The UAE Lottery, operated by The Game L.L.C., partnered with SmartLife Foundation and Premier Schools Accommodation – GEMS Education to deliver a financial awareness workshop in Abu Dhabi on 18 June, 2026.

Held at GEMS Education’s Premier Schools Accommodation, the session brought together more than 60 school bus drivers and helpers for training on budgeting and saving basics, fraud prevention, and retirement planning. The workshop also included quizzes and certificates.

Suzan Kazzi, Associate Director – Corporate Social Responsibility at Momentum- The UAE Lottery, said: “Financial knowledge is a powerful enabler of confidence, and long-term financial stability. Through H.O.P.E., we are committed to driving initiatives that equip individuals with practical life skills to help them build better opportunities for themselves and shape a more secure future. This workshop reflects our belief in people-focused partnerships that create meaningful and lasting impact across communities.”

Abhijeet Oak, Vice President at SmartLife Foundation, added: “At SmartLife Foundation, we strongly believe that knowledge creates empowerment. Many bluecollar workers dedicate themselves tirelessly to supporting their families yet often have limited access to structured financial education. Through partnerships like this, we can help individuals make informed financial decisions, build healthier financial habits, and plan more confidently for the future.”

The organisers said the initiative sits under the “Opportunities” pillar of H.O.P.E., The UAE Lottery’s CSR platform covering Healthcare, Opportunities, Planet, and Enrichment, and is aligned with national priorities for social impact in the UAE.

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Brightstar Lottery PLC announced changes to its senior leadership team as part of its evolution as a standalone pure play lottery business that continues to optimise its operations for future growth.

Renato Ascoli, CEO, Global Lottery, will step down effective June 30, 2026. Over a 20-year career in the lottery and gaming industry at Brightstar, he has held senior leadership roles and led complex teams across global markets.

Effective July 1, 2026, Marco Tasso will be promoted to a new role of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Global Lottery. Mr. Tasso, currently COO, International and Italy Operations, brings more than 20 years of experience across the company’s B2C and B2B businesses and deep end-to-end knowledge of the lottery ecosystem. In his role, Tasso will have responsibility for all of Brightstar’s global lottery operations, including technology, product development, marketing, sales and product management, supply chain, customer support and field services. He will report directly to Brightstar CEO, Vince Sadusky.

“Renato has made a tremendous impact on our company and the lottery industry. His broad experience across lottery product development, technology and commercial strategy helped us to continuously deliver innovative solutions and services to our lottery customers. I want to thank and congratulate him for his many career accomplishments,” said Marco Sala, Executive Chair of the Board, Brightstar.

“As Renato prepares to step down, I want to thank him for his many years of service and steadfast commitment to our business and people. Having Marco as a part of our senior leadership team supports the company’s vision and strategic goals. As we strengthen our focus on growth, transformation and operational execution, Marco’s insights and experience will help shape the lottery operating organization and optimize it to deliver results,” said Vince Sadusky, CEO of Brightstar.

Executive Biography

Marco Tasso is a seasoned professional with more than two decades of experience in senior leadership roles across lottery management, global supply chains, strategy, product development, retail execution and consulting in both Europe and the US. He has held various senior leadership roles at Brightstar and its predecessor company, IGT, including his current position of COO, International and Italy Operations; SVP of Global Supply Chain and Services; and SVP of Global Lottery Marketing.

Marco also previously served as CEO of Northstar Lottery Group, where he managed the first-ever private lottery management contract for the Illinois Lottery, and he later oversaw similar private manager agreements in Indiana and New Jersey. Before that, Marco held leadership positions at Lottomatica, where he managed different business units including instant lotteries, lotto, and commercial services.

Earlier in his career, Marco consulted in roles at Bain and Company and Ernst & Young Consultants, where he developed a specialisation in strategic planning, production and cost-saving initiatives. In this capacity, he worked with prestigious clients such as Telecom Italia, Fiat and Bridgepoint Capital.

Marco graduated Cum Laude with a degree in mathematics from the Università degli Studi in Messina, Italy and received an MBA with Distinction from CUOA in Vicenza, Italy.

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Each £2 line now plays twice per draw night, lifting overall prize odds to 1-in-4.9 and targeting 345 millionaires a year.

Allwyn will launch a new two-round format for the UK National Lottery’s Lotto on Wednesday 10 June, giving players two chances to win from a single £2 line. Tickets for the updated game went on sale Sunday 7 June.

Under the change, each line is automatically entered into two separate rounds on each Wednesday and Saturday draw night. Players still pick six numbers from 59, but two sets of six main numbers and a Bonus Ball will be drawn using two separate machines, meaning a single line can win in one round, the other, or both.

Allwyn said the update improves the odds of winning a prize from 1-in-9.3 to 1-in-4.9. The operator also said it expects the number of Lotto millionaires created each year to increase from around 140 to approximately 345, with jackpots still starting at £2M and rolling over up to five times before a must-be-won draw on the sixth.

Andy Carter, Senior Winners’ Advisor at Allwyn, said, “This is a huge moment for players as we enter a new era for the nation’s millionaire maker, Lotto. From now on, every ticket gives you two chances to win for the same £2 price. We’re talking more winners, more excitement and hundreds more millionaires made every year. It really could be you – not once, but twice.”

Allwyn said the jackpot will be shared across both rounds, while other prize tiers remain fixed cash prizes paid per round. The Lotto HotPicks add-on will also shift to a two-round format and remain priced at £1.

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