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Sky Bet signs five-year title partnership extension with the English Football League
Sky Bet – part of Flutter Entertainment – has signed a record five-year partnership extension with the English Football League (EFL) that will see Sky Bet continue as the League’s title partner until the end of the 2028/29 campaign.
Building on a decade-long partnership, the new rights fee represents a 50% increase from Sky Bet, providing significant revenues for EFL Clubs and support for the League’s overriding objective to make Clubs financially sustainable across all divisions.
The deal will also see Sky Bet invest £1 million per season and £6 million in total into a Community Fund held by the EFL to be invested into communities across England and Wales where EFL Clubs are located. Sky Bet and the EFL will use the funding to deliver activity via the EFL Trust and the network of Club Community Organisations (CCOs), with the initiatives in focus to be mutually agreed by the organisations.
Having first been agreed in 2013, the partnership – one of the longest and most significant in UK professional sport – is centred around a clear Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two organisations that sets out how to deliver our joint objectives in a socially responsible way. This has always and rightly placed safer gambling at its heart, while also establishing a framework that allows us to engage the millions of EFL fans and connect them with the teams, players, and communities that they passionately support.
The MoU will continue to put the protection of children and other vulnerable individuals at its heart with both Sky Bet and the EFL making a renewed commitment to its approach in the promotion of the product.
Examples within the MoU include:
- Sky Bet will not actively market themselves or their products in family areas of club stadiums or advertise to young fans
- The EFL will dedicate a proportion of its central inventory to promote safer gambling messaging and support Sky Bet’s safer gambling campaigns
- Sky Bet will fund a player education programme across the EFL’s 72 clubs that will focus on the potential dangers of gambling and provide support and advice
Both Sky Bet and the EFL will share learnings and insight from the partnership with Government, other sports and sector stakeholders to help inform the new sports sponsorship Code of Conduct which is being developed in accordance with the Gambling Act Review White Paper’s proposals.
Flutter recently welcomed the publication of the Gambling Act Review, which we see as a significant positive moment for the UK gambling sector, raising standards and bringing the regulatory framework into the digital age.
As part of the agreement, Sky Bet will continue as Official Title Partner of the Sky Bet EFL and Sky Bet Play-Offs on a worldwide basis. Sky Bet will also have rights to award the official Manager, Player and Goal of the Month awards as well as the seasonal ‘Golden Boot’ and ‘Golden Glove’ awards in each division.
Commenting, Steve Birch, Sky Bet Chief Commercial Officer, commented: “I’m extremely proud of Sky Bet’s ongoing partnership with the EFL and delighted to have reached today’s agreement. Football is central to who we are and it’s great to be able to support the game and provide investment for Clubs across the Pyramid.
I’m particularly delighted that we can go one step further today with the announcement of our Sky Bet EFL Community Fund, seeking to make a real difference for people across England and Wales.
As the recent Sky Bet Play-Off Finals demonstrated, the EFL is going from strength to strength with packed grounds and millions watching games here in the UK and around the world.
We are absolutely committed to Safer Gambling, and I’m delighted that our partnership with the EFL shows how responsible betting and gaming operators, and sporting organisations can work together to promote safer gambling and tackle the issue of gambling harm.”
Commenting, Trevor Birch, EFL Chief Executive said: “For over a decade, Sky Bet has been a valuable partner for EFL Clubs, offering sustained investment to help Clubs navigate a volatile financial landscape and ensure fans can enjoy fantastic footballing entertainment in every corner of the country.
We have consistently seen our partnership evolve to move with the times and with community at the heart of the EFL, a new community investment fund is perfectly aligned and will help strengthen the partnership’s commitment to social responsibility.
The Government’s recent Gambling White Paper highlighted the social responsibility measures that have accompanied our partnership with Sky Bet as being an example of good practice for the wider sports sector to learn from and we will look to deepen our commitment to the promotion of safer gambling as part of this extension.
On behalf of our Clubs we thank Sky Bet for its ongoing support to English football and we look forward to seeing our much-loved competition develop yet further with the additional certainty this investment provides.”
Bryndís Hrafnkelsdóttir
NOVOVISION Implemented at the University of Iceland Lottery
The University of Iceland Lottery UIL (Happdrætti Háskóla Íslands) was established in 1933 for the purpose of funding the university buildings as well as the purchase of research equipment and other supplies. It is licensed to operate three types of lotteries in the Icelandic market: the traditional class lottery that was established upon its foundation, instant scratch cards, and some 500 gaming terminals which are currently operated in 19 venues across Iceland. Lottery games are very popular in Iceland and generally used as a means of raising money for community purposes.
The University of Iceland Lottery UIL (Happdrætti Háskóla Íslands) has implemented a new platform for gaming terminals in an aim to improve operational efficiency while ensuring a responsible approach to gaming. In a public tender, NOVOMATIC was chosen as the provider of the new CMS: NOVOVISION is the selected management solution, comprising in phase one a variety of functionalites including slots accounting, TiTo, AML, Business Intelligence and the NV smart Staff App in addition to providing the required IT infrastructure for all UIL venues. More system functionality is to be added at a later stage.
The system roll-out across all 19 venues was achieved in a timely manner during ongoing operations and with minimum disruption to the players. Apart from the manifold new functionalities on the operator side, the high level of system integration allows UIL customers to now redeem their tickets online via the UIL Players’ App directly to their bank accounts.
Fabian Schnötzinger, Market Coordination NBS, said: “This was a very special project that yielded immediate progress in ongoing operations. Gaining an in-depth understanding of the on-site requirements and implementing the integration together with the UIL team was a very positive experience for us, knowing that NOVOVISION would generate significant value in several areas. It was also the expertise and high level of commitment of the UIL team that made this project special: They addressed topics openly, provided quick feedback and made time in their schedules for implementation. This reliability and hands-on approach were real success factors. I am already looking forward to our cooperation in the next stages of the NOVOVISION implementation.”
“We are pleased to announce our collaboration with NOVOMATIC on this project. Slot machines are an important part of our business, and this technology will provide us with better access to information, helping us to responsibly manage our operations and enhance the player experience,” said Bryndís Hrafnkelsdóttir, CEO of UIL.
“The integration of the NOVOVISION platform has proceeded smoothly due to effective planning and great collaboration between UIL and NOVOMATIC. This platform offers features that will support us in making informed decisions without compromising our commitment to responsible gaming. As we move forward, we see opportunities to expand our service offerings and develop new solutions, including the upcoming implementation of electronic player cards. With NOVOVISION, we are well positioned to address the evolving needs of our customers while maintaining our focus on responsible gaming practices. This new platform is a key element of our strategy to enhance our operations and support our mission in the gaming market,” she added.
The post NOVOVISION Implemented at the University of Iceland Lottery appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Balkans
Expanse Studios Signs Content Distribution Deal with Lobbet
Expanse Studios, a subsidiary of Golden Matrix Group, has signed a content distribution agreement with Lobbet, a licensed sports betting and iGaming operator in Montenegro and part of the Fortuna Entertainment Group (FEG). The distribution will be delivered through DualSoft, a leading aggregation platform with an established footprint across regulated European markets.
Under the agreement, Lobbet will integrate Expanse Studios’ proprietary iGaming content into its online offering, expanding the availability of Expanse titles within the Montenegrin regulated market. DualSoft will facilitate distribution and technical integration, enabling scalable deployment across its broader operator network.
The transaction further strengthens Expanse Studios’ presence in regulated European markets and supports Golden Matrix Group’s broader B2B growth strategy. DualSoft represents a high-potential distribution channel, serving more than ten active operators across multiple regulated jurisdictions, with additional expansion planned.
Lobbet operates in Montenegro as part of Fortuna Entertainment Group, one of the largest betting operators in Central Europe, which recently entered the Montenegrin market through the acquisition of Lob, reflecting growing institutional confidence in the country’s regulated gaming sector.
“This agreement reflects our approach to regulated market expansion across Europe, through scalable B2B distribution. Working with DualSoft allows us to reach high-quality operators such as Lobbet while creating optionality across a broader network of regulated markets. Our focus remains on disciplined growth through partners that operate within clear regulatory frameworks,” said Damjan Stamenkovic, CEO of Expanse Studios.
The post Expanse Studios Signs Content Distribution Deal with Lobbet appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Andrew Rhodes
Andrew Rhodes to Step Down as CEO of UK Gambling Commission
The UK Gambling Commission has announced that Andrew Rhodes has decided to leave the Commission on 30 April 2026, to take up a new role, which will be announced in due course.
Andrew has provided outstanding leadership of the Commission for almost five years and has overseen a transformation of the Commission and how it regulates the gambling Industry.
Andrew has led the work required from the Commission to implement the Gambling Act Review, with a strong focus on consumer safeguards. This has included the introduction of financial vulnerability checks, reducing the intensity of online games, and banning potentially harmful marketing offers. He has also overseen the introduction of the Gambling Survey for Great Britain, now one of the largest surveys of gambling behaviour in the world.
Amongst his other achievements, Andrew oversaw the successful implementation of the Fourth National Lottery licence and transformed the Commission’s approach to regulation through more robust and outcome-focused strategies.
He said: “It has been a privilege to lead the Gambling Commission through such an important period of change. I am proud of the progress we have made to strengthen regulation, improve consumer protections, and ensure gambling is safer and fairer. I leave with confidence in the organisation, its people, and the work still to come.”
Charles Counsell, Interim Chair of the Gambling Commission, said: “Andrew has provided outstanding leadership for nearly five years and leaves a strong legacy. He has led the Commission through major reform, strengthened our regulatory approach, and ensured consumer protection has remained at the heart of our work. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Andrew for his dedication and wish him every success in the future.”
The Commission will shortly begin the process of recruiting a Chief Executive for an interim period. Deputy Chief Executive Sarah Gardner will step up as Acting Chief Executive to cover the areas of work that Andrew will step back from during this transitional period.
The post Andrew Rhodes to Step Down as CEO of UK Gambling Commission appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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