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The adventure begins: Veloce Racing ready for action as Extreme E sparks into life in Saudi Arabia

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4 years ago

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  • London-based squad ready to go wheel-to-wheel with some of the biggest names in global motorsport
  • Inaugural Extreme E season set to kick off with Desert X Prix this weekend 
  • ‘None of us quite know how things are going to play out’, says Jamie Chadwick
  • Stéphane Sarrazin predicts ‘really special’ week both on and off-course

Veloce Racing will embark upon its greatest adventure to-date this weekend (3/4 April), as the time has finally come to get the inaugural Extreme E season underway in the spectacular setting of AlUla, Saudi Arabia.

Having begun life as a sports management agency before transitioning into a hugely successful esports franchise, Veloce is the first organisation in history to bridge the gap between virtual and real-world motorsport in that order, with Veloce Racing launching in September, 2019.

It has been a long road from that moment to the point where the team now finds itself – ready to contest the maiden Extreme E race, the eagerly-anticipated Desert X Prix in Saudi Arabia. The conditions will be harsh and unforgiving, while the sporting format will be unlike anything our drivers, or indeed the rest of the paddock have experienced before.

As a sport for purpose, Extreme E exists to shine a spotlight on the effects of climate change and human interference in some of the most remote environments on the planet, with the objective of encouraging the watching world to take a stand and adopt steps to drive genuine change.

With that in mind, ahead of every race weekend, a Legacy Programme will aim to give something back to the local community, in which Veloce Racing drivers Jamie Chadwick and Stéphane Sarrazin will both play a leading role – before climbing into the cockpit of the team’s 400kW (550bhp) ODYSSEY-21 E-SUV for the competitive action. The pair will take it in turns in each race to tame this beast, which is capable of reaching 100km/h from a standing start in just 4.5 seconds and tackling gradients of up to 130 per cent.

Inaugural W Series Champion Chadwick is eager to hit the ground running on her competitive off-road debut. The 22-year-old Williams F1 Development Driver has partaken in an intensive pre-season training programme to get up-to-speed with an entirely new motorsport discipline and a challenge unlike any other she has previously faced.

Experienced French racer Sarrazin, meanwhile, brings with him the benefit of 28 years of experience across myriad racing disciplines – including Le Mans, Formula 1, Formula E and the FIA World Rally Championship – and track surfaces, making the 45-year-old perfectly-placed to venture into unknown territory in the desert.

The action will begin with the qualifying rounds from 09h30 local time (BST +2) on Saturday, 3 April, with the semi-finals and final taking place from 09h30 local time the following day.

With no spectators permitted on-site – in-keeping with Extreme E’s environmental ethos and commitment to minimise its carbon footprint – the racing will be broadcast all around the world on a variety of networks, including ITV, the BBC iPlayer and Red Button application, Sky Sports and BT Sport in the UK, plus the championship’s official website.

Following the Saudi Arabian curtain-raiser, the 2021 Extreme E season will travel to Dakar, Senegal (29-30 May), Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (28-29 August), Pará, Brazil (23-24 October) and finally  Tierra Del Fuego, Argentina (11-12 December).

Jamie Chadwick, Driver, Veloce Racing, commented: 

“I’m just so excited to start racing in AlUla. This is massively different to anything I’ve done before, but I’ve trained harder than ever and spent a lot of time trying to understand the unique challenges this series will throw at us.

“It gives me a lot of confidence that I’ll be alongside someone as experienced as Stéphane going into an innovative championship like Extreme E with such unprecedented rules and sporting formats.

“I’m hopeful of a strong result straight out-of-the-blocks, but I certainly don’t underestimate the level of competition in the field. I think ultimately, it’s going to come down to who can adapt the quickest and learn how the series works from the word ‘go’ – none of us quite know how things are going to play out!”

Stéphane Sarrazin, Driver, Veloce Racing, said: 

“What a journey it has been to get to this stage! I think the team are all in really good shape ahead of the first event. We have all done our best to prepare and given the current circumstances around the world, it’s been an amazing effort to get everything organised for this race.

“Jamie and I are both ready for the challenge and excited to go racing! There are so many big motorsport names involved that it’s going to be an extraordinary spectacle – particularly against such a breathtaking backdrop.

“It’s also going to be a really great experience to involve ourselves in the Extreme E Legacy Programmes and leave a lasting positive impact at each of the race locations. That is something that will be really special.”

Ian Davies, Team Manager, Veloce Racing, added: 

“Finally, it’s race week! We’ve waited a long time to say that in Extreme E, but now it’s here and the whole Veloce Racing team are so eager to get started, including myself!

“Jamie and Stéphane make a great partnership. Between them, they have a huge amount of experience and raw talent, so I’m very confident that we will be in the mix in such a high-calibre and star-studded field.

“AlUla is going to pose its own challenges, logistically and of course when it gets down to the racing. It’s certainly going to be very different to what anyone in Extreme E has done previously, and being such a leap into the unknown, I think everybody has an opportunity to bag a result here so it will be fascinating to watch.”

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UNLV International Gaming Institute Launches AI Research Hub

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2 hours ago

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May 23, 2025

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The UNLV International Gaming Institute (IGI) has launched its AI Research Hub (AiR Hub), a significant step toward advancing research and understanding on the impacts, risks, and opportunities of artificial intelligence (AI) within the gambling industry.

Co-founded by Kasra Ghaharian, IGI Director of Research, and Simo Dragicevic, an industry and research veteran who now serves as an Adjunct Fellow at the Hub, the initiative will develop an ecosystem for collaborative AI research and accelerate the adoption of trusted and responsible AI.

Key initiatives underway focus on critical areas, including the forthcoming State of AI in Gaming report. This annual deep dive will be a first of its kind for the sector, surveying current and future use cases and indexing companies on their AI maturity. Other initiatives include thought leadership and practical tools for operators and regulators to promote responsible AI oversight and governance, and developing benchmarking solutions for critical AI systems within the sector.

“UNLV’s International Gaming Institute has a long history of pioneering research in the gaming sector, and we are excited to launch AiR Hub as the next step in that journey. Our vision is to create tangible progress through collaborative, actionable research with engagement across a range of stakeholders, including regulators, academics, non-profit organizations, and industry,” Ghaharian said.

AiR Hub is supported by a prestigious group of founding industry members. Representatives from Action Gaming, Axes.ai, Evoke Plc, Gaming Analytics, Kindbridge Behavioral Health, Playtech Plc, ROGA (Responsible Online Gaming Association), and Walker Digital Table Systems will serve on AiR Hub’s industry advisory panel.

“We are grateful for not only the financial support offered by our founding members, but also the expert knowledge they bring in regard to technology, data, and wider gambling business and player support practices. We operate in a highly complex and integrated industry that is evolving quickly, and this knowledge and experience will be essential to fully understanding the risks and capitalizing on the potential of AI within the industry,” Dragicevic said.

The founding member round will remain open to organizations for an additional six months.

The post UNLV International Gaming Institute Launches AI Research Hub appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Evolution Debuts US Launch of Red Door Roulette

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2 hours ago

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May 23, 2025

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Evolution announced the US launch of Red Door Roulette, the ultimate online live game show mash-up that combines the award-winning Lightning Roulette and the exhilarating bonus game from the world’s most popular live game show, Crazy Time.

Red Door Roulette was previously launched globally in 2023 and is set to hit the market first in New Jersey and Delaware, with other states soon to follow.

The fusion of these two popular live game shows elevates the gameplay to new heights with multiple diverse game rounds. In the introductory slot round, players can acquire up to 15 bonus numbers with keys with the hopes of entering the iconic Crazy Time bonus game, where the gigantic virtual wheel awaits with guaranteed multiplier rewards.

The anticipated US launch is a welcome addition to Evolution’s game show portfolio in North America and is another step in supporting the company’s growth strategy for live online casino gaming.

Jacob Claesson, Chief Executive Officer Evolution North America, said: “We are incredibly excited to officially launch Red Door Roulette in the US. Our game shows are an excellent introduction for new players to live dealer gaming, and following the game’s success internationally, we look forward to seeing how players in New Jersey and Delaware embrace this unique game. This is just the first phase of our tremendous live game roadmap for 2025, with a wide variety of new games coming soon to all regulated states.”

The post Evolution Debuts US Launch of Red Door Roulette appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Fanatics Sportsbook Partners with New York Racing Team

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2 hours ago

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May 23, 2025

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New York Racing Team announced a partnership with Fanatics Sportsbook to become the primary sponsor of the team’s No. 44 Chevrolet, driven by star driver J.J. Yeley for two of the NASCAR Cup Series’ most prestigious races – the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway and the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway.

The Fanatics Sportsbook No. 44 Chevrolet will take to the track – first in Music City on Sunday, June 1 and next in The Valley on Sunday, November 2 – decked in the company’s signature Lava Red and Black paint scheme and adorned with the Fanatics Sportsbook logo on the hood and sides of the car. It’s only fitting that Fanatics Sportsbook will grace the car for the first time in Tennessee, as the state was the first to experience the sportsbook upon its launch in 2023.

In celebration of this partnership, Fanatics Sportsbook will have exclusive new customer offers for the Nashville and Phoenix races, along with expanded NASCAR betting capabilities, such as race parlays, to finish on the podium, exacta and trifecta betting. Fanatics Sportsbook will also offer unique JJ Yeley specials and live betting markets on Raceday.

According to Fanatics Sportsbook, Yeley is +800 to have a Top 10 Finish at Nashville Superspeedway and customers will also be able to place wagers on J.J. Yeley’s Starting Grid Position, Chevrolet-specific placement, first lap results, and much more. NASCAR fans can download the Fanatics Sportsbook app on iOS and Android and begin their Fanatics betting experience.

“We are proud to partner with John Cohen and the New York Racing Team. The partnership with New York Racing Team is an incredible branding opportunity and an inflection point for us as we continue to build the fastest growing sportsbook in America. We are going to develop exclusive content for NASCAR fans and curate an elevated experience for our customers at each race that only a brand like Fanatics can offer. Our employees and customers can’t wait to cheer on the No. 44 Fanatics Sportsbook Chevrolet toward the checkered flag at Nashville Superspeedway and Phoenix Raceway,” said Selena Kalvaria, CMO of Fanatics Betting and Gaming.

The post Fanatics Sportsbook Partners with New York Racing Team appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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