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Kindred Group extend six-year Middlesbrough FC partnership and cements long-term community commitment to supporters
The Kindred Group will remain as Middlesbrough Principal front-of-shirt partner for another two years in a move that will significantly strengthen the club’s outreach work in the local community.
Kindred have partnered with Middlesbrough since 2018 – meaning the partnership will be nearly a decade old by the end of the latest deal, making it one of the most successful and long-running in British football.
Significantly, the partnership will continue to fund Middlesbrough FC Foundation’s (MFCF) delivery of Team Talk – a men’s mental health initiative. The Team Talk platform uses the local club and its players, manager and staff as a mechanism to engage with men about their mental well-being.
The logo of gambling operator Unibet adorns first team shirts in what is another record-breaking partnership for the club. “Zero% Mission”, which is Kindred’s Responsible Gambling message, appears on this season’s shirts.
Kindred have also pledged to donate a percentage of their hospitality and merchandising rights to supporters via competitions and giveaways.
Further, Kindred will donate front-of-shirt sponsorship space to MFC through the season – allowing for the promotion of the club’s charitable initiatives.
MFC Foundation works to raise aspirations and improve the life chances of young people and adults across Teesside. Its work is supported and funded, in part, by the club’s commercial partners, including Kindred Group.
Kindred has always played a central role in the club’s ‘Foundation Weekend’. This forms part of an initiative to highlight the Foundation’s life-changing work for participants of all ages in the local community, as well as how people in the area can access its projects and services.
Sam Mead, UK General Manager, Kindred Group, said: “Kindred’s relationship with Middlesbrough is one of football’s longest running and impactful, so far as community outreach is concerned. That is why we were committed to extending the partnership for another two years.
“We recognise that we are in the privileged position to positively influence clubs and their communities – a responsibility we take seriously. That’s why the basis of this latest partnership will be to help showcase the MFC Foundation’s wide-ranging work, including the men’s mental health initiative Team Talk.”
Liam McGuinness, Head of Commercial, Middlesbrough FC, said: “Everyone at the club is absolutely delighted to extend our partnership with the Kindred Group for another two years. Most importantly, we’d like to thank them for continuing their vital support of the club’s Foundation – especially through the Team Talk mental health initiative.
“The health and wellbeing of our local community is very important to ourselves and Kindred. We are all looking forward to the opportunity to continue driving forward new initiatives that will benefit both our supporters and the people of Teesside”.
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2025 financial results
ZEAL Reports Strong Double-Digit Growth
ZEAL Network SE, Germany’s leading online lottery provider, closed 2025 with another year of robust double-digit growth.
Despite a weaker jackpot environment, the company significantly strengthened its core lottery business, accelerated diversification, and expanded its customer base—setting a solid foundation for long-term scalability.
The group delivered 16% revenue growth, reaching €218.5 million, while EBITDA rose 11% to €68.8 million. EBIT also climbed 12% to €60.1 million year over year. These results reinforce ZEAL’s strategic focus on building a multi-pillar digital entertainment ecosystem.
“At every level, our results confirm that our strategy works,” said Dr. Stefan Tweraser, CEO of ZEAL Network SE. “Expanding scalable products alongside our strong core lottery business increases resilience and positions us for ambitious future growth.”
CFO Andrea Behrendt highlighted continued investment in reducing jackpot dependence: “Our efforts create a sustainable and profitable growth structure.”
Core Lottery Business Continues to Lead Growth
ZEAL’s primary lottery brokerage remains its strongest revenue driver. Even with softer jackpot cycles:
- Monthly active users climbed 8% to a record 1.558 million.
- Lottery billings reached €1.1 billion, up 2%.
- Gross margin increased to 17.7%.
- Lottery-specific revenue surged 16% to €195.3 million.
These gains underline the brand’s ability to attract and retain large numbers of customers independent of jackpot volatility.
Dream House Raffle Becomes a Major Growth Pillar
The Traumhausverlosung (Dream House Raffle)—launched in 2024—has rapidly evolved into a strong secondary revenue stream. With guaranteed winners and high-appeal prize structures, the charity lottery generated:
- €38.9 million in billings across four draws in 2025.
This success demonstrates the value of proprietary lottery products that complement ZEAL’s core business and enhance market differentiation.
Games Segment Accelerates With Expanded Portfolio
ZEAL also posted substantial growth in its digital Games division. The company extended its catalog to 650+ games, adding 400 new titles and strengthening collaborations with leading game developers.
As a result:
- Games revenue increased 46%, reaching €14.4 million.
- Active user numbers rose sharply.
- Player protection remained a top priority, supported by AI-driven safeguards.
Customer Base Expansion Remains a Strategic Priority
ZEAL made targeted investments to grow its user base, acquiring 1.171 million new customers in 2025. As expected with aggressive acquisition:
- Customer acquisition cost (CPL) increased to €46.47.
- Marketing spending rose 20% to €68.6 million.
This investment is key to sustaining ZEAL’s long-term market position and unlocking additional cross-sell opportunities in games and charity lotteries.
2026 Outlook: Continued Growth and Diversification
Looking ahead to 2026, ZEAL aims to expand its German market leadership and scale its charitable lotteries freiheit+ and Traumhausverlosung, while continuing to strengthen its Games offering.
Forecasts for 2026 include:
- Revenue between €250–260 million
- EBITDA between €70–75 million
These projections already factor in increased investment to accelerate diversification and future-proof the business.
The post ZEAL Reports Strong Double-Digit Growth appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
GamingTECH CEE Awards 2026
WinSpirit wins Best Online Casino in CEE at the GamingTECH CEE Awards 2026
Online casino brand WinSpirit has been announced as the winner in the Best Online Casino in CEE category at the GamingTECH CEE Awards 2026 — a respected industry event celebrating excellence across the iGaming sector.
Since launching in mid-2022, WinSpirit has rapidly gained recognition for its dynamic approach to product development, creative marketing, and a genuine player-first philosophy. The brand stands out by successfully combining innovative features, high-quality entertainment, and strong focus on player experience.
Over the past year, WinSpirit has demonstrated impressive growth across key metrics, significantly expanding its loyal player base, VIP segment, and overall betting activity. The brand has also introduced unique interactive formats, enhanced its loyalty system with the real-time Gift Shop, and continued to invest in smart personalisation across the platform.
This award adds to WinSpirit’s growing list of international recognitions. The brand also maintains excellent player ratings across major review platforms, consistently receiving high marks for service quality and user experience.
With this latest victory, WinSpirit continues to solidify its reputation as one of the most dynamic and player-oriented online casinos in the industry — combining rapid growth with innovation and a clear focus on player satisfaction.
The post WinSpirit wins Best Online Casino in CEE at the GamingTECH CEE Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Denmark
Stake.dk Offers Money Back on Denmark’s World Cup Playoff Match Against North Macedonia
Stake.dk, Denmark’s leading online casino and sportsbook, today announces the launch of an exclusive campaign in connection with Denmark’s decisive World Cup playoff match against North Macedonia on March 26, 2026 in Parken.
Stake Sportsbook offers Danish football enthusiasts a unique opportunity to support the national team without risk: Players can place a single bet on Denmark to win on the 1×2 market before the match starts, and if Denmark does not win in regular time, the player will get their stake back in cash – up to DKK 1,000.
The campaign is created to celebrate one of the most important moments in Danish football in 2026. With a direct entry ticket to the World Cup at stake, the atmosphere is high, and Stake.dk wants to give its customers the opportunity to experience the match with full support and minimal risk.
To qualify for the promotion, players must place a single bet of at least DKK 25 on the 1×2 market with Denmark as the winner before the scheduled match kick-off. The offer only applies to the first qualifying bet per player, and the refund will be paid as pure cash directly to the player’s Stake account within 48 hours if Denmark does not win in regular time.
Denmark will meet North Macedonia on Thursday, March 26 at 20:45 CET in Parken as part of the World Cup playoff.
The campaign emphasizes Stake.dk’s dedication to delivering relevant and engaging experiences to its Danish customers in connection with major sporting events.
The promotion is available to all Stake customers with an active betting account at stake.dk. Full list of terms and conditions is available on the promotion page.
About Stake
Stake is the world’s most popular online casino and sportsbook. Founded in 2017, Stake attracts over 80 million monthly visitors – more than any other iGaming platform – and handles over 100 billion bets per year. Stake is recognized for its innovation in crypto gaming, as well as its growing expansion into regulated local currency markets in Italy, Denmark, Brazil, Colombia and Peru. Stake also has an impressive portfolio of global sponsorships, including Canadian superstar Drake, X Games, Everton Football Club and UFC.
Contact
Stake
The post Stake.dk Offers Money Back on Denmark’s World Cup Playoff Match Against North Macedonia appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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