lottery
National Lottery Heritage Fund Supports Dean Heritage Centre
A collaborative project involving University of Gloucestershire, the Dean Heritage Centre and local volunteers and schools to establish a unique literary collection, has been awarded £133,8867 by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The literary papers of past Forest of Dean writers will be conserved and made available to researchers, schools and the public.
The new project will bring together a unique collection of material spanning more than 200 years, some written in local dialect, that reflects the landscape, people and places of the Forest of Dean.
The Forest of Dean Writers Collection will complement Dean Heritage Centre’s archive of British television playwright Dennis Potter (1935-1994), which was also the product of previous work with the University.
The two-year-long project will see the original handwritten manuscripts, including poems, novels, play scripts, notebooks, drawings and photographs held by descendants from all over the UK and the US, become part of the Forest community museum’s permanent collection.
Specialists from University of Gloucestershire will work with museum staff and local volunteers to research and catalogue the more than 400 unique items making up the new collection, while a series of events and exhibitions will showcase the fascinating new material.
Schools will have access to the collection’s literary, historical and dramatic content, to give their cross-curriculum work a local flavour and raise literary aspirations.
Unique Material
Among the unique material making up the new collection are previously unknown poems by “Forest Poetess” Catherine Drew (1784-1867); work by poet, biographer and literary editor Leonard Clark OBE (1905-1981); books once belonging to war-poet FW Harvey (1888-1957; a never-before seen novel by Valerie Grosvenor Myer (1935-2007) better known as an academic and biographer; a memoir by former collier and farmer Fred Boughton (1897-1985) written in Forest dialect with parallel “Queen’s English” translation.
Many of the papers were discovered by Dr Jason Griffiths and Dr Roger Deeks during their research for the University’s “Reading the Forest” project that was launched in 2015 to engage the public with the work, life stories and achievements of writers and poets from the Forest.
Dr Jason Griffiths said: “We’re so thrilled to hear we’ve received this support from the Heritage Fund. Thanks to The National Lottery players, more people will learn about the Forest of Dean’s rich and distinctive literary heritage.
“The work of these authors is of intense local interest, but it is also part of a much wider national body of work that captures the rich texture of this country’s fascinating places and people.”
Dr Roger Deeks said: “The literary heritage of the Forest of Dean is an important part of its wider cultural heritage. Many of these writers overcame economic hardship and class prejudice to achieve what they did. The story of their lives and careers will inspire young Foresters.”
Creative Talent
Dean Heritage Centre manager, Mark George, said: “This new collection plays an important part in our plans to diversify the museum’s displays and the new stories we tell about the Forest’s history. It will bring new visitors to the Centre too.”
Nicola Wynn, head of collections at Dean Heritage Centre, said: “This is fantastic news. I am so looking forward to working with this new collection. Alongside our existing Dennis Potter archive, this new material demonstrates the incredible depth of creative talent that has come out of the Forest of Dean over the years.
“Engaging young people with this work could create a whole new generation of Forest writers and poets.”
Compliance Updates
Scientific Games Granted License from UAE’s General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority
Scientific Games is licensed by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority as a Gaming-Related Vendor for the supply of lottery products and services in the UAE. The GCGRA is the federal executive agency responsible for regulating and overseeing all commercial gaming in the UAE to ensure fairness and transparency.
The agency was established in 2023 to cultivate world-class commercial gaming operations and implement efficient regulation, grounded in the principles of integrity, innovation and responsible practices. Commercial gaming activities in the UAE include lottery, internet gaming, sports wagering and land-based gaming facilities.
With operations on five continents, Scientific Games provides retail and digital games, technology, analytics and services to 150 lotteries in 50 countries around the globe.
“We are extremely pleased that Scientific Games has been authorized as a lottery supplier in the UAE with this license. We look forward to putting our more than 50 years of expertise to work in the UAE to offer high-performing products that will responsibly help drive revenue for lottery programs supporting local communities and projects of national importance,” said Michael Conforti, President, International Business for Scientific Games.
The post Scientific Games Granted License from UAE’s General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Justin Simporios is normally a sound sleeper who “can fall asleep anywhere” – but he had a very sleepless night, after learning he won an $80-million Lotto Max jackpot from the May 9, 2025 draw. This is the largest lottery jackpot ever won in B.C. and is also the largest jackpot ever won by a single individual in Canada.
“It was 10:30 p.m.,” recalled Simporios of the moment he realized he won. “I saw that someone won $80 million in Surrey. I was joking and told my wife ‘we’re millionaires!’ and she told me to stop making that joke. After, I manually checked each number before scanning [using the BCLC Lotto! I cried and shouted, ‘we’re millionaires!’”
The Surrey resident woke up his wife to share the news. “She was in complete disbelief and a bit mad at me because our daughter wasn’t feeling well.” Simporios’ wife luckily agreed this was a good reason to wake her.
While still in disbelief about his win, Simporios is ultimately most excited to share his windfall with his family. “I want to help my family and my wife’s family. I’ll pay off my sister’s medical school debt and help my mom retire early – just giving my family a head start in life.”
Giving back to the community in Surrey and B.C. is also a key priority for Simporios. “I’ve struggled before and needed help. Even if I can give an ounce of happiness, I want to help where we can. This feels like a dream.”
As an avid LA Lakers fan, Simporios mentioned he would like to see LeBron James play before James retires. He also plans to visit his family in the Philippines for a family reunion. “My wife and kid have never visited!”
On how it feels to win a record-breaking jackpot?
“The biggest change will be having more time with my wife and family. We want to live with a purpose – to help the community around us.”
Simporios purchased the winning ticket at the Walmart Supercentre in Central City on King George Boulevard in Surrey.
So far in 2025, B.C. lottery players have redeemed more than $101 million from Lotto Max. Lotto Max is a nationwide lottery game drawn on Tuesdays and Fridays after 7:30 p.m. (PST).
Players can purchase tickets at lottery retailers or at PlayNow.com. Winning numbers and group release forms can be found online at www.bclc.com. Players can check their lottery tickets anytime, anywhere on iOS and Android devices. Learn more about the BCLC Lotto!
BCLC offers socially responsible gambling entertainment while generating income to benefit all British Columbians. Players can visit PlayNow.com to learn how to set time and money limits.
The post Surrey Resident Wins Record-Breaking $80-Million Lotto Max Jackpot appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Andrew Jackson VP Corporate Responsibility for Scientific Games
Scientific Games iLottery Receives National Council on Problem Gambling’s iCAP Ready Accreditation
Scientific Games has achieved the distinguished iCAP Ready supplier accreditation from the National Council on Problem Gambling. The iCAP Ready accreditation, a version of NCPG’s Internet Compliance Assessment Program for suppliers, confirms that the global lottery company meets the gold standard for consumer protection with its iLottery platform and user experience requirements for consistently safe, enjoyable online lottery play.
iCAP is a U.S. accreditation for best practices in online gambling player protection held by only a few U.S. lotteries and suppliers. The assessment, conducted by independent responsible gaming experts, audited a framework of player protection processes, tools, responsible gambling policies and trainings completed by Scientific Games. This included demonstrating to employees that the company remains committed to safer lottery play. NCPG also evaluated Scientific Games’ overall compliance.
“Scientific Games continues to demonstrate leadership in responsible gambling by earning iCAP Ready accreditation,” said Jaime Costello, Director of Programs for the National Council on Problem Gambling. “This accomplishment reflects a thoughtful and proactive approach to player protection, and we commend their commitment to aligning with best practices that support player well-being.”
The company’s digital platform is part of a highly secure technology suite that delivers modern technology and advanced features to support a lottery’s online business. The program’s heart is SG PAM, a secure player account management system for all player account activity and wallet transactions across retail and digital. Other features of the iLottery program include an advanced responsible gaming toolset and Healthy Play program, as well as powerful customer relationship management components.
Andrew Jackson, VP, Corporate Responsibility for Scientific Games, said, “We are honored to achieve this important iCAP supplier accreditation from NCPG. Our government-regulated lottery customers can be assured that Scientific Games’ iLottery platform and solution meet the highest standards in the U.S. for responsible gaming and player protection.”
Scientific Games serves more than 30 lotteries globally with iLottery solutions, including in the U.S., Canada, UK, Denmark, Germany, France and Turkey. Lotteries worldwide use the company’s award-winning Healthy Play program’s tools and research to provide more insight into lottery players and promote ‘lottery literacy’—understanding how lottery games work, the odds of winning, and the minimum age to play.
Since 1972, NCPG has led state and national stakeholders in the development of comprehensive policies and programs for all those affected by problem gambling.
With operations on five continents, Scientific Games provides retail and digital games, technology, analytics and services to 150 lotteries in 50 countries worldwide.
Healthy Play and MOMENTUM® are trademarks of Scientific Games. ©2025 Scientific Games, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
The post Scientific Games iLottery Receives National Council on Problem Gambling’s iCAP Ready Accreditation appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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