Betfred, one of the UK’s leading bookmakers, has officially re-opened its Head Office in Warrington after a multimillion-pound investment, underscoring a new era of innovation, employee collaboration and commitment to the region.

The plaque was officially unveiled on Friday 22 November, by Betfred boss Fred Done, and the Speaker of the House of Commons the Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle. Sir Lindsay Hoyle is also the President of the Rugby Football League. Betfred is the sport’s biggest supporter and the headline sponsor of the Betfred Super League and the Challenge Cup for the men’s, women’s and wheelchair game.

Betfred first moved into the Spectrum arena from their Salford base in 2004 and decided to embark on this hugely ambitious refurbishment project in September 2021.

The revamped 50,000-square-foot Spectrum building now stands as a vibrant workspace for over 450 Betfred employees. This modern transformation marks a departure from its roots as a former arena that famously hosted concerts by the likes of Status Quo, New Order and Atomic Kitten, and also hosted major snooker tournaments.

Fred Done said: “Reopening our Spectrum HQ is a very proud moment for me and my family. We’ve come a long way since having one shop in Salford in 1967 and I’m delighted that because of our close association with Rugby League that Sir Lindsay Hoyle has kindly agreed to officially open the building.”

Betfred CEO Joanne Whitaker added: “The reopening of the Spectrum marks a fresh chapter for us. This redesign is more than just a new look—it’s about building an inspiring, collaborative environment that reflects our bold ambitions. We’ve created a dynamic space where ideas can flourish, and our teams can come together. We’re excited about the possibilities this new headquarters will open up and are looking forward to the journey ahead. Although we are an international company, it was very important to us we remained in the Northwest and close to our roots.”

A highlight of the newly revamped headquarters is the state-of-the-art “Nifty 50” studio, the new home of Betfred’s own numbers game offering a top prize of £5 million, hosted live by two brand new presenters.

Another standout feature of the refurbishment is the “Immersion Tunnel,” a stadium-inspired space that is bold, high-tech and designed to connect employees across the building. Spanning the tunnel is a striking, larger-than-life display showcasing Betfred’s sporting heritage and milestone moments. The tunnel delivers a powerful experience, bringing Betfred’s legacy very much to life.

This ambitious refurbishment was project managed internally by Betfred’s Head of Asset Management Peter Buckles and Betfred’s Senior Project Manager Helen Haworth.

Peter Buckles added: “The key to the project was understanding Betfred’s business requirements and that helped guide the delivery including elements which are unique to a betting business. With the support of the IT team, we also kept the data centre for over 1400 shops and our website still running during this major refurbishment. We are all very proud of what we have delivered for our colleagues.”

The construction side of the redevelopment was supported by Domis Construction and their Managing Director Kingsley Thornton said: “It was fantastic to work on such a unique project and completely modernise and redevelop the Spectrum Arena to make an exciting headquarters for Betfred.”

The interior design was completed by Jackson Downes, with their founder previously working with top brands such as JD Sports, Muse Developments and Accor Hotels.

Kate Jackson, founder and director of Jackson Downes, said: “Spectrum has always been a special building, so when tasked with redesigning this space for Betfred, we made it our mission to honour its rich history in the design. We’ve crafted a bespoke environment that not only meets Betfred’s unique needs but also motivates and supports the next generation of growth.”

Leading supplier awarded gold standard for information security management systems with new accreditation

WA.Technology, the award-winning B2B iGaming solutions provider, has reached a new milestone after being awarded the ISO 27001:2022 certification.

The globally recognised standard outlines the robust requirements that companies must meet for information security management systems (ISMS). The certification offers a comprehensive framework for developing, implementing, and maintaining robust data security practices in an online environment.

Being awarded the ISO 27001:2022 certification reflects WA.Technology’s ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest possible security controls and data integrity standards across its entire organisation.

The process involved an in-depth analysis of WA.Technology’s information security policies and analysis of the procedures and comprehensive security controls in place to protect the business against potential vulnerabilities. These threats include unauthorised data breaches, sharing of information, and other potential risks.

This is the International Organisation for Standardisation’s (ISO) latest version of the 27001 certification, which features enhanced provisions around emerging information security risks and challenges in the digital landscape, including those related to cloud security, remote working, building access, maintenance of company data, and the utilisation of new technologies. An upgrade from the 2013 certification, ISO 27001:2022 provides online-facing organisations with a clear framework for implementing and managing an effective ISMS to protect confidential information.

Francesca Grech, ISO Coordinator at WA.Technology, celebrated the new certification: “We are delighted to have received the ISO 27001:2022 certification – this is a true reflection of our commitment to upholding the highest standards in information and cyber security and improving our overall risk management and operational efficiency.”

“ISO 27001:2022 is the gold standard for security for any online business; it is no longer a ‘nice to have’ certification but an essential. At WA.Technology, we thoroughly understand the importance of deploying robust security systems across our entire business. This is imperative not only to protect our partners’ information but also to build trust and enhance credibility and confidence too.”

Leading iGaming content provider Spinomenal has enhanced its impressive slot portfolio with the release of Break the Piggy Bank. The game is part of the Classics Series.

A vault stacked high with gold coins sets the scene for this fun slot game that is presented within a 5×3 frame. Sacks of gold coins, pigs, wads of cash and a dazzling diamond make up the medium symbols.

Three or more Golden Piggy Bank symbols will instantly launch the Free Spins mode. Here players can win 10 Free Spins with three Piggy Banks, 15 Free Spins with four, and cool 20 Free Spins with five. Find the Golden Hammer to break into the Piggy Bank and players will benefit from its power to substitute for all other symbols except for the scattered Free Spins symbol.

Spinomenal’s Instant Cash feature is in play too and will activate every time the reel spins and the Instant Cash symbol will randomly present four possible values that are collected in Free Spins. Instant Cash symbols are possible to save up during the round before they grow the Free Spins metre at the top of the reels.

Once four Wild symbols are secured, players will earn 10 additional free spins and on all future spins until the free spins finishes. It also means that the Small Instant Cash symbol (pays x2 or x5 of the total bet) turns into a Medium Instant Cash symbol which pays out x10 or x15 of the total bet.

Eight Wild symbols discovered means players will collect six further free spins on all future spins until the free spins end. The Medium Instant Cash symbols are transformed into Large Instant Cash symbols, which pays out x20 or x25 of the total bet.

After finding 12 Wilds symbols, players collect another four additional free spins and on all future spins until the free spins end. This then takes players to the final level where the Huge Instant Cash symbol is activated and pays either x50 or x2000 the total bet.

Spinomenal CO-CEO, Omer Henya commented: “Players will be lining up to take a spin on our latest game to join the classics series, Break the Piggy Bank. We’re on the money again with this one as the free games and Instant Cash mechanic promise a wealth of fun.”