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Entain & ARC appoint working peer Lord Lipsey to chair new Premier Greyhound Racing joint venture
Newly-launched entity, a joint venture between Entain and Arena Racing Company, announces working peer and former Chair of British Greyhound Racing Board as Chairman
Premier Greyhound Racing, a newly-launched joint venture between Entain, the global sports betting, gaming and interactive entertainment group, and Arena Racing Company have appointed Lord Lipsey as Chair.
Premier Greyhound Racing aims to deliver the market-leading greyhound racing product best serving racegoers, owners and trainers by delivering increased welfare standards and investment. It will promote the sport as a betting medium to drive revenues for operators, revitalising the sport in the process.
Premier Greyhound Racing will represent the interests of a total of 14 of Britain’s 20 official and regulated greyhound racing tracks. From January 2024, the company will offer a comprehensive package of racing both to digital and retail betting operators and their customers, worldwide from the nine Arena Racing Company and Entain stadia along with five independent tracks (Kinsley, Pelaw Grange, Sheffield, Swindon and Yarmouth).
Working peer Lord David Lipsey returns to greyhound racing following his four-year spell as Chair of the then-named British Greyhound Racing Board between 2004 and 2008.
David Lipsey has been a greyhound racing enthusiast for nearly half a century. He has owned several racing greyhounds and two greyhounds – Zac and Brenda – were adopted by him and his family.
As well as his involvement with running the sport he was a trustee of the Retired Greyhound Trust (now Greyhound Trust). Some five years ago he was called in by then Sports Minister Tracey Crouch to negotiate a new deal between Greyhound Racing and the bookmakers which resulted in a £2m a year boost to the sport’s finances, by working with digital operators to secure their contributions to the voluntary greyhound levy scheme.
Lord Lipsey brings a wide-ranging set of chairing and directorship experiences to the role, spanning entertainment, regulatory affairs, the betting and racing industries. He is currently a member of the board of horseracing’s Starting Price Regulatory Commission
Commenting on his appointment, Lord Lipsey said: “As an owner, and a supporter of greyhound racing, I am taking a part-time professional role within the sport I love. I look forward to representing it and its stakeholders to improve welfare, safeguard integrity and raise competition standards to industry-leading levels.
“Greyhound racing remains a hugely popular British tradition- on the latest figures the sixth-biggest spectator sport, welcoming millions of enthusiasts through its doors.
“Under the leadership of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), it has established itself as both a great night out for younger audiences and fast-moving and absorbing off-course, digital entertainment. Premier Greyhound Racing believes that it has a huge potential both as a sport and a betting market, offering stakeholders a sustainable and commercially valuable product in the long term.”
Commenting on Lord Lipsey’s appointment, Richard Lang, Director of Commercial retail at Entain, speaking on behalf of Premier Greyhound Racing said: “Lord Lipsey brings a vast and varied experience both in and outside of the greyhound racing and betting industries, which will prove vital in unlocking the potential of the sport through the platform we will provide it with in Premier Greyhound Racing.
“Lord Lipsey is a lifelong supporter and advocate of greyhounds, the sport and its stakeholders and shares our commitment to invest in and raise welfare, integrity and racing standards.
“We look forward to working with Lord Lipsey to ensure British greyhound racing flourishes and enjoys a sustainable future, remaining a core product our customers enjoy for the long term, benefitting all stakeholders.”
Mark Bird, Chief Executive of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain commented on the appointment: “We welcome the appointment of Lord Lipsey as Chair of Premier Greyhound Racing, not only for his obvious industry knowledge, insight and experience but also for his welfare credentials.
“Having worked with him previously as part of the negotiations for an increase in the voluntary levy, I am delighted that he has taken up this position with a commitment to greyhound welfare.”
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casino
Plaza Hotel & Casino adds DJ Exodus to free Cinco de Mayo party on May 5
Downtown Las Vegas event runs from 4 p.m. around the Carousel Bar under the Main Street dome, with themed food, drinks and a large piñata.
Plaza Hotel & Casino will host its Cinco de Mayo celebration on Tuesday, May 5, starting at 4 p.m., in and around the property’s Carousel Bar in downtown Las Vegas.
The event is free to attend and will feature DJ Exodus, according to the casino. The DJ is scheduled to play a mix of “top radio hits with a mix of Latin music” under the Plaza’s Main Street dome.
The property said the party will also include “downtown’s largest piñata” and a photo area with themed props.
Food options listed for purchase include churros from Churros 101 and street tacos and esquites from Fresh Mexican Grill. Carousel Bar will run drink specials, including Modelo Draft 16 oz ($11), Modelo Michelada ($14), Mi Campo Margarita ($14), Mi Campo Blanco Shot ($10), and Mi Campo Reposado Shot ($12). Nearby, Pinkbox Doughnuts will offer Cinco de Mayo-themed doughnuts.
More information is available at plazahotelcasino.com/entertainment/cinco-de-mayo/.
- Plaza Hotel & Casino Cinco de Mayo event page; https://www.plazahotelcasino.com/entertainment/cinco-de-mayo/ Primary source for event details, timing and location provided by the operator.
- Plaza Hotel & Casino official website; https://www.plazahotelcasino.com/ Reference point for property information and related entertainment listings.
The post Plaza Hotel & Casino adds DJ Exodus to free Cinco de Mayo party on May 5 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
AI
BetConstruct AI sets SBC Summit Malta 2026 stand to demo iGaming ecosystem
Supplier plans product demos at Stand C50 on April 29–30, including sportsbook, casino aggregation, affiliate tools, retail and AI suite.
BetConstruct AI will exhibit at SBC Summit Malta 2026 on April 29–30, taking Stand C50 in Malta to present its iGaming product ecosystem to operators and other industry stakeholders.
The company said it will demo multiple components including its Sportsbook Platform, Casino Platform, Affiliate Ecosystem, Retail Solutions and AI Suite. BetConstruct AI stated its Sportsbook Platform includes more than 140,000 pre-match events and over 12,000 monthly esports live events.
For casino, BetConstruct AI said its Casino Platform integrates 350+ providers via a unified aggregation API. It will also spotlight its Affiliate ecosystem, which it said includes 7,000+ vetted affiliates supported by AI-based scoring.
On omnichannel, the supplier said its Retail Solutions are designed to connect land-based and digital channels. The company’s AI suite will also be part of the stand presentation, including CRM AI, Umbrella AI, an AI Game Recommendation System and Betting Mate AI, which it said covers “everything from churn prediction and risk management to real-time personalisation and conversational betting.”
BetConstruct AI said a focus at Stand C50 will be “the Best Sportsbook for the World Cup 2026,” supported by two “zero-cost products” — Powerfull for pre-tournament engagement and Bet on League for an in-tournament hub — which it said require “zero development effort from operators.”
More relevant data as follows:
- SBC Summit Malta; https://sbcevents.com/sbc-summit-malta/ Official event page for dates, location, and exhibitor information.
- BetConstruct; https://www.betconstruct.com/ Company site for product and platform background referenced in the announcement.
- Malta Gaming Authority (MGA); https://www.mga.org.mt/ Primary regulator in Malta; useful context for readers tracking Malta-based iGaming activity.
The post BetConstruct AI sets SBC Summit Malta 2026 stand to demo iGaming ecosystem appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
earnings
Meridian Holdings returns to profit on $50.1m Q1 2026 revenue, up 17% YoY
NASDAQ-listed MRDN posts $2.3m net income and cuts net debt 62% after recent rebrand and ticker change.
Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: MRDN), the Las Vegas-headquartered gaming and technology group, reported first-quarter 2026 revenue of $50.1 million, up 17% year over year, and net income of $2.3 million. The company said it was the first profitable quarter under the Meridian Holdings brand, following a rebrand and the start of trading under the MRDN ticker on the NASDAQ Capital Market less than two months ago.
Meridian also reported a lower debt position versus the prior year. Total debt fell by more than half year over year, while net debt decreased 62% to $13.4 million. The company ended the quarter with $16.2 million in cash.
“This quarter marks an important milestone in our growth journey,” said William Scott, Chief Executive Officer of Meridian Holdings. “We delivered revenue in line with our guidance, exceeded our profitability target, and continued strengthening our balance sheet, all while expanding our presence across regulated markets and investing in proprietary technology. We are well-positioned for sustained growth through 2026 and beyond.”
Meridianbet, the group’s main operating subsidiary, generated $34.9 million in Q1 revenue, up 26% year over year, representing nearly 70% of group revenue, the company said. Meridian reported nearly 500,000 new customer registrations in the quarter (+41% YoY) and active users up 21% to 333,700.
Across other units, Expanse Studios expanded to 1,519 active operator sites and secured new regulatory certifications in Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, and Portugal, while continuing certification efforts in Ontario, Canada. RKings Competitions posted sales of $7.7 million, Classics for a Cause reported VIP subscriptions surpassing 10,000 for the first time in 12 months, and Mexplay more than tripled new registrations year over year to 74,000.
For Q2 2026, Meridian guided to revenue of $51 million to $53 million, implying 18% to 23% year-over-year growth.
More relevant data as follows:
- Meridian Holdings quarterly results; https://meridian-holdings.com/quarterly-results Source for the full earnings release, investor deck, and call replay referenced in the announcement.
- Meridian Holdings investor relations; https://meridian-holdings.com Company site for corporate background, filings links, and investor materials.
- NASDAQ: MRDN quote and company profile; https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/stocks/mrdn Independent listing page to corroborate ticker, exchange, and market data context.
The post Meridian Holdings returns to profit on $50.1m Q1 2026 revenue, up 17% YoY appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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