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Monica Shafaq, former CEO of mental health charity The Kaleidoscope Plus Group, joins gambling addiction charity Gordon Moody as new CEO
Gordon Moody, the UK’s leading charity dedicated to providing support and treatment for those suffering from severe gambling harm, is delighted to announce the appointment of Monica Shafaq as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Following an extensive and thorough recruitment process conducted by our board of trustees over recent months, Monica Shafaq will take the helm from January 2024.
Monica brings 13 years’ experience in the charity sector and joins Gordon Moody from The Kaleidoscope Plus Group, a leading charitable organisation focused on mental health and wellbeing, where she has served as CEO since 2010.
Her wealth of experience and dedication to the betterment of individuals’ lives align perfectly with Gordon Moody’s mission. During her time in her previous role, Monica implemented the charity’s rebrand from Sandwell Mind into The Kaleidoscope Plus Group and retained a place on the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies to Work for every year since 2015.
Monica will succeed interim CEO Matthew Hickey, who will continue to support the leadership team at Gordon Moody until the end of the year, ensuring a seamless transition until Monica officially assumes her role in early 2024.
During Matthew’s tenure, Gordon Moody has grown its treatment capacity from 120 to 270 a year; increasing the visibility of the organisation at a national level. He oversaw the opening of the UK’s first women-only residential treatment centre in 2021 and has paved the way for a new West Midlands-based treatment facility due to open in 2024, which will increase the number of bed spaces to 350.
Gordon Moody figures* reveal that applications for their treatment were up 43% last year (from 619 to 885), showing a positive narrative in people seeking help. But there’s still a long way to go as GambleAware has recently identified the true figure for those at risk of gambling harm as significantly more than the industry has previously suggested, and may be as high as 1.5 million.
Commenting on her appointment, Monica said: “It is a huge privilege to have been appointed the new CEO of Gordon Moody. It’s an honour to lead an organisation that is committed to making a positive impact to the lives of those affected by gambling harm and to work with the remarkable team of passionate individuals. Together, we will work tirelessly to raise awareness, provide support, and a path to recovery. I am excited to collaborate with existing partners and stakeholders as well as forging new relationships to drive meaningful change.
“I am leaving The Kaleidoscope Plus Group with a heavy heart but filled with pride for what the team has achieved over the past 13 years. We have done some extraordinary work together fighting for mental health equality and I know that we will remain strong allies going forward.”
Gordon Moody trustee, Claire Arnold, said: “We are delighted to welcome Monica to the Gordon Moody team as our new Chief Executive Officer and we would also like to express our sincere thanks to our departing CEO, Matthew Hickey, who has worked tirelessly to advance our cause over the past four years.
“Monica brings a wealth of experience from her work in the charity sector, most recently from The Kaleidoscope Plus Group and her energy for achieving social change will be a huge asset to Gordon Moody.
“We look forward to the new era of leadership under Monica Shafaq’s guidance and are confident that her expertise will contribute significantly to our mission of addressing gambling harm and its profound impact on individuals and families.”
Premium esports betting solution supplier expands presence in the growing Brazilian market
DATA.BET has successfully concluded its first-ever stand appearance at BiS SiGMA Americas 2025, one of the largest iGaming events in the region, held on April 8-10 in São Paulo, Brazil. The event took place in Transamerica Expo and brought together over 17,500 participants.
The company made a strong impression with its dedicated expo booth, where representatives engaged with local operators and business partners to discuss development opportunities in the growing LatAm market. DATA.BET showcased its comprehensive suite of solutions, including an updated Single Page Application (SPA), along with tools that are also adapted for local betting projects, including Scoreboards, Pitch Tracker, and Streaming – all designed to enhance user engagement with the platform and optimize their betting experience, particularly for mobile devices.
Alongside a bar serving exclusive cocktails that capture the spirit and vibe of Brazil, DATA.BET fleshed out its interactive stand with cosplayers dressed as Jinx and Ahri – popular characters from League of Legends, one of the top games among LatAm fans. This creative approach helped visitors immerse themselves in the iGaming atmosphere while exploring the company’s extensive portfolio of esports disciplines, events, and betting markets.
Natalie Loshatynska, Head of PR & Marketing at DATA.BET, commented: “Our stand debut at BiS SiGMA Americas allowed us to connect with Brazilian operators at this major event, learn about their specific needs, and introduce our iGaming solution. We saw great interest in esports from visitors. Latin America is a key market with huge growth potential for our niche. We’re excited to bring our products to this dynamic region, and the positive reaction confirms our decision to take part in BiS SiGMA Americas was right.”
The post DATA.BET Makes Successful Stand Debut at BiS SiGMA Americas 2025 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
In a bold move set to shift the foundation of iGaming, the creators behind some of the industry’s most advanced AI tools are preparing to unveil a next-generation platform — and they’re doing it with style.
On Tuesday, May 6th at 20:30 CET, Valletta’s iconic 200 Old Merchants Street will be transformed for one night only into a live, immersive showcase of what’s next. The strictly invite-only gathering will bring together top-tier media, industry leaders, developers, and innovators for the debut of a powerful new end-to-end AI system built specifically to reshape how games are imagined, created, and brought to market.
“This isn’t just another tool — it’s a paradigm shift in how we think about building games,” said Mark Flores Martin, CEO of XGENIA. “Everything from speed to quality to who gets to create and what — it’s all about to change.”
Designed to radically streamline the development pipeline, the system bridges the gap between creative vision and execution. It eliminates inefficiencies, replacing outdated workflows with a unified platform for concepting, building, and refining games with AI, at unprecedented speed — all while enhancing creative freedom and control.
Adding to the moment’s significance, the Prime Minister of Malta is expected to attend, reinforcing the nation’s commitment to innovation and AI in its leadership role in the future of iGaming.
Those interested in attending the event or receiving early access details can join a waitlist at https://lu.ma/7le61lye
The post XGENIA to Unveil AI Set to Reshape the Future of iGaming appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Inspired Entertainment, Inc., a leading provider of B2B gaming content, systems, and solutions, is delighted to announce the launches of Piggy Winner™ and Gold Mine Fortune™ in the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Malta iGaming jurisdictions.
Piggy Winner
Piggy Winner™ is a fun, pig-themed slot game that builds on the success of Inspired’s ever popular Golden Winner™, combining the playful visuals of two popular slots, Big Piggy Bank™ and Prize Piggy Win & Spin™, into a vibrant slot experience. Featuring a dynamic 5×3 reel layout with 10 win-lines, the game features Inspired’s Cash Collector mechanics giving players an exciting chase to big rewards.
Players can trigger the Free Spins Bonus by landing three bonus scatters, unlocking 10 Free Spins with the chance to collect cash-filled Piggy Banks using the hammer feature. Additional gameplay enhancements include the Gamble feature, Fortune Spins, and Fortune Bet, which increases the likelihood of triggering Free Spins and unlocking up to 50 spins. For instant action, Bonus Buy provides direct entry into the bonus round for a premium.
With medium volatility and a fast-paced format, Piggy Winner offers players an exciting pig-tastic adventure filled with tasty wins.
Gold Mine Fortune
Gold Mine Fortune™ is a gold miner-themed slot game inviting players on a high-stakes mining adventure with its ‘three bags’ mechanic, represented above the reels by the red Wild, golden Prize Pot, and blue Multiplier minecarts. Featuring thrilling base play and multiple Free Spins bonuses, the game offers a wealth of opportunities for big wins.
Players can unlock up to three Free Spins Bonus features, with the potential to trigger them together for the ultimate Mega Free Spins Bonus. Expanding reels, cascading golden nuggets, and lucrative multipliers heighten the excitement, while features like Bonus Buy, Fortune Bet, and Gamble provide additional ways to enhance the gameplay.
With its action-packed bonus rounds, Gold Mine Fortune offers players a rewarding adventure where every spin has the potential to strike gold.
Claire Osborne, VP of Interactive at Inspired said, “We’re excited to launch Piggy Winner and Gold Mine Fortune this spring. With its exciting mechanics, Piggy Winner forms part of Inspired’s growing portfolio of pig-themed content, while Gold Mine Fortune paves the way as the first of our gold mine-themed game. Both are standout slots that showcase our commitment to delivering high-quality, engaging games. We’re confident players will love these new releases, and we look forward to bringing even more exciting titles to the market this year.”
These latest additions reinforce Inspired’s dedication to innovation and entertainment, offering captivating gameplay and rewarding experiences for casino players worldwide.
The post INSPIRED LAUNCHES PIGGY WINNER™ AND GOLD MINE FORTUNE™ ONLINE appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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