Uncategorized

Historic Inaugural Commonwealth Esports Championships LIVE in Birmingham

Published

3 years ago

August 1, 2022

Reading Time: 2 minutes

On 6 and 7 August 2022, esports athletes will take centre stage in Birmingham, UK, and compete at the Commonwealth Esports Championships for the very first time.

Over 100 athletes representing diverse Commonwealth nations and territories will go head-to-head in three esports titles – DOTA 2, eFootball series and Rocket League for the honour of being crowned a champion.

Staged concurrently with the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, the Championships represents a hugely significant moment in the evolution of esports.

Paul J. Foster, CEO of the GEF, said: “This is historic. Fans of all ages will soon be cheering some of the very best esports athletes in the world to win medals for themselves and their country.

“We are proud of being one of the most inclusive, welcoming and fastest-growing communities in the world and this is an exciting chapter for our #worldconnected.”

The CEC, which is a joint initiative between the Global Esports Federation and the Commonwealth Games Federation, will take place at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Birmingham, located in the heart of the 2022 Commonwealth Games city. Sessions start daily at 9.00 am and run through until 6.00 pm.

Esports athletes from across the Commonwealth – Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania – have come through regional qualifiers for the right to be in Birmingham alongside their Commonwealth sporting peers.

“We are delighted to be welcoming the best esports athletes in the Commonwealth to Birmingham. I have no doubt the Commonwealth Esports Championships will present a thrilling sporting spectacle and point the way towards the future of esports,” Katie Sadleir, CEO of the CGF, said.

But just before the very first esports match gets underway, the world’s esports thought leaders and idea creators will be gathering at the ICC for the inaugural Commonwealth Esports Forum on Friday 5 August.

Join Chris Chan, GEF President who also serves as Regional Vice President of the CGF and Secretary General of the Singapore National Olympic Council; Dame Louise Martin DBE, President of the CGF; Kenyan pro gamer Queen Arrow; Philipp Müller-Wirth, Chief of Sports at UNESCO; and more leading minds in esports, sports, business, technology, academia who will share their thoughts on the sector and its thrilling future.

“These two events represent a major legacy for Birmingham and the surrounding area. The future starts now,” Neil Rami, CEO of the West Midlands Growth Company, said.

Uncategorized

Duelbits unveil Ivory Coast legend Salomon Kalou as Football Ambassador ahead of Africa Cup of Nations 2025

Published

17 hours ago

December 3, 2025

Adrienn Sarkany

duelbits-unveil-ivory-coast-legend-salomon-kalou-as-football-ambassador-ahead-of-africa-cup-of-nations-2025

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Leading igaming operator Duelbits has today announced Ivory Coast & Chelsea legend Salomon Kalou as its latest Football Ambassador. Kalou, who won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with his country in 2015, will share his tips, insights and experience with Duelbits’ global customer base across the entire tournament.

During his playing career, the Ivorian who won 93 caps for his country, also won the Premier League and Champions League with Chelsea and had successful stints playing in Netherlands, France, Germany & Brazil. He joins an established list of partners with Duelbits that includes Professional Fighters League (PFL), Michael Bisping & Battle of the Beasts.

Salomon Kalou said of the partnership “I’m excited to be working with Duelbits for AFCON. This kind of partnership is a first for me so I’m enthusiastic to work with them as they look to connect with fans across Africa for what is sure to be a brilliant tournament.”

Jasper Hoekert, Chief Marketing Officer for Duelbits, echoed the sentiments “AFCON is a key event in the football calendar, and we’re thrilled to have a partner of Salomon’s stature as part of the team. He’ll provide our players with valuable insights and memorable content that is sure to enhance the football betting experience during the tournament.”

Alongside his punditry for SuperSport, Kalou will provide weekly blogs with AFCON betting insights, social media activations and work on exclusive giveaways with Duelbits as they ramp up their football output ahead of what promises to be a massive 2026.

The post Duelbits unveil Ivory Coast legend Salomon Kalou as Football Ambassador ahead of Africa Cup of Nations 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Uncategorized

Strategic partnership: GKL opts for complete solution from adesso

Published

17 hours ago

December 3, 2025

Adrienn Sarkany

strategic-partnership:-gkl-opts-for-complete-solution-from-adesso

Reading Time: 2 minutes

GKL Gemeinsame Klassenlotterie der Länder (A.ö.R.) is taking the next major step in its digital transformation. The company has awarded the contract for its new lottery system to IT service provider adesso. In a Europe-wide tender process, adesso won out over international competitors with its comprehensive package of solutions.

At the heart of the partnership is the development and implementation of a completely new lottery system based on adesso’s own LotteryForce platform. The solution is complemented by a high-performance customer relationship management system based on Salesforce technology and secure, future-proof hosting on the adesso business cloud, operated in Germany. Ongoing IT operations will be handled by a specialised application management team from adesso.

The project volume amounts to around 32 million euros. The contract between the two partners will run for a period of 15 years.

Future-proof platform for a traditional lottery format

GKL Gemeinsame Klassenlotterie der Länder (A.ö.R.) is a lottery provider supported by all 16 German federal states, and is also the organiser of the NKL and SKL lotteries. Following the modernisation of its core technical system, GKL is repositioning its platform for the coming years with the aim of optimising processes, providing better support for sales partners and further developing the customer experience.

“In adesso, we have found a partner who understands our industry, knows our structures and has the technological expertise to deliver an integrated, end-to-end solution,” says Jörg Scheidhammer, CIO at GKL. “Not only does adesso offer the best technology, but it also provides a team that will support us holistically on our journey over the next 15 years.”

Setting a course for the lottery’s future

The first project phase will begin in January 2026. Going forward, sales partners are also set to benefit from the new platform. Innovative enhancements such as new game concepts will be integrated into the system, with initial concepts already in planning.

Marc Lorek, Vice President, Lottery Development, adesso SE, says: “The platform will be at the cutting edge of technology, while also setting new standards in terms of customer loyalty, performance and scalability.” Andreas Luckmann, Vice President, Lottery Consulting & Sales, adesso SE, adds: “This marks a whole new beginning for GKL and a flagship project for us. It will see us establishing ourselves as a key strategic partner in the European lottery market.”

The post Strategic partnership: GKL opts for complete solution from adesso appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Uncategorized

More Draws, More Chances to Win: The UAE Lottery Celebrates Its First Anniversary With Weekly Lucky Day Draws!

Published

18 hours ago

December 3, 2025

Adrienn Sarkany

more-draws,-more-chances-to-win:-the-uae-lottery-celebrates-its-first-anniversary-with-weekly-lucky-day-draws!

Reading Time: 2 minutes

To mark its 1st anniversary, The UAE Lottery, operated by the Game LLC, revealed an exciting evolution of its flagship Lucky Day Draw, which has now been upgraded to a weekly format, giving players more opportunities to participate and win remarkable prizes every week.

Starting November 29, 2025, the Lucky Day draw now takes place every Saturday at 8:30 PM GST, turning the weekend into a date with life-changing prizes and creating new weekly traditions for players across the UAE.

Adding to the excitement of the new weekly draws, the second prize is now increased from AED 1 million to a massive AED 5 million, opening the door to even more life-changing wins. This enhancement reinforces The UAE Lottery’s commitment to elevating the game experience and keeping players engaged through new and dynamic formats, ensuring that every draw brings hope and the possibility of realizing dreams across the nation.

The rules of participation remain unchanged: for AED 50 per ticket, players can enter the Lucky Day Draw for a chance to win:

· The Grand Prize of AED 30 million
· The 2nd Prize of AED 5 million
· The 3rd Prize of AED 100,000
· The 4th Prize of AED 1,000
· The 5th Prize of AED 100

Additionally, with the same ticket, players automatically enter the weekly Lucky Chance Raffle where three guaranteed winners will each win AED 100,000 every week.

Commenting on the new update, Scott Burton, Commercial Gaming Director at The UAE Lottery, said, “As we celebrate a successful first year of operations, our mission remains the same: to bring joy and life-changing opportunities to players across the UAE. This change comes as a result of listening to our players and a careful review of their interest levels. So, when they asked for more opportunities to play, we made it happen. With weekly draws now in place, every Saturday will be someone’s Lucky Day, and that’s what makes this milestone so special.”

Interest in The UAE Lottery continues to build, with players nationwide showing increasing enthusiasm for all the draws in the portfolio, and a growing sense of anticipation around every new opportunity to win.

Since its launch, The UAE Lottery has brought together players from across the UAE, and has celebrated more than 100,000 winners, claiming over AED 147 million in prizes. With the move to weekly draws, the dream of winning just got closer than ever.

The final draw under the previous format took place on November 29, with ticket sales for the new weekly game opening later that same evening at 8:30 PM.

The post More Draws, More Chances to Win: The UAE Lottery Celebrates Its First Anniversary With Weekly Lucky Day Draws! appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.