Industry News
IGT Achieves “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality” Designation by Human Rights Campaign Foundation
International Game Technology PLC announced today that it received a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), earning the global company the coveted “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality” designation. The nation’s leading benchmarking survey for LGBTQ+ equality in the workplace, the CEI evaluates corporate policies and practices to measure an employer’s commitment to workplace equality.
IGT joins the ranks of a record-breaking 842 U.S.-based companies to receive a perfect CEI score this year. The educational arm of the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights advocacy group, the HRC Foundation rated businesses on detailed criteria across four central pillars:
- Non-discrimination policies across business entities.
- Equitable benefits for LGBTQ+ workers and their families.
- Supporting an inclusive culture.
- Corporate social responsibility.
“IGT earning the HRC Foundation’s ‘Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality’ designation is a reflection of our commitment to provide a workplace culture that is welcoming, equitable and empowering to LGBTQ+ employees across the globe,” said Vincent Sadusky, IGT CEO. “I wish to thank our approximately 11,000 employees worldwide, especially members of PRIDE with IGT, who together with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion embrace and activate IGT’s core values and contributed to this milestone achievement.”
“This designation reinforces that IGT’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is focused on impact,” said Melissa Pursley, IGT Vice President and COO IGT Indiana and Co-Executive Sponsor of PRIDE with IGT. “Many in the LGBTQ+ community still struggle to thrive at work, and as a senior leader at IGT and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I am proud that IGT has taken consistent steps to ensure that this is not the case for our colleagues.”
“When the Human Rights Campaign Foundation created the Corporate Equality Index 20 years ago, we dreamed that LGBTQ+ workers—from the factory floor to corporate headquarters, in big cities and small towns—could have access to the policies and benefits needed to thrive and live life authentically,” said Jay Brown, Human Rights Campaign Senior Vice President of Programs, Research and Training.“We are proud that the Corporate Equality Index paved the way to that reality for countless LGBTQ+ workers in America and abroad. But there is still more to do, which is why we are raising the bar yet again to create more equitable workplaces and a better tomorrow for LGBTQ+ workers everywhere. Congratulations to IGT for achieving the title of ‘Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality’ and working to advance inclusion in the workplace.”
Since 2018, IGT has implemented a range of programs, policy and systems changes, and leading practices that have promoted all dimensions of diversity to make the Company a more attractive and inclusive employer. Some of these actions include:
- Introducing gender affirming medical benefits for transgender employees.
- Offering competitive benefits for same sex partners, regardless of marital status.
- Creating gender neutral restrooms at major IGT campuses.
- Implementing more inclusive and equitable hiring processes.
- Establishing and supporting PRIDE with IGT, an employee-led and executive-sponsored Diversity and Inclusion Group.
- Facilitating both mandatory and elective employee training courses that help support IGT’s diversity, equity, inclusion, sustainability, and anti-harassment commitments.
Industry News
SKS365 keeps investing in people: GROW People Management Program took the next level
11 experienced people managers from the SKS365 group’s 4 locations gathered last week in Belgrade for the new GROW People Management Program. From 15 th to 19 th of April, through trainings, discussions, and social connections, people had the opportunity to further grow individually and as a team, while enjoying Belgrade’s city center and rivers.
Created in 2023 with the purpose of building foundation people management skills across the organization, GROW initiative evolved this year by including a new, advanced program for experienced people managers to further consolidate their skills and prepare for future opportunities.
Building and fostering connections, sharing experiences, and enjoying team building experiences – all these activities have been part of the GROWpmp agenda for the 11 people managers coming from Commercial, Product and Development, Finance, and Sportsbook departments of the group’s 4 locations – Malta, Italy, Austria, Serbia.
GROWpmp included a variety of topics that people managers in SKS365 recognized as the key areas for management development. Topics such as influence through communication, team effectiveness, DEI, through to presentation skills and business topics like understanding finance and management reporting, were delivered with the support of external professionals and internal experts, while designed and organized by the SKS365 People & Culture team.
Industry News
Kindred’s Share of Revenue from High-risk Players Shows Slight Increase
Kindred Group plc’s (Kindred) share of revenue from high-risk players showed a slight increase to 3.2% (Q4 2023 3.1%) in the first quarter of 2024. Compared to the first quarter of 2023, the high-risk revenue share decreased marginally. The percentage of detected customers who exhibited improved behaviour after interventions came in at 87.1% (compared to 87.4% in Q4 2023 and 83.0% in Q1 2023). This sustained trajectory in the improvement effect after interventions, observed over an extended period, serves as a testament to the strong dedication and collective efforts throughout the company. It reflects Kindred’s ongoing commitment to fostering positive change within the industry.
“We continue to see our share of revenue from high-risk players fluctuate quarter to quarter, and we are working closely with all teams across the company to support customers towards a more sustainable gambling experience. However, it is encouraging to see that our Journey towards Zero data has steadily decreased since 2020. A similar trend can be seen across the healthier gambling behaviour effect after interventions. This tells us two things: our work is paying off, but we need to continue to push ourselves to propel a sustainable progression,” Alexander Westrell, Director of Communications at Kindred Group, said.
“It was very encouraging to witness the open and transparent discussions at the Sustainable Gambling Conference in London on 20 March, where those with lived experience shared their important stories. Also, it is evident that technology is moving forward, and will provide greater opportunities to detect and intervene in the future. We hope to see more regulators engage with the industry and with experts to secure a more sustainable industry for everyone,” Alexander Westrell added.
Industry News
PENN Entertainment Names Aaron LaBerge as Chief Technology Officer
PENN Entertainment announced that Aaron LaBerge has been named Chief Technology Officer (CTO) effective July 1, 2024, subject to customary regulatory approvals. Mr. LaBerge will report directly to PENN CEO & President Jay Snowden.
In his new role, Mr. LaBerge will be responsible for driving the technology strategy and execution for PENN, while leading the multinational team of technologists and serving as the key business leader for the company’s Interactive division.
Mr. LaBerge spent more than 20 years at The Walt Disney Company, in two stints separated by five and a half years as a technology entrepreneur. He was most recently President & Chief Technology Officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN where he was responsible for driving all technology and product development in support of The Walt Disney Company’s two media divisions. In that role, he helped set the vision and strategic leadership for how Disney uses technology to enable storytelling and innovation, drive its business, and create unparalleled consumer experiences with entertainment and sports content.
“We are thrilled to have someone of Aaron’s caliber join our PENN executive team. Having overseen a global organization of thousands of engineers, product developers, designers, technologists, and data scientists that created some of the largest scale and most successful media properties in the world, there is no better candidate to lead our Technology and Interactive division into its future. I know Aaron is looking forward to working with Todd George, our head of operations, and our entire Executive Team to continue growing our position as a leader in online gaming, sports betting, and digital sports media,” Mr. Snowden said.
“I’m excited to join another talented team at PENN Interactive and lead our technology strategy. PENN Entertainment is at the forefront of the fast-changing gaming and sports media industry. I plan to use my experience from Disney and ESPN to help make ESPN BET an essential piece of the sports fan experience. Together, we’ll push the limits and redefine how fans interact with sports and gaming,” Mr. LaBerge said.
Prior to his most recent role at the Walt Disney Company, Mr. LaBerge was Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at ESPN from 2015 to 2018. At ESPN he played an instrumental role in the growth of ESPN’s consumer-facing digital media products and services – leading many of ESPN’s most ambitious and challenging projects and helping establish ESPN’s position as the leader in digital sports and innovative sports technology development. He was a key architect in the design, development, and engineering of ESPN’s state-of-the-art facilities in Bristol, CT; Los Angeles, CA; Charlotte, NC; and Austin, TX, as well as data centers and infrastructure that connect those facilities around the world, as well as the technology design and development to support the launch of the multi-platform SEC Network.
Between 2007 and 2012, LaBerge was co-founder and CEO of Fanzter, Inc. – a venture-funded consumer software and digital product development company. At Fanzter, he directed all day-to-day operations and led the development and launch of a variety of consumer-focused internet and mobile products, ground-breaking social and commerce technologies and more.
-
Asia7 days ago
Maharashtra Government rewards state’s Asian Games 2022 Esports athletes with INR 10 lakhs; marks historic moment for Indian Esports
-
Central Europe6 days ago
Wazdan amplifies Swiss presence with Swiss4Win launch
-
Asia7 days ago
PAGCor Welcomes Lawyer Wilma Eisma as New President and Chief Operating Officer
-
Latest News6 days ago
Evoplay strikes distribution agreement with Light & Wonder
-
Compliance Updates7 days ago
GoldenRace is now certified in the Netherlands
-
Latest News7 days ago
Altenar releases trio of betting widgets to enhance customer engagement
-
Australia7 days ago
SkyCity Appoints Jason Walbridge as Chief Executive Officer
-
Latest News7 days ago
Xtremepush Expands Reach in Brazil Through Senna Sport Deal