UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, and international iGaming brand Parimatch announced a new marketing partnership that establishes Parimatch as UFC’s Official Sportsbook and Betting Partner in Asia.

Parimatch will strategically activate its brand within a selection of UFC events, leveraging UFC’s wide-reaching promotional assets. Highlighted integrations include Parimatch branding in the world-famous Octagon and collaborations with UFC to creatively engage fans through original content that will be distributed via UFC’s popular digital and social channels in Asia that reach more than 17.5 million users.

“Parimatch has been a trusted partner and we are thrilled to extend this collaboration to Asia. Their support is instrumental in our efforts to give local athletes the opportunity to compete in the Road to UFC tournament and ultimately help them realize their dreams of making it to UFC. Together, we are driving the growth of our sport and delivering world-class experiences to fans across the region,” said Kevin Chang, Senior Vice President and Head of Asia for UFC.

“Today we start off a new era in the Parimatch partnership with UFC, built on the same strong values we share in serving UFC fans worldwide and delivering unforgettable moments. We’re excited to be back, ready to create even greater experiences for fans with the opportunities that lie ahead of us,” said Parimatch owner Sergei Portnov.

This new agreement builds upon an earlier relationship between UFC and Parimatch in which Parimatch served as UFC’s Official Sportsbook Partner across several regions worldwide.

PlayVS, the leading esports platform in North America, announced a multi-year partnership with Zenni Optical, the world’s leading online eyewear retailer. This partnership establishes Zenni as the official eyewear partner of PlayVS, bringing exclusive benefits to PlayVS’ esports community.

As part of this collaboration, Zenni will serve as the official eyewear partner of the PlayVS Cup, the annual national esports championship for high school students. The Cup provides top scholastic esports teams from across the country with an opportunity to compete for a national title and earn recognition and awards, including college scholarships. Zenni’s partnership will help power scholarship prizes for Cup finalists, furthering PlayVS’ dedication to empowering students and supporting their educational and athletic ambitions. These scholarships not only aid with alleviating financial strain, but also highlight esports as a viable pathway to academic and professional success.

Zenni’s eyewear will also be included in the prize packages that PlayVS Cup champions and PlayVS Awards winners receive, providing students with high quality eyewear to complement their gaming performance. Additionally, Zenni will offer members of the PlayVS community exclusive discounts on eyewear.

“We are excited to partner with PlayVS and expand our ongoing support of the gaming and esports community. Empowering a dedicated high school esports program that not only will generate awareness around the importance of eye health to a new generation of gamers but also support their academic pursuits is such an amazing opportunity for Zenni to partner with,” said Robb Chiarini, Head of Partnerships, Licensing, & Events at Zenni Optical.

Through this partnership, Zenni will also be integrated into PlayVS’ content series, Road to the PlayVS Cup, a set of videos showcasing different esports programs across the nation as they compete to earn a spot in the PlayVS Cup.

“Partnering with Zenni is a natural fit for us as we continue to grow the high school esports community. Zenni shares our commitment to supporting students in both esports and academics. By joining forces with Zenni, we’re empowering students with scholarships and enabling them to partake in healthy competition to foster their esports careers. We’re excited to work together and bring Zenni’s eyewear to our community of gamers,” said Jon Chapman, CEO of PlayVS.

Pollard Banknote Limited announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to purchase 100% of the business of Pacific Gaming LLC and LIF Capital Group LLC (collectively “Pacific”), a recognized leader in bingo electronics, handhelds, blowers, point-of-sale systems, and bingo management systems.

Pacific will become part of the Pollard Charitable Games Group, joining other industry leaders such as American Games, International Gamco, Diamond Game, and CJ Venne. This acquisition strengthens Pollard’s existing product portfolio, which already includes paper pull-tabs, electronic pull-tabs, bingo paper, pull-tab vending machines, video verifiers, and bingo daubers. Pacific’s bingo equipment provides an even more comprehensive and integrated range of products to meet the needs of charitable gaming operators.

“We are thrilled about adding the Pacific electronic bingo offerings into our charitable gaming portfolio. As one of the leading providers to the charitable bingo market, the addition of electronic solutions is an important element of providing a comprehensive product offering to existing and new customers. Pacific will be a key addition in helping us remain a leader in this space,” said John Pollard, Co‐Chief Executive Officer of Pollard Banknote.

Steven Fingold, Executive Vice President for Charitable Gaming at Pollard Banknote, said: “Pacific has long been a leader in electronic bingo solutions and we’re excited to have them join our charitable games group. This acquisition further highlight’s Pollard Banknote’s ongoing commitment to the charitable gaming market and our focus on expanding our leadership role through both organic growth and key acquisitions.”

The total Acquisition purchase price is $10.0 million U.S. dollars (approximately $14.4 million CDN dollars using an exchange rate of $1.44 CDN dollar per U.S. dollar) prior to standard working capital adjustments. The purchase price will be funded from existing Pollard Banknote cash resources and availability under the existing senior credit facilities. The Acquisition is expected to be accretive to Pollard Banknote’s net income. The Acquisition agreement of Pacific has been signed and expected to close on April 1, 2025 on receipt of standard approvals. The Acquisition is not contingent on any financing.

“This acquisition continues Pollard Banknote’s commitment to growing our presence in the important charitable gaming market and strengthening our leadership role as the partner of choice for charities throughout the U.S. and around the world. We are extremely pleased to have the Pacific team join us, and we look forward to continued success in expanding our reach within the bingo market,” John Pollard added.