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Ronaldinho makes footballing return with GAMING1’s Circus brand

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Football icon to feature in Circus Cup match in September

 Ronaldinho, the 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year, will take part in a unique gala match between KAA Gent and Standard de Liège on 21st of September, in the Ghelamco Arena in Ghent, Belgium.

Now regarded as one of the most technically gifted players football has ever seen, Ronaldinho will return to play for 20 minutes with each team in a match that has been dubbed The Circus Cup. The Brazilian will also be joined by Standard de Liège and KAA Gent legends, with Gunther Schepens and Jean-Francois Gillet captaining both sides.

The match is an initiative by the Belgian gaming brand Circus, a historic sponsor of Standard de Liège and also KAA Gent’s partner since the start of the season.

The Circus Cup is seen as a way of enhancing the company’s involvement in both football clubs, with Circus aiming to be more than just a financial investor for its teams. The 20,000-seater stadium will operate at full capacity with the event expected to sell out, as 15,000 supporters have already registered their interest.

Supporters of both clubs can attend the match for free, with Circus promising the winning team a prize that they can add to their future tifo. Once the game ends, fans will be able to vote for which prize they want, whether it’s an XXXL flag, a statue of a club legend or a fresco in the stadium.

Part of GAMING1, Circus is a Belgian sports betting brand that has grown rapidly in recent times, illustrated by its signing of one of the most well-known names in the sports industry.

Discussing the deal, Circus CEO, Emmanuel Mewissen said: “We’re extremely proud of our partnership with Ronaldinho, one of the best footballers of this – or the last – century.

“Everyone knows his iconic smile, his amazing technique, and inimitable feints. Playfulness is one of Circus’ core values, so Ronaldinho is a perfect match. We want to link that playfulness to being able to have fun in a responsible way.

“I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say that we can’t wait for him to make a return to football in the Circus Cup. It’s bound to be a fantastic spectacle with Ronaldinho swapping shirts and playing for both teams.”

Former professional footballer, Ronaldinho added: “It’s very exciting for me to be teaming up with such a prestigious Belgium company. I’m also looking forward to the Circus Cup match, a great chance to show what I can still do.

“But overall, this cooperation with Circus in Belgium is more than just about football, it’s an ideal collaboration because I see a lot of similarity between the brand’s personality and my own, especially its playfulness.

“I’ve always been about play but pushing this message and tying a meaningful story to it makes a lot of sense, especially regard responsible play. I believe it can have a hugely positive impact on people watching.”

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Sun International Appoints Nomzamo Radebe as COO

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Sun International has announced that Nomzamo Radebe will join Sun International as Chief Operating Officer: Hospitality & Sales, effective 2 February 2026.

“Nomzamo will play a pivotal role in advancing our hospitality and property businesses, contributing fresh insights as we continue to build world-class capabilities and pursue our ambition to be a digitally led, market-leading, omnichannel gaming company,” said Ulrik Bengtsson, CEO of Sun International.

Nomzamo is a Chartered Accountant with over 27 years of experience, including 20 years in senior leadership roles across the real estate sector. She joins Sun International from SA Corporate Real Estate Ltd, where she served as COO, and has held executive positions at Excellerate JHI, Pareto Limited and National Treasury. Her expertise includes property asset management, portfolio optimisation, mergers and acquisitions, treasury management and stakeholder engagement, having led teams managing portfolios valued at over R10 billion.

Nomzamo has been recognised with the Five Star Woman Award and IPM Business Leader of the Year and serves on the board of SAPOA.

“I am excited to join such a strong brand like Sun International. I look forward to interacting with the various teams to drive performance and deliver on our business strategies and value creation plans in the hospitality division,” said Nomzamo Radebe.

The post Sun International Appoints Nomzamo Radebe as COO appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Ezugi Launches Over-The-Table (OTT) M!Live Empire Casino Roulette with Metropolitan Gaming from Empire Casino, Leicester Square

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Ezugi, a live casino solutions provider, has launched a new Over-The-Table (OTT) Roulette – M!Live Empire Casino Roulette, in collaboration with Metropolitan Gaming, streaming directly from the renowned Empire Casino in Leicester Square, London.

The table is now available to Metropolitan Gaming customers via metgaming.com, delivering a seamless omnichannel experience that bridges the land-based casino environment with the digital world. In addition, the OTT Roulette is set to launch across the wider Ezugi network in the coming weeks, providing players with an authentic, real-casino live Roulette experience.

Ezugi’s OTT solution allows operators to broadcast live casino tables, combining the credibility and atmosphere of a physical venue, with the reach and scalability of online gaming. Streaming from Empire Casino’s vibrant gaming floor, the M!Live Empire Casino Roulette showcases professional dealers and real-time interaction, all designed to replicate the excitement of playing in one of London’s most famous casinos.

Jamie Fish, Regional Manager UK & West EU at Ezugi, said: “We’re delighted to partner with Metropolitan Gaming to implement our OTT solution to support their digital expansion plans and deliver an omnichannel experience to their customers across the UK.

“We’re equally thrilled to share the energy of this pulsating gaming floor in Leicester Square, London with our operators and partners across the globe.”

Daniel Lindsay, Managing Director of Interactive, added: “Partnering with Ezugi allows us to extend the unique atmosphere of Empire Casino beyond our walls and into the homes of our customers.

“This OTT M!Live Empire Casino Roulette launch is a key step in our omnichannel strategy, enabling us to engage players in new ways while staying true to the premium, authentic casino experience that Metropolitan Gaming is known for.”

The post Ezugi Launches Over-The-Table (OTT) M!Live Empire Casino Roulette with Metropolitan Gaming from Empire Casino, Leicester Square appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Betting and Gaming Council

UK Betting Sector at Risk: Budget Tax Changes Fuel Black Market Fears

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As 2026 begins, the UK’s betting and gaming sector stands at a critical juncture—not due to market instability, but as a result of deliberate political intervention.

Long celebrated as a global leader in innovation and investment, the UK’s regulated industry supports over 100,000 jobs while maintaining world-class consumer protections. However, the sweeping tax hikes confirmed in the 2025 Budget have introduced a profound risk. Industry experts warn that these punitive measures will inevitably distort consumer behavior, undermining the safe, regulated market and funneling billions in revenue towards the dangerous, untaxed illegal black market.

The Treasury’s decision to hike taxes on online betting and gaming is not just short-sighted but dangerous, particularly given the scale of regulatory reform the sector is already delivering in good faith. Those reforms were designed to protect consumers within a safe, regulated market. Piling significant new taxes, on top risks achieving the opposite, driving customers away from regulated operators and towards the black market.

The betting and gaming industry currently contributes £6.8bn to the UK economy, supports 109,000 jobs, pays £4bn in tax and underpins large parts of British sport and culture. Around 22.5 million adults place a bet each month in a safe, regulated environment, with problem gambling rates at just 0.4% according to recent NHS surveys. That is not an accident, it is the result of a regulatory system that has worked.

Independent analysis from Frontier Economics shows up to 1.5 million people in Britain are already gambling on unlicensed sites, staking as much as £4.3bn a year outside UK regulation. Even the Office for Budget Responsibility warned that the tax plans will push more consumers into the black market.

Once customers leave the regulated market, they are very hard to get back. Illegal operators do not carry out age checks, offer safer gambling tools, contribute to treatment or pay a penny in UK tax. They exist entirely beyond the reach of British regulators, yet government policy has put rocket boosters under their competitive advantage over regulated operators.

“At the crossroads the Government has already headed down the wrong road. The question is whether it is prepared to turn back before lasting damage is done, or will they simply allow the black market to dictate the future of betting and gaming in the UK which will only result in harm for the consumer, the Exchequer, jobs, sports and business,” Grainne Hurst, CEO of Betting and Gaming Council.

The post UK Betting Sector at Risk: Budget Tax Changes Fuel Black Market Fears appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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