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Sky Bet signs five-year title partnership extension with the English Football League

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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.”

ELA Games

ELA Games releases Flames Fruits Frenzy Hold and Win slot

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New title adds a Hold & Win bonus to the studio’s retro fruit-themed “Flames Fruits Frenzy” line.

ELA Games has released a new slot title, Flames Fruits Frenzy Hold and Win, expanding its Flames Fruits Frenzy series with a Hold & Win bonus feature.

The game uses classic fruit-machine iconography, including cherries, lemons, oranges, grapes, and watermelons, presented with updated high-definition visual effects, according to the company.

ELA Games positioned the release as a seasonal summer-themed update and said it is aimed at players who prefer traditional fruit-slot formats paired with modern mechanics.

The company did not disclose target markets, operator rollout partners, RTP, volatility, maximum win, or a specific release date beyond announcing the launch in the statement.

The post ELA Games releases Flames Fruits Frenzy Hold and Win slot appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Games Global and Posh Monkey Studios debut brand-new reel expansion feature in Fishin’ Madness™ QUADGROWS™

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Games Global has cast its line into the popular fishing genre with the launch of Fishin’ Madness™ QUADGROWS™, developed by exclusive partner Posh Monkey Studios, introducing an all-new evolving reel mechanic that continuously unlocks new ways to win.

Leveraging the enduring appeal of the classic genre, Fishin’ Madness™ QUADGROWS™ features the innovative QUADGROWS™ feature, where every spin contributes toward greater potential.

Beginning on a 5×3 reel-set, the game gradually expands to seven rows, where each progression level unlocks additional paylines, larger Fish Instant Prizes and enhanced Collect Multipliers, rewarding players as they venture deeper beneath the waves.

The Fisherman Collect mechanic remains at the heart of the experience, awarding all visible Fish Instant Prizes when the Fisherman lands on reel five. As QUADGROWS™ unlocks additional rows, new Collect Multipliers become active, increasing the value of every successful catch.

Three or more Scatters trigger eight Free Spins, where larger multipliers create even bigger payout opportunities, while five Scatters award the game’s maximum 10,000x prize.

Completing the feature set is Posh Monkey Studios’ proprietary Posh Spins™, an optional boost that increases the chance of triggering the bonus round.

Combining one of the most popular game themes with an evolving reel mechanic, Fishin’ Madness™ QUADGROWS™ adds a new layer of progression to the classic collect-style experience.

 

Connor Blinman, Co-Founder of Posh Monkey Studios, said: “Fishing games continue to resonate with players, but standing out in such an established genre means delivering something genuinely different.

“The QUADGROWS™ mechanic creates a real sense of progression throughout the player journey, with every milestone unlocking bigger opportunities and adding another layer of excitement to the experience.”

 

Dave Reynolds, Director of Games Strategy and Partner Management at Games Global, added: “Posh Monkey Studios has taken a proven formula and introduced an engaging progression system that gives players a reason to keep coming back.

“Fishin’ Madness™ QUADGROWS™ is another example of how Games Global and its exclusive studios continue to evolve popular mechanics through creative gameplay innovation. We’re excited about the roadmap ahead for Posh Monkey Studios’ and the fresh ideas they’ll be bringing to the table.”

The post Games Global and Posh Monkey Studios debut brand-new reel expansion feature in Fishin’ Madness™ QUADGROWS™ appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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ZEAL acquires SevenCanyon and enters the highly attractive UK prize draw market

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ZEAL Network SE has signed a share purchase agreement to acquire the remaining 96.5 percent of the shares in SevenCanyon Limited, in which ZEAL already holds a 3.5 percent stake. With this acquisition, the market leader for online lotteries in Germany is entering the UK market, gaining immediate access to Europe’s largest market for digital prize draw offerings.

“SevenCanyon is one of the most successful prize draw operators in the UK – we have known them for years. With the acquisition, we hit the ground running in a highly attractive and growing market. We also accelerate the implementation of our strategy to selectively diversify our business model through new products and new markets”, says Dr. Stefan Tweraser, CEO of ZEAL Network SE.

SevenCanyon operates several established UK prize draw platforms, including 7days Performance, Redline Competitions and UK Carp Competitions. This market segment comprises digital prize draws and offerings with non-cash prizes such as houses, cars, and lifestyle products. In the most recent financial year 2026 (04/25–03/26), SevenCanyon generated an operating profit (EBITDA) of more than GBP 10 million.

The transaction opens potential for further scaling of the UK business through ZEAL’s capabilities in acquisition marketing, monetisation, customer retention, data analytics, regulatory professionalism, and platform operations. Furthermore, ZEAL expects the UK prize draw market to continue to move towards more formalised rules, which will favour operators like ZEAL with strong compliance capabilities and regulated market experience.

“SevenCanyon is a highly profitable company with a proven business model. The purchase price will mainly be financed through a new loan agreement. This preserves our financial flexibility to continue our growth-oriented and shareholder-friendly capital allocation in the future”, says Andrea Behrendt, CFO of ZEAL Network SE.

Purchase price and financial impact for 2026

The transaction comprises a cash purchase price for the remaining 96.5 percent of the shares of approximately GBP 33.8 million (subject to post-completion adjustments, including an adjustment for vehicle inventory in the single-digit millions of GBP range), as well as an earn-out payment of up to GBP 4.8 million, to be paid over a period of six months after completion.

The acquisition financing is supported by a EUR 40 million term loan with a duration of seven years, arranged by Deutsche Bank.

The Management Board expects SevenCanyon to make a meaningful contribution to ZEAL’s revenue and EBITDA following consolidation. ZEAL will assess the necessary adjustments to its revenue guidance after the IFRS presentation of SevenCanyon’s revenue streams has been finalised.

On EBITDA, ZEAL confirms the range of EUR 70–75 million under the assumption of a normal jackpot environment in Germany. The updated forecast reflects anticipated non-recurring expenses in the mid-single-digit millions of euros in connection with the transaction.

For the first full financial year following completion of the transaction, ZEAL expects it to have a positive impact on EBITDA in the high-single-digit millions of euros.

The post ZEAL acquires SevenCanyon and enters the highly attractive UK prize draw market appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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