Press Releases
Arooga’s® Grille House & Sports Bar Partners with PlaySugarHouse for Sportsbook at Their Shelton, Connecticut Location

Harrisburg, Pa based restaurant group Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar announced that their Shelton, Connecticut franchise location has teamed up with The Connecticut Lottery Corporation to launch their new retail sportsbook PlaySugarHouse, a sports wagering platform from Rush Street Interactive. This will be the first location of the brand to offer sports betting, which will operate within the Arooga’s location.
Located at 387 Bridgeport Ave., Shelton, Ct and owned by Arooga’s franchise group McBride Holding Company, LLC, this location is over seven-thousand square feet, seats two hundred and fifty guests and has over one hundred wall-to-wall HD TVs. Franchise co-owner David McBride is planning extensive renovations to create a dedicated space for the PlaySugarHouse concept, which will include multiple kiosks and teller stations along with Arooga’s famous two-story video wall.
“We have always paid attention to the expanding gaming landscape in the Northeast and have been hopeful that sports wagering would become available to us,” said David McBride, Chief Operating Officer of McBride Holding Company, LLC, and co-owner of the Arooga’s Shelton franchise location. “The proposed layout for PlaySugarHouse is really magnificent with up to fifteen kiosks, so there will be plenty of room to satisfy all guests within the restaurant as well as patrons who would like to stop by and place a bet.”
“We are extremely excited that the CT lottery has chosen Arooga’s Grille House and Sports Bar in Shelton, Ct to launch of the Connecticut’s sports book locations,” said James Belli, Vice President of McBride Holding Company, LLC, and co-owner of Arooga’s Shelton. “This partnership will offer guests throughout the region an unparalleled opportunity to watch a game and place a sports bet in what we believe is one of, if not the best, sports atmospheres in Connecticut. Guests can come to watch numerous sporting events on over one hundred televisions, enjoy a beverage from one of over fifty-nine draft beer offerings, and enjoy some award-winning wings and other mouth-watering eats. We are thrilled and look forward to the future of this partnership.”
The new PlaySugarHouse sportsbook is projected to open in December of 2022 after renovations are complete and all necessary licensing is in place. McBride Holding Company, LLC is the owner of three Arooga’s franchises in Warwick, RI, Attleboro, Ma, and Shelton, Ct, and is the principal partner with The Connecticut Lottery Corporation for this venture.
“We are thrilled to really step up our sports bar game and offer this exciting experience to our guests,” said Gary Huether, Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar parent company owner and President. “Sports betting is a natural fit for an award-winning sports bar.”
The recipient of several national accolades, including selection as America’s Next Top Restaurant Franchise, as well as recognition among Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top 500 Franchises of 2020 & 2021, and Top 200 Food Franchises 2020, Franchise Times Top 200 + 2020, and FranServe Fran-Tastic 500 2021, the Arooga’s restaurant company continues to charm the industry with its commitment to utilizing the latest technology in enhancing the guest experience and improving operational practices, creating unique and delicious menu items observing environmentally responsible operation methods in their restaurants as part of their certification by the Green Restaurant Association.
Latest News
BETBY STRENGTHENS LATAM PRESENCE THROUGH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH CALÍMACO

BETBY, an industry-leading sports betting provider, has announced a long-term partnership with Calímaco, a premium B2B sportsbook supplier with a strong foothold across Latin America. This collaboration aligns with BETBY’s expansion strategy in the LATAM market, reinforcing its commitment to delivering state-of-the-art sportsbook solutions in the region.
As part of the agreement, Calímaco will integrate BETBY’s award-winning sportsbook solution, including its proprietary esports feed BETBY Games, and comprehensive trading and risk management services. Additionally, by leveraging BETBY’s AI-driven technology, AI Labs, Calímaco’s partners will gain access to an unparalleled betting experience tailored to the needs of the LATAM market.
Known for its scalable and robust casino and lottery platform, Calímaco will significantly enhance its offering with an additional 300,000+ events, 8,000+ markets, 125+ sports, and 35+ esports provided by BETBY, cementing its position as a go-to supplier in the region’s competitive iGaming landscape.
Stefanos Karakidis, Head of Business Development at BETBY, commented: “We are excited to partner with Calímaco, a company that shares our vision for technological excellence and operator-focused innovation. Integrating our complete sportsbook solution into Calímaco’s platform will enable brands across LATAM to elevate their sports betting offerings and provide their users with an exceptional experience.”
Alejandro Serrano, Head of Business Development at Calímaco, added: “BETBY’s sportsbook technology is renowned for its flexibility, scalability, reliability, and comprehensive coverage. Incorporating their award-winning solution into our platform will empower our partners with world-class sports betting capabilities, further strengthening our presence in the Latin American market.”
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GLI® Names Sangeeta Reddy as Vice President, Innovation

To ensure the company keeps its global clients well ahead of the technology curve, Gaming Laboratories International (GLI®) has named Sangeeta Reddy as Vice President, Innovation. Previously, she served as Vice President of Engineering. Reddy will lead the company’s newly formed Innovation division.
“Technology is advancing at a breathtaking rate. Our mission at GLI is to advance with technology, while also constantly finding ways to do more to keep our clients informed and ahead of what’s next. In her new role, Sangeeta will continue to evolve our evaluation methodologies via her passion for R&D, her extensive experience both in and out of the gaming, and her strong academic background,” said President and CEO James R. Maida.
Reddy began her gaming industry career in 2001 as a PA Engineer at IGT, specializing in VLT, Slot games. She joined GLI in 2020. Prior to joining GLI, Reddy successfully managed Software QA and Development teams at Thomson Reuters and General Motors.
She holds a certificate from the Harvard Business Publishing’s Emerging Leaders program and a certificate in Associates Computer Information Systems. Her Postgraduate certification includes Chief Technology Officer Program, Business Analytics: From Data to Insights, and Driving Strategic Innovation: Leading Complex Initiatives for Impact from the Wharton School Aresty Institute of Executive Education and certifications in Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Business Applications, Artificial Intelligence, and Data Science and Business Analytics from the Texas McCombs School of Business, Postgraduate Program.
Conferences
Rubens Barrichello to Open SiGMA Americas 2025 with a Keynote Speech

Legendary motorsport racer and SOFTSWISS’ Non-Executive Director in Latin America Rubens Barrichello is taking the stage at SiGMA Americas 2025 with an inspiring keynote speech on 8 April, the opening day of the summit.
This will be Barrichello’s first major public engagement as an official SOFTSWISS representative at SiGMA Americas. In his speech, he will spotlight his vision of racing and iGaming – two worlds defined by speed, precision and passion. Attendees can expect a unique view of how these seemingly distant industries are more connected than it may seem.
In his keynote, Barrichello will share insights that bridge his personal racing journey with the opportunities presented by SOFTSWISS. The speech will also cover the cultural and human elements of doing business in Latin America, and the importance of timing, connections, and adaptability to achieve long-term success in this booming market.
“Latin America is a unique region filled with pure energy, emotion, and drive,” said Rubens Barrichello, Non-Executive Director in Latin America at SOFTSWISS. “The iGaming industry here is moving so fast, that for me it’s like stepping into a new race. But instead of cars, it’s technology, competition, and innovation pushing the progress forward, just like in Formula 1. I can’t wait to speak at the SiGMA Americas Summit and share what it takes to grow business on this continent.”
Barrichello’s active public engagement highlights SOFTSWISS’ strategic expansion into Latin America, one of the fastest-growing iGaming markets in the world. The company has already established itself in the region through certification in Brazil and Peru for its Game Aggregator and Jackpot Aggregator. In addition, SOFTSWISS recently partnered with rising talent Eduardo Barrichello for the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship.
Rubens Barrichello will also join the SOFTSWISS team at Stand M85, where attendees can book meetings and explore how SOFTSWISS helps partners drive success across Latin America.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 27,800 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team counts over 2,000 employees.
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