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Entain and Arena Racing Company Sign Ground-Breaking Media Rights and Distribution Deal for Horse Racing and Greyhound Racing

Published

5 years ago

March 19, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Entain and Arena Racing Company Sign Ground-Breaking Media Rights and Distribution Deal for Horse Racing and Greyhound Racing

Entain and Arena Racing Company (Arena Racing) today announce the signing of a ground-breaking long-term media rights deal that covers horse racing media rights and establishes a landmark joint venture between Entain and Arena Racing for greyhound racing, through to 31 December 2029.

This exciting long-term deal will deliver a compelling range of horse racing and greyhound racing product for Entain’s retail & digital channels, Ladbrokes & Coral, as well as for its digital brands – Betdaq, Bwin and Sportingbet, and will launch a joint venture between the two parties for the distribution of greyhound racing content from Entain, Arena Racing and Independent greyhound tracks.

Both horse and greyhound media rights will be produced and distributed to the UK independent bookmaking sector via The Racing Partnership (“TRP”) and into international markets such as Spain, produced and distributed by Arena Racing subsidiary, Vermantia.

Horse Racing Media Rights

The horse racing media rights element of the Entain / Arena Racing partnership covers all UK, race day data & audio-visual coverage for races from Arena Racing’s sixteen UK racecourses, which include Doncaster, Newcastle, Chepstow and Lingfield Park. The deal also includes South African & Australian content and will commence on 1 January 2022 and run through to 31 December 2029.

Greyhound Racing Joint Venture

The ground-breaking joint venture (JV) between Entain and Arena Racing will deliver a single optimised UK Greyhound Racing schedule. The JV will become the vehicle for licensing media rights to Entain & other domestic and international betting operators from these tracks. This joint venture will launch on 1 January 2024 through to 31 December 2029.

The JV will hold the long term exclusive rights to premium greyhound content from twelve stadia owned across Arena Racing (Newcastle, Nottingham, Perry Barr and Sunderland), independent stadia within Greyhound Media Group (“GMG”) (Kinsley, Sheffield, Swindon and Yarmouth) as well as those owned by Entain (Crayford, Hove, Monmore Green and Romford).

Adrian Bower, Entain Chief Procurement Officer said today: “We are delighted to be partnering with Arena Racing on such a comprehensive long-term deal that will give certainty to both parties for the benefit of both horse racing and greyhound racing, as well as helping them navigate the Covid challenges and emerge stronger when the world gets back to normal”

“This is a progressive deal for greyhound racing, that will deliver a sustainable programme going forward, support greyhound welfare, and deliver more money into the sport”

“This landmark deal supports Entain’s omni-channel strategy for its UK digital brands and emphasises the huge value we place on the horse racing and greyhound racing products. We have been looking for a long-term deal that delivers benefits to both parties, allowing us to focus on navigating the immediate challenge of Covid, while generating greater value for all. Ladbrokes and Coral are two of the biggest and longest standing investors in, and supporters of horse racing and greyhound racing, and this significant commercial deal with Arena Racing is just further proof of our support for these two great British sports”

Kevin Robertson, Managing Director of Arena Racing’s Media and International Division said today:

“This deal between Arena Racing and Entain represents a new era of collaboration between the horse and greyhound racing industries and their bookmaker customers.”

“We are delighted to have framed this deal to offer long term certainty for both our horse and greyhound racing, as we look to recover from what have been incredibly difficult times for both industries. Importantly, this deal recognises the value for both horse and greyhound racing being sold directly by rightsholders to their key bookmaker customers. We are delighted to be working in partnership with a significant global partner in Entain who operate historic and popular brands such as Ladbrokes and Coral, continuing their long association with both sports.”

“Both Arena Racing and Entain are committed to the future of greyhound racing, and under the new JV we will be able to sustain and re-invigorate a sport that has been through significant change over the years. The launch of evening greyhound racing on Sky Sports Racing in February is hopefully the first of many new initiatives to promote and enhance the sport”

888.it

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

Published

7 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

8 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

8 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.