Manchester City FC, an English soccer club that competes in the Premier League, has unveiled a new regional partnership agreement with SportyBet, a sports betting operator that offers fast gaming experiences. Under the new deal, the gambling company will be designated as Manchester City’s official betting partner in Africa.

In addition, the two parties will work together on various collaborative activations. They will produce co-branded content and will create unique experiences for sports aficionados and Manchester City fans in Africa.

SportyBet is a sports betting brand owned by Sporty Group. The latter is a pan-African market leader that has a presence in several notable African markets. The company’s betting products are available in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Many consider SportyBet to be the most innovative sportsbook in Africa because of its mobile-first approach and world-class products. The operator always prioritizes speed and performance to ensure its users are getting the sports betting experiences they want.

African Sports Fans Love the Team

Sporty Group’s brand director, Oluchi Enuha, commented on the new agreement. He said that his company is “absolutely delighted” to team up with the famous Premier League team, adding it to SportyBet’s list of partners.

Enuha praised Manchester City for always giving it their best when competing and being one of the most exciting soccer clubs in Europe. The brand director Manchester City’s “exciting brand of soccer” and the dynamic players it fields.

We believe this is just the beginning of a uniquely innovative collaboration which we believe will elevate both brands in Africa.

Oluchi Enuha, brand director, Sporty Group

Kaitlyn Beale, Manchester City’s vice president of global partnership sales, also commented on the matter, welcoming SportyBet as the new regional partner of the team. She noted that many African sports enthusiasts now follow the club and its matches, which is why Manchester City is excited to provide local fans with unique fan-oriented activations.

We are pleased to welcome SportyBet as a new regional partner of Manchester City today. Our fanbase within Africa continues to grow, shown by the interest in our fan events and trophy tour visits to Africa in recent years, and we look forward to working with SportyBet to bring fans even closer to the club.

Kaitlyn Beale, VP of global partnership sales, Manchester City

Manchester City’s new partnership is exciting news for the team. However, it comes as Britain is eyeing a ban on gambling sponsorships in the Premier League. While this measure is yet to become a reality, it is sure to shake up British soccer. Ahead of the publishing of the long-overdue white paper, the EPL teams proposed removing gambling sponsorships from the front of their shirts.

The gambling regulator in Nevada, the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB), released its latest report outlining the performance of nonrestricted gambling licensees last month. The gambling watchdog revealed that the total gaming win in February this year hit $1.24 billion. This result, when compared to the corresponding period in 2022 marked an increase of 11.15%.

The latest report reaffirms the continuous growth of the gambling sector in the state. In fact, the $1.24 billion result marks the 24th month in a row with gaming win surpassing the billion-dollar mark in Nevada. This result also represents the longest period the state has seen revenues surpassing $1 billion without interruption month-over-month.

Looking at the bigger picture, the total gaming win for the fiscal year also marked an increase. For the fiscal year through February 2022, the total win halted at $9.6 billion. In contrast, this year, the fiscal year-to-date total gaming win hit $10.1 billion, representing an increase of 5.55%.

Not unexpectedly, the higher gaming revenue resulted in more proceeds from taxes during February. In February 2022, Nevada collected $58.9 million in taxes, while this year, the taxable revenue increased to $75.5 million. When the two numbers are compared, the result from last month marked an increase of 28.18% or some $16.6 million.

Clark County Revenue Soars

The NGCB provided a breakdown of the $1.24 billion in total gaming win reported in February, revealing that the lion’s share of the revenue was reported by Clark County, the home of the Las Vegas Strip. Overall, the gaming win for this area hit $1.08 billion last month, up by 13.84% when compared to the $949.9 million reported in February 2022.

Las Vegas Strip operators saw a total gaming win increase by 18.92% to $712.5 million, while North Las Vegas operators reported a gaming win of $24.9 million, representing a growth of 8.77%. Downtown Las Vegas operators’ gaming win hit $74.4 million in February, up by 7.49%, while Laughlin operators saw a 6.13% revenue increase to $45.7 million in February this year.

In contrast to the strong results from Clark County, the total gaming win in February dipped for operators in Washoe County. Last month, the operators within that region reported $76.8 million in total gaming win, representing a decrease of 8.08%. South Lake Tahoe operators also saw a dip in gaming win that decreased year-over-year by 3.89% to $18.9 million, while Elko County operators’ gaming win last month increased by 3.93% to $33 million.

UK independent charity GambleAware announced Tuesday it has awarded a £350,000 ($431,000) grant to help examine further the link of gambling harm with stigma and discrimination.

Stigma and Discrimination

GambleAware awarded the funds to the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) and the University of Wolverhampton to support their collaboration with Liverpool John Moore University in examining how people who experience gambling harms are affected by stigma and discrimination.

The announcement of the funding came shortly after another research funded by GambleAware which examined gambling harms experienced by the white majority and minority groups in Great Britain showed large ethnic-related disproportions.

Commenting on the announcement, Anna Hargrave, chief commissioning officer at GambleAware, outlined the limited availability of research into stigma and gambling in Great Britain and the need for breaking down “the substantive barrier of stigmatization – and the discrimination it drives – faced by those experiencing gambling harms and their communities.”

Examine Different Societal Groups

The research will seek to determine how people experiencing gambling harm are also being stigmatized and discriminated against by analyzing different societal groups, including service and healthcare providers, civil society, third sector and charitable organizations, media and politics, and the gambling industry in general.

“Stigmatization causes significant harm in and of itself and can lead to people feeling shame, experiencing mental health challenges and social exclusion,” Hargrave added, further noting that it can also “stop people from accessing essential support or treatment services such as the National Gambling Treatment Service.”

Both organizations funded by GambleAware will also examine the disproportions in the impact of stigmatization across communities and the reasons behind these disproportions, considering the link with gambling addictions in addition to other challenges such as drug use, anxiety or depression, or lived experience of homelessness.

Determine Approach to Challenging Stigma

The end goal of the research is to identify what services, interventions, information campaigns and policies will be effective in challenging stigmatization, including in research and the media, to help reduce gambling harms for communities that are impacted most by stigma.

This research with NatCen and the University of Wolverhampton will be an important step towards a program of work that builds more knowledge in this area.

Anna Hargrave, CCO, GambleAware

The research is expected to deliver its findings in 2024 as GambleAware intends to focus on stigma in the next two years, planning to launch a major behavior change campaign to help reduce the stigma associated with gambling harm.

Light & Wonder, a leading cross-platform global games company will expand its leadership team with Niaz Nejad as its new managing director of gaming for the Americas. As announced by the supplier, Nejad will be joining its ranks later this year, following the conclusion of her non-compete period.

Nejad brings a whopping 25+ years of experience to the company. Prior to her current appointment, she served as Aristocrat Gaming’s senior vice president and head of marketing for the US and Canada. During her time at Light & Wonder’s competitor, Nejad led Aristocrat’s overall brand and marketing strategy. She was also responsible for inspiring the team to produce more creative and innovative products.

Before joining Aristocrat Gaming, Nejad served as the chief operating officer of the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission. In that position, she guided the commission’s provincial gaming and cannabis strategic direction, as well as its corporate portfolio, digital transformation and revenue forecasts.

Light & Wonder also noted that as a member of the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission, Nejad was responsible for maintaining over $1.4 billion in annual-net revenues from various gambling verticals. The revenue streams included slot machines, video lottery terminals, lottery tickets and electronic bingo – verticals that Nejad had to sustain through the right policies, development and marketing.

Light & Wonder Welcomes Nejad on Board

Light & Wonder is certain that Nejad will be a great addition to the company, thanks to her vast experience in the gambling industry. The company noted that she has an impressive track record of driving double-digit growth.

Siobhan Lane, Light & Wonder’s chief executive officer of gaming, welcomed the new appointee to the company. He noted that this will not be the first time he has worked with her:

I have had the pleasure of working with Niaz within our industry for many years, and I know her values, industry and business experience, as well as her people-centric leadership approach are the perfect fit for our team.

Siobhan Lane, CEO, Light & Wonder

Lane added that Nejad will play a key role in Light & Wonder’s expansion in the Americas and beyond. He said that she is the perfect addition to the team and that he is certain she will steer the company in the right direction.

Earlier this month, Light & Wonder teased that it is considering a second listing in Australia, following its listing on the NASDAQ.

At the beginning of March, the company released its official Q4 2022 results, highlighting the success of its restructuring efforts.

Geolocation technology and services provider GeoComply announced it has teamed with the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG) for a research project on self-exclusion programs.

Is Enhancing These Programs Beneficial?

The two-year research funded by GeoComply will study the long-term effectiveness of voluntary self-exclusion schemes implemented by land-based and online gambling operators to determine whether these programs would be beneficial for the industry.

Arthur B. Paikowski, president of the ICRG, commented on the partnership and the need for additional research on the prolonged efficacy of voluntary self-exclusion programs, explaining why further assessment of these programs is needed.

“There is a necessity to determine whether enhancing these programs would result in more customer participation and whether this would be beneficial,” he said.

The research will seek to provide answers to questions about the most effective long-term form of self-exclusion; the ideal time for a player to utilize a self-exclusion tool – both, online or at a land-based gaming venue; operator or regulator criteria for letting people who have self-excluded back into gaming; the potential stigmatizing effect of self-exclusion blocking people from using these tools; the most suitable way of registering; and others.

Happy to Support the ICRG’s Research

Highlighting the company’s commitment to responsible gambling initiatives since its inception over a decade ago, Anna Sainsbury, co-founder and chief executive officer of GeoComply, outlined the industry need for further evidence about the effectiveness of self-exclusion programs.

“We need more data to support the industry’s actions around RG, and I am really happy that we can support the ICRG’s research in this important area,” Sainsbury stated.

Dedicated to promoting responsible gambling practices worldwide, the ICRG is seeking to prevent people from experiencing problem gambling and reduce the harmful impact of excessive gambling on their lives by working closely with governments, regulators and industry stakeholders to promote responsible gambling policies and industry best practices, as well as engaging in research on gambling behavior and the risks of gambling.

The results of the two-year research on self-exclusion programs funded by GeoComply will be published in October 2025.

Last month, the geolocation technology and services provider announced that Super Bowl LVII registered 100 million geolocation checks, with 7.4 million user accounts accessing the service over the weekend and many bettors choosing to wager from the stadium while watching the game.

Also in February, GeoComply saw its patent infringement case against competitor Xpoint dismissed in court after a federal judge ruled GeoComply’s patent invalid, stating that it sought to patent subject matter that cannot be patented.

The betting and gaming arm of US sports merchandise and commerce brand, Fanatics, announced today the appointment of Hank Couture as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO).

‘Help Build Something that Exceeds Expectations’

The new addition Couture is expected to play an integral role at Fanatics Betting and Gaming (FBG) by developing operations strategies for the firm that is planning to launch the Fanatics Sportsbook across the nation in mid-2023.

Commenting on his new role as COO, Couture outlined the “exciting opportunity” that was presented to him “to build something from the ground up,” eager to leverage his knowledge and experience gained at DoorDash in the sports betting industry to “help build something that exceeds expectations” of Fanatics customers.

Couture, who joined from technology company DoorDash where he spent the past seven years overseeing the company’s US Marketplace and was instrumental in developing its successful pricing, loyalty, promotions, merchandising and growth policies, became a member of the FBG executive team and will report directly to FBG chief executive officer Matt King.

‘Impressive Track Record of Success’

FBG CEO King also commented on the new appointment, excited to welcome Couture to the company’s leadership team and help the business benefit from his experience.

“Hank’s experience in building one of the largest marketplaces in the US is exactly the type of person we are looking for at Fanatics Betting and Gaming, and as our new COO, his impressive track record of success will provide us with valuable insight as we build a sportsbook that is easy to use, trustworthy and more rewarding for sports fans,” he said.

Couture joined DoorDash in 2016 as one of the company’s regional General Managers of US Marketplace and two years later, he started climbing the corporate ladder by assuming the responsibilities of Director, US Marketplace, before being named Senior Director in 2019 and Vice President in 2021, his latest role before joining FBG.

During his time at DoorDash, he helped the e-commerce marketplace grow into a $50 billion industry leader, overseeing critical business lines such as DoorDash’s subscription program, DashPass, and the Caviar marketplace. He was also instrumental in developing the firm’s expansion strategy across the Midwest.

Starting in Investment Banking

Holder of BBA in Finance and Economics from William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, began his professional career on the trading floor of Goldman Sachs in 2013, dealing with cross-asset structured products and over-the-counter derivatives.

The appointment of Couture is the latest high-profile addition to FBG after the appointments of FanDuel veteran Andrew Kleiman as Vice President of Retail Operations and Andrea Ellis as Chief Financial Officer last year.

The launch of the Fanatics Sportsbook was initially expected to materialize in 2022 but was later pushed back to Q1 2023, and in January, the brand made its US debut by launching the first retail sportsbook inside an NFL stadium, FedEx Field, home of the Washington Commanders.

The Canadian Crown corporation offering different gambling options and managing commercial gambling on behalf of the Province of British Columbia, the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), became the latest organization to join the United Lotteries for Integrity in Sports (ULIS).

ULIS is an organization that has a strategic goal to help lotteries protect the integrity of sports competitions. Initially, the organization was known as Global Lottery Monitoring System (GLMS), but it has undergone a rebranding back in October when it was renamed to ULIS.

As the latest ULIS member, the BCLC will contribute to its goal to safeguard the integrity of sports. Moreover, the corporation will play a key role in the fight against match-fixing and corruption by collaborating with stakeholders in the industry, regulators, law enforcement and other organizations within the sector.

“British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) has joined United Lotteries for Integrity in Sports (ULIS) following the approval of the ULIS Executive Committee on March 17, 2023,“

reads a statement released by ULIS

BCLC Is the 3rd Canadian Lottery to Join ULIS

Joining ULIS, BCLC becomes the third Canadian lottery to support the organization. Along with BCLC, other lotteries from the country that have joined ULIS include Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG), as well as Loto Quebec.

BCLC’s membership with ULIS comes as no surprise, considering its extensive experience within the gambling vertical. In fact, since the corporation’s launch back in 1985, it has generated more than CA$28 billion ($20.6 billion) for the Province of British Columbia. Those funds helped support different public initiatives, health care, as well as education programs.

“ULIS is delighted to welcome BCLC as a member. BCLC’s commitment to ESG, responsible gambling and community outreach aligns with our values, and we look forward to working with BCLC to promote a culture of integrity in sports,“

Ludovico Calvi, president of ULIS

Ludovico Calvi, ULIS’ president, said that the organization is excited to see BCLC join its cause. He pointed out that BCLC and ULIS share similar values when it comes to ESG, as well as responsible gambling. Finally, Calvi said that ULIS is looking forward to the success the collaboration will bring and help boost the integrity of sports.