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Meet Casino Guru Awards’ Social Responsibility Initiative judges

Published

2 years ago

October 31, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Casino Guru has revealed the judges for the Casino Guru Awards “The Most Impactful Social Responsibility Initiative” category.

Casino Guru is happy to reveal the list of judges for “The Most Impactful Social Responsibility Initiative,” part of the upcoming Casino Guru Awards. After Casino Guru revealed the judges for “The Best Implementation of Responsible Gambling Tools,” the company is happy to introduce the new faces who will leverage their expertise to weigh on one of the most important categories for the project.

The Social Responsibility category will focus on distinguishing and recognizing the achievements of responsible gambling and problem gambling prevention initiatives. This category will seek to award the one industry specialist whose efforts in the field stand out and have had an impactful change on the issue, or stand to make an impact.

European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

To help Casino Guru decide objectively, the Casino Guru Awards panel for this particular category will consist of a number of external judges and the company’s own team. The professionals that may apply for this category as participants may have completed projects or currently be developing one.

The judges will review each proposal based on the possibility of a positive impact, intentions, execution, results (when applicable), and more. The people making the final decisions are themselves extensive professionals in the field of social responsibility and responsible gambling. They include:

Ewa Bakun, Director of Industry Insight and Engagement of Clarion Gaming, who is a long-standing Clarion Gaming veteran and who introduced and oversaw the growth of the Consumer Protection Zone at ICE London.
Shelley White, CEO of the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC), whose responsibility is to help her organizaiton promote responsible gambling and reduce problem gambling using research and evidence-based approaches to implement innovative prevention, education, and social marketing programs.
Sarah Ramanauskas, Auditor for the US’ National Council on Problem Gambling’s iCAP RG standard, who works with gambling operators around the world to ensure that their corporate policies stay true to safer gambling.
Dan Iliovici, Vice-President of the Romanian Gambling Organizers’ Association (ROMBET), and of the Responsible Gambling Association, who is permanently involved in responsible gambling projects and committed to the transformation of the industry.
Eduards Jakubovs, Head of Responsible Gambling of Betsson Group, who has been in charge of the Betsson’s commitment to responsible gambling operations since 2015 and has extensive experience in the field.
Jo Abergel, Founder – Rock Learning, Co-Founder – Ethical Gambling Forum, who is focused on challenging the industry with some of its greatest ethical dilemmas and seeks meaningful conversation with operators who are in position to start tackling these issues.
Maris Catania, Head of Responsible Gaming and Research at Kindred, who has extensive experience in studying and understanding behavior related to problem gambling, and has used her career to advance the industry’s collective understanding of problem gambling and how it can be stopped at an early stage.
Stephen Aupy, VP of Strategic Partnerships Gamban, who is committed to collaborating with the industry to help establish responsible gambling practices with leading operators and entities across the industry, and who is committed to bringing more positive change in the sector.
James Mpiirwe, Genius Gaming Consult – Senior Consultant Regulatory frameworks, who is a seasoned legal practitioner and who has been a torchbearer and pioneer of responsible gambling practices in Uganda and helped establish the National Responsible Gaming Policy of Uganda.
Martin Lycka, SVP for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling at Entain, whose impressive track record in responsible gambling and social responsibility spans the American Gaming Association, the Entain Foundation US, the National Council on Problem Gambling, and others.
Matt Smith, Head of External Affairs at Betknowmore, who seeks to provide support and training services that prevent and address personal and societal harms caused by gambling.
Vladimir Malakchi, Chief Commercial Officer of Evoplay, whose industry experience and drive for results have translated into creating compelling products that protect consumers and innovate iGaming.
Pieter Remmers, Founder of Assissa Consultancy Europem, who has extensive experience in helping businesses understand the importance of consumer protection, social responsibility, and how intervention can help business and players.
Jody Bechtold, CEO of The Better Institute, who is the author of The Gambling Disorder Treatment Handbook: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals, and who has spent considerable part of her professional life in promoting social responsibility and responsible gambling in the industry.
Paul Buck, CEO & Founder of EPIC Risk Management, and an individual with a distinct commitment to consumer protection and responsible gambling in the industry. Paul’s company works with some of the most dedicated iGaming stakeholders to date.

The categories will also be judged by Head of Content Maros Gasparik and Sustainable & Safer Gambling Lead Simon Vincze whose work in gambling over the years has pivoted towards creating safer and meaningful content, projects and initiatives that focus on bringing on more social responsibility to the industry.

Casino Guru will hold the official ceremony for Casino Guru Awards online in February 2023. You may stay up to date with the Awards progress by visiting the official page at Casino Guru Awards.

Conferences in Europe

Global EDM Icon Alok to Lead the INFINITY Lisbon at SBC Summit

Published

9 hours ago

April 10, 2025

George Miller

Reading Time: 2 minutes

One of Brazil’s most iconic music exports, Alok, will headline the INFINITY Lisbon at SBC Summit, delivering his signature fusion of Brazilian rhythms and electronic dance music to the global event audience.

Set to raise the roof with an unforgettable fusion of lights and sound, the MEO Arena, home to SBC Summit’s ‘Super Stage’ during the day, will shift into high gear on September 18 as it transforms into the venue for the INFINITY Lisbon. Having hosted global icons like Beyoncé and The Weeknd, the arena promises an electrifying night designed to captivate the global gaming community.

Rasmus Sojmark, CEO and Founder of SBC, said: “The INFINITY is about blending high-level business networking with unforgettable experiences, and bringing someone of Alok’s caliber to the stage takes that to a whole new level. I’m proud that we’re able to deliver this kind of energy and entertainment to our attendees.”

Alok rose to global fame with his breakout hit ‘Hear Me Now’—now nearing 850 million streams on Spotify—and has since become a trailblazer in the Brazilian Bass genre. Ranked 4th in DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs for three consecutive years (2021–2023), he commands a massive global following with nearly 22 million monthly listeners on Spotify and 29 million Instagram followers.

In addition to headlining some of the world’s biggest festivals, including Tomorrowland, Ultra Music Festival, and Lollapalooza, Alok has collaborated with international stars such as Dua Lipa, Jason Derulo, and Ed Sheeran. His influence extends into gaming culture as well, with his inclusion as a playable character in the hit game Garena Free Fire.

Beyond the stage, Alok is a passionate philanthropist and the founder of the Alok Institute, which supports educational programs, environmental preservation, and social impact projects across Brazil.

He also champions the next generation of artists through his labels Controversia Records and UP Club Records—platforms dedicated to discovering, nurturing, and promoting emerging talent in the electronic music scene, both in Brazil and internationally.

With accolades such as Forbes Brazil’s 30 Most Influential Brazilians and Spotify’s Top 100 Global, Alok is the ideal artist to headline SBC’s second INFINITY experience, according to Sojmark.

“The INFINITY brand was born in Lisbon. It’s where we dared to try something different, hosting our first-ever EDM-style festival with massive names like Don Diablo, Miss Monique, and Darude. The energy that night was off the charts, and it confirmed what we already felt: we had created something truly special for the industry,” he said.

The INFINITY Lisbon is the grand finale of SBC Summit, the industry’s fastest-growing global event uniting 30,000 professionals across betting, gaming, payments, and affiliation. After making the move from Barcelona, Lisbon’s second edition is gearing up for an even bigger return this September 16-18.

Sojmark added: “Funny enough, Alok was originally set to headline the INFINITY Rio, but plans shifted—and now it feels even more right to have him take the stage in Lisbon, where this whole journey began. It’s going to be one hell of a night.”

Asked about his vision for the INFINITY brand, the SBC CEO said: “I see it as a thank-you to our community—a celebration for those who believe in SBC and the connections built at our events. Experiences like this strengthen those bonds. That’s the power of joy, and that’s the essence of The INFINITY brand.”

The INFINITY Lisbon is an exclusive experience reserved for VIP Event Pass holders. Secure yours now for just €400 and take advantage of a €200 early bird discount.

Operators and affiliates can apply for complimentary VIP Event Passes.

The post Global EDM Icon Alok to Lead the INFINITY Lisbon at SBC Summit appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

datagolf.com

Masters Betting: Drive for Show, Putt for Dough

Published

10 hours ago

April 10, 2025

GamingAmericas.com

masters-betting:-drive-for-show,-putt-for-dough

The phrase “drive for show, putt for dough” is a long-standing mantra in golf that emphasises the importance of putting over driving – specifically driving distance – in winning golf tournaments. But is it true?

While the saying has a clear implication, modern data from professional golf paints a more complex picture. Using the Shots Gained (SG) metric we can compare different parts of a player’s game to see if there really is a formula for winning.

Driving test

Using shot data gained from datagolf.com we can compare the top players in the world (according to the Official World Golf Ranking) over the last 12 months.

Comparing “shots gained off the tee” with “shots gained putting” seems to turn the myth on its head – the top players gain a higher proportion of their shots off the tee than from putting. For players ranked in the Top 10, nearly 0.8 shots are gained from driving as opposed to around 0.3 for putting. Whilst the differential narrows as the players’ ranking decreases, for players ranked 90 – 100, driving still gains more than 0.2 shots more putting.

This ability to reliably gain strokes through driving gives top pros an edge, setting them up for better scoring opportunities throughout a tournament. Over a whole season, this advantage compounds and allows them to stay at the top of the leaderboards.

The long and the short

However, since “shots gained off the tee” includes par 4 and 5s, the metric is not necessarily just a measure of the importance of driving distance, but also a measure of accuracy. So, whilst driving matters, is it the distance or the trajectory that is most advantageous for winning tournaments?

Again, using the top ranked players, it appears that distance stands out as a key factor for success, with Top 10 players on average gaining nearly 10 yards per drive compared with those outside the Top 100 throughout the year. This extra yardage translates into shorter approaches and better chances to attack pins throughout the season.

These findings are corroborated by Mark Broadie in his 2014 book Every Shot Counts, where he shows that for professionals, an extra 20 yards of driving distance is worth about three-quarters of a stroke per round. Relatively speaking, for the rest of us amateur golfers, driving distance becomes even more important for scoring than driving accuracy.

Putt to the test

While driving distance provides the groundwork for long term success – and is a characteristic that all the Top 10 players seemingly must possess – it doesn’t necessarily “bust the myth” that putting is more important for winning tournaments. Indeed, looking more deeply into the metrics for the outcome of individual tournaments uncovers the fact that putting becomes more instrumental for who comes out on top.

If we look instead at the finish positions in PGA events over the last 12 months, rather than the World Ranking, putting comes to the fore. For players finishing first, putting gained an average of 1.2 shots versus a gain of 0.7 for driving. Even for players finishing 30^th – 35^th, putting is worth more than 0.4 of a shot on average compared to driving. The fact that top finishers in a given event typically post higher gains from putting rather than from driving underscores the vital role of putting during tournament play where players have to capitalize on scoring opportunities and avoid mistakes on the green to win.

The outcome

Fundamentally the relationship between driving and putting reveals a balanced formula for success. Driving creates opportunities and contributes to consistency while putting often decides who makes the best of those opportunities and ultimately wins on a given weekend. In a game of ever-increasing competition and precision, power and finesse must work together to elevate players to the pinnacle of the sport.

With all the attention on these extremes of golf, other aspects are often overlooked. Completing the same analyses and including shots gained for “approach” and “around the green” makes it clear that there is one area that consistently contributes to wins and ranking, making it arguably the most important aspect of a players golf game.

The post Masters Betting: Drive for Show, Putt for Dough appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

Best Interactive Sportsbook Experience 2025

Digitain Wins Sportsbook Excellence Award at SiGMA Americas Awards

Published

10 hours ago

April 10, 2025

GamingAmericas.com

digitain-wins-sportsbook-excellence-award-at-sigma-americas-awards

Digitain has been awarded the “Best Interactive Sportsbook Experience 2025” title at the SiGMA Americas Awards in São Paulo, Brazil, for its outstanding innovation and commitment to delivering advanced sports betting solutions.

Digitain, a leading provider of Sportsbook and iGaming solutions, has won in the “Best Interactive Sportsbook Experience 2025” category at the SiGMA Americas Awards. This prestigious recognition highlights Digitain’s relentless drive for innovation, excellence, and its ability to deliver state-of-the-art Sportsbook solutions to its partners.

The SiGMA Americas Awards took place on April 7 during the BiS SiGMA Americas event in São Paulo, Brazil. The awards celebrate the best and brightest companies, recognizing exceptional achievements, groundbreaking innovations, and significant contributions to the industry.

Iain Hutchison, Digitain’s Chief Revenue Officer, stated: “We are honored to receive this award, which marks our fifth major recognition this year. It’s a powerful validation of our commitment to innovation and the strength of the partnerships we’ve built.

At Digitain, we continuously strive to develop forward-thinking Sportsbook solutions that meet the evolving needs of our partners in a highly competitive global market. We remain focused on continuous improvement, ensuring that our partners have access to the best tools and solutions to drive their business forward.”

As Digitain continues its expansion across regulated markets, this award further strengthens its position as a trusted partner for operators seeking a competitive edge in the dynamic field of sports betting.

The post Digitain Wins Sportsbook Excellence Award at SiGMA Americas Awards appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.