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Entain credits ‘Wrexham Effect’ and blockbuster docuseries for attracting new and engaged sports fans

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Wrexham AFC is making its debut in League Two of the English Football League this weekend, after scoring a promotion from the National League and climbing to Hollywood fame with the docuseries, Welcome to Wrexham. To mark this milestone, Entain, the global sports betting, gaming, and interactive entertainment group, reveals the ‘Wrexham Effect’ in sports betting.

After Hollywood icons Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over Wrexham AFC in November 2020, Entain’s Ladbrokes and Coral brands in the UK recorded an increase of 59% in the number of bets placed during the National League’s 2021/22 season from 2017/18. This far outpaces that of the Championship League, League One and League Two, which saw a 15%, 32% and 24% increase respectively, and demonstrates the powerful impact that the docuseries has had on the popularity of non-league football.

Other non-league clubs have seen the impact too – including Wrexham AFC’s previous rival, Notts County FC, who finished in second place in the 2022/23 National League season and saw an 89% increase in the number of bets on the team from 2021/22.

The ‘Wrexham Effect’ has also taken over on the other side of the world, with Entain Australia recording an increase of 781% on the number of bets placed on Wrexham AFC football games, from 2019/20 to 2022/23. And across the pond in the US, the number of BetMGM bets placed on any Wrexham game has increased a staggering 3818% from the 2020/21 season to the 2022/23 season. Thanks to the celebrity status of the new owners, Wrexham AFC has seen a surge of popularity in the US, with Google Trends data even revealing that the Red Dragons have become one of the most searched for teams, more than the nation’s top soccer league, Major League Soccer (MLS).

It is not just football that has benefited from the boom in sporting docuseries, with the NBA experiencing a surge in popularity following the release of The Last Dance on Netflix in April 2020, which followed the success story of the Chicago Bulls’ dream team:

  • Data from Entain’s global brands reveals that the number of bets placed on NBA games increased by 46% from the 2019/20 season to 2020/21.
  • In the home of the NBA league, data from BetMGM evidences growing interest in the sport, with a 61% increase in the number of bets from 2021 to 2022.

Likewise, Formula 1 has attracted a cohort of new fans, spearheaded by the popularity of the Drive for Survive series on Netflix. Viewership figures for the docuseries get better every season, with the debut of season five seeing nearly 570,000 viewers over its first week, a 40% jump over 2022’s season four debut:

  • Data from Entain’s global brands reveals that the number of bets placed on Formula 1 races increased by 16% in 2022 compared to the year prior, and by 63% compared to 2019, when the first season of Drive for Survive aired.
  • Mirroring this growth, data from BetMGM in the US shows a 142% increase in the number of bets placed on Formula 1 in 2022, versus 2021.

Dominic Grounsell, Chief Commercial Officer at Entain, said: “We’ve seen a huge step change in the way fans engage with their favourite sports, and behind-the-scenes access in sporting docuseries has only heightened this further. They highlight the importance of finding new and innovative ways for fans to interact with sports and support their favourite teams, but also attract new fans to the sport – and they want to extend their entertainment by backing a team with a bet.

“At Entain, we’re constantly monitoring how this movement is evolving, listening to our customers, and creating content that resonates with them. Coral’s ‘Taking the Reins’ documentary series is a prime example of this and reinforces our commitment to bringing moments of excitement to fans beyond the track, pitch, or court.”

Entain Australia, in collaboration with Racing Victoria, has also produced a sport docudrama based around the running of the All-Star Mile in Melbourne. The documentary plans to give viewers a behind-the-scenes perspective in the lead-up to the running of one of Australia’s richest races. It will air later on this year.

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GGPoker to Broadcast WSOP Online 2025 Final Tables Live, Featuring GGPoker.tv Broadcast Debut of Poker Legend Phil Hellmuth

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2 hours ago

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September 17, 2025

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Join Jeff Gross and his legendary co-hosts on September 23 and September 30

GGPoker, the World’s Biggest Poker Room, today announced it will live stream the final table action of two of the most prestigious events from the ongoing WSOP Online 2025 tournament series. The broadcasts will be available on GGPoker.tv, the brand’s official YouTube channel, and will feature the debut of poker legend Phil Hellmuth as a live GGPoker.tv broadcast host.

The first broadcast, on September 23, will showcase the high-stakes drama from the final table of the $5,000 WSOP Online Main Event, arguably online poker’s most important annual tournament. This landmark event will be co-hosted by frequent GGPoker anchor Jeff Gross and the 17-time WSOP bracelet winner, Phil Hellmuth. Known for his “poker brat” persona and unparalleled tournament record, Hellmuth’s inclusion will provide viewers with an unprecedented look into the mind of one of poker’s greatest champions.

The action continues on September 30, with the final table of the $10,300 GGMillion$ High Rollers event. Joining Jeff Gross for this broadcast will be GGPoker Global Ambassador and fellow poker icon, Daniel Negreanu. Negreanu, with his engaging style and deep understanding of the game, will provide expert commentary and analysis, making this broadcast another must-watch for poker fans everywhere.

“We are incredibly excited to bring the WSOP Online 2025 action directly to our fans with these two live broadcasts,” said Paul Burke, Head of Public Relations at GGPoker. “Having Phil Hellmuth and Daniel Negreanu on air alongside Jeff Gross to break down the action will be a true treat. This will be more than just watching a final table; it’ll be a masterclass in poker strategy from two of the best to ever play the game.”

The post GGPoker to Broadcast WSOP Online 2025 Final Tables Live, Featuring GGPoker.tv Broadcast Debut of Poker Legend Phil Hellmuth appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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1/ST CONTENT

1/ST CONTENT and Italy’s MASAF form new partnership ahead of the Breeders’ Cup

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4 hours ago

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September 17, 2025

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Distribution deal sees leading racing provider for the Americas extend its scope into Italy’s local pool betting via governing body for horse racing

1/ST CONTENT, the pre-eminent provider of premium North and South American horse racing content and a key division of 1/ST, has continued to grow its international footprint in a new partnership with the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry (MASAF) in the run-up to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, one of the true highlights on the global racing calendar.

The deal now opens a breakthrough gateway for local pool betting on North American, South American and Turkish racing in Italy – and was soft-launched over last month’s 100th edition of the Hambletonian at The Meadowlands, NJ. This milestone renewal, the pinnacle of harness racing and a format of the sport which is particularly popular with Italian racing fans, fostered immediate fan engagement, as reported by MASAF this month via https://www.grandeippicaitaliana.it/.

The agreement kicks off with the 2025 flagship finale at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships in Del Mar (31 October – 1 November) and brings many of the premier stateside races to Italy, including the Pegasus World Cup (24 January) and the Triple Crown contests of Preakness 151 (16 May) and the Belmont Stakes (6 June). In the aggregate, 1/ST CONTENT’s extensive content portfolio maps approximately 90% of all North American racetracks, alongside South American and Turkish venues, neatly complementing Italy’s domestic sporting action with a reliable source of fast-settling betting content between 18:00 and 05:00 CET.

Italian and North American horse racing currently enjoy a strong reciprocal bond, thanks to three of Italy’s leading jockeys in Frankie Dettori, Umberto Rispoli and Antonio Fresu plying their trade in North America. These three Italian ambassadors were recently introduced to a mainstream global audience via Netflix’s acclaimed Race For The Crown.

1/ST CONTENT’s worldwide experience and customer base for pools betting features the Americas, Morocco, Italy, Singapore, Australia, Turkey, Sweden, France, New Zealand and Hong Kong. As a result, by leveraging 1/ST CONTENT’s unparalleled expertise in capturing and streaming elite live-racing events, bettors across Italy can now enjoy a best-in-breed international racing experience.

Key features of the deal include but are not limited to:

  1. Comprehensive Coverage: exclusive signals of all racetracks in the United States, Canada, South America and Turkey, ensuring an extensive and diverse range of racing content for Italian audiences.
  2. Cutting-Edge Technology: high-quality, immersive broadcasts, providing viewers with an unparalleled access to live racing and informative content that both engages the seasoned viewer and educates those unfamiliar with the sport.
  3. Enhanced Viewer Engagement: accompanying innovative marketing strategies, promotions, and engagement initiatives, enhancing the overall viewer experience and speaking to a dedicated racing community in Italy

Simon Fraser, Senior Vice President International at 1/ST CONTENT, said: “We’re thrilled to be working as a partner with MASAF on a program to rejuvenate their horse racing audience and breathe new life into the Italian industry. Our collaboration marks a cornerstone from which we can build together to ensure that racing is competitive with other betting options and further expands 1/ST’s global reach.”

Remo Chiodi, Director General for Horse Racing at MASAF, added: “This partnership is part of a broader framework aimed at strengthening relations between Italy and the United States in the horseracing sector: it is a path that consolidates ties between the two countries, enhances both our national excellence and international achievements, and opens up new opportunities for growth and exchange. It is a step that also involves breeding and training, while highlighting the image of Italian racing excellence in the United States, represented by our most renowned jockeys competing overseas.

“Thanks to this agreement, major American racing events will be broadcast free-to-air on EQU TV, expanding the television offering and allowing betting on the races within a fully integrated system. After years of challenges, Italian racing is redefining the entire sector to restore our sport to a position of strength, both at home and abroad.”

The post 1/ST CONTENT and Italy’s MASAF form new partnership ahead of the Breeders’ Cup appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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G2E LAS VEGAS 2025

GammaSweep to Revolutionize Sweepstakes with the Fastest Solutions at G2E Las Vegas 2025

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September 17, 2025

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Get ready, Vegas! GammaSweep – the latest innovation from iGaming powerhouse GammaStack – is set to redefine sweepstakes gaming at G2E Las Vegas 2025 with its fast, secure, and fully turnkey B2B solutions.

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of G2E, this year’s event will gather 25,000+ gaming professionals and 400+ exhibitors at The Venetian Expo, October 6–9, 2025. And right at Booth 5036, GammaSweep will showcase why it’s the next big thing in sweepstakes.

Built for Speed. Tailored Without Limits.Operators tired of long waits and clunky deployments can now launch a fully integrated sweepstakes casino platform in as little as 5 weeks. With endless customizations, from front-end design to game flows and loyalty mechanics, GammaSweep gives operators complete creative control without compromising speed.

“GammaSweep is built for operators who want to scale fast without cutting corners,” said Sunny Hooda, Marketing Director at GammaSweep. “From AI-powered fraud detection, to the freedom of endless customizations, we’ve created a sweepstakes platform that’s future-ready and player-focused.”

Why Operators Can’t Miss GammaSweep at G2E:

  • Deployment in 5 Weeks – lightning-fast B2B Deployment Time
  • Endless Customizations – tailor every detail to fit your brand vision
  • AI-Powered Fraud Detection – next-level security for operators and players
  • Dedicated Post-Launch Support – GammaStack expertise at every step

More Than a Showcase – A Conversation
At G2E Vegas, GammaSweep will also host exclusive one-on-one strategy sessions for select attendees, sharing insights on scaling sweepstakes casinos with precision and innovation.

With 14+ years of GammaStack’s expertise, 600+ successful global launches, and presence in 45+ countries, GammaSweep is more than just software – it’s a growth engine for operators worldwide.

Meet GammaSweep at G2E Las Vegas 2025
Booth 5036, The Venetian Expo, Las Vegas
October 6–9, 2025

About GammaSweep
GammaSweep, a venture by global iGaming leader GammaStack, delivers ready-to-launch B2B Turnkey Sweepstakes Casino Software with lightning-fast deployment, endless customizations, advanced admin controls, and seamless scalability. Built for performance and designed for player engagement, GammaSweep empowers operators to launch a casino-like sweepstakes platform in just 5 weeks.

Media Contact

Sunny Hooda
Marketing Director, GammaSweep
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1 302 231 1373
Visit: https://www.gammasweep.com/

The post GammaSweep to Revolutionize Sweepstakes with the Fastest Solutions at G2E Las Vegas 2025 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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