Latest News
£10,000 crane toy fundraiser launched by Bacta, Rays of Sunshine and Whitehouse Leisure
Trade body bacta, wish granting charity Rays of Sunshine and manufacturer Whitehouse Leisure have teamed up to launch a new fundraising drive to help brighten the lives of seriously ill children across the UK.
The organisations are aiming to raise £10,000 from the initiative, which will see Whitehouse Leisure sell their brand new ‘Cute Eco Animal’ plush products from its award-winning environmentally friendly Eco Earth range of plush toys to amusement operators.
The price of the toys will include a 25p donation which is being matched with a further 25p from Whitehouse Leisure.
These donations will be donated via the Bacta Charitable Trust (BCT) to Rays of Sunshine, a charity that brightens the lives of seriously ill children across the UK by granting wishes and providing ongoing support in hospitals, at the end of the summer season (30th September).
In addition to matching what is raised through the Cute Eco Earth Animal plush fundraiser, Whitehouse Leisure will also produce a range of eye-catching promotional material for use in the crane machines to promote the Rays of Sunshine initiative.
Details of the work that Rays of Sunshine does will feature on the swing-tags affixed to each toy to help spread the message.
News of the initiative comes after the BCT renewed its partnership with Rays of Sunshine at the end of last year, donating £20,000 to the charity.
The BCT and Rays of Sunshine are hoping to raise £100,000 together over the next two years. Some £30,000 has already been raised.
The amusement machine industry has raised £500,000 for Rays of Sunshine through the BCT over the past decade.
Bacta CEO John White said: “This is a fantastic and innovative initiative from Whitehouse, Rays of Sunshine and BCT. It is also great to see that all the toys sold will be eco-friendly. We are a long-standing supporter of Rays of Sunshine and we are extremely proud of helping brighten the lives of more than 80,000 seriously ill children and their families over the years.”
Chairman of bacta Charitable Trust, Steve Hawkins, said: “We are excited to be working with Whitehouse Leisure on this new fundraising initiative with Rays of Sunshine. I am sure we will see a great response from the wider industry as Whitehouse has generously pledged to match all funds raise through the crane toy programme.”
Cheryl Tissot, Interim CEO at Rays of Sunshine, said: “The Cute Eco Range is such a fun initiative that will have a big impact for seriously ill children across the UK. We’re delighted to be partnered with the bacta Charitable Trust, creatively raising funds to help us grant even more magical wishes. We want to thank all the partners involved and hope that everyone enjoys the range, donating and having fun in the process.”
Phil Setter, Managing Director of Whitehouse Leisure said: “We are delighted to partner with Bacta on the crane toy fundraiser and to help raise invaluable donations for such a fantastic charity like Rays of Sunshine. We see the smiles that our products bring to children every day and to help raise money for Rays of Sunshine through the sales of our Cute Eco Earth plush toys is something we are extremely excited to be a part of.”
Powered by WPeMatico
VIP Play has announced that its CEO, Les Ottolenghi, will deliver a featured keynote at the AI4 2025 Conference in Las Vegas on August 13. The presentation, titled “Real-Time AI at the Edge: How Data Velocity Is Redefining Consumer Engagement,” will focus on how next-gen & AI technologies are transforming real-time player interaction and reshaping the future of gaming and entertainment.
Ottolenghi, a pioneer of innovative & disruptive technologies across various industries, recently transitioned from his role as Chief Commercial and Transformation Officer at Lee Enterprises to lead VIP Play, a tech-forward company applying real-time data modeling and predictive analytics to personalize engagement in high-velocity digital environments such as online gambling.
At AI4, Ottolenghi will unveil the Information Refinery Model—a strategic enterprise framework designed to deliver scalable, intelligent experiences in milliseconds. This model draws on Ottolenghi’s leadership in gaming technology, as CIO of Caesars Entertainment, Las Vegas Sands, and Codere Inc, and his role in co-founding the Blackfire Innovation Center, a hub for gaming and hospitality technology innovation.
“Gaming and tech executives understand that speed is the new currency of engagement. This keynote at AI4 is about how real-time systems, intelligent automation, and predictive modeling can unlock new revenue and retention models—across gaming, media, and beyond,” said Ottolenghi.
AI4 is one of the most respected global forums for applied AI, drawing enterprise leaders, technologists, and venture-backed innovators. Ottolenghi’s talk is expected to provide immediate, actionable insights for CTOs, product leaders, and strategists seeking to deploy real-time AI at scale, particularly in high-frequency industries such as gaming, streaming, fintech, and mobile.
The post VIP Play CEO to Deliver Keynote at AI4 2025 Conference appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
betting industry
Sports Betting’s First Contest Docuseries Returns for a Second Season with More Contestants, More Drama, and $14.2 Million on the Line
VSiN, The Sports Betting Network, announced it will air the second season of the betting industry’s first docuseries to bring viewers behind the scenes of the world’s biggest legal betting contest. “Circa Survivor: The Quest for $14.2 Million” debuts its first episode Tuesday, August 5 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on VSiN.com and YouTubeTV.
Produced by Longball Productions, the sports betting docuseries follows contestants as they navigate the 2024 Circa Sports Circa Survivor Pro Football Contest – the largest sports contest of its kind in the world – with a prize of $14.2 million. The show captures the excitement and drama of this high-stakes contest, as well as the characters involved, to see who will win a winner-take-all prize. This year features familiar faces and new contestants alike, including celebrity sightings such as Dana White and Greg Maddux.
Hosted by sports betting venture Circa Sports, Circa Survivor requires contestants to walk through the door to sign up, giving the docuseries filmmakers access to sports betting enthusiasts nationwide. Contestants then make their weekly picks through a local proxy service or in person, where producers follow the thrills and agony of this wild ride through the pro football season. The series features a vast array of characters and incredible stories, including fan favorites and players that viewers will love to hate.
There will be a total of ten episodes in this season.
The post Sports Betting’s First Contest Docuseries Returns for a Second Season with More Contestants, More Drama, and $14.2 Million on the Line appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
The latest slot game from Galaxsys takes players on a mythological journey through nine Norse realms, offering unique bonuses, free spins, and up to 7000x wins.
Galaxsys, the award-winning games developer, proudly announces the launch of its new slot title: Gates of Asgard: Nine Realms.
Rooted in Scandinavian mythology, Gates of Asgard: Nine Realms invites players on a journey across the nine legendary realms of Norse lore. The game centers around a mystical squirrel character, Ratatoskr, who travels through nine distinct realms, each offering unique bonuses triggered by the special Seed Symbol.
From the mortal lands of Midgard to the divine gates of Asgard, each realm offers distinct mechanics—such as free spins, wild reels, and explosive multipliers—that boost engagement and elevate win potential, with a maximum payout of up to 7,000x.
As Galaxsys marks its fifth entry into the slot vertical, the studio continues to build a diversified portfolio, blending narrative depth, innovative math, and striking design.
Vigen Safaryan, Chief Product Officer at Galaxsys, commented: “This launch is another important milestone in our journey. Our goal has always been to design games that stand out for their mechanics, storytelling, and playability. With each new title, we’re building a slot portfolio that represents the energy and ambition behind the Galaxsys brand.”
While Galaxsys continues to lead in the crash and instant game categories, the studio is quickly gaining ground in slots by bringing fresh themes, flexible bonus systems, and fast-paced UX features that today’s players expect.
The game is now live and available for Galaxsys’ global network of partners.
The post Galaxsys Expands Its Slot Portfolio with Gates of Asgard: Nine Realms appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Uncategorized6 days agoBety Casino Launches New Premium Platform with Trusted Licensing, Instant Crypto Withdrawals, and Elite Gaming
-
Australia6 days ago
ACMA: ReadyBet Breaches Gambling Self-exclusion Rules
-
Nasdaq:LTRYW6 days ago
SEGG Media: Three SEGG Stars Light Up Laguna Seca: Ilott, Foster, and Murray Set for Monterey Showdown
-
Australia6 days ago
VGCCC Fines Werribee RSL for Self-exclusion Failures
-
Latest News7 days ago
SSC Napoli, Champions of Italy, Aligns with Rabona in Long-Term Strategic Partnership
-
Carlo Santarelli6 days ago
Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. Names Carlo Santarelli Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations
-
AGLC3 days ago
AGLC Announces New Board Chair
-
Jackbit7 days ago
JACKBIT Unveils 30% RAKEBACK & 100 Free Spins As Crypto Welcome Bonus for New Players!
