Tag: UK

Former eight-time Champion Jockey Peter Scudamore vocalises the meaning of Mark Boylan’s ‘A Song For Campbell’ on the latest episode of new podcast Disc Jockeys, produced by creative marketing agency Square in the Air.

The new weekly show sees host Chris Barnett chat to some of the biggest names in racing as they look back on the key moments in their careers through five carefully selected musical tracks, all in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund.

Square in the Air will donate £250 per episode to the Injured Jockeys Fund on behalf of each guest and are encouraging listeners to also pledge support. Each show will also be available on Spotify.

Listen via Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2iQCJc7OpdX9ETe0BrT5ar?si=8e3a71b9858349c8
Donate via JustGiving: https://www.justgiving.com/page/sitadiscjockeys

EPISODE 4: PETER SCUDAMORE

This episode brought back some memories for Peter Scudamore, including what was and still is a tough and saddening moment in his life, losing stable jockey and friend Campbell Gillies. Furthermore, how Mark Boylan’s “extraordinary” ‘A Song For Campbell’ has brought some sort of joy from such a dark point.

“If Cheltenham Festival was a song, it would be Mark Boylan, A Song for Campbell,” said Scudamore. “It was a song written about someone and something that happened in my life that I will never get over – young Campbell Gillies.

“He can’t have been much older than 18 when Mark wrote the song, and it’s such an extraordinary song. Although it is about this boy, this moment in time, it has key connotations to Cheltenham Festival and what the emotion of Cheltenham is. It’s what we admire in people, it’s the honesty and bravery that Campbell also possessed.

“It is such a superbly-written song, I don’t think Mark knew Campbell, but he must have spoken to a lot of people he mentions. It’s an emotional song and it reflects the bravery of the jockeys and horses, I love it.”

Francome stopping riding to share record was a very poignant moment

Having ridden over 1,600 winners, including 13 Cheltenham Festival victories and having won the Champion Jockey title eight times, Scudamore revealed that the most poignant moment in his career was when becoming joint Champion Jockey for the first time when John Francome decided to stop riding to ensure they would finish level for the tally of wins.

“A very poignant moment is my career is when I was joint Champion Jockey in 1981/82 with John Francome. I broke my arm at Southwell which forced me to the sidelines in the closing stages of the season.

“John actually called my father and he expressed how, if he were to draw level with me on the tally of wins, then he was going to stop riding to share this title with me. I was 15 to 20 winners in front of him at the time and he had no reason to do what he did. It has to be considered one of the greatest sporting gestures of all time.

“He’s a great man and, funnily enough, he did say to me in years to come that he thought that was my one chance at Champion Jockey. He didn’t think I’d go on to win as many as I did!”

Injured Jockeys Fund very close to my heart

With the release of each episode of Disc Jockeys, Square in the Air will donate £250 to the Injured Jockeys Fund and it’s a charity that Scudamore and his family are a big part of.

“I’m immensely proud to be a part of the Injured Jockeys Fund as it goes back in my family a long way. My father used to collect donations in a blanket at the cricket for the injured jockeys.

“Lord John Oaksey had a massive influence on the growth of the charity, he’s probably one of the greatest men ever in National Hunt racing. I had the privilege of sitting as a director of the Injured Jockeys fund. It’s a truly magnificent charity – it’s the best sporting charity with the things they do and the aid they give.”

Playnetic, the new immersive iGaming business, has marked its introduction to the industry with a bang after enjoying a successful brand launch at this year’s ICE London. Using the prominent industry event to official announce itself and reinforce the company’s key messages to its partners, Playnetic also revealed details of ten exciting casino titles, as it previewed games from its ever-expanding portfolio.

The jampacked tradeshow saw Playnetic kickstart its mission in offering innovative titles built with the latest technology and most exciting in-game features. At ICE, potential collaborators were treated to a sneak peek under the hood of the new company, and a chance to understand the levels of quality, reliability and service on offer.

iGaming’s newest player exclusively showcased ten games from its growing library, demonstrating a range of captivating titles that are primed to enter key global markets.

The collection includes eight thematic slots and two classic tables games, including thrilling titles: Max Catch, Miners are Wild and Thor’s Wild Power. These absorbing games were the centre of attention for Playnetic’s highly popular daily tournament, presenting enchanting audio-visuals and a variety of mechanics, the trio of titles attracted more than 300 players each day, with nine lucky players taking home a collection of brilliant prizes.

Dan Phillips, Playnetic CEO said: “We’re pleased to have had such a successful launch at one of the most important gaming events of the year. It was a pleasure to speak with a variety of industry experts and relay our vision for what we can offer in a vastly competitive business environment.

“It was fantastic to see so many positive leads for our CCO, Julian Borg-Barthet and the sales team; highlighting what a triumphant show it was. We’re really looking forward to the year ahead and to showcasing more content from our growing games library, beyond the ten titles we launched at ICE. We have a lot planned and are excited to continue growing and making our mark in key jurisdictions.”

Further exciting and original titles demonstrated at ICE included: Pop the Bank, Osiris Fortune, Nefertiti’s Ring Jackpot, Dragon’s Blaze, Max Catch and Bison Trails. Each game presents a unique design, with most featuring a highly sought-after Free Spins mode, as well as a range of progressive mechanics and multipliers – guaranteed to increase player engagement and retention.

The 2024 edition of ICE – the last to take place in London prior to its relocation to Barcelona in 2025 opened today (6^th February) at ExCeL. ICE and sister show iGB Affiliate signed off in style with a record total of 811 exhibitors occupying the entirety of ExCeL.

Gaming professionals from throughout the world were gathering at ExCeL for what Clarion Gaming Managing Director Stuart Hunter described as being an ‘extremely poignant occasion’. He said: “ICE 2024 offers an unparalleled array of ideas, opportunities, product exclusives, education and experiences.”

Referencing the ICE MORE creative campaign he added: “MORE is a pledge to the entire industry to deliver in a way that only ICE can and that’s by connecting the entire gaming community of suppliers, operators, legislators and regulators.

“This week our collective focus is on delivering exceptional editions of ICE and sister show iGB Affiliate and saying a huge thankyou to ExCeL London for hosting our events so professionally and for being such an important part of their success.”

Zimpler, a fintech company providing seamless and secure account-to-account payment solutions, will participate at ICE 2024 – the leading global gaming and gambling event servicing the entire industry, taking place in London on 6-8 February.

ICE is the Global Gaming Hub for all B2B industry experts. It continues to be unrivaled as the leading gaming technology event for business growth, development and networking. All forms of gaming are covered at ICE, including topics highly relevant for Zimpler, such as payment solutions, consumer protection, regulations, and diversity and inclusion in the gaming industry.

The event also gathers payment providers to meet and discuss products, innovations and cooperations.

Zimpler is participating to actively engage new potential partners, strengthen ongoing dialogues and exchange updates on industry trends. A certain focus will be on discussing upcoming regulation in various markets – such as Brazil and Finland – and how to win in those markets.

“ICE will be a great opportunity for us to tell potential partners about the many exciting products and partnerships that Zimpler has in the pipeline. In particular, I’m looking forward to discussing Zimpler’s expansion in Brazil,” says Johan Strand, CEO.

Former Inspired Entertainment Chief Commercial Officer Steve Rogers joins list of high-profile backers of United Kingdom affiliate marketing product provider

• 20SHOTS’ unique business model and marketing offering are attracting major investors in both the world of venture capital and the betting and gaming sector
• Rogers joins a prestigious line-up of 20SHOTS investors, bringing with him more than 25 years’ experience in the industry
• Rogers will accelerate 20SHOTS’ growth by bolstering commercial and execution capabilities

Global affiliate marketing product provider 20SHOTS has strengthened its portfolio of industry backers as former Inspired Entertainment Chief Commercial Officer – Virtual Sports, Steve Rogers, joins the impressive portfolio of industry investors.

Rogers, who has, during his time in the sector, helped broker deals with the likes of Shaquille O’Neal, Mike Tyson, the NFL and the NBA, joins a roster of tech and gaming heavyweight backers.

Fellow investors include:

• Animal Capital, a VC based in Los Angeles that has invested in several sports betting businesses including Underdog Fantasy
• Jasper White, former Chief Executive Officer for sports betting company Gambit Research who now runs a hedge fund focused on the betting industry
• John Pettit, previously Group Commercial Director for both Ladbrokes and Gala Coral and now Chief Commercial Officer for Playtech BGT Sports
• Alex Donohue, founder and Managing Director for Press Box PR

Speaking about the new partnership, the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer for 20SHOTS, Jacob Kalms, said Rogers’ industry knowledge and connections were a welcome addition, accelerating expansion plans across multiple markets including Latin America, the United States and the United Kingdom.

“Our ambition is to become one of the leading affiliate marketing technology platforms and attracting the right strategic investment from the gaming industry and beyond is a key part of this plan,” Kalms said. “Rogers’ investment bolsters our capabilities in terms of not only commercial growth but smooth integration of our increasingly diverse range of products with our partners. He will also play a key role in developing our offering for a range of markets, working in conjunction with our existing team and investors, both in and out of the gaming industry.”

“Over my 25 years in this industry I have seen how innovative technology and product development from specialist marketing platforms have improved commercial capabilities for operators, affiliates and other parties,” Rogers said. “I believe 20SHOTS has the potential to accelerate how operators recruit and retain customers, particularly in a changing regulatory environment, using the power of fantasy sports to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

“I am looking forward to working with Jacob, the 20SHOTs management team and other investors to accelerate the growth of its product roadmap and expansion into new territories to usher in a new era of growth for the company.”