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Southampton FC scouting sports tech startups for Future of Football challenge

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The Future of Football challenge is open to innovative companies ready to shape and test their solutions for updated football experiences in either the football development or fan engagement space. In spirit with its values of innovation and doing things differently, Southampton FC will offer a 4-week virtual programme — powered by Sport Republic and Yolo Group — to create opportunities and break away from conventional methods.

The challenge welcomes Web3 and sports tech startups and scaleups with novel solutions to:

  • Football development (scouting, training, recovery, game analytics etc.)
  • Fan engagement (gamification, loyalty programmes, matchday experiences, global fan engagement etc.)

Selected teams will rapidly test and pilot their solutions, participate in tailored workshops, and have regular and direct access to Southampton FC, Sport Republic, and Yolo Group decision-makers. At the St. Mary’s finale, teams will pitch for a commercial relationship with SFC and a £100k discretionary prize pool for post-programme solution development.

“Southampton FC’s commitment to innovating and creating a positive impact is central to the way we operate and make decisions. We’re excited to see programme participants create the future of football” said Sarah Batters, Director of Marketing and Partnerships as SFC.

Sport Republic, the owner of Southampton Football Club is a London-based investment firm in the sports and entertainment industry. Founded by Henrik Kraft and Rasmus Ankersen and backed by Lead Investor Dragan Šolak, Sport Republic’s vision is to grow high potential sports businesses and sports tech companies.

“Sport Republic are really looking forward to being part of the Future of Football challenge to power innovation in sports tech. We are continuously seeking the most innovative sports tech companies to join our portfolio and leveraging our clubs to drive growth and achieve digital transformation. ” said Henrik Kraft, Sport Republic and SFC Chairman.

Yolo Group is the managing partner for the Future of Football challenge. Yolo Group is a leader at the cross section of gaming, fintech, and blockchain, and operates the Sportsbet.io brand. Sportsbet.io is Southampton FC’s Main Club Partner.

“This programme is designed to push boundaries, to bring together a spectrum of solutions from startups around the globe. It’s a chance to create truly unique approaches — and test them. We’re driven by innovation; so, we’re looking forward to seeing the results,” said Tim Heath, GP at Yolo Investments, and founder of Yolo Group. The application deadline is 23 February 2023. Find more information and apply here: https://www.southamptonfc.com/saints-partners/future-of-football-challenge

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MK Lightning Announces MERKUR Casino Milton Keynes as Platinum Sponsor for 2025/26 Season

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November 28, 2025

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MK Lightning has announced a new Platinum Sponsorship agreement with MERKUR Casino Milton Keynes for the 2025/26 season.

As part of the partnership, the MERKUR Milton Keynes Casino logo will feature prominently on the players’ short covers throughout the campaign, as well as branding on the Away Bench at Planet Ice Milton Keynes.

The announcement comes ahead of the highly anticipated opening of the brand-new MERKUR Casino at Xscape Milton Keynes on 1 November 2025. The venue will offer a cutting-edge entertainment experience in the heart of the city, featuring a brand-new multi-screen sports bar. The new space will offer food and drink and feature multiple large screens showing all major live sports, creating a lively social hub for fans to gather and enjoy the action together.

Speaking on the partnership, Tom Roberts said: “We’re thrilled to welcome MERKUR Casino Milton Keynes to the Lightning family as a Platinum Sponsor. Their commitment to bringing entertainment and energy makes them a fantastic partner for the season ahead.”

MERKUR Casino UK’s chief executive office Mark Schertle, said: “It’s really exciting for us to be partnering with MK Lightning, and supporting a professional team that plays locally. As we prepare to open the doors to our brand new casino at Xscape Milton Keynes, it is great to support the Lightning. We’re really looking forward to cheering the team on through the season and it’s great to be able to play a part in contributing to the sporting scene here in Milton Keynes.

“One of the values we hold at MERKUR, is that we always look to give back to the communities in which we operate in. Whether this is through our charity initiative programme or sponsorships, it is always extremely rewarding to see the MERKUR sun proudly displayed.”

This partnership reflects MK Lightning’s continued drive to build strong relationships with local and national businesses, while ensuring the team has the backing needed to succeed on and off the ice.

The post MK Lightning Announces MERKUR Casino Milton Keynes as Platinum Sponsor for 2025/26 Season appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Spelinspektionen: Data collection for unique Nordic gaming study begins

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1 day ago

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November 28, 2025

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A joint Nordic research project is now mapping gambling habits and gambling problems – 150,000 people in the Nordic region are participating in the sample.

The Nordic countries Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark have launched a unique joint research project on gambling: the Pan-Nordic Gambling Study (PANG). The aim is to gather comparable knowledge about gambling habits and gambling problems in the region – something that has been lacking so far. From Sweden, the Public Health Agency, which is responsible for the assignment, and the Swedish Gambling Authority have participated in the work of developing the study.

The study includes, among other things, the prevalence of gambling, participation in different forms of gambling, differences between licensed and unlicensed gambling, and the connection between gambling and health.

“The study will provide a basis for assessing gambling and gambling problems in the Nordic countries. It will be exciting to compare the results with previous Swedish data and with the rest of the Nordic countries, especially since so few similar joint surveys have been conducted in Europe,” says Maria Vinberg, investigator at the Swedish Gambling Authority.

Data collection will now begin in November 2025, when approximately 30,000 randomly selected people in each country will have the opportunity to participate in the survey. The results of the survey will be published in a joint report in spring 2026 and will constitute an important knowledge base for research and future decisions in the field of gambling.

Source: spelinspektionen.se

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3 Lucky Leprechauns

Reflex Gaming and 4ThePlayer bring Irish magic to British gaming venues with the launch of 3 Lucky Leprechauns

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November 28, 2025

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Reflex Gaming, the UK’s largest independently owned omni-channel supplier, is delighted to announce the launch of 3 Lucky Leprechauns, the latest game to make the leap from online success into British pubs, clubs and arcades. The vibrant, trail-based slot, created by 4ThePlayer, continues the strong partnership between the two companies, following the hugely successful retail adaptations of 3 Lucky Witches, 4 Fantastic Fish and 9K Yeti.
Building on the charm of the online original, 3 Lucky Leprechauns brings its signature Irish whimsy to life on Reflex’s cabinets. The development team worked hard to recreate the Leprechaun Trail on the upper screen, capturing its dynamic movement and colourful feature reveals while ensuring it feels perfectly at home on retail hardware. As with every retail adaptation, navigating Category C and B4 regulations required thoughtful tuning, the team introduced more engaging step-up moments on the trail and ensured that repeat-chance wins on top-tier outcomes add that extra burst of excitement players expect from our games.
3 Lucky Leprechauns features a 243-win ways base game across a 5×3 reel layout, where players begin by choosing one of three leprechauns to act as their Wild. Landing 3 or more Scatters launches players up the Leprechaun Trail Feature, where Cash prizes, Win Spins, Picks and big-money Repeaters await. Four Scatters catapult players straight to level 5, while five Scatters boost them to level 8, giving a real sense of momentum from the very first trigger.
The feature continues to climb with each arrow landed, stopping only when the outcome locks onto a prize. On Win Spins or Picks levels, players can choose between collecting the average value or taking on the feature for even bigger potential. Win Spins guarantee a win on every spin with all prizes boosted by a 3× multiplier, while the Pick-A-Prize feature lets players open chests to reveal cash awards.
At the very top of the trail lies the ultimate prize: the Jackpot, which comes with a Repeat Chance on £1 stake.
Mat Ingram, Chief Product Officer at Reflex Gaming, said: “This was an incredibly enjoyable game to bring into the retail space. The Leprechaun Trail gave us a fantastic canvas to work with, and translating its energy onto the upper screen has created something really special. The mix of trail anticipation, character choice and feature variety makes this one of the most entertaining adaptations we’ve delivered. We’re confident players will love it.”
Henry McLean, Co-founder & Commercial and Marketing Director at 4ThePlayer, added:
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Reflex Gaming once again. They’ve already done a superb job bringing our games to British pubs, clubs and arcades and 3 Lucky Leprechauns continues that momentum in style. The team at Reflex has captured the spirit of the original perfectly, players are going to have a fantastic, fun time with this one!”

The post Reflex Gaming and 4ThePlayer bring Irish magic to British gaming venues with the launch of 3 Lucky Leprechauns appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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