partnerships
Virgin Bet to Sponsor Women’s Day at Ayr
Virgin Bet has announced its first-ever “Women’s Day” event, taking place at the Virgin Bet Raceday on Saturday 9 March at Ayr Racecourse.
The day will serve as a platform to celebrate women in racing, making it the latest in a long line of social impact initiatives from Virgin Bet helping to create a more inclusive environment.
Open to everyone, the activity at the Virgin Bet Raceday at Ayr, exists as part of Virgin Bet’s new brand purpose, “A Good Bet”, a campaign focussed on ways in which the brand can knock down pre-existing barriers within sports and culture at large.
For the upcoming event, Virgin Bet has partnered with presenting star Natalie Pike, who will be acting as compere throughout events on the day, and as a trailblazing figure in broadcasting, further boosting Virgin Bet’s message of inclusion within sport.
As part of the day’s proceedings, aside from viewing Ayr’s spectacular race offerings, attendees will be able to attend a pair of panels hosted by Natalie which will inspire thought and lead conversation. At once both celebratory and insightful, the activities will introduce race fans to legendary women driving forward horse racing, as well as discussing diversity in the sport.
Panellists and subjects will include, with further names to be announced:
Panel 1: Legendary Women of Horse Racing
- Delly Innes (Chief Executive, Scottish Racing)
- Harriet Graham (Trainer)
Panel 2: Creative Inclusivity in Racing
- Charlotte Jones (Jockey)
- Emma Kay (WalkSafe Founder and CEO)
As part of the day and race sponsorship, Virgin Bet will continue to provide memorable experiences, with opportunities for female attendees to pick the Best Turned Out Award before each race and present the trophies to the winners. A donation will also be made to Ayr Racecourse charity partner, the Ayrshire Cancer Support charity, who through the CEO Sandra McCall and her team provide incredible support to the local community.
Furthermore, for the event, Virgin Bet will be partnering with WalkSafe, an app developed to provide women with confidence and support when walking alone; Virgin Bet will be highlighting WalkSafe’s functions and App details, giving women peace of mind when travelling from the venue.
Musical entertainment will be provided by local Scottish female talent to bring an added experience to raceday goers.
With this debut Women’s Day pilot event, a potential alternative to Ladies Day moving forward, Virgin Bet and Ayr are providing what proves to be a special and celebratory day, one which is open to all – reminding everyone that racing, truly welcomes everyone.
Virgin Bet Marketing Director, Ric Leask, said: “There are many incredible women involved in making horse racing the spectacle that it is, and for too long, their role has arguably gone uncelebrated and un-thanked. At Virgin Bet, as part of our ‘A Good Bet’ brand campaign, we want to make sport more accessible and to highlight brilliance, no matter who the subject, and this initiative is doing exactly that.”
Presenter and “Women’s Day Sponsored by Virgin Bet” collaborator, Natalie Pike said: “I’ve loved being a part of creating this project with the teams at Virgin Bet and Ayr Racecourse, and hope it can inspire the next generation of incredible women working in horse racing. Sport is for everyone, and activations such as this are crucial to ensuring inclusivity and safety for women at events, and ultimately heroing the brilliant people who work in the sport.”
Ayr Racecourse Marketing Manager, Lindsey Smith, said: “It’s fantastic to host Virgin Bet’s inaugural Women’s Day activity and our racecourse, and from minute one, we have wanted to back this campaign with everything we have. We are so proud to work with, host, and pay respect to an incredible array of women within this beautiful sport, and this work will go a long way to bringing attention to these excellent people.”
In an effort to address food insecurity in New Jersey, the Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ) has launched the Casinos United Against Hunger campaign in partnership with the Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ). Atlantic City casinos collectively are donating more than $170,000 to support CFBNJ’s mission.
“Ending hunger will take all of us stepping up to do more for our neighbors. Atlantic City casinos are coming together to form Casinos United Against Hunger, a new campaign dedicated to strengthening our efforts to combat food insecurity in New Jersey. By supporting important organizations like the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, we will help address hunger by providing meals to families throughout the state,” said Mark Giannantonio, president of the Casino Association of New Jersey.
The donation was presented at CFBNJ’s Night of 300,000 Meals on May 1, 2025, a culinary event that brings together local chefs, restaurants and community members to help provide 300,000 meals for neighbors in need. Chefs from Atlantic City casinos participated in the annual event.
“Atlantic County has some of the highest rates of food insecurity in the state. We’re grateful to the Casino Association of New Jersey for helping to honor the FoodBank’s 50th anniversary with their generous support and for uniting the Atlantic City casino community to help address hunger. Through this partnership, we can provide more meals to local families in need and make a lasting impact in the area,” said Elizabeth McCarthy, president & CEO of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey.
In addition to the CFBNJ’s 50th anniversary, the partnership between the CANJ and CFBNJ comes at an especially crucial time given the level of food insecurity in New Jersey. Nearly 1 million people in the state, including more than 260,000 children, are at risk of hunger. Atlantic County, home to Atlantic City’s casinos, has some of the highest rates of food insecurity in the state, with 12.2% of residents and 17.4% of children affected.
The casinos involved in the Casinos United Against Hunger initiative – Bally’s Atlantic City Casino Resort, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, Caesars Entertainment’s Atlantic City Resorts, Golden Nugget Atlantic City, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, Ocean Casino Resort and Resorts Casino Hotel – are joining a long-standing tradition of support for CFBNJ. Many properties in Atlantic City are longtime supporters of CFBNJ, and this collective effort demonstrates their commitment to addressing this critical issue. Through this partnership, CFBNJ will be able to distribute more meals to families in need, especially in areas that are most impacted. The $170,000 donation is a total of all financial, grant and in-kind contributions from each Atlantic City casino to the CFBNJ this year.
The post CANJ Launches “Casinos United Against Hunger” Campaign appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC), in partnership with The Esports Radar and strategic event partner BLAST, announced Global Esports Industry Week 2025 (GEIW), a week-long series of executive-level forums, summits and experiential gatherings and socials taking place 18–22 June 2025 in Austin, Texas.
Staged alongside the sold-out BLAST.tv Austin Major Finals (21–22 June), GEIW will convene hundreds of publisher representatives, executives, tournament organisers, team owners, brands, investors, legal specialists, and technology innovators for five days of focused dialogue, deal-making, and industry celebration.
Designed in response to mounting calls for global strategic alignment as the esports sector matures, GEIW offers a purposely neutral environment for stakeholders to tackle shared challenges, set collective priorities, and chart sustainable growth. Anchored at the Downright Austin Hotel, the program blends high-impact content with curated networking and “only-in-Austin” social experiences, ensuring every conversation can translate into actionable collaboration.
Agenda highlights include:
• Esports Leaders & Evening Garden Party (19 June) – a more intimate decision makers only gathering for 120 C-suite leaders in and around the sector, hosted in an off-stage setting with excellent hospitality focused on real conversations and great meetings.
• International Games & Esports Tribunal (IGET) Arbitrators Workshop (19 June) – first-of-its-kind masterclass exploring the revolutionary IGET dispute-resolution framework for video games and esports.
• ESIC Global Esports Summit (20 June) – thought-leadership keynotes and think-tank panels tackling integrity, commercialization and player welfare.
• Premium Networking Experiences (20-21 June) – uniquely local experiences designed to deepen relationships beyond the conference room, including a GEIW Padel Tournament, Texan BBQ Dinners, and more.
Additional activations, partner MOU-signing sessions, and BLAST.tv behind-the-scenes arena tours will run throughout the week.
Stephen Hanna, Chief Executive Officer of Esports Integrity Commission, said: “The global esports ecosystem has reached a tipping point where sustainable growth depends on collective action. Global Esports Industry Week 2025 is our answer to that need—a neutral space where publishers, tournament operators, teams, investors, regulators and technology partners can leave day-to-day business at the door and focus on the bigger picture.
“Over the course of five days, we’ll tackle integrity risks head-on, debate commercial models that reward everyone in the value chain, and map out practical frameworks for player welfare and dispute resolution. By convening the industry’s most influential decision-makers in Austin—alongside the energy of the BLAST.tv Major—we’re setting the stage for agreements and initiatives that will shape esports for the next decade.
“ESIC was founded to safeguard fair play; GEIW extends that mission by championing transparency, accountability and long-term business viability. I look forward to welcoming our global peers to what I believe will become the cornerstone event on the esports business calendar.”
Sam Cooke, CEO & Co-Founder of the Insights Group (owners of The Esports Radar), said: “As co-organiser, The Esports Radar team is thrilled to launch its first event alongside our good friends over at ESIC and BLAST. We couldn’t have hoped for a better city than Austin to host the first GEIW; an accessible, brilliant, proudly weird city for all to enjoy in and around the programmed events, and one with so many major corporations there or close by, alongside a sold-out CS Major no less.
“This’ll be a great few days, with a lot of hands shook and deals done, and if you’re a stakeholder or just interested in the business of esports, and its broader development as an industry, we sincerely hope to see you there!”
James Woollard, Director of Market Development at BLAST, said: “Bringing the BLAST.tv Major together with Global Esports Industry Week will further help position Austin at the global centre of esports and gaming next month. This partnership underscores our commitment to building meaningful, sustainable connections across the global esports ecosystem. We’re proud to play a role in creating an unforgettable week that combines world-class competition with forward-looking industry dialogue, helping shape growth for our industry.”
The post Austin to Host Inaugural Global Esports Industry Week in June 2025 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
partnerships
Continent 8 leads Sportingtech’s Nutanix cloud migration and cost-efficient virtualisation initiatives
Continent 8 designed, planned and executed full-service VMware-to-Nutanix migration effort, helping Sportingtech avert 42% increase in virtualisation costs
Continent 8 Technologies, the leading provider of global managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and cybersecurity solutions to the iGaming and online sports betting industry, is pleased to announce an expanded partnership with multi-award-winning global betting and gaming provider, Sportingtech. In a strategic collaboration to optimise its virtualisation environment, Sportingtech entrusted Continent 8 to successfully oversee and implement their VMware-to-Nutanix cloud migration initiatives.
In the wake of Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware, Sportingtech encountered an unexpected increase in costs, rising by as much as 42% due to licensing changes. This development significantly impacted the cost structure of their VMware-based virtualised enterprise private cloud architecture. To mitigate against these cost fluctuations, Sportingtech chose Continent 8, a Nutanix Authorised Service Provider and their current cloud infrastructure and cybersecurity services partner, to provide professional and managed services for a VMware-to-Nutanix migration.
Continent 8 executed a comprehensive assessment, prioritisation plan and migration journey of hundreds of virtual appliances. The significant efforts led by Continent 8, in close collaboration with Sportingtech, ensured no disruptions in operations or to users and were completed well within the originally anticipated target date. As a result, Sportingtech now benefits from a more predictable, manageable and cost-efficient virtualisation platform and environment.
Michael Jack, Chief Technology Officer at Sportingtech, said: “We are always looking for ways to enhance the solution we build for our customers and to keep costs down. Working with Continent 8, who constantly push to provide efficiencies, cost reductions and value-added expertise, made good sense to us. They continue to be a valued partner and managed to deliver the project on time with no service interruption for us or our customers, which is critical.”
Justin Cosnett, Chief Product Officer at Continent 8, said: “Continent 8 is able to use its experience with VMware, Nutanix, private and public clouds to provide professional as well as managed services to customers, enabling them to focus on core revenue-generating operations. Being able to demonstrate such a significant saving and ROI will be of interest to many enterprises in today’s market.
“It’s thanks to the experienced and highly qualified project and cloud engineering staff at Continent 8 that we were able to successfully complete this project, while earning Sportingtech’s trust to manage their critical operational infrastructure.”
The post Continent 8 leads Sportingtech’s Nutanix cloud migration and cost-efficient virtualisation initiatives appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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