• Co-investment by ZEAL and French lottery operator FDJ UNITED Ventures
• Strategic partnership drives industry innovation and growth

ZEAL Network SE, Germany’s leading provider of online lotteries, is investing in the innovative Swedish iLottery and iBingo specialist Random State, alongside FDJ UNITED Ventures, FDJ UNITED’s startup investment fund.  With this co-investment, both partners reaffirm their commitment to advancing the global lottery industry.

Random State develops modern, digital instant lottery and bingo formats characterized by creative game design and a consistent focus on user experience. Notable clients include The UAE Lottery, the first regulated lottery in the United Arab Emirates and Delta Bingo Online, the digital arm of the Canadian gambling operator Delta Bingo & Gaming.

Investment creates value for all parties

The investment will enable Random State to strategically expand its sales and marketing activities and accelerate the development of new games – supporting the company’s continued growth trajectory. ZEAL, in turn, gains not only valuable insights into new game formats and mechanics but also benefits from the commercial partnership opportunities that come with the investment. This move is part of the strategic goal of ZEAL Ventures, the venture investment department of ZEAL, to actively shape the future of lottery and infuse innovation into ZEAL’s product portfolio.

The partnership with FDJ UNITED Ventures also highlights the increasing collaboration among leading European lottery operators, united by a shared ambition to bring fresh momentum to a modern and future-ready lottery landscape.

Driving the future of the industry together

“With Random State, we are investing into innovation in the iLottery sector,” says Juliane Gutsmiedl, Investment Manager at ZEAL Ventures. “The team impresses with creative game design and a deep understanding of diverse user preferences – providing us with valuable impulses for the development of our own portfolio.”

“Our vision is to reimagine the lottery – digital, user-centric, and globally connected,” said Mattias Westholm, CEO of Random State. “With ZEAL Ventures and FDJ UNITED Ventures, we’ve found strong, strategically-minded partners who share this ambition. This investment allows us to accelerate our innovation pipeline and expand into new markets and customer segments.”

Flutter Entertainment’s online bingo brand, tombola, announced its first-ever platform partnership, bringing its innovative product and deep liquidity pool to Sisal, Flutter’s sports betting and gaming brand in Italy. The collaboration between the two leading brands represents the latest example of the Flutter Edge in action – the Group’s distinct competitive advantages across product, technology, expertise and scale, all of which are evident in this partnership.

Sisal’s bingo customers now get to enjoy tombola’s proprietary bingo product as an integrated feature on their app and website. Games will continue to be Sisal-branded to maintain consistency but will be powered by tombola’s product offering and expertise. Meanwhile, Italian tombola players will see the introduction of Super Bingo, a new playing experience involving a game of 75-ball bingo that will generate significant full house prizes well beyond what has been available in the market up to now.

Importantly, the integration and these new products allow both sets of customers to avail of a much deeper liquidity pool, giving them opportunities to play for larger prizes and bigger guaranteed jackpots.

Rosangela Robbiani, Chief Product Officer at Flutter Southern Europe and Africa (SEA), which includes Sisal, said: “We’re thrilled to see this combination happening, as Italy proves once again to be a fertile ground for collaboration across Flutter’s brands, particularly within Southern Europe and Africa. Leveraging the advantages of the Flutter Edge, we’re unlocking new ways to enhance the customer experience. Sisal has a long-standing track record in pioneering product innovation: this initiative is a clear example of how cross-brand collaboration within Flutter can accelerate innovation and deliver meaningful value for our players.”

The Sisal launch represents the first phase of an ambitious partnership. Later this year, tombola’s casino product will launch on Sisal, fully integrated with engaging player chat capabilities and tombola’s signature side-games solution as part of the enhanced bingo proposition. This multi-product approach will create a strong ecosystem that leverages the best of both brands.

Beyond Italy, the successful integration represents a new opportunity for the Group to transform its bingo proposition within existing markets, while expanding the product’s reach globally through strategic partnerships.

“This is a hugely exciting moment for tombola, as we take the next step in our evolution and bring our award-winning bingo product to Sisal’s players in Italy. The ability to seamlessly integrate and scale our platform for future partnerships represents a fantastic opportunity for Flutter to transform the bingo proposition, both within our existing markets and beyond,” said Marion Ryan, Managing Director at tombola.

National Bingo Week returned for its 5^th year, running from 23^{rd –} 29^th June. It saw the industry come together – all operators – to celebrate the love of the game and the value it brings to all generations. Players were able to celebrate with discounted value sessions, and the festivities concluded with the win of an incredible £100,000 jackpot at Mecca Gateshead on the Sunday.

Research conducted by The Bingo Association revealed a growing disconnect between generations, with nearly a quarter (24%) of young adults aged 18-34 citing they struggle to interact with older generations.

That’s why the theme for this year’s National Bingo Week centred on the value of bingo as a ‘generation game’ – an activity to bridge the generation gap and bring people of all ages together – offering something for everyone, in the hearts of our communities up and down the country.

🎉 The industry saw attendance success as a result

During National Bingo Week attendance was up by a whopping 16% on the previous week, despite the record-breaking temperatures.

🎗️ Charity

On Friday 25th June, a nationwide charity game was held in support of Variety – The Children’s Charity, bringing in an impressive £20,000.

Within the last six years, bingo fans have helped raise over £2million for the Variety, demonstrating the remarkable spirit of giving within the bingo community.

👨‍💼 MP visits

17 MPs visited clubs nationwide, including Daniel Francis (Buzz Bingo Bexleyheath), Andrew Western (Club 3000 Old Trafford), and Johanna Baxter (Mecca Bingo Paisley). National Bingo Week also drew interest from 27 more MPs, who have expressed plans to visit clubs in the coming months.

📻 Bingo callers and industry spokespeople take to the airwaves

The generation game story was discussed on regional radio with CEO Miles Baron and 2025’s newly crowned Bingo Caller of the Year, Issy-Mae Hunt from Buzz Bingo, taking to the airwaves for interviews.

With a 10-minute news piece on BBC Breakfast (aired on Friday 4^th July) discussing the resurgence of the younger generation in bingo clubs today with a visit to Mecca Luton talking to their customers. The clip also featured Bingo Benj – another previous Caller of the Year – who even called the numbers live on air.

The BBC Breakfast clip was picked up by Channel 4’s Celebrity Gogglebox (aired on Friday 11^th July), where it featured in a 3.5-minute segment showcasing celebrities enthusiastically engaging with and discussing their bingo experience.

📱 Social media competition to drive interest

In its first year, The Bingo Association created a National Bingo Week social competition – to encourage all bingo attendees to share pictures of them playing the beautiful game during the week.

🤩 Social media buzz with big name talent joining in

This year’s National Bingo Week had a star-studded line up, with Vanessa Feltz trying her hand out at bingo calling in Luton. During National Bingo Week, she debated on her Channel 5 Daytime Talk Show, Vanessa: Bingo – Is it brilliant or boring?  and within the week, she was invited to try it out for herself. The verdict was that it is resoundingly brilliant.

Blue’s Duncan James also enjoyed a night out in Feltham with his mum.  Duncan said: “I loved visiting Buzz Bingo with my Mum recently, it was brilliant. There really is something for everyone there. It is one of those games that brings people together of all generations.”

TV presenter Jenny Powell also surprised bingo goers in Manchester.

Miles Baron CEO Bingo Association “This year’s National Bingo Week went to new levels – shining a brilliant light on the contribution that bingo makes to our communities. It truly is a generational game and that is evident with the age of attendees in bingo clubs up and down the country. Although age and lifestyle can sometimes feel like barriers, the desire to spend meaningful time together is something we all share – even if we’re not always sure how to bridge the communication gap. It’s why we wanted to shine a light on a pastime that brings people together regardless of age. Bingo has always been more than just numbers – it’s about connection, conversation and community. Whether you’re 28 or 88 it’s one of the few social activities that everyone can enjoy together.”

Onwards to 2026!