to individuals and groups.
UK Charity Week is a campaign designed to give the people of the United Kingdom an opportunity to place awareness and fundraising for charities high on the national agenda.
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“Cheer Like a Corinthian”
In a World Cup year, Corinthians’ master sponsor uses the unwavering loyalty of the club’s fanbase as an example.
Brazilians’ relationship with the national team and their passion for football take on a new perspective in a World Cup year.
Master sponsor of Corinthians, Esportes da Sorte reinforces the club supporters’ long-standing reputation for unconditional loyalty with the launch of the “Cheer Like a Corinthian” manifesto, a movement aimed at reconnecting Brazilian fans with the national team.
Created by Agência Brenda, the project seeks to redefine the term “to choke” (“amarelar” in Portuguese), transforming it into a call for unwavering belief and determination.
“The campaign draws inspiration from the symbolic strength of Corinthians fans and football’s power to emotionally unite the country.
The idea is to encourage Brazilian supporters to reconnect with the national team through values such as loyalty, presence, and unconditional support,” said Davi Oliveira, Sponsorships Head at Grupo Esportes Gaming Brasil, owner of the Esportes da Sorte brand. Watch the video here.
The campaign debuted on Sunday (10), airing on TV Globo during programs such as Em Família, Eliana, and Fantástico. Simultaneously, the video was displayed on the giant screen at Neo Química Arena during the Corinthians 3–2 São Paulo derby, valid for the 15th round of the Brazilian Championship.
To bring the concept to life, players entered the pitch wearing shirts featuring the phrase “Cheer Like a Corinthian,” which was also displayed across the stadium’s LED boards.
Fans received handheld banners in the stands, while a giant flag bearing the campaign slogan was unveiled by supporters.
Directed by Lucca Meloni and Adriano Alarcon (Nocandy), the film’s visual identity uses symbolic elements to reinforce a sense of persistence.
Rain appears in unexpected settings, while the soundtrack, based on authentic fan chants — creates an immersive sensory atmosphere.
The production also featured real supporters, including historian Fernando Wanner and iconic Corinthians fan Wanda Vitorino, adding authenticity to the message.
“This campaign was developed with great responsibility because we were entering sacred territory. Hearing from legendary players like Marcelinho Carioca that we were on the right path was extremely important,” said Raphael Pinteiro, partner at Agência Brenda.
“Our intention was to inspire Corinthians fans through pride while making supporters of other clubs agree with the message: Brazil’s supporters need this spirit and determination,” added Bernardo Barbosa, also a partner at the agency behind the campaign.
“Convoque” campaign
Also inspired by the World Cup, Esportes da Sorte launched the “Convoque” campaign on Friday (8), using the brand’s iconic blue hat as a portal to a playful universe.
The film features celebrities such as Léo Santana, Jojo Todynho, and Marcelinho Carioca, transforming the user journey into a fun and immersive experience while always promoting responsible gaming.
Esportes da Sorte
Esportes da Sorte is one of Brazil’s leading sports betting platforms, operating entirely within the country and licensed by the Ministry of Finance (SPA/MF) under Esportes Gaming Brasil — the group that also owns the Onabet and Lottu brands.
The company belongs to a Great Place to Work-certified group and generates around 1,000 direct and indirect jobs. Its core pillars include innovation, responsible gaming, and support for market regulation.
Esportes da Sorte maintains strategic partnerships with institutions such as ANJL, IBIA, Sportradar, EBAC, and IAA, strengthening practices related to oversight, gambling harm prevention, and user protection.
Beyond sports betting, the company consistently invests in sports, culture, and social initiatives. It serves as master sponsor of clubs including Corinthians, Ceará, Ferroviária, and Náutico, while also supporting major cultural events such as Galo da Madrugada, Carnival celebrations in Recife, Olinda, Salvador, Maceió, Natal, Caicó, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo, as well as the Parintins Festival.
The brand also expands its digital presence through creative campaigns and influencer partnerships, strengthening engagement with audiences across online platforms.
The post Esportes da Sorte campaign celebrates fans’ resilience in support of Brazil appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Este artículo de opinión del CEO de Pay4fun, Leonardo Baptista, analiza por qué Pix se ha convertido en una de las herramientas más estratégicas para combatir el mercado ilegal de apuestas en Brasil y por qué el rastreo financiero puede ser más efectivo que simplemente bloquear sitios web.
Segun su publicación en el portal Poder360, existe actualmente una pregunta recurrente cuando hablamos del mercado de apuestas en Brasil: ¿por qué el sector ilegal sigue operando incluso después de la regulación?
La respuesta es simple y, al mismo tiempo, incómoda: porque aún no hemos abordado el problema de la forma más eficiente.
Durante mucho tiempo, los esfuerzos para combatir las apuestas ilegales se centraron en el bloqueo de sitios web. Es una medida importante, pero insuficiente.
La dinámica es conocida: se bloquea un dominio hoy, otro aparece mañana con pequeñas variaciones. Es una tarea casi interminable, a menudo descrita por el propio sector como “una lucha sin fin”.
Si realmente queremos ser efectivos, necesitamos cambiar el enfoque.
El camino es otro: seguir el dinero — y es precisamente aquí donde Brasil tiene una enorme ventaja competitiva: Pix.
Hoy, Pix es el único medio de pago aceptado en el mercado de apuestas del país. Por primera vez, esto proporciona a las autoridades un instrumento capaz no solo de rastrear, sino principalmente de interrumpir el flujo financiero que sostiene estas operaciones.
Cuando se corta el flujo de pagos, se corta el negocio.
Este movimiento ya ha comenzado.
La Secretaría de Premios y Apuestas (SPA) ahora cuenta con herramientas de fiscalización más estrictas contra instituciones que operan de forma ilegal. Las multas pueden alcanzar valores extremadamente significativos.
Al mismo tiempo, el Banco Central ha aumentado sustancialmente los requisitos para las instituciones de pago.
Este segundo punto es fundamental.
En los últimos años, Brasil ha sido testigo de la proliferación de instituciones más pequeñas, muchas veces con estructuras de control débiles.
Con requisitos más estrictos de capital, cumplimiento y prevención de lavado de dinero, muchas de estas operaciones han salido del mercado.
En la práctica, esto ya ha reducido el espacio para la actividad ilegal.
Pero aún no es suficiente. El mercado irregular sigue representando una parte significativa del sector: las apuestas ilegales representan actualmente entre el 41% y el 51% del mercado brasileño, según una investigación de Instituto Locomotiva y LCA Consultoria Econômica.
En otras palabras, estamos hablando de un enorme volumen de recursos que no generan impuestos, empleo ni protección al consumidor — pérdidas que podrían alcanzar hasta R$40 mil millones por año en ingresos fiscales, según las mismas estimaciones del sector.
Esto nos lleva a otro punto importante: no tiene sentido discutir aumentos de carga tributaria o restricciones adicionales para las empresas que operan dentro del mercado regulado mientras una parte tan grande continúa operando fuera de la ley.
Si aumenta la presión sobre los operadores regulados, el efecto es directo: los operadores — y muchas veces los propios usuarios — se desplazan hacia el mercado ilegal.
La forma más eficiente de aumentar la recaudación no es subir impuestos, sino traer la actividad ilegal al mercado legal. Si eso ocurre, el sector regulado prácticamente se duplicaría en tamaño y, con ello, también los impuestos recaudados.
Por eso, el enfoque debe ser claro: fiscalización.
La supervisión de los medios de pago, proveedores y operadores en ambos lados del mercado es esencial. Ya no hay espacio para empresas que permanezcan “en la zona gris”, atendiendo simultáneamente al mercado regulado y al ilegal.
Otro punto que necesita avanzar es la integración regulatoria.
El Banco Central y la Secretaría de Premios y Apuestas deben trabajar cada vez más en conjunto. La lucha contra la ilegalidad depende directamente de esta coordinación.
Brasil ha construido un modelo regulatorio sólido para las apuestas en relativamente poco tiempo. El mercado está funcionando, generando ingresos, empleo y protección al usuario.
Ahora el país entra en una nueva fase: la consolidación.
En esta etapa, no debe haber dudas sobre dónde concentrar los esfuerzos.
La lucha contra el mercado ilegal no ocurrirá en la superficie, simplemente eliminando sitios web. Ocurrirá a través de los flujos financieros. Pix nos da esa posibilidad.
Quizás sea la herramienta más poderosa que tenemos hoy.
La pregunta no es si puede ayudar. La verdadera pregunta es hasta qué punto estamos dispuestos a utilizarla de forma efectiva.
Leonardo Baptista
Es CEO y cofundador de Pay4Fun, una institución de pago reconocida por su tecnología, seguridad y prevención del lavado de dinero en el mercado regulado de apuestas en Brasil.
Con más de 20 años de experiencia en los sectores de gaming y tecnología de la información, creó en 2004 el primer bingo online del país. En 2022 fue nombrado uno de los 10 CEOs más inspiradores por CIO Business Review.
The post ¿Por qué Pix es central en la lucha contra el mercado ilegal de apuestas? appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Flashscore has been ranked the fastest sports results platform by UK fans, according to new research into how audiences consume live sport.
In the UK survey of 2,000 sports fans, 46% identified Flashscore as the quickest platform. Flashscore said the pattern was similar in Italy, where 49% of 2,000 respondents named Flashscore the fastest, and in Brazil, where 53% of 3,300 participants reached the same conclusion.
Respondents also associated Flashscore with reliability. In Italy, Flashscore (known locally as Diretta) was recognised as being more accurate than competitors and national broadcasters’ platforms, while in the UK and Brazil it was recognised as being equal to or close to competitors and national broadcasters’ platforms.
Flashscore Director of Engineering Tomáš Kavka said: “It is not one magic technology that solves everything, it is a lot of small and larger right decisions over time.
“Serving a user in South America from Europe is technically possible, but speed is in our DNA. If we want to be the fastest on every continent, we need to be as close as possible to the user. And the data needs to reach that location the moment it appears in our database.”
The company said it continues to scale globally in its 20th year since launch, reporting more than 125 million monthly users worldwide, more than 400 million app downloads across its portfolio, and approximately 145 billion monthly impressions. Flashscore also reported over four million UK downloads, more than two billion monthly impressions, and average daily time spent close to 30 minutes. On infrastructure, Flashscore said it moved to a new data centre in Prague in 2024, tripling processing capacity, and uses a distributed cloud architecture. It added that during a major Champions League matchday earlier this season it handled 34 million users in a day, delivered 700 million notifications, and processed up to 1.3 million requests per second.
The post Flashscore tops speed rankings in UK fan survey ahead of 2026 World Cup appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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