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Martin Stevenson appointed new CEO of Racecourse Media Group

Published

5 years ago

March 9, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Martin Stevenson has been appointed CEO of Racecourse Media Group (RMG) – the media and data rights holding company for the UK and Ireland’s leading racecourses.

Stevenson has a deep and intimate knowledge and understanding of the RMG business, having joined the Group as the Finance Director of RMG in 2007.

A qualified accountant (FCCA), his previous experience includes the position of Managing Director of the Newspaper Licensing Agency and Group Financial Controller of Trinity Mirror plc.. Stevenson succeeds Richard FitzGerald, who left the post of CEO in September.

Roger Lewis, Chairman of RMG, said:

“On behalf of the RMG Board, RMG’s racecourses and all the RMG staff, I am delighted to announce Martin as the new CEO of the Group.

“After an extensive and rigorous recruitment process, during which we interviewed a number of outstanding candidates, the RMG Board unanimously voted for this appointment.

“Martin’s vision for RMG is bold and imaginative. His relationship with our shareholder racecourses is very special and Martin is passionate that RMG can, and will, deliver the best returns for racing.

“The RMG business model has been severely tested during the last 12 months, but it has demonstrated great resilience, providing vital media rights income for our racecourses. This has been achieved due to the extraordinary efforts of our racecourses who have brilliantly kept horse racing running. We are proud to serve them.

“We are now slowly emerging out of the pandemic and Martin is undoubtedly the right person to lead RMG into its next phase of growth over the coming years.”

Martin Stevenson, new CEO of RMG, added:

“I am extremely excited and honoured to take up the position of RMG CEO. I look forward to working even more collaboratively with our 34 racecourse shareholders, whose media interests have been entrusted to RMG.

“RMG has been a phenomenal success story since its inception as Racing UK back in 2004, having posted year-on-year increases in licence fees payable to its racecourse shareholders nearly every year of trading. It shows what can be achieved via a collective approach to commercialising our racecourses’ media and data rights.

“But RMG never stands still. We will continue to innovate with our output, as evidenced by the recent launch of the Racing TV virtual studio, which follows the introduction of the broadcast and publication of in-race timing information.

“We will also continue to be creative and forward-thinking in how best to commercialise our racecourses’ content, including building on the recent success of the Watch & Bet streaming service, which has been greatly welcomed by bookmakers, punters and race-fans alike.

“RMG has a committed, knowledgeable and loyal team, which, I have absolutely no doubt, will continue to deliver the right results for our racecourses.”

RMG was created by racecourses for the sport of racing and the compelling content generated from the racecourses it broadcasts from has enabled RMG to continue to drive the business forward.

RMG’s quality offering was evidenced recently as five of the top 11 races run in the world in 2020 (rated by IFHA) – headed by the Juddmonte International Stakes at York at number one – were broadcast live on Racing TV.

Recent Key Developments over the last six months at RMG include:

Virtual studio – Racing TV’s new studio takes horseracing coverage to the next level

Record viewers – Racing TV memberships hit a record 63,000

In-race timing service – New tracking service launches on-screen and online

Watch & Bet – Low-latency and data-rich streaming service enhances output for bookmakers, punters and fans

Racing TV Extra – Dedicated racecourse streams, with presenters, available from all RTV’s 61 racecourses

ITV and Virgin Media TV – RMG’s racecourses’ rights are renewed until 2023 in UK and Ireland

Sportsbet – Streaming and marketing deal with Australia’s largest online betting operator

British Champions Day – RMG distributes TV coverage to 125 countries via 26 broadcasters

888.it

R. Franco Digital Shortlisted for Casino Platform Excellence at EGR Europe Awards 2026

Published

3 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Wladimir P.

r.-franco-digital-shortlisted-for-casino-platform-excellence-at-egr-europe-awards-2026

R. Franco Digital, the leading Spanish iGaming provider, has been officially shortlisted for Casino Platform Supplier of the Year at the prestigious EGR Europe Awards 2026. The nomination recognizes a landmark year for the company, characterized by the explosive growth of its IRIS Open Omnichannel Platform and a major commercial breakthrough into the Italian market.

The winners will be announced during a gala ceremony on February 18, 2026, at the Hilton Malta, where the industry’s top-tier operators and suppliers gather to celebrate European gaming excellence.

IRIS: The Engine of Omnichannel Growth

The core of R. Franco Digital’s success lies in its IRIS platform, a highly scalable, multi-jurisdictional solution that unifies casino, sports betting, and retail management.

IRIS Platform Milestones (2025-2026):

Jurisdictional Reach: Certified in 6 jurisdictions and operational in over 10 regulated markets.
Content Depth: Seamlessly integrated with over 1,600 games from global third-party providers.
Operational Stability: Provides 24/7 multilingual support and advanced real-time analytics for operators.
Commercial Momentum: Secured 50+ new operator partnerships and entered three new markets within the last 12 months.

Performance Highlights: 4 Billion Game Rounds

R. Franco Digital’s games portfolio has seen a massive surge in engagement, bolstered by 20 new high-performance slot releases in 2025. Standout titles such as Strange Spins, Aphrodite, Zorro: Final Duel, Ovomon, and The Phantom contributed to a record-breaking year.

Metric	2025–2026 Achievement
Total Game Rounds	4 Billion+ across regulated markets
Revenue Growth	30% Increase during the judging period
New Content	20 New slot titles launched
Expansion	Debut in the Italian regulated market

Strategic Italian Market Entry

A major factor in the EGR shortlisting was R. Franco Digital’s successful entry into Italy. The provider rapidly localized its content to meet the specific demands of Italian players through tier-one partnerships:

Stanleybet.it: Launched 19 games, including the Italian-exclusive debut of Strange Spins.
888.it: Successfully rolled out the popular Super 7 3×3 title.

“We’re proud to be shortlisted for this award, which reflects the strength of our IRIS platform and the quality of the content we’ve delivered over the past year,” said Javier Sacristán Franco, International Business Director at R. Franco Digital. “Our team has worked hard to support operators with reliable, innovative solutions… we are delighted to see that effort recognised.”

The post R. Franco Digital Shortlisted for Casino Platform Excellence at EGR Europe Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Big Hot Flaming Pots

Big Hot Flaming Pots: Tasty Treasures – Lightning Box Brings Land-Based Hit Online

Published

4 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Wladimir P.

big-hot-flaming-pots:-tasty-treasures-–-lightning-box-brings-land-based-hit-online

Light & Wonder has officially launched Big Hot Flaming Pots: Tasty Treasures, the digital debut of its highly successful land-based franchise. Developed by in-house specialist studio Lightning Box, this 3×5 slot offers 243 ways to win and a high-energy “three-pot” mechanic that has already become a staple on casino floors worldwide.

The game transitions the whimsical “dumpling-tossing” theme to online audiences, combining vibrant Asian-inspired aesthetics with a deep mathematical model designed for high-engagement sessions.

The Three-Pot Mechanic & Seven Feature Combinations

At the core of the gameplay is the persistent pot system. Landing specific colored coins fuels three separate pots—Yummy, Spicy, and Upsized. These pots can trigger individually or in any combination, leading to seven distinct bonus paths.

Feature Mode	Gameplay Enhancement
Yummy Mode	Increases the Hold & Spin respin counter from 3 to 4, significantly extending bonus life.
Spicy Mode	Introduces Chilli multipliers; landing a pepper adds its cash value to every symbol currently held on the board.
Upsized Mode	Unlocks a Dual Grid (two reel sets) for the Hold & Spin round, doubling the win potential.
Combined Modes	Triggering all three at once creates the “Mega Bonus,” featuring dual grids, 4 respins, and value-boosting peppers.

Innovation: The Stack N’ Hit Feature

Unlike traditional Hold & Spin mechanics where symbols simply lock until the round ends, Tasty Treasures introduces the Stack N’ Hit evolution.

Reel Clearing: When a vertical reel is filled with Bun symbols, the prizes are instantly collected, and the reel is cleared.
Persistent Respins: Clearing a reel creates open spaces for new prizes to land, allowing the bonus round to continue far longer than standard industry alternatives.
The Path to Grand: Each cleared reel activates a “Pepper Tracker” above it. Lighting up all five trackers awards the Grand Progressive Jackpot.

Jackpot Tiers & Base Game Depth

Operators benefit from a versatile math model that supports both consistent base-game performance and high-volatility jackpot chases.

Progressive Jackpots: Grand and Major tiers for life-changing win potential.
Fixed Jackpots: Minor and Mini tiers awarded through symbols landing during features.
Nudge Wilds: In the base game, Wild symbols can nudge to cover entire reels, assisting in achieving the 243-way payouts.

“Big Hot Flaming Pots: Tasty Treasures carries forward a brand that has already made its mark in land-based venues,” says Michael Maokhamphiou, Studio Director at Lightning Box. “This release offers operators a flexible, high-performing title that combines familiarity with fresh layers of engagement.”

The post Big Hot Flaming Pots: Tasty Treasures – Lightning Box Brings Land-Based Hit Online appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Blask Index

How Venezuela’s iGaming market is reacting to US pressure

Published

4 hours ago

January 8, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

how-venezuela’s-igaming-market-is-reacting-to-us-pressure

Blask data indicates Venezuela’s iGaming demand remained stable in the initial days following the US operation in Caracas.

On 3 January, US forces detained Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, transporting him from Caracas to face prosecution in New York. The raid came after months of intensifying American pressure throughout 2025 — naval presence, targeted strikes, and a fresh sanctions package.

For Venezuela’s iGaming sector, the disruption poses a critical question: will demand collapse, or adapt?

First results

Blask’s daily Index remained within a tight corridor from 1–4 January, hovering in the high-200K zone. It dropped 5% to 257.4K on the day of the operation, before recovering the next day.

The data reveals no abrupt demand shift during this period. A slight decline sits within Venezuela’s normal daily fluctuations and does not point to a fundamental market change.

Rapid expansion, growing dominance

Venezuela stood out as one of iGaming’s strongest demand gainers in 2025. Blask Index surged 134.9% year-on-year — the second-highest growth worldwide.

This expansion came alongside increasing market dominance. By December, Triunfo Bet commanded 59% of Blask’s BAP (Brand Accumulated Power, measuring a brand’s portion of total user interest nationally), gaining 15 percentage points since January. The top three brands collectively reached over 85%, up 11 points.

The post How Venezuela’s iGaming market is reacting to US pressure appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.