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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.”

Compliance

Xpoint rolls out pattern-analysis engine to flag coordinated bonus abuse

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Xpoint has launched a proprietary pattern-analysis engine aimed at helping betting and gaming operators detect coordinated fraud, including organized bonus abuse and location spoofing. The company announced the product on 6th July 2026 and said it is currently rolling out with partners in North America.

Xpoint said the engine is designed to catch groups that cycle the same devices, accounts, and locations to farm sign-up bonuses and exploit promotions. Unlike conventional geolocation checks that assess each login in isolation, the new engine analyzes historical location activity to identify patterns that emerge over time.

As an example, Xpoint said the engine can flag groups of users that repeatedly appear together across locations, particularly where some members have previously been linked to location spoofing—signals the company associates with coordinated bonus-abuse rings. Xpoint added that the analysis runs in the background against historical data and is intended to avoid adding friction to the player journey.

The launch follows a new investment round earlier this year, which Xpoint said was dedicated to accelerating growth and supporting further product enhancement.

Manu Gambhir, CEO of Xpoint, said: “Attempts to defraud operators are becoming ever more coordinated and advanced, so operators need the best possible tools to spot areas of concern early.

“Our pattern-analysis engine examines historical data to uncover unusual patterns an operator needs to be aware of, without in any way adding friction to the player journey. It further underlines our commitment to innovative, adaptable compliance solutions for operators.”

The post Xpoint rolls out pattern-analysis engine to flag coordinated bonus abuse appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Fan Engagement

Midnite extends Southampton FC sponsorship through 2026/27 and rolls out ‘2UP’ fan prize

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Midnite has renewed its partnership with Southampton FC for the 2026/27 season, continuing as the club’s Official Training Kit partner and back-of-shirt sponsor.

The company said the extension builds on its first season with the club in 2025/26, when it ran supporter activations including “Midnite Express” away travel, a commemorative tifo marking the 50-year anniversary of Southampton’s FA Cup success, and hospitality giveaways via its “Ticket Treats” campaign.

For 2026/27, Midnite is introducing a season-long fan initiative called “2UP”. Under the format, if Southampton go two goals up in any home league match, one fan wins the 2UP prize pot. Midnite said the pot increases by £1,000 each week a jackpot is not won, and noted Southampton held a two-goal home lead on six occasions last season.

Greg Baker, Chief Revenue Officer of Southampton Football Club said:

“We’re delighted to continue our partnership with Midnite after a successful first season together.

“They’ve consistently looked for new and engaging ways to reward our supporters, whether through unique matchday experiences, away travel or fan competitions, and we’re excited to see that continue this season.

“The launch of 2UP is another fantastic example of that commitment and we look forward to seeing Saints fans enjoying the campaign throughout the 2026/27 season.”

Andrew Mook, Midnite‘s Head of Brand Marketing, added:

“We’re excited to be Southampton’s Official Training Kit partner for a second year.

“During the 2025/26 campaign, Midnite worked closely with the club to create experiences that reward Saints supporters. From helping fans travel in style on the Midnite Express and commissioning the club’s commemorative FA Cup tifo, to providing hospitality experiences through Ticket Treats, our aim has always been to add something extra for Saints fans.

“With that said, we are pleased to introduce ‘2UP’ where one lucky fan will win prize money if Southampton take a two-goal lead in any home league fixture, with £1,000 being added to the pot after each game at St Mary’s.

“With Southampton taking a two-goal lead at home six times last season, we’re looking forward to seeing a number of Saints fans rewarded through ‘2UP’ during the campaign.”

The post Midnite extends Southampton FC sponsorship through 2026/27 and rolls out ‘2UP’ fan prize appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Allwyn sets UK launch date for Powerball game on 21 July, pending approval

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National Lottery operator Allwyn said on 6 July 2026 that it plans to launch a UK version of Powerball on Tuesday 21 July, subject to final regulatory approval. The company said UK players will be able to buy a £4 Powerball line in National Lottery retailers and via the National Lottery website and app.

Allwyn said the UK-specific version will offer jackpots starting at £12M and will be linked to the US Powerball game through a partnership with the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). The company said UK jackpot winners will be paid over 30 years, and that UK players will pick five main numbers from 1 to 69 and one Powerball number from 1 to 26, with draws held three times a week.

Allwyn said the first UK draw is scheduled for 23 July, with ticket sales closing at 11.55pm the night before draws on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, and draws taking place around 4am the next morning on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday from a Powerball studio in Florida. It added that the UK game includes an additional “Match 2 main numbers” prize tier exclusive to UK players, paying a fixed £8, while the “Match 5 main numbers” tier pays a fixed £1M.

Allwyn CEO, Andria Vidler, said, “We’re excited to give National Lottery players the chance to dream bigger, while supporting thousands of Good Cause projects across the UK every week. Powerball jackpots can soar into the billions, offering breath-taking sums with the potential to transform lives and communities.

“As we begin the countdown to the first draw later this month, you won’t be able to miss Powerball’s arrival with a major launch lined up. We’re encouraging players to get involved when tickets go on sale, and we’ll be crossing our fingers for our first UK winner.”

Rebecca Paul, President & CEO of the Tennessee Lottery and former President of the World Lottery Association, said “This next step brings us closer to a thrilling milestone for Powerball. More players means faster-growing jackpots, more excitement and even greater impact for the communities we serve.”

Allwyn said the game is expected to raise around £1BN for UK Good Causes over its first five years, with funding generated from UK ticket sales going to UK beneficiaries and projects. It also referenced recent changes to the National Lottery’s Lotto game and said the revised format has produced 27 millionaires since the first draw under the new format on 10 June.

The post Allwyn sets UK launch date for Powerball game on 21 July, pending approval appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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