Press Releases
UK’s Betting and Gaming Council announced that Kevin Schofield has been appointed as Director of Communications and Digital
Kevin will be joining the Betting and Gaming Council in summer, from his current role as editor of PoliticsHome.
The Betting and Gaming Council is the new standards body committed to setting the highest industry standards and to building consumer and public trust in the betting and gaming industry.
Kevin Schofield joins the BGC with an outstanding career in journalism. For more than 25 years, he has worked for a range of newspapers across the UK, including The Scotsman, The Herald, Daily Record and The Sun. Since 2015 he has been editor of PoliticsHome.
In nearly two decades covering politics, he has reported on six general elections as well as the Scottish independence and EU referendums.
Membership of the Betting and Gaming Council is open to all gambling operators with a UK licence. It comprises members from the online and retail sectors, representing over 90% of the betting and gaming sector (excluding lotteries). All members are required to adhere to a new Code of Conduct setting the highest standards for membership.
Michael Dugher, Chief Executive, Betting and Gaming Council commenting said:
“The BGC is a new standards body committed to delivering big changes across the industry. To do that, we need top people. Kevin Schofield is one of the very best media professionals of his generation, he commands massive respect across journalism and politics, and he is an outstanding hire for the BGC.
“Kevin is joining an already top class and growing team at the BGC. This shows that we are building something exciting at the BGC as we strive to become the very best in the business.”
Kevin Schofield, newly appointed Director of Communications and Digital said:
“I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the Betting and Gaming Council and can’t wait to get started. I know that they have big ambitions for the years ahead and I’m looking forward to working with the team to help drive up standards in the industry.”
In addition, Wes Himes, former CEO of the RGA has been appointed Executive Director, Standards and Innovation responsible for safer gambling, policy, research and regulation and Gary Follis, former interim CEO of the ABB and Director of Communications at the BGC has been appointed Executive Director for Corporate Affairs responsible for communications, government relations and membership.
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.
eSports
North Star Network acquires Um Dois Esportes
North Star Network are delighted to announce the acquisition of umdoisesportes.com.br, which becomes the latest addition to NSN’s global sports media portfolio.
Born from the GRPCOM merger of the editorial teams of Gazeta Do Povo and Tribuna do Paraná in 2020, Um Dois Esportes provides in-depth sports coverage and analysis for the Brazilian state of Paraná and beyond.
North Star Network co-founder Julien Josset said: “Thank you to the team at GRPCOM for their faith in us to take the brand forward. Um Dois Esportes is an established and renowned site in Paraná State, and we’re excited about the challenge of developing this asset.”
“We’re happy to maintain the collaboration with the existing editorial team, and look forward to working with them, bringing our unique NSN approach, to take UDE forward.” NSN’s signing of Um Dois Esportes is the media house’s fourth acquisition of 2024, following the recent deals to purchase UK-based SportsMole and MrFixitsTips, as well as Chilean site AlAireLibre, which was announced in March.
The latest addition to the North Star media portfolio joins existing assets including Top Mercato, Afrik-Foot, and Vringe. The Paris-based company already oversees a significant Brazilian operation, delivering over 6 million sessions per month, from the likes of Trivela, Premier League Brasil and Lakers Brasil.
NSN will retain Curitiba-based journalists from the Um Dois Esportes legacy team to maintain the asset’s unique tone and popular coverage of the Paraná sports scene across site and social.
“We were surprised by the interest, and initially had no intention of selling Um Dois, but as the conversations evolved, we realised this was a serious group with good intentions,” said GRPCOM Director Rafael Mello. “We were very happy to see our project being valued by a large international group and going global, demonstrating the quality of the content we produced.”
“We’re also proud that North Star inherited our journalists, who are truly responsible for the success of the product we offer readers every day.”
partnerships
BNXT League and PepperMill Casino join forces
BNXT League , the professional men’s basketball league played across the Netherlands and Belgium, and PepperMill Casino, the online casino licensed in Belgium, are pleased to announce their partnership centered around the BNXT League’s Belgian Play Offs.
PepperMill Casino will be a naming partner of the Belgian play offs. For the 24-25 season, PepperMill remains a partner of the BNXT League until the restrictions on gambling advertising take legal effect on January 1, 2025.
The partnership between BNXT League and PepperMill Casino aims to create engaging and customized content that engages and captivates fans on multiple fronts while increasing brand awareness.
“The basketball community is growing and buzzing with excitement and energy,” stated Anthony Rus, General Director of PepperMill Casino. “This partnership allows us to create memorable moments that build brand awareness and capture the hearts of fans.”
“Wim Van de Keere, general manager of the BNXT League, adds, “The playoffs are undoubtedly the sporting highlight of the season. We are delighted to still be able to tie a dynamic partner like PepperMill Casino to us despite the restrictions coming up from 2025.”
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