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Entain Opens New-Look Digital Shops across UK & Europe

Published

5 years ago

September 29, 2021

George Miller

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Retail to have a more contemporary, digital feel

Entain, the global sports betting and gaming entertainment operator, has embarked on a digitization initiative across its retail business, converting a core of shops in key locations across both the UK and Europe into contemporary, digital, spaces to enhance the omni-channel experience for customers.

The retail makeover will initially apply to Entain shops in the UK and Italy across the Ladbrokes, Coral and Eurobet brands. In both countries, Entain has run successful trials of new, more contemporary store design and formats more closely aligned to customers’ online experience.

“Entain is a global online operator, but we are focused on delivering a great local experience for our customers. This investment allows us to give a more immersive and joined up online omni-channel experience to our customers” said Rob Wood, CFO and Deputy Chief Executive of Entain.

“Since high streets re-opened, our retail customers have returned in large numbers which reflects the continued demand from customers for an engaging in-shop experience,” he added. This digital makeover of shops, together with ongoing investments into our industry leading tech platform and £100m of innovation investment over the next 3 years, are important drivers of our future growth.”

Since the re-opening of retail, Entain has opened 18 new digital hubs across the UK and plans to have a total of 30 new-style Ladbrokes and Coral shops open by the end of the year in cities including Leeds, Birmingham, London, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Wolverhampton, Newcastle, Dumfries and Leicester. The aim is for 200 UK digital stores by the end of 2024.

The move will provide a welcome boost to many high streets and town centres in both Italy and the UK. In the UK alone The British Retail Consortium recently noted that more than one in seven shops are now vacant (*), rising to one in five in particularly hard-hit parts of the country.

“Our shops are at the heart of local communities and employ around 13,000 people across the country,” said Andy Hicks, Entain Retail MD for the UK and Ireland. “We want to bring the experiences customers have with us online into our shops, also making them more digital and contemporary environments. We want to offer local customers a place to socialize, enjoy sports, bet and play games in a relaxed and enjoyable way.”

Initially UK stores being converted into digital hubs contain the latest gaming machines, and interactive displays, giving customers a more engaging and dynamic experience as well as more choice of interactive sports and gaming content. In both Italy and the UK, the converted stores have digital window displays and additional interior screens which allow live events and new promotions to be shared with customers across retail locations.

In Italy, where Entain’s retail outlets operate under the Eurobet brand, the Group also plans to convert around 200 shops and plans to have the first 30 locations open by the end of this year. These include a number of “Eurobet Cafes”, which offer customers a new place to meet and socialize with friends.

“This is all about offering a different and more distinctive experience to new and existing customers, “said Andrea Faelli, Managing Director of Entain, Italy. “We want to move from simply offering betting shops to hosting spaces in town centres where people can come to have a good time, which may or may not include having a bet.”

All the initiatives are powered by Entain’s proprietary technology, which has the benefit of making the digital and retail experiences more similar for customers and being scalable internationally to other locations.

Eastern Europe

ELA Games reports 244.52% active user growth in Romania

Published

5 hours ago

June 8, 2026

Wladimir P.

ela-games-reports-244.52%-active-user-growth-in-romania

Supplier links the uplift to classic-style slots with modern features, including Joker Winpot, as bet counts rise 239.74%.

ELA Games says it has expanded in Romania after rolling out titles that pair classic slot aesthetics with modern gameplay features.

The supplier reported a 244.52% increase in active users in Romania and a 239.74% rise in bet counts. The company attributed the performance to what it described as a “natural path” for traditional players to move into more feature-led play.

Marharyta Yerina, Managing Director of ELA Games, said: “It is great to see how Romanian players are enjoying the way we combine classic symbols with modern features. Joker Winpot works well for those who love the traditional look but actually want more excitement from their play. We also see that once players feel comfortable with these mechanics, they are happy to explore our other top titles which have proved to be successful in Romania like Cash of Gods and Flames Fruit Frenzy. It proves that respecting what players like is the best way to introduce new ideas to the market.”

ELA Games did not disclose the timeframe for the reported increases, which operators it works with in Romania, or how the metrics were calculated.

The post ELA Games reports 244.52% active user growth in Romania appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Belatra

Belatra Games confirms Lima trip for Peru Gaming Show 2026

Published

5 hours ago

June 8, 2026

Wladimir P.

belatra-games-confirms-lima-trip-for-peru-gaming-show-2026

Slots developer plans partner meetings and private events around PGS on 17-18 June at the Jockey Exhibition Center.

Belatra Games will attend Peru Gaming Show (PGS) 2026 in Lima on 17-18 June, with the company confirming plans to use the event for meetings with existing clients and prospective partners.

PGS, now in its 23rd year, will be held at the Jockey Exhibition Center. Belatra said it will have a team present throughout the show to discuss its slots portfolio and explore commercial opportunities in Peru as part of its broader Latin America strategy.

Alongside the trade show schedule, Belatra said it will host a private “Belatra Cocktail Experience” for partners and run a watch party on 16 June for Argentina’s match against Algeria.

The company also noted it will attend SBC Americas in Fort Lauderdale ahead of PGS, describing the event as an opportunity to meet operators from North and Latin America and present “LatAm-ready content”.

Lucila M. Barletta, Head of Accounts LatAm at Belatra, said: “Peru is an exciting and growing market and PGS is the perfect place to build on our relationships with partners already working with us and to connect with new ones. We look forward to an amazing couple of days in Lima and, of course, rooting for Argentina with our friends and partners throughout the evening. It’s going to be a special occasion all around.”

The post Belatra Games confirms Lima trip for Peru Gaming Show 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

BC.GAME

BC.GAME adds BETBY to BC Engine as staker rewards pass $2.5m

Published

5 hours ago

June 8, 2026

Wladimir P.

bcgame-adds-betby-to-bc-engine-as-staker-rewards-pass-$2.5m

BC.GAME has partnered with sportsbook supplier BETBY, bringing the supplier into BC Engine, the platform’s rewards and participation model powered by its native $BC token.

BC Engine launched in April and is positioned by BC.GAME as a mechanism that links platform-generated profits and activity to ongoing rewards for $BC holders. Under the model, players earn $BC by playing casino games on BC.GAME, with tokens allocated and staked in BC Engine. Rewards are then distributed based on users’ holdings.

BC.GAME said stakers have earned more than $2.5 million in rewards since launch. The company also cited on-platform data showing more than $74.3 million in total wager and over 5.8 million bets.

Kar Kheng Giam, Chief Executive Officer of BC.GAME, said: “Our vision for BC Engine has always been to create a model where platform growth and player participation are more closely aligned.

“The addition of BETBY is significant because it demonstrates how the ecosystem can continue to expand through strategic partnerships. Every new contributor helps strengthen the engine, creating additional utility for $BC and reinforcing the long-term sustainability of the model.

“As we continue to grow the network, our focus remains on delivering a simpler and more transparent rewards experience that allows players to participate more directly in the success of the ecosystem.”

Christos Nikolopoulos, Chief Commercial Officer at BETBY, said: “We’re pleased to become part of the BC Engine ecosystem and support an initiative that brings a different approach to player engagement.”

“At BETBY, innovation has always been at the heart of our business, and BC Engine represents an interesting evolution in how gaming platforms can connect product performance, community participation and rewards. We look forward to contributing to its continued growth.”

BC.GAME said the BETBY deal is part of a wider push to expand $BC utility and add more ecosystem partners contributing to BC Engine. The company also pointed to recent international expansion, including moves in Africa via Nigeria and Kenya, alongside initiatives in Latin America.

The post BC.GAME adds BETBY to BC Engine as staker rewards pass $2.5m appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.