The Global Esports Federation has launched its Innovation & Research Centre (IRC) in Athens, Greece, in collaboration with Socialinnov, a non-profit organisation dedicated to digital empowerment and social entrepreneurship.

The GEF Innovation & Research Centres are envisioned as collaborative spaces where technology, creativity and innovation converge to unlock human potential in the digital era. They will anchor forward-looking programmes that connect esports with education, wellness and opportunities in adjacent industries.

The Athens IRC anchors this global network, strengthening local ecosystems, enabling cooperation across regions and expanding opportunities in esports, gaming, technology and entertainment.

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Thanos Karagrounas, GEF Chief Impact Officer, said: “The launch of our Innovation & Research Center in Athens is a milestone in the GEF’s journey to shape an inclusive and impactful future for esports. By combining Socialinnov’s deep expertise in digital empowerment with the GEF’s international network, we will unlock new opportunities for innovation, education, and investment – with people at the center of everything we do.”

“We are proud to partner with the Global Esports Federation to bring the GEF Innovation & Research Center to Athens. This collaboration reflects our mission to empower individuals and communities with the skills and tools needed to thrive in the digital age. Together, we will cultivate new pathways for youth, educators, and entrepreneurs to engage with technology, esports, and innovation on a global scale,” said Stella Psarrou, Director, Socialinnov.

Leveraging Greece’s growing digital ecosystem and Socialinnov’s expertise in education, youth empowerment and SME support, the Athens IRC will serve as a platform to develop strategies, programmes and investment opportunities focused on responsible gaming, holistic wellness and sustainable career pathways in esports and beyond.

Leading gaming law and regulation conference Regulating the Game has announced the newly appointed CEO of Entain Australia and New Zealand as its first Featured Speaker for its March 2026 event in Sydney.

The conference is scheduled to take place from 9 to 11 March 2026 at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth.

Andrew Vouris, who was appointed CEO of Entain Australia and New Zealand in August, brings almost two decades of leadership experience in wagering, operations and innovation at some of Australia’s largest wagering operators.

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His career spans senior leadership roles in Tabcorp’s multi-billion dollar wagering and media business, heading global operations of a pioneering esports and wagering platform, and partnering with private equity to build early-stage ventures in esports. Across these roles he has been deeply engaged in navigating complex regulatory and compliance challenges.

Since stepping into the CEO role at Entain Australia and New Zealand, Vouris has outlined his desire to embed a culture of “win, but not at all costs”, to return to the basics of selling bets and to lead innovation while ensuring customers are protected.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to speak at Regulating the Game 2026, which provides a unique global platform for advancing dialogue between regulators, industry and thought leaders,” Vouris said.

“At a time when public expectations and regulatory demands are at an all-time high, I look forward to sharing Entain’s vision for balancing sustainable growth, compliance leadership, and customer protection.”

Paul Newson, Principal at Vanguard Overwatch and founder of Regulating the Game, added: “Andrew’s leadership vision for Entain and his extensive track record across wagering and esports bring an important perspective to Regulating the Game 2026. His focus on culture, compliance and innovation aligns strongly with the values of the conference, and we are thrilled to feature his insights as part of this year’s program.”

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Better Collective has launched Playbook, an AI-powered betting solution transforming how fans place bets by fitting seamlessly into the way they already engage.

The launch follows the company’s press release of 12 February 2025, “Better Collective powered more than 8 million wagers and gathered football fans in New Orleans for the Super Bowl,” where Better Collective piloted early retention-driven products. With Playbook, these pilots are now scaled into a fully integrated solution – expanding Better Collective’s role in the betting ecosystem and strengthening engagement with sportsbook partners. With sports fans globally wagering more than 1.5 trillion EUR annually, the opportunity for innovation in this space is significant, and Playbook positions Better Collective to capture a greater share of this market.

At its core, Playbook is built to make betting seamless and more engaging for fans. Playbook enhances the user experience by delivering an actionable link – utilising bet slip image recognition built on AI and smart deeplinks – from betting content and tips that opens directly into a sportsbook app or website with the bet pre-loaded.

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Jesper Søgaard, Co-Founder and CEO of Better Collective, said: “Playbook reflects our ambition to lead in delivering unique, and engaging sports betting experiences for sports fans and bettors while driving strong retention value for our partners. This positions Better Collective uniquely within the global sports betting ecosystem, where sports fans wager more than 1.5 trillion EUR annually.”

Initial launch in the US ahead of the NFL season

Historically, Better Collective’s affiliate model has been focused on acquiring new customers through its owned sports media, paid channels and partnerships. With the launch of Playbook, the addressable audience naturally expands to include all active bettors – not just new sign-ups. By complementing its global leadership in acquisition with direct engagement in bet placements at scale, Better Collective establishes a stronger position in the emerging retention betting space and secures touchpoints across the entire customer lifecycle. By engaging users directly at the point of bet placement, Playbook introduces a new layer of value creation for Better Collective, with new commercialisation opportunities that complement the company’s existing acquisition-driven and brand advertising revenue streams.

Playbook launched on September 3 in the US ahead of the NFL season, with additional key markets in the pipeline. Furthermore, Better Collective plans to build out a broader AI-suite of tools and betting assistants, reinforcing its position at the forefront of innovation in the sports betting ecosystem. Its rollout is supported by Better Collective’s owned sports betting communities, scalable technology infrastructure and partnerships with the world’s leading sportsbooks. These communities already attract millions of followers and thousands of paying subscribers, giving Playbook a built-in foundation to increase engagement and channel value directly to partners from day one.