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Fiona Davies Joins Global Digital Identity Verification Provider OCR Labs Global As Head of Gaming
OCR Labs Global, a world leader in digital ID verification, has appointed Fiona Davies as Head of Gaming to lead their strategy of focusing on improving the verification experience and fraud prevention in this vertical. Davies joins with over 15 years of experience across startups through leading commercial teams in large corporations and over seven years of extensive knowledge of the Know Your Customer (KYC), Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Identity Verification (IDV) landscape.
OCR Labs Global solves major challenges, including identity fraud and regulatory compliance, using its proprietary technology. With unrivaled identity document coverage and industry leading biometric technology there is a huge opportunity to improve onboarding in the gambling industry.
During her time at Acuris Risk Intelligence, Davies was responsible for the Gambling and Sales divisions, where she gained extensive knowledge of the landscape surrounding regulated markets and insights into making these processes more efficient. Before this role, she spent 10 years as Commercial Director for global B2B events, driving launch events at the EMAP in South America and supporting high-growth tech companies such as Google and Intel to win commercial traction in emerging markets.
Fiona Davies, newly appointed Head of Gaming for OCR Labs Global, comments: “My first introduction to Gambling was at ICE, where I was instantly fascinated by this high-growth vertical and its complexity from a regulatory standpoint. I am passionate about working with clients and offering them real solutions that will add value across the board.
Davies continued, “I am excited to build out the Gambling division at OCR Labs Global offering operators products that underpin this strict regulatory environment whilst not impinging on user experience. With such a stand-out product offering, joining them was an easy decision to make. I plan to be a real evangelist and work with operators, platforms and partners to introduce improvements that make a real difference to the verification experience, the bottom line and fraud prevention.”
“With a 100 percent automated product that helps onboard players faster and at the same time stops fraud, I know it is the right time to get passionate about making real improvements in the Gambling industry.”
Russ Cohn, General Manager International for OCR Labs Global, added, “OCR Labs Global is committed to bringing our technology to Gambling operators and their users worldwide. We are a real force multiplier for the industry, with our fully automated and user friendly and reliable ID verification process dramatically speeding up user onboarding. We welcome Fiona’s industry experience and ability to leverage our solution and elevate our efforts in Gambling. We are confident that her expertise will support global operators to take advantage of this excellent growth opportunity.”
OCR Labs Global is already supporting clients across many industries, including governments, crypto and a variety of platform-based businesses, such as SaaS providers. Customers include Cognito, HSBC, Reed, Coinmetro and many other customers and partners.
AGRESE
Representatives from AGRESE and LOTESE Visits Lottopar

On July 3rd and 4th, the Paraná State Lottery (Lottopar) received at its headquarters representatives from the Sergipe State Public Services Regulatory Agency (AGRESE) and the Sergipe State Lottery (LOTESE), on an institutional visit aimed at exchanging experiences and technical in-depth study on the regulation, operation and control model of state lottery activity.
During the two-day event, visitors learned in detail about the regulatory framework built by Lottopar, the systems adopted to ensure the traceability and security of operations, the criteria for accrediting operators and laboratories, and the responsible gaming and anti-money laundering policies implemented since the organization’s founding.
“We are delighted to welcome AGRESE and LOTESE. We believe that the development of state lotteries necessarily involves this type of technical cooperation, where successful experiences can be shared and adapted to the needs of each federative entity. The Lottopar model is constantly evolving, and it is a pleasure to be able to contribute to other states that, like Sergipe, demonstrate a commitment to serious, safe, and responsible regulation,” Lottopar CEO Daniel Romanowski said.
The exchange of information between states is essential for consolidating a safer, more efficient national lottery environment aligned with international best practices. The visit also reinforces the importance of joint action between regulatory agencies and state lotteries in formulating effective public policies.
AGRESE CEO Mr. Luiz Hamilton Santana de Oliveira said: “The institution is very honored and pleased to have hosted this technical visit, as it was a very productive two days, where we were able to further enhance our knowledge. We will implement what we learned and saw here into our regulations back in Sergipe.”
Adriana França Coserva Hide, CEO of LOTESE, said: “On behalf of Loterias de Sergipe, I would like to express our deep gratitude to the Lottopar team for the warm welcome and, most importantly, congratulate them on the exemplary work they have been doing. We were impressed by the level of excellence, professionalism, and commitment to social well-being that permeates Lottopar’s entire structure and operations. This exchange of experiences was extremely enriching and reinforces our conviction that cooperation between state public lotteries is a fundamental path to strengthening the sector in Brazil. We leave here inspired and even more committed to the mission that unites us.”
The agenda concluded with technical visits to Lottopar’s strategic departments and the headquarters of accredited partners, focusing on practical observation of operations. New joint initiatives are expected to be established soon, solidifying a virtuous cycle of cooperation between Brazilian public lotteries.
The post Representatives from AGRESE and LOTESE Visits Lottopar appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Alinda van Wyk
Super Group Raises Full-Year Revenue and EBITDA Guidance After Record Q2, Announces Intention to Exit U.S. iGaming

Super Group, the holding company for leading global online sports betting and gaming businesses Betway, a premier online sports betting brand, and Spin, a multi-brand online casino offering, provided an update for its second quarter performance, raised 2025 guidance and announced its intention to exit from the U.S. as part of an ongoing strategic review to streamline operations and enhance long-term shareholder value.
Super Group’s positive momentum over recent quarters continued in Q2 2025, with solid revenue growth across all markets. This was driven by strong sports results, improvements in pricing models, more efficient risk management, a full calendar of sporting events, record deposit levels, and ongoing robust customer engagement and retention across both casino and sports in key markets.
As a result, Super Group announced that Q2 2025 is expected to be the strongest quarter in the Group’s history. This continued and diversified strength increases confidence in the full-year outlook for 2025, and the Group is raising Ex-U.S. guidance accordingly:
• Total revenue is now expected to exceed $2.0 billion vs. prior guidance of $1.925 billion
• Total Adjusted EBITDA is now expected in excess of $480 million vs. prior guidance of $457 million
Neal Menashe, Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are very pleased with our performance in the second quarter, reflecting continued momentum and discipline across our core markets and further validating the strength of our operating model and brands. We remain focused on driving profitable and sustainable growth through consistent execution and continue to be super-confident in the long-term growth potential of our business.”
Super Group Announces Intention to Exit U.S. iGaming
The Group also announced that it intends to exit its U.S. iGaming operations, following a comprehensive evaluation of its global priorities, the evolving regulatory landscape, and the U.S. unit’s financial performance. The Group is currently evaluating its strategic options in this regard.
Neal Menashe said: “This is a difficult decision, particularly because our U.S. team has worked hard and made progress over recent quarters. Nonetheless, recent regulatory developments combined with ongoing assessment of capital allocation requirements have led us to believe that our stringent hurdle for return on capital will likely not be met in this market any time soon. We therefore intend to focus capital and resources on markets where we see the greatest opportunity for scalable, sustainable, profitable super growth, with a disciplined emphasis on operational efficiency.”
Alinda Van Wyk, Chief Financial Officer, said: “Various strategic exit options are under consideration. We are still early in the process but nonetheless would expect to incur a one-time cash restructuring cost of approximately $30 million – $40 million in connection with such an exit and are actively pursuing multiple efforts to minimize the impact thereof. Further details regarding these potential costs will be shared during our second quarter earnings release.”
Further insights into the Group’s performance and strategic outlook will be shared at the Investor Day on September 18, 2025, in London, UK.
The post Super Group Raises Full-Year Revenue and EBITDA Guidance After Record Q2, Announces Intention to Exit U.S. iGaming appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Hard Rock Heals Foundation
Hard Rock Heals Foundation Gives $250,000 in Grants to 50 Community Charities Around the World

The Hard Rock Heals Foundation, the charitable arm of Hard Rock International, announced the distribution of $250,000 in grants to 50 local nonprofit organizations across the globe. These $5000 grants are part of the foundation’s annual commitment to help strengthen the communities in which Hard Rock operates through targeted support of impactful, grassroots initiatives.
The 2025 Hard Rock Heals Foundation Grant Program supports three focus areas:
• Mental health awareness and research
• Prevention of human trafficking and promotion of human rights
• Children’s wellness and education
The deserving, locally based organizations selected this year span 15 countries and over 40 cities, reflecting the brand’s global reach and deep community connections. From autism awareness in the Maldives and childhood educational support in Mexico, to youth wellness in Austria and support for people experiencing homelessness in Florida, the 2025 recipients exemplify purpose-driven work that uplifts communities.
“Since 2016, the Hard Rock Heals Foundation has supported hundreds of local programs focused on healing and hope. This year’s grant recipients, whether serving children, combating homelessness, or standing up for human rights, embody the spirit of our mottos: ‘Love All – Serve All’ and ‘Take Time to Be Kind,’” said Tracy Bradford, President of the Hard Rock Heals Foundation and Seminole Hard Rock Support Services.
The program empowers each Hard Rock property to nominate one charity annually. Examples of 2025 grant recipients include:
The Bowery Mission (nominated by Hard Rock Cafe New York) – Serving New Yorkers experiencing homelessness
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Georgia (nominated by REVERB by Hard Rock Atlanta) – Granting life-changing wishes to critically ill children
Maldives Autism Association (nominated by Hard Rock Hotel Maldives) – Providing resources for children and families with autism
Julie Weintraub’s Hands Across the Bay (nominated by Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa) – Supporting survivors of human trafficking
Cruz Roja Española (nominated by Hard Rock Hotel Marbella) – Offering essential care and education to underserved children
CAREER WARDROBE (nominated by Hard Rock Cafe Philadelphia) – Empowering women through professional development.
The post Hard Rock Heals Foundation Gives $250,000 in Grants to 50 Community Charities Around the World appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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