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‘Think Train’ campaign launched for Easter Holidays

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Millions of UK staycationers are being urged to travel by train where they can when they visit their favourite seaside and high-street arcades this Easter by bacta, the industry’s trade body.

The call to action comes as Britain faces a ‘cost of living crisis’, with fast-rising prices for food, fuel and many other household essentials.

The ONS recently said that CPI (consumer price index) inflation in the UK had hit a 30-year high of 6.2% in February, putting considerable pressure on consumers across the country.

Bacta also recognises this may be the first real chance for families and individuals to enjoy their Easter holidays without the anxiety and stress associated with Covid-19 rules and regulations.

However, with those new-found freedoms should come a sense of responsibility, to others, and to the environment.

One way to put this into action is by travelling green and reaching your destination by train, the most environmentally friendly public transport. Rail travel accounts for 14 grams of CO2 emissions per passenger mile, according to the European Environment Agency.

In comparison, 285 grams of CO2 emissions per passenger mile is generated by air travel, while 158 grams per passenger miles is created from car journeys.

The good news is that hundreds of seaside and high-street arcades are situated next to train stations across the country – from Blackpool to Brighton.

Travellers, however, should be aware of National Rail’s planned engineering works during the holiday period and should therefore check their travel plans before they travel.

CEO of bacta John White said: “With fuel prices rising and with most Covid-19 restrictions behind us, now is a great time to reconsider how we travel to our Easter Holidays.

“We are urging millions of staycationers across the UK to ‘Think Train’ as they plan their getaways for April. We hope when they next visit their favourite seaside arcade or adult gaming centre it will be via train power.

“This is a significant contributor to the UK economy. Before the pandemic, arcades and related activities contributed a significant turnover of £845m to the UK economy a Gross Value Added of £451m and were responsible for employing 19,235 people.”

UK Hospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls added: “Despite the pressure on people’s finances right now, we’re sure many thousands will be keen to take advantage of the fact that they’re at last free from Covid restrictions, and are eager to get out and about.

“Engineering works notwithstanding, a good way to do that would be to take advantage of our rail infrastructure, let the train take the strain, and enjoy all the fun that seaside hospitality venues provide, whether they’re pubs, bars, restaurants, gaming arcades or, of course, good old fish and chip shops.

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Carlo Santarelli

Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. Names Carlo Santarelli Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations

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Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. announced that Carlo Santarelli has been appointed Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations, a new position at the Company. Mr. Santarelli will begin his new position on August 18, 2025 and will report to GLPI President and Chief Operating Officer, Brandon Moore.

Mr. Santarelli brings over 25 years of Wall Street experience in Equity Research and Investment Banking to his new role and joins the Company from Deutsche Bank where he was Managing Director of Gaming & Lodging Equity Research. Prior to Deutsche Bank, Mr. Santarelli held similar positions at Bear Stearns, JP Morgan and Wells Fargo. He consistently ranked highly in Institutional Investor and other sell-side analyst research polls as a thought leader in the space, providing unique perspectives on industry events and trends with his data-driven approach and stock picking talent. Carlo Santarelli graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Economics in 2000.

Peter Carlino, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GLPI, said: “We’ve known and respected Carlo’s research work on the gaming, lodging and gaming REIT sectors for many years. Carlo brings to GLPI an in-depth knowledge of the industry and its participants, having experienced GLPI’s original formation of the gaming triple-net-REIT structure from a research analyst and capital markets perspective. We value his deep network of contacts among institutional investors, sell-side analysts and a wide range of gaming industry operators and we look forward to the value of his contributions.”

In his new role, Mr. Santarelli will work with Mr. Carlino and GLPI’s senior management to develop and evaluate growth opportunities and strategic relationships, and will oversee investor relations interactions.

The post Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. Names Carlo Santarelli Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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VIP Play Announces Departure of Chief Financial Officer

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VIP Play, a technology-driven leader in interactive consumer engagement, announced that Jim Mackey, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, will step down from his role, effective August 8, 2025.

The Company has initiated a transition process and is in the process of identifying a successor. Mackey will assist in an orderly transition over the coming weeks.

“We thank Jim for his contributions to the Company, particularly during a transformative period for our business. We remain focused on executing our strategic priorities, including financial visibility, operating efficiency, and delivering value to our stakeholders,” said Les Ottolenghi, CEO of VIP Play.

The post VIP Play Announces Departure of Chief Financial Officer appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Esports Charts Becomes Official Viewership Analytics Partner of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

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Esports Charts, the leading esports viewership analytics provider, has partnered with StarLadder, a pioneering tournament organiser. The Budapest Major 2025 marks a highly anticipated comeback for StarLadder, as it is their first Counter-Strike Major since 2019 and a significant return to the top-tier esports arena.

As the official analytics partner of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, Esports Charts will provide comprehensive, real-time audience data and insights throughout the event. This will empower organisers, teams, sponsors and fans with unparalleled transparency and a deeper understanding of the tournament’s global reach.

Artyom Odintsov, Co-founder and CEO of Esports Charts, said: “We are thrilled and proud to provide viewership analytics for StarLadder for the Budapest Major 2025. Since both Esports Charts and StarLadder are Ukraine-born companies, we share similar values and deal with similar challenges, which brings us even closer.

“It’s genuinely exciting to follow how viewership will develop at this Major. But knowing the expertise, drive, and passion that the organizers are bringing, I have no doubt we’ll witness some incredible things happen in Budapest.

“Esports Charts has always been driven by a mission to provide the esports community with accurate, actionable data, and we look forward to showcasing the impact and audience engagement of this world-class event.”

StarLadder has been a driving force in global esports for almost 15 years now, since hosting its first tournaments in 2011. Renowned for its innovation and reliability, the company has organised some of the industry’s most iconic events. These include the StarLadder Berlin Major 2019, which accumulated over 44 million hours watched and remains in the top 10 CS events by this metric, and the legendary StarSeries tournaments which started back in 2012.

Viacheslav Shcherbakov, Sales and Partnerships at StarLadder, said: “We’ve been working with Esports Charts since their founding and have always valued their professionalism and integrity. In a market where reliable data is essential, Esports Charts provides honest, transparent numbers, exactly the kind of insights sponsors and stakeholders rely on when assessing the potential reach of a World Championship event.

“We’re confident that this partnership will result in a high-quality analysis of our tournament’s performance and the audience data we’ll report to our partners. It’s a collaboration built on trust, shared values, and a deep understanding of what it takes to elevate esports to the next level.”

The Starladder Budapest Major 2025 will be held from November 24 to December 14 in Budapest, Hungary. The event will bring together the world’s top 32 Counter-Strike 2 teams to compete for a $1.25 million prize pool and one of the most prestigious titles in esports.

The post Esports Charts Becomes Official Viewership Analytics Partner of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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