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Flutter Entertainment opens new £15m technology and innovation hub in Leeds

Published

4 years ago

October 21, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Flutter Entertainment’s new £15m UK technology and innovation hub in Leeds is now officially open to colleagues from across its UK and Ireland and International divisions.

Designed by MEPC, the state-of-the-art workspace is home to 1700 colleagues and comprises 136,000 sq. ft of flexible space across eight floors at 4 Wellington Place in Leeds Dock – a thriving community for the media, technology, and creative industries. It has been built to the highest environmental standard, achieving a BREEAM Excellent rating on completion and includes a range of accessibility and sustainable features, meeting the WELL building standard, which aims to make the work environment healthier for colleagues.

The hub will act as a centre of excellence in technology and innovation for Flutter brands operating in the UK and Ireland, helping to drive innovation across the Group through the development of industry-leading digital products for consumers across the world, while providing highly-skilled jobs and a sizeable local investment in Leeds and the surrounding Yorkshire region.

The new site will be home to more than 800 technology professionals working in key functions such as its Global Sports Trading Platform, Digital Infrastructure, Platform Services, and Information Security. It will also include several unique attributes, including:

Seventh and eight floors dedicated solely for social activities between teams;
IT ‘vending machines’ for certain equipment to free up resource and time for IT colleagues;
£1m investment in VC and AV equipment to promote inclusive meetings between those working remotely and in the office;
Six electric car charging points in the basement;
And break-out furniture items all made from recycled Coca-Cola bottles.

The hub will continue to promote SBG’s ‘Skills Academy’, which offers selected graduates a fully funded MSc in Digital and Technology Solutions from Sheffield Hallam University while they gain in-house experience working with technology teams across the business. To better represent the communities it operates in, SBG has also launched a self-funded version of the government’s Kickstart scheme, creating 13 new roles for young people at risk of long-term unemployment. These are spread across business areas and functions including marketing, finance, people, tech and design.

Conor Grant, CEO of Flutter Entertainment UK and Ireland commented: “Our new office in Leeds is our vision for the future of working and we are excited to welcome our colleagues to this modern, agile and flexible workspace. The entire Flutter Group has benefited greatly from the leading technology capabilities we have developed in Leeds through our talented and highly skilled workforce, and this investment demonstrates our ongoing commitment to both the city and our colleagues. We will also continue to be a positive force in the communities we serve, with our Skills Academy and Kickstart scheme offering exciting opportunities for young people to develop their skills.”

Aristocrat Gaming

Aristocrat Gaming and Metropolitan Gaming Partner to Open Aristocrat on the Square at Empire Casino

Published

55 seconds ago

February 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

aristocrat-gaming-and-metropolitan-gaming-partner-to-open-aristocrat-on-the-square-at-empire-casino

Metropolitan Gaming, in partnership with Aristocrat Gaming, introduced Aristocrat on the Square, a premium new gaming experience for guests at Empire Casino in London and the first dedicated Aristocrat Gaming space in the UK.

Aristocrat on the Square showcases an impressive lineup of popular Aristocrat Gaming titles tailored specifically for the UK, including popular releases like NFL Triple Score, Lightning Link, Mo Mummy and Bao Zhu Zhao Fu Link. The space is designed to elevate the player experience, highlighted by an engaging LED ceiling and upscale décor that create an inviting lounge atmosphere.

“The debut of Aristocrat on the Square at Empire Casino marks a significant milestone for Aristocrat Gaming, reinforcing our commitment to customers across EMEA and expanding our presence in the UK as we continue delivering world‑class gaming experiences to players around the globe. Our partnership with Metropolitan Gaming reflects a multi-year investment in bringing cutting‑edge games, hardware, marketing, and entertainment experiences to players across Europe,” said Craig Toner, CEO of Aristocrat Gaming.

“The launch of Aristocrat on the Square at Empire Casino represents an exciting new chapter for Metropolitan Gaming. As the first dedicated Aristocrat Gaming space in the UK, it reflects our focus on creating distinctive, premium environments that elevate the player experience. Working closely with Aristocrat, we’ve brought together world-class gaming content and a carefully designed setting to deliver something truly special for our guests at Empire Casino,” said Alex Oswald, Managing Director of Metropolitan Gaming.

To celebrate the launch, Empire Casino hosts a month-long Home of the Hot Seats promotion throughout February, offering players the opportunity to win vouchers, free play and more.

The post Aristocrat Gaming and Metropolitan Gaming Partner to Open Aristocrat on the Square at Empire Casino appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Betfred

Betfred Expands its Partnership with Sportradar

Published

56 seconds ago

February 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

betfred-expands-its-partnership-with-sportradar

Betfred has extended and expanded its longstanding partnership with Sportradar. As part of the agreement, Sportradar will upgrade the retail platform technology underpinning the operations of Betfred’s 1300 retail outlets nationwide, ensuring a sustainable and engaging betting offering is available on the UK high street.

The additional multi-year scope of work further strengthens a partnership built over the past decade. Sportradar’s future ready retail platform enables faster operations and effective risk control. The technology allows Betfred to handle intense data loads around big sporting moments and scale in real-time as bets are placed, ensuring bettors can engage with their sports and place a wager regardless of an event’s popularity.

Under the terms of the agreement, Sportradar will oversee continuous improvements to the Betfred retail platform to ensure ongoing operational excellence and adherence to local regulation and compliance. Furthermore, the technical framework allows Betfred to integrate a multitude of Sportradar’s next generation products and services to deliver a contemporary in-shop experience.

Duncan McDonald, Head of Corporate and Retail Support, Betfred said: “This agreement re-affirms our joint commitment to one another, to develop new products and features that enhance our customer offerings. It future proofs our retail business and secures our partnership with Betfred’s in house technology team and Sportradar for years to come.”

Paolo Personeni, EVP, Managed Betting Services, Sportradar said: “In today’s hyper-competitive marketplace Sportradar is well positioned to help Betfred achieve its long-term growth objectives. With high street operations closely watched, the technological capabilities powering the Sportradar Retail Platform will allow Betfred to deliver a sustainable and long-term retail offering that engages today’s demanding sports bettors.”

The post Betfred Expands its Partnership with Sportradar appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Compliance Updates

Dutch Regulator Urges Online Gambling Providers to Stop Using “Share Your Bet” Feature

Published

57 seconds ago

February 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

dutch-regulator-urges-online-gambling-providers-to-stop-using-“share-your-bet”-feature

The Dutch Gambling Regulator (KSA) has urged the online gambling providers to discontinue the “Share your bet” feature. This feature allows players to share their placed bets via social media or messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook and email. The KSA investigated the functionality of this feature after receiving several signals and questions from the market.

“Share your bet” function

The “Share your bet” feature allows players to easily share their bets with others. It works like this: a player places a bet and sends it via a link to, for example, friends or family. The recipient can then immediately see the bet and, if they have an account, participate as well. This makes gambling easily shared, often via social networks.

Protection of vulnerable groups

The KSA points out that the “Share your bet” feature is a form of advertising and recruitment. It’s a way for providers to promote gambling, but indirectly through players themselves. According to the Decree on Recruitment, Advertising and Addiction Prevention in Gambling, providers must ensure that advertising does not reach vulnerable groups, such as minors, young adults and people with gambling problems.

Because players with the “Share your bet” feature decide who to send their bet to, providers have no control over who receives the shared messages. This means that gambling providers cannot guarantee that vulnerable groups will not unintentionally encounter gambling advertising. Therefore, offering features like “Share your bet” is not permitted.

In addition, the ease of sharing bets helps normalize gambling. This lowers the barrier to entry, especially among younger demographics.

Discontinue “Share your bet” functionality

The KSA is therefore calling on all online gambling providers using the “Share your bet” feature to immediately stop doing so. The KSA will continue to monitor any new developments in this area and will take enforcement action where necessary to ensure the protection of vulnerable groups.

The post Dutch Regulator Urges Online Gambling Providers to Stop Using “Share Your Bet” Feature appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.