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Entries Open for the World’s Oldest & Most Valuable Sports-Writing Prize
Entries are now open for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2023. Authors, journalists, athletes and publishers are invited to submit their work for the world’s most valuable literary sports-writing prize which has a winner’s cash prize of £30,000.
The William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award launched in 1989 and is dedicated to rewarding excellence in sports writing. Now in its 35th year, it is the world’s longest established sports-writing competition.
Last year saw a record breaking 158 books entered by athletes and authors alike including Patrice Evra, Anyika Onuora and Claire Shine. Jeremy Wilson was crowned winner with judges praising his book ‘Beryl: In Search of Britain’s Greatest Athlete’ for its exhaustive research and superb writing.
Organisers are encouraging authors, journalists, athletes and publishers to submit their books as early as possible so that the reading panel have as much time as possible to consider each entry. Last year, many of the longlisted books, including the eventual winner, were early submissions.
Following a rigorous judging process from a panel including journalists, authors, sportspeople and industry leaders, the longlist will be announced in September 2023, with the shortlist unveiled in October.
The overall winner will be revealed on 30th November 2023 at an official awards ceremony held at BAFTA, 195 Piccadilly, London. As well as the winning prize, all shortlisted authors will each receive £3,000 and a leather-bound copy of their book.
Book review panellist and renowned sports broadcaster, Matt Williams said: “The William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award is the most respected prize in the industry, and it is an honour to have the chance of reading every single book entered.
“Once again, we’re encouraging all authors, agents and publishers to enter their titles as early as possible as the process to find our next champion begins as soon as we receive our first entry. All the books are read by humans, not algorithms and therefore we urge writers to submit their book before the rush begins in the summer.”
“For more than three decades, the Award has played a leading role in championing excellence in the sporting literacy world, providing authors with a platform to showcase and promote their books – and following a stellar year of entries in 2022, we’re incredibly excited for this year’s competition.
“We’re keen to see the exceptional creative minds and writing talents across a diverse range of subjects, so no matter what the sport, whether it’s football, cricket or surfing, if you’ve published or scheduled a book for publication from 2nd September 2022 – 1st September 2023, we want to hear about it.
“It’s not all about whether the book is a best-seller, it’s the writing we’re interested in – and our ultimate winner will always be an over-achieving, richly deserving sporting literature champion.”
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As summer reaches its peak, so do the opportunities for operators partnering with Spinmatic. The premium Slot developer has launched two new exclusive offers as part of its ongoing Rock the Month campaign – a high-impact promotional series featuring targeted incentives, exclusive discounts and seasonal themes designed to support long-term operator growth.
After a strong debut in July with Fruit Fiesta and Summer Splash, Rock the Month has quickly become a key initiative for many partners, offering unique commercial advantages each month, exclusively to Spinmatic clients.
For August, the provider turns up the heat with two new offers: Summer Crash and Freespin Hype. Both are available to apply for until July 25 and designed to help operators during the summer’s most critical weeks.
This August’s promotions offer Spinmatic’s partners the chance to unlock up to 60% off in Revenue Share, depending on the offer selected. Full activation details – including game selection and placement requirements – are reserved exclusively for Spinmatic’s operator network.
“Our goal with Rock the Month is to bring consistent value to our partners,” said Norbert Mathies, Managing Director at Spinmatic. “We know operators are constantly under pressure to keep players engaged, so with our monthly promotions, we aim to offer something that’s genuinely useful. With two offers available each month, operators can choose the one that best fits their market. At the same time, we’re helping them get more out of their campaigns and explore new games with reduced risk.”
Spinmatic encourages operators and industry stakeholders to stay tuned, as new Rock the Month promotions will continue to be rolled out monthly. For those looking for innovative ways to increase player loyalty and revenue, now is the perfect time to get involved.
The post “Rock the Month”: Spinmatic’s monthly promos to power operator growth appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Hasbro, a leading games, IP, and toy company, announced a new slate of multi-year licensing partnerships aimed at transforming and expanding its most popular brands across the casino category. After a comprehensive review and market evaluation, Hasbro has selected Aristocrat Technologies, Evolution, Galaxy Gaming, and Bally’s as its newest partners in casino licensing. The new partners join existing licensee Sciplay.
The announcement underscores Hasbro’s “Playing to Win” strategy, revealed in February 2025, which focuses on innovation, partnerships, and bringing beloved brands to life across more formats than ever.
“We’re all about play—and that means meeting our fans wherever they are, from the game table to the casino floor. These visionary new partners have the expertise and imagination to reimagine our brands in bold, exciting ways for adult audiences,” said Claire Hunter Gregson, Director of Gaming Relationships.
Hasbro has a nearly 30-year history of licensing its age-appropriate IP to the gambling sector. With this new lineup of partners, the company is expanding access to entertainment experiences that reimagine its brands for a growing base of adult fans and gamers.
Following is the list of partners:
• Aristocrat Technologies – B2B manufacturer land-based slot machines (MONOPOLY)
• Evolution – B2B developer for online slots and live casino (MONOPOLY, Hasbro Games)
• Galaxy Gaming – B2B developer and manufacturer for casino table games (MONOPOLY, YAHTZEE, BATTLESHIP)
• Bally’s – B2C Online casino operator (MONOPOLY)
With new titles launching in January 2026, adult fans will see some of Hasbro’s beloved brands integrated into new and existing casino formats, including land-based gaming slots, online gaming slots, casino table games, and online casinos.
The post Hasbro Strikes New Multi-Year Casino Licensing Partnerships appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Apollo
Apollo Funds Complete Acquisitions of International Game Technology’s Gaming & Digital Business and Everi; Combined Enterprise to Operate as IGT
Apollo announced the completion of the previously announced acquisitions of International Game Technology PLC’s (doing business as Brightstar Lottery) Gaming & Digital Business and Everi Holdings Inc. (Everi) by a holding company owned by funds managed by Apollo affiliates (the Apollo Funds). The all-cash transaction, valued at approximately $6.3 billion, brings together complementary businesses to form a privately held global leader in gaming, digital and financial technology solutions.
The two companies will be integrated into a combined enterprise in the coming months. Headquartered in Las Vegas, the combined enterprise will operate under the IGT name, while retaining the Everi brand in select markets and product lines. IGT will be organized into three business units: Gaming, Digital, and FinTech, creating a customer-first enterprise supported by a people-first culture that values talent, collaboration, and innovation.
“This is a defining moment for our industry. By uniting two leading organizations, we are building an enterprise with the scale, talent and technology to lead the future of gaming. With Apollo’s support, we are very well-positioned to deliver exceptional content across land-based and digital experiences, along with integrated financial solutions and casino management that enhance the player journey and drive value for our customers. I’m honored to be part of this exciting chapter and to help shape the future of IGT,” said Nick Khin, Interim CEO of IGT.
As previously announced, Hector Fernandez is expected to assume the role of CEO of IGT in the fourth quarter of 2025, following the expiration of a customary non-compete period. Until then, Mr. Khin will lead the organization and transition into the role of CEO of IGT’s Gaming business unit upon Mr. Fernandez’s arrival.
“Bringing together highly complementary businesses creates a more competitive, agile and well-capitalized platform built for long-term growth. We are confident that IGT is well positioned to deliver differentiated content and capabilities that better serve customers across the globe. We look forward to working closely with Hector, Nick and the rest of the talented IGT team to lead the industry forward,” said Daniel Cohen, Partner at Apollo.
The post Apollo Funds Complete Acquisitions of International Game Technology’s Gaming & Digital Business and Everi; Combined Enterprise to Operate as IGT appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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