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Football for Friendship holds expert discussion on sports development during pandemic

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5 years ago

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Experts of the international online discussion “Motivation and training in the context of the pandemic: the impact of Internet technologies on sports” reached the mutual conclusion that the pandemic will boost the development of e-sports and broaden the way sports are perceived in the world. It’s expected that the existing trend will strengthen: over the past 3-4 years, the audience of e-sports events has grown 5-6 times.

 

The discussion was initiated by the Gazprom International Children’s Social Programme Football for Friendship, which has, for the first time, brought the entire season online in 2020. Meanwhile, the annual World Championship for Young Participants from more than 100 countries is held in the new football simulator Football for Friendship World. In the future, the app will become a gaming platform where anyone can train, join mixed international teams, and play their favorite game in the Football for Friendship format without leaving the comfort of home.

The guest experts — football players and e-sports players — shared their views on how the pandemic is affecting the training process, and whether e-sports will be able to fully replace traditional sports in the future.  Alexey Smertin, adviser to the President of the Russian Football Union and Ambassador of the Football for Friendship programme, and Alexandra Kosteniuk, grandmaster, three-times winner of the World Chess Olympiads, and European Chess Champion, spoke about the impact of the pandemic on professional sports. Igor Bugaenko, head of the Special Projects Department of the Russian eSports Federation (RESF), spoke about the development of Russian e-sports. The discussion was attended by representatives of FC Schalke 04: head of the e-sports division Tim Reichert, League of Legends coach Dylan Falco, and professional FIFA player Tim Schwartmann (“Tim Latka”). The discussion was moderated by Euronews TV host Andy Robini.

Igor Bugaenko expressed his conviction that the pandemic can also have a positive impact on sports: “Despite the cancellation of many offline sporting events, we are doing our best to maintain the quality and spirit of the competitions that are currently held online. The pandemic has affected how people spend their free time. I think the main achievement of this period has been to broaden the way sports are perceived, enabling people to re-evaluate the role of e-sports in the world”. The expert also noted that Russia was one of the first countries to officially recognize e-sports. According to Bugaenko, in the last 3-4 years alone, the audience of e-sports events has grown 5-6 times.

However, according to Alexey Smertin, e-sports are hard to compare to traditional sports, with their “physical overcoming of oneself, pain and hard-to-achieve results”. On the other hand, if we take a professional approach, in both traditional and e-sports it’s important to focus on achieving results; so, in this sense, there’s no difference between them.

Tim Schwartmann (Tim Latka) has a similar view: “If young people want to be successful — be it in e-sports or traditional football — they have to work hard, train a lot for the game, and never rest on their laurels”.

Today, many football clubs are developing e-sports as a separate area. “In recent years, the popularity of e-sports has become evident. By investing time and effort into developing e-sports, we hope to establish a dialogue with the younger generation of football fans”, explains Tim Reichert, head of FC Schalke 04’s e-sports division. Reichert expects that self-isolation will accelerate the merging process of traditional and digital sports several-fold. In his opinion, e-sports and traditional sports already have many things in common: league structures, competitions, psychological demands for players, and regular training.

Alexandra Kosteniuk noted that the past months have become a landmark in the history of sport: “The pandemic has opened up a real Pandora’s box for chess players: if earlier, part of our competitions were already being held online, now it’s the most convenient format for both the audience and participants”. As she explains, the pandemic has stimulated an increased interest in online competitions over the past few months, “even in the case of chess, which is not the most popular sport among viewers, not to mention the world of e-sports in general”.

 

About the programme:

The International Children’s Social Programme Football for Friendship is implemented by Gazprom since 2013. Over the previous seven seasons, the programme has united over 6 000 participants from 211 countries and regions and over 5 000 000 supporters.

Young Players and Young Journalists are the participants of the programme – boys and girls aged 12 including children with disabilities. Young Players represent different countries and cultures united in the mixed teams. They show that nationality, gender, and physical abilities aren’t a barrier to becoming a team. Young Journalists cover the events of the programme in the International Children’s Press Center. All participants become Young Ambassadors of the programme and continue to share their Football for Friendship experience and promote universal human values: friendship, equality, fairness, health, peace, devotion, victory, traditions, and honour.

UEFA, FIFA, football federations and the world’s leading football clubs, international charity foundations, famous athletes, politicians, and artists support Football for Friendship. The project has received multiple national and international awards in the field of social responsibility, sports, and communications, including the world record for the most nationalities in a football training session in history.

In 2020, Football for Friendship will be held in the online format. A special digital platform will unite over 10 000 players of all ages. It will become the home for international children’s competitions and a playground where anyone will be able to train, join into the international mixed teams and play their favourite game in the Football for Friendship format without leaving the comfort of their home.

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Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – June 9-15

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2 hours ago

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June 17, 2025

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Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.

Latest News

BMM Innovation Group, a technology conglomerate focused on gaming product compliance testing, cybersecurity solutions and virtual training for the global gaming industry, announced that it is exhibiting at the Perú Gaming Show 2025, June 18–19 at the Centro de Exposiciones Jockey in Lima, Perú. BMM’s local experts will be available at Booth No. 31–32 to discuss the Company’s full suite of testing, certification, cybersecurity and virtual training services for Perú’s growing gaming industry. With a well-established land-based sector and a rapidly expanding online gaming market, Perú represents one of the most dynamic jurisdictions in Latin America. BMM has supported the Peruvian gaming industry for more than 18 years, with a dedicated office in Lima since 2007. The Company’s deep roots and compliance expertise make it uniquely positioned to serve the diverse needs of Perú’s casinos, sports betting operators, lottery providers and online gaming programmes.

Amusnet is set to make a powerful impression at the Peru Gaming Show 2025, taking place on June 18-19 in Lima, by presenting a comprehensive portfolio across its Online Casino, Live Casino, and Land-based verticals. As one of the most prominent and influential gaming exhibitions in Latin America, PGS brings together the industry’s leading providers, manufacturers and decision-makers for two days of impactful business exchange. Amusnet is also sponsoring the LMG Futbol Experience on June 17, held just before the exhibition, showcasing involvement in local events and its engagement in supporting industry-wide collaboration.

International Game Technology PLC announced that its spectacular RISE55 cabinet is now live on casino floors across the US. With robust, performance-focused content roadmaps for the premium-leased and for-sale game segments, IGT’s RISE55 cabinet debuted with the highly entertaining Magic Treasures Gold game. The RISE55 cabinet features a 55-inch ultra-HD curved display that delivers crisp graphics, enhanced audio technology and remarkable player comfort. The RISE55 cabinet first hit casino floors in late May, with additional deployments planned through the summer. As the hardware’s Class III premium launch title, Magic Treasures Gold is a visually stunning multi-level progressive game with features that build upon the success of IGT’s award-winning Magic Treasures game, including a leveled-up version of the Money Ball feature.

Partnerships

Hard Rock Cafe, in partnership with international soccer icon Lionel Messi, launched new merchandise coinciding with one of the year’s most anticipated global soccer tournaments. The collection debuts as part of Hard Rock’s “WE PLAY TOGETHER” campaign, which unites soccer fans to celebrate the sport. The campaign will feature special experiences and exclusive offers, such as bundle deals combining themed Messi menu and retail items, for guests to watch each match and show support for their favourite teams. Lionel Messi announced the collection via an Instagram post, where he donned one of the custom tees now available for purchase.

PrizePicks, the largest daily fantasy sports operator in North America, announced that it has partnered with the Los Angeles Dodgers as the team’s Official DFS Partner. The partnership features several digital and in-stadium activations at Dodger Stadium as PrizePicks continues to strengthen its brand presence in baseball.

The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – June 9-15 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Conferences

PIN-UP Global to Participate in IGB L!VE London

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4 hours ago

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June 17, 2025

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International iGaming holding PIN-UP Global will participate in IGB L!VE, one of the industry’s premier events taking place July 2-3 in London. Booth K40, spanning 168 square meters, will feature two distinct zones – PIN-UP Global and PIN-UP Partners. The holding will create valuable networking opportunities for industry professionals.

Visitors to the PIN-UP Global booth will have the opportunity to meet with the holding’s teams to explore the B2B portfolio designed to boost operational performance and drive business growth in the iGaming sector. The holding’s team will focus on growing its partner network and demonstrating the company’s latest technological developments.

PIN-UP Global team will be on hand throughout the event to explore potential investment opportunities and discuss partnerships with promising startups. The holding continues to identify and support promising teams developing innovative solutions in MarTech, iGaming, FinTech, AI/ML, and analytics.

PIN-UP Partners is joining iGB Affiliate London with top-performing offers, exclusive merch, and proven partnership models. Recognized as the Best iGaming Affiliate Program by AW’2024, MAC’2024, and SiGMA’22, PIN-UP Partners team is ready to build strong, long-term partnerships.

For industry professionals seeking new career opportunities, HR representatives from PIN-UP Global will be present at the event. Interested candidates can book meetings to discuss current openings within the international holding.

With the holding growing rapidly — a remarkable 58% just over the past year — new opportunities and prospects are opening up every day, both for existing team members and for those looking to join. As a result, the holding is actively seeking strong specialists for managerial positions, as well as professionals in tech, marketing, media buying, and more. Visit our booth to become part of the PIN-UP Global team.

For convenient meeting scheduling with holding representatives, exhibition delegates can use the touchscreen booking system and conduct meetings in specially equipped meeting rooms.

PIN-UP Global welcomes all IGB L!VE London attendees – industry experts, potential partners, and talented professionals – to connect with their team during the event to discuss tech solutions, collaboration opportunities, and career prospects.

PIN-UP Global is an international iGaming holding company specialising in developing and implementing advanced technologies, B2B solutions, and innovative products for the iGaming industry.

The post PIN-UP Global to Participate in IGB L!VE London appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Nolimit City boards a wild ride at 35,000 feet in Flight Mode

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4 hours ago

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June 17, 2025

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Dear passengers, welcome aboard Flight NLC25! Flight Mode is cleared for takeoff and let’s just say, it’s not a typical family trip to Hawaii. After delivering signature slots like Tombstone Slaughter: El Gordo’s Revenge and Duck Hunters, Nolimit City is now taking it to the skies with Flight Mode and definitely not in a boring way.

Imagine having a crying baby as your only soundtrack, permanent turbulence and a seatmate who thinks deodorant is optional. The Bud Jet airline might not get you from A to B but it’ll drop you into a feature-packed slot and the kind of excitement you can always expect when playing a Nolimit City slot.

In Flight Mode, winning combinations will explode, making room for new symbols to drop in. With every win, the next multiplier value climbs by +1 and applies to new symbols that fall in.

Wild Symbol: The regular Wild symbol that can land on any reel and substitute for any regular symbol.

Multiplier Increaser: Triggered when they land and add its value to the next multiplier value. Multiplier values of symbols are 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x and 10x.

Golden Multiplier Increaser: Triggered when it lands and doubles the value of the next multiplier.

Explosive items are strictly prohib… well, not on this aircraft. The Bomb symbol clears all regular paying symbols on its reel and row when there are no winning combinations. Only Scatter and Wild symbols are saved from the explosions.

Apologies dear passengers, the lavatory is currently occupied! The signature xHole™ is back in Flight Mode, this time disguised as a toilet. All symbols from the main reels are flushed down and then spat out to random positions with the next multiplier value. Just to add an extra twist to it, xHole™ then transforms itself into a Wild symbol that also gets the next multiplier value. Not so hygienic…

 

Flee Spins

This is the captain speaking – we’re going down! Prepare your life jacket and be ready for a spontaneous meet-up with the sharks during Flee Spins! Land 3, 4, or 5 Scatter Symbols to trigger 6, 9, or 12 Flee Spins, respectively.

Upgrade your seat to Bud Jet’s nice price class when purchasing one of these Nolimit Boosters:

-Print Spins: guarantees a spin that starts off with a 30x multiplier on each paying symbol.

-Printier Spins: guarantees a spin that starts off with a 268x multiplier on each paying symbol.
-Printiest Spins: guarantees a spin that starts off with a 911x multiplier on each paying symbol.

No legroom, no peanuts – but you do get Extra Spins. After a round ends, players may get the option to purchase an additional spin, maintaining the current multiplier state of all previously landed symbols.

The special xGod™ mechanic is locked away disguised as passports on the bottom row, secured behind bulletproof glass and a seatbelt that actually works. Each Bomb explosion breaks the panel of its respective reel, bringing you one step closer to landing a Max Win.

The maximum payout of Flight Mode is 5,051x the base bet. Flight Mode is rated as “Extremely Volatile” delivering the thrilling high-stakes gameplay that Nolimit City fans know and love.

Per Lindheimer, Head of Product at Nolimit City, said: “This isn’t your standard trip from A to B. Flight Mode is what happens when you let a slot company rewrite the in-flight safety manual, handing out dynamite instead of peanuts.”

‘Flight Mode’ will be available to all Nolimit City partners on June 17th, 2025.

The post Nolimit City boards a wild ride at 35,000 feet in Flight Mode appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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