Press Releases
From Track to Triumph: Ex-Professional Runner Lauren Fleshman’s Good For A Girl Wins Best Sports Book of 2023

- Lauren Fleshman is crowned the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2023, taking home a £30,000 cash prize
- In the Award’s 35-year history, Good For A Girl marks the first women’s memoir to receive the prize
Lauren Fleshman’s book, Good for a Girl: My Life Running in a Man’s World has been crowned the 2023 winner of the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award, picking up a prize of £30,000 at an official ceremony today (30 November), at BAFTA, 195 Piccadilly, in London.
The announcement makes history as it is the first book about women in sport, authored by a woman, to receive the world’s most prestigious sports writing prize.
The US champion’s part memoir, part manifesto documents Fleshman’s story of falling in love with running as a girl, battling devastating injuries and self-doubt, and daring to fight for a better way for female athletes. Drawing not only on her own story, but also on emerging research on the physiology and psychology of young athletes, Fleshman gives voice to the often-silent experience of the female athlete and argues that the time has come to rebuild our systems of competitive sport to allow women to perform at their best.
A panel of independent judges from the world of sports and journalism, chaired by author and journalist, Alyson Rudd, undertook a rigorous judging process, reviewing more than 150 entries down to the winning book.
The Judges praised Good for a Girl for its “heartfelt narrative” and “compelling writing”, as well as its crucial advocacy for reform in sports for young women. Renowned sports broadcaster, Matt Williams, declared Fleshman’s book “not just one of the best sports books that I’ve read this year, but one of the best books full stop.”
Receiving the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award trophy and a £30,000 cash prize today, Lauren Fleshman said: “Having a woman being elevated for telling her own story is rare, and we need a lot more of that. That’s why awards like this are so important. I came here optimistic, but then convinced myself I had no chance when I looked at the shortlist.
“I am delighted to be the winner of this prestigious award. I hope it makes sport better for the future of women and girls.”
Alyson Rudd, Chair of the Judging Panel for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award, said: “We had such an exceptionally high-quality shortlist this year, and selecting a winner was no small feat. For the first time, women’s books dominated, showing that more women are being commissioned to tell their stories, with many bravely tackling challenges within the sporting world.
“Good for a Girl is not only a must-read book on the challenges that women face in sport but a moving and informative memoir that will grip those who are not athletics fans. Lauren Fleshman exposes and shatters myths with disarming honesty and exceptional writing – it is a wonderful read and thoroughly deserving of the title William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2023.”
The New York Times Bestseller, and now William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award winner, highlights the challenges women face in competitive running, exposing the flaws in the sports structure that is failing young women as much as empowering them. Through her drive for change, Fleshman confronts the misogynistic origins of sports, and even her sponsors, and addresses the concerning decline in girl’s participation once they hit puberty. The narrative also explores the struggles faced by female collegiate athletes, such as injuries, eating disorders and mental health issues.
The five authors on the shortlist, alongside Lauren Fleshman, receive £3,000 and a leather-bound copy of their book. They are:
- Althea: The Life of Tennis Champion Althea Gibson by Sally H. Jacobs
- Concussed: Sport’s Uncomfortable Truth by Sam Peters
- Kick The Latch by Kathryn Scanlan
- Unbreakable by Ronnie O’Sullivan
- Unfair Play: The Battle for Women’s Sport by Sharron Davies with Craig Lord
Having secured the 35th winner of the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award, Lauren Fleshman joins an impressive list of previous winners, including last year’s champion Jeremy Wilson. For the second consecutive year, a book centred on women’s sports clinches the award. Fleshman becomes the third woman to be awarded the prestigious prize joining former winners Anna Krien and Laura Hillenbrand.
The William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award first took place in 1989 and is now the longest-established competition in the industry. It is dedicated to rewarding excellence in sports writing and is the world’s most prestigious award in the sector.
Entry to the 36th William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award is now open. For more information about the Award and to enter, please visit: https://news.williamhill.com/sport/sports-book-of-the-year/
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Business Press Release (The Guardian, Gambling Commission, TalkSport)

SSC Napoli, Champions of Italy, Aligns with Rabona in Long-Term Strategic Partnership
Rabona, a leading international sportsbook brand, has been named the Official Regional Betting Partner of SSC Napoli — the reigning champions of Italy and one of Europe’s most prestigious football clubs. This long-term partnership is set to commence on July, 2025.
The collaboration marks a significant alignment between two ambitious organizations, each known for their commitment to excellence, digital innovation, and loyal fan engagement. Following Napoli’s historic fourth Serie A title win in the 2024-25 season, this partnership comes at a high point for the club, offering Rabona access to one of the strongest brands in modern football.
“We are proud to welcome Rabona as SSC Napoli’s new European Betting Partner. This partnership marks an exciting chapter for our club, as it brings us even closer to the millions of Napoli fans across Europe,” stated Leonardo Giammarioli, Chief Global Business Officer at SSC Napoli. “We’re particularly enthusiastic about the spirit of innovation Rabona brings, and we look forward to exploring creative and engaging activations together that reflect the passion and ambition of our club and supporters.”
For Rabona, the partnership is a chance to put its full digital toolkit to work — supporting a world-class club that’s eager to deepen its bond with fans. This is exactly the kind of challenge the brand is built for. With powerful engagement tools, a tech-first mindset, and a passion for the game, Rabona is ready to deliver smart, high-impact solutions that match Napoli’s ambition — and bring real value to their community.
“We are genuinely excited about this partnership, it’s such a huge deal for us. Why? Because we’re fans too! Just look at the name of our brand. ‘Rabona’ refers to a unique football move, famously loved by the legendary Neapolitan captain No. 10. We are very happy to be able to share our digital solutions with Napoli’s supporters. Our mission is to connect fans with their idols, and we have all the tools. You’ll love our fresh ideas — from launching live streams with built-in interactivity to facilitating special moments IRL. Getting to bring the football community even closer is a dream come true.”
Rabona’s strategy is rooted in technology and innovation. Together with SSC Napoli, the brand is rolling out a suite of interactive experiences and activations designed to turn passive viewership into active engagement. These include:
- Real-time Q&A sessions with the players via interactive video streams
- Exclusive promotions and betting opportunities connected to club milestones
- Behind-the-scenes content and team insights distributed through Rabona and Napoli channels
- Localised campaigns tailored to European markets with strong fan engagement
This partnership also presents significant upside for Rabona’s affiliate and business networks. Associating with SSC Napoli — a club with global recognition and on-field momentum — enhances Rabona’s credibility, boosts brand equity, and creates a powerful narrative for audience acquisition in competitive betting markets. With a growing presence in key global markets and a digital-first product offering, Rabona will use this collaboration to deepen engagement with football audiences across Europe, elevate its brand profile, and deliver measurable business outcomes.
Beyond customer-facing gains, the deal positions Rabona as a case study in how sports betting brands can engage with top-tier clubs in ways that create long-term business value. This partnership goes beyond banner space and impressions, focusing instead on technology-led brand-building that respects the integrity of sport while delivering measurable returns.
The collaboration arrives at a time when both parties are accelerating their growth. For Napoli, it’s about maintaining momentum and increasing international reach. For Rabona, it’s an opportunity to anchor its presence in football culture while scaling its operations with authenticity and precision.
Rabona continues to demonstrate that it is more than just a sportsbook — it’s a digital partner capable of shaping the future of fan engagement and sports entertainment. With SSC Napoli by its side, the brand enters a new chapter defined by connection, creativity, and commercial potential.
Expressed through the slogan “Be Napoli. Play with Rabona,” the partnership celebrates the identity and passion of Napoli supporters, offering new ways to deepen their connection to the club they love.
Eager to find out more? Visit Rabona.com for full details.
The post Business Press Release (The Guardian, Gambling Commission, TalkSport) appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Alea doubles down on cybersecurity with Continent 8’s full-spectrum assessment solutions

Continent 8’s Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing, Security Audit and Vulnerability Scan services enable Alea to further strengthen the security and resilience of its iGaming platform
Continent 8 Technologies, the leading provider of global managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and cybersecurity solutions for the iGaming and online sports betting industry, announces that it has expanded its cybersecurity collaboration with Alea.
Building on its current programme of Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT) services with Continent 8, Alea – the award-winning casino game aggregator – has deepened its partnership with Continent 8 and its cybersecurity division, C8 Secure, by integrating Security Audit and Vulnerability Scan (V-Scan) services. This strategic initiative further enhances Alea’s cybersecurity posture and underscores the company’s ongoing investment in the resilience and integrity of its infrastructure.
The expanded cybersecurity assessment programme delivers a wide range of benefits for Alea and its operator network, including:
- Identifying, assessing and mitigating vulnerabilities in IT infrastructures, applications and networks
- Ensuring compliance with industry best practises and cybersecurity frameworks by evaluating security policies, procedures and governance
- Recognising new vulnerabilities, highlighting areas for improvement and prioritising remediation efforts
- Developing a customised roadmap for ongoing improvement to enhance cybersecurity posture and maturity
- Enhancing the trust and confidence of customers and partners by implementing industry-best cybersecurity measures
Eduard Fumás, CTO at Alea: “Security is built into everything we do at Alea. We’ve always believed that operators and their players deserve the highest level of protection. This is why we’ve invested in strong encryption, fraud prevention tools and a robust infrastructure from day one.
“Working with Continent 8 has helped us put that commitment to the test. Their expertise allows us to validate and strengthen our systems with confidence. We’re proud of how far we’ve come together, and even more excited about what’s next as we keep raising the bar and building a platform that our partners can trust completely.”
Patrick Gardner, Chief Security Officer at Continent 8 added: “As Alea continues to grow and expand, its proactive commitment to maintaining a secure iGaming aggregator platform becomes paramount. In our ongoing collaboration with Alea, we remain dedicated to fostering and supporting their cybersecurity initiatives – ensuring that both Alea and its extensive partner ecosystem stay protected, resilient and prepared.”
Continent 8 will be exhibiting at SBC Summit Lisbon, from 16-18 September at Stand C80.
The post Alea doubles down on cybersecurity with Continent 8’s full-spectrum assessment solutions appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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SOFTSWISS Turns 16: Milestones That Defined the Year

SOFTSWISS, an international tech company in the iGaming industry, celebrates 16 years of growth and bold decisions. This year marks a new chapter in the company’s journey — with a strategic focus on strengthening its presence in emerging markets, accelerating global expansion, and obtaining new certifications across key jurisdictions.
The year 2025 is a turning point for the industry, with a long-awaited regulatory framework taking effect in several markets, including Brazil and Peru.
SOFTSWISS is the first company to secure certification for its flagship Game Aggregator in Brazil in late 2024. By early 2025, all products within the SOFTSWISS tech ecosystem – including the Jackpot Aggregator, Casino Platform, and Sportsbook – were certified for operation in this emerging market. This enabled both existing and new clients to expand in Brazil with full regulatory support, confidently.
With over 1,350 brands powered by SOFTSWISS solutions, the company continues to earn trust through its proven stability and performance, maintaining system uptime at 99.999% worldwide. As a testament to this success, SOFTSWISS has received 73 industry and business awards over the past five years, recognising excellence in product innovation, compliance, marketing, and employer branding.
This year, recognition extended to individual SOFTSWISS leaders, highlighting their growing influence beyond iGaming and into the broader tech and business landscape. Ivan Montik, Founder, received multiple prestigious business awards. Sergey Kastukevich, Deputy CTO, was named CTO of the Year at the Oracle Customer Excellence Awards, reaffirming SOFTSWISS’ technological leadership. Valentina Bagniya, CMO, earned several accolades for her outstanding contributions to marketing and industry influence.
In addition to its product and leadership achievements, the company continues to invest in industry development through educational and social initiatives. Notably, SOFTSWISS was the first in the iGaming sector to launch large-scale industry research, collecting and analysing data to produce open-access reports to support market maturity and transparency. The 2025 edition of the SOFTSWISS iGaming Trends Report became a record-breaker, reaching over 13,000 downloads and cementing the company’s role as a thought leader.
Beyond technology, SOFTSWISS invests in people and purpose, supporting charitable, educational, and CSR initiatives as part of its commitment to responsible growth. The company with offices in Malta and Georgia, development hubs in Poland, has also a remote team across 46 countries.
“Last year, we celebrated 15 years with our partners, clients, and team – and this past year brought new challenges that we’ve faced with confidence and clarity. While SOFTSWISS is, at its core, a technology company – driven by AI, automation, and innovation – I firmly believe our people shape the company’s long-term success. Technology accelerates progress, but talent, vision, and shared values make it sustainable,” says Ivan Montik, Founder of SOFTSWISS.
These values are deeply reflected in the company’s culture and HR approach, offering people the space to grow professionally, take initiative, and lead.
“Five years ago, SOFTSWISS had fewer than 500 employees. I was 19 and had only just started my career, with only one job behind me. That initial experience in audience growth and analytics brought me to SOFTSWISS, where I was mentored, given tools to learn, and encouraged to step up. Today, I lead the Data Office – a 24-person team that supports the company with trusted, consistent data.. Looking back, I couldn’t have imagined this path. But I’m living proof that at SOFTSWISS, real growth isn’t just encouraged – it is made possible,” shares Anna Ivanova, Head of Data Office.
As SOFTSWISS steps into its 17th year, one thing is clear: behind every product, every launch, and every success, there is a team of people driving it forward and they are just getting started.
The post SOFTSWISS Turns 16: Milestones That Defined the Year appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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