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SPORTS DIRECT BRINGS THE ‘ULTIMATE LIFESTYLE DESTINATION’ TO BIRMINGHAM WITH NEW FLAGSHIP STORE
Sports Direct is opening a brand-new flagship store, in the heart of Birmingham, bringing a modern, innovative, and sleek experience to the city, following over £10m worth of investment.
Located on New Street and spanning four floors, the supercharged store will be the ultimate lifestyle destination for customers. Home of USC, GAME, Evans Cycles and a Belong esports arena all under one roof, Sports Direct Birmingham will combine interactive experiences and unrivalled product choice for customers, helping to champion the legend in everybody.
USC will have a dedicated area in-store, giving trend-focused customers the chance to shop the most iconic premium lifestyle brands in one space, whilst GAME and Belong will offer the latest games consoles and accessories alongside an enhanced gaming and social experience in the city centre. Evans Cycles will also offer a market-leading selection of bikes, parts, accessories, and clothing, together with a fully equipped bike workshop service.
State of the art store innovations include a bra studio, featuring a unique multi-brand bra finder tool designed to help women find the right bra for their sport; specialised sporting areas including a permanent golf putting green, running gait analysis, and Jordan basketball performance challenge, as well as a My ID Customisation area where customers can have products customised with limited edition designs.
The launch of the store also coincides with Sports Direct’s spring running campaign, ‘Get Set’, which seeks to provide a fresh perspective on the meaning of ‘fast’. In-store technology will bring to life the stories of real runners across the UK, showing it’s more than just PBs and distances covered – it’s about making running accessible for all.
Michael Murray, Chief Executive of Frasers Group, continues to be at the forefront of the brand’s monumental transformation and has been leading the development of Sports Direct’s strategy.
Speaking of the opening, Michael says: “As Sports Direct continues to evolve and expand, we’re excited to be opening our second flagship store in Birmingham. As one of the largest cities in the UK, Birmingham follows our first flagship in London and brings with it a significant investment into the city, alongside an unrivalled offering of sports and fashion under one roof.
“Sports starts at Sports Direct; and as the leading destination for sports and lifestyle, we work collaboratively alongside our brand partners such as Nike for Sports Direct and CP Company for USC, to inspire our consumers with the best product choices and experiences through our flagship stores.”
Birmingham is the second flagship location to open, following the success of Sports Direct’s first flagship on London’s Oxford Street, which reopened after an impressive £10M refurbishment last year. The ‘flagship’ strategy is an all-new proposition for Sports Direct, bringing the best of sports to the consumer with an unrivalled product choice and world-class experiences through Sports Direct’s new design and brand vision.
Sports Direct’s parent company Frasers Group is committed to raising the bar for retail with investment and expansion plans already announced for this year, with Sports Direct’s Manchester flagship set to open later this year.
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Celestial Dragon
CT Interactive Launches Festive Slot Collection for Chinese New Year
To celebrate Chinese New Year, CT Interactive has introduced a festive slot collection inspired by symbols of luck, prosperity and celebration.
The lineup includes Celestial Dragon, Dancing Dragons, Fire Egg, Celestial Rules, Fortune Fish, Fire Lord, Kingdom Treasures, Mighty Moon, More Dragons and Lord of Fortune, each designed to immerse players in the spirit of the holiday.
The celebration is highlighted by the debut of Red Bird and Golden Dragon, featuring Wild and Scatter symbols, Free Games and Extra Wins. With medium volatility and a max multiplier of 2000x, the title is well suited for casual players.
“Our Chinese New Year collection blends traditional Chinese symbols with attractive mechanics. Built on our proven math models, the games deliver rewarding play and a festive atmosphere with every spin,” said Dimitar Nikolov.
The post CT Interactive Launches Festive Slot Collection for Chinese New Year appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Cliff Baty
The Rank Group Appoints Cliff Baty as Interim Chief Financial Officer
The Rank Group has appointed Cliff Baty as its interim Chief Financial Officer, effective February 23, 2026.
Cliff is a highly experienced CFO with deep expertise in strategic and financial planning, investor relations, financial controls, international business operations and stakeholder management, built across listed leisure and gaming businesses.
Cliff was appointed CFO of Manchester United plc in 2016, a position which he held for over 8 years, until 2024. Prior to that he was CFO of Sportech plc from 2013 to 2016, an appointment which followed an 8 year period as Financial Director of Ladbrokes plc.
The post The Rank Group Appoints Cliff Baty as Interim Chief Financial Officer appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Australia
NSW: Hospitality and Racing Strategy 2026-28 and Regulatory Priorities 2026
Liquor & Gaming NSW has published the Hospitality and Racing Strategy 2026-28, setting a clear path for reducing harm, supporting responsible industry growth and meeting evolving community expectations. The Strategy outlines Hospitality and Racing’s vision, regulatory posture and strategic objectives.
It outlines three strategic objectives which will guide the work to support communities, individuals and the industry. The first is targeted harm reduction, using better data, education and engagement to focus on the areas where we can make the biggest difference.
The second is outcome‑focused, responsive regulation, by making use of streamlined, place‑based and community‑informed approaches that deliver meaningful, real-world outcomes.
Third is promoting modern tools, skilled teams and smart decisions, investing in its capability, improving how it uses data and supporting consistent decision making across hospitality and racing.
Regulatory Priorities 2026
Alongside the new strategy, Liquor & Gaming NSW has also issued its Regulatory Priorities 2026. This sets out where the department will be focusing its regulatory attention over course of the year. It provides transparency on Liquor & Gaming’s forward regulatory agenda and gives the industry the opportunity to proactively engage about the issues they are concerned about.
The post NSW: Hospitality and Racing Strategy 2026-28 and Regulatory Priorities 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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