The Villans and their principal partner celebrated the club’s return to topflight European football, in an event bringing togethers legends of the past and stars of today

Aston Villa FC has embarked on its first ever Champions League journey with a 3-0 victory over BSC Young Boys in Bern’s Stadion Wankdorf this past Tuesday. A few days earlier Aston Villa and their principal and front of shirt partner Betano, Kaizen Gaming’s premium online sports betting and gaming brand, celebrated the Villans’ historic first ever Champions League campaign with a special event hosted  at Aston Villa’s Bodymoor Heath training ground.

The event brought together legendary members of the 1982 European Cup winners, Nigel Spink and Kenny Swain, former player and Aston Villa ambassador, Ahmed Elmohamady and current stars, captain John McGinn, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres and of course coach Unai Emery. Attendees had the opportunity to meet and hear directly from their favorite stars, while also participating in different activities, including an exclusive tour of Aston Villa’s training facilities and a behind the scenes look of the team’s training session. The club’s third kit was also unveiled for the first time ever during the event. The kit proved to be a lucky one as it was worn in a game for the first time in the Champions League match in Switzerland. For this match Betano donated its front-of-shirt space to Aston Villa, which in turn offered it to Acorns Children’s Hospice.

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Julio Iglesias Hernando, Chief Commercial Officer at Kaizen Gaming, commented: “We are very honoured as Aston Villa’s official main shirt sponsor to stand alongside them in this next exciting chapter of their illustrious 150-year history. This is truly an exciting time to be a fan of Aston Villa, as we all share the club’s passion and determination to improve every day, to compete with the very best and to claim their place among the elite.”

Chris Heck, President of Business Operations at Aston Villa, added: “We are proud to have Betano join us as we embark on a new era for Aston Villa. They are a global brand engaging with millions of football fans across Europe and Latin America which matches our vision to globalise our club. Their passion for football and commitment to responsible gaming and giving back to society aligns perfectly with our own club values. The return to the top of European club football is an exciting moment for our fans, partners, and everyone involved at the club. ”  

SkillOnNet and Betterlore have unleashed a completely unique game on the industry, one that marries the nostalgia of traditional arcades with a truly high-tech experience. ‘The Coin Pusher’ lets players control real coin-pushing machines beamed live into their homes from Betterlore’s studios in Europe. This one-of-a kind gaming experience is now live on the SkillOnNet network in selected markets and then rolled out globally in the coming months.

Coin-pushers, also known as penny pushers or dozers, are popular in end-of-the-pier arcades the world over. The Coin Pusher works in exactly the same way. Players drop coins into the playfield, aiming to push others over the edge. Then they sit back and watch the action in real time, with each coin and chip that falls instantly credited into the player’s wallet.

With over 100 playfields in different configurations available, players always have access to a game, though each player can only control one playfield at a time. The Coin Pusher guarantees minimal latency, ensuring a smooth, real-time gameplay that accurately reflects each move and coin drop.

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It’s the first game from Betterlore, a startup that aims to couple popular physical machines with the power of online technologies. In doing so, the company says it is building an entirely new category of online gaming involving live mechanics and two-way interactions between the player and gaming machine in real time.

SkillOnNet is a global entertainment powerhouse that operates dozens of market-leading igaming brands in numerous regulated jurisdictions across the world. These include household names like PlayOJO in the UK and Ontario; PlayUZU in Spain, Mexico, Peru and Buenos Aires City; BacanaPlay in Portugal, and DrueckGlueck in Germany.

Jani Kontturi Head of Games at SkillOnNet said: “This is not just about pushing coins, it’s also about pushing boundaries. The Coin Pusher blends the excitement of classic arcade machines with the convenience of online gaming – and you won’t find anything like it anywhere on the internet. Betterlore is a truly exciting new company that is bringing completely new ideas to the industry. We can’t wait to see what they come up with next.”

Maximilian Schmitt Sales & Business Development Manager at Betterlore said: “Coin-pushers are beloved by people across the world, and everyone knows how to play. That’s why we’re delighted to partner with a truly global company like SkillOnNet on our very first game, because we believe The Coin Pusher will be a hit in multiple markets.”