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SAZKA Entertainment AG appoints Lord Sebastian Coe CH KBE to its board

Published

5 years ago

September 20, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Four time Olympic medal winner, current President of World Athletics, and a global leader in the world of sport, Lord Sebastian Coe CH KBE is to join the board of Europe’s largest lottery operators, SAZKA Entertainment AG. Lord Coe’s appointment as the board´s first Independent Non-Executive Director took effect as of September 14, 2021.

Sebastian Coe entered the global stage via athletics in the Moscow Olympic Games in 1980, winning a gold medal in the 1,500m and a silver in the 800m, a feat he repeated in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

After retiring from competitive sport with twelve world records to his name in 1990, he became a Conservative MP and private secretary to William Hague, the then leader of the UK government opposition. In 2004, he became Chairman of London’s bid to host the 2012 Games. When the bid successfully won against Paris, Moscow, New York, and Madrid, he went on to Chair the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee. He has served as President of World Athletics since 2015, steering the sport on a world stage through the impact of Covid-19, including at a successful Tokyo Olympics. He was elected a member of the International Olympic Committee in 2020.

SAZKA Entertainment is a subsidiary of KKCG, the global investment group founded by Czech entrepreneur Karel Komárek. As chairman of SAZKA Entertainment’s board, Mr Komárek commented: “Lord Coe has been a colossal figure on the world stage of sport, politics and business through his long and distinguished career. We’re honoured to have him join our team as its first Independent Non-Executive Director. He brings tremendous additional strength to our international perspective as we strive to maximise the raising of funds for good causes in all of the markets we serve.”

Lord Sebastian Coe also commented on his appointment. “Over the years I’ve seen the tremendous benefit lottery funds have brought to grassroots and elite sport across the globe. I’m looking forward to joining a team with a proven track record of supporting sport at all levels in the countries where it operates. My role will be to ensure that we develop our support of sport further and ensure that SAZKA Entertainment is a powerful driving force behind grassroots and elite sport funding across Europe and beyond.”

casino

Plaza adds Monday Night RAW ticket raffle to WrestleMania 42 viewing party

Published

45 minutes ago

April 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

plaza-adds-monday-night-raw-ticket-raffle-to-wrestlemania-42-viewing-party

Downtown Las Vegas casino also brings in WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam for a live Q&A on April 18.

Plaza Hotel & Casino will host WrestleMania 42 viewing parties on April 18 and April 19 in its showroom in downtown Las Vegas, adding a ticket giveaway for WWE Monday Night RAW on the second night.

The casino said all guests attending the Sunday, April 19 viewing party can enter a free raffle to win two tickets to Monday Night RAW on Monday, April 20 at T-Mobile Arena, seated in one of the venue’s premier Loge Boxes.

On Saturday, April 18, the Plaza will feature WWE Hall of Fame wrestler Rob Van Dam (RVD) as a special guest. The property said RVD—also billed as “Mr. Monday Night”—will lead a live Q&A at 1:30 p.m. ahead of the WrestleMania 42 start time at 3 p.m., and will be available for autographs and photo ops.

Both events are 21+ and run in the Plaza showroom, with doors opening at 1 p.m. and the viewing party starting at 3 p.m. The Plaza said it will offer drink specials and buckets of beer priced at $30 for domestic brands and $35 for imported.

Tickets with seat selection are priced at $40 per person (plus fees and taxes), according to the casino, with details and purchasing available via the Plaza’s website.

Relevant data as follows:

Plaza Hotel & Casino WrestleMania viewing party details: https://www.plazahotelcasino.com/entertainment/wrestlemania-viewing-party/ Primary source for ticketing, schedule, and pricing referenced in the article.
WWE Monday Night RAW: https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw Official WWE show page to support the RAW reference and event context.
T-Mobile Arena events calendar: https://www.t-mobilearena.com/events Venue source to corroborate event location and provide broader event context.
Plaza Hotel & Casino: https://www.plazahotelcasino.com/ Company homepage for readers seeking more information on the property hosting the viewing parties.

The post Plaza adds Monday Night RAW ticket raffle to WrestleMania 42 viewing party appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

eSports

MEGA hires Leapfox founder Patrick Collins as VP of Growth

Published

45 minutes ago

April 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

mega-hires-leapfox-founder-patrick-collins-as-vp-of-growth

The ex-Wasserman and former Excel Esports partnerships lead joins the London-based group behind the Esports Awards and MOBIES.

The Mobile, Esports and Gaming Alliance (MEGA) has appointed Patrick Collins as Vice President of Growth, the company said on April 15, 2026. Collins will lead growth strategy, including commercial partnerships and new business development, from London.

Collins joins from boutique agency Leapfox, which he founded in early 2022. Prior to that, he led commercial partnerships at UK esports organisation Excel Esports, securing deals with brands including BT, Sony, JD Sports, Neosurf and Chupa Chups, alongside partners such as HyperX, Anda Seat, Belong Gaming Arenas and Chillblast PCs.

Earlier in his career, Collins worked at sports marketing agency Wasserman, where MEGA said he helped secure EE’s six-year partnership with Wembley Stadium and advised brands including American Express, Vodafone and PepsiCo. The company also cited experience working with Premier League football clubs and brands including Barclays, Santander, Under Armour and Puma.

“I’m pleased to officially join MEGA at such an important time for esports and gaming,” said Patrick Collins, VP of Growth at MEGA. “Having worked across traditional sport, esports, and commercial partnerships, and founding Leapfox to bridge these worlds and guide my clients, I’m looking forward to applying my experience to support MEGA and our properties as we continue to grow.”

“We’re delighted to welcome Patrick to MEGA as our new Vice President of Growth,” said Michael Ashford, Co-Founder of MEGA. “His extensive experience, including founding Leapfox, uniquely positions him to shape the future of our company. With Patrick on board, MEGA is determined to accelerate our growth, embark on transformative partnerships, and deliver world-class experiences that will define the next era of esports entertainment.”

Relevant data as follows:

MEGA (Mobile, Esports and Gaming Alliance): https://themega.global/ Official company site to support the appointment and provide background on MEGA.
Esports Awards: https://esportsawards.com/ Official site for one of the properties referenced in connection with MEGA.
MOBIES: https://mobies.com/ Official site for the Mobile Gaming Awards referenced alongside MEGA.

The post MEGA hires Leapfox founder Patrick Collins as VP of Growth appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

iGaming

Soft2Bet adds five brands in Q1 2026 and lines up Alberta licensing bid

Published

45 minutes ago

April 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

soft2bet-adds-five-brands-in-q1-2026-and-lines-up-alberta-licensing-bid

Soft2Bet said it opened 2026 with five new brand launches and four sponsorship deals, alongside market planning for Q2 2026. The company shared the update from Malta on April 15, 2026 as part of its Q1 2026 results.

In Q1, Soft2Bet launched Lodur in Sweden and Zinx in Romania. In Denmark, it launched Betinia, Betoro and QuickCasino. The company said the rollouts were part of a localized approach aligned with player behavior and regulatory environments.

Soft2Bet also announced four sponsorships aimed at strengthening regional visibility. In Canada, it partnered with the Oshawa FireWolves and Rock League Curling. In Romania, it renewed its partnership with football club CFR Cluj. In Denmark, it cited brand exposure through the Betinia League and CampoBet Division.

For Q2 2026, Soft2Bet said it has submitted a license application in Alberta, Canada, and is evaluating Spain and Portugal. The company also said it plans to offer players a gamified tournament module for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, designed to extend engagement beyond traditional sportsbook formats.

Soft2Bet did not disclose revenue, active user metrics, or market-by-market performance data in the release.

Relevant data as follows:

Soft2Bet: https://soft2bet.com/ Company site for background, brand portfolio, and corporate updates referenced in the release.
Alberta iGaming (AGLC) – regulatory information: https://aglc.ca/ Official Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis information relevant to the stated Alberta license application.
Swedish Gambling Authority (Spelinspektionen): https://www.spelinspektionen.se/en/ Regulator context for the Sweden brand launch mentioned (Lodur).
Romanian National Gambling Office (ONJN):https://onjn.gov.ro Regulatory reference for Romania activity and brand launch (Zinx).