Latest News
Make-A-Wish Partners with Fanatics

Make-A-Wish and Fanatics, a leading global digital sports platform, announced a first-of-its-kind partnership in which Fanatics will become the wish- granting organization’s “Official Sports Partner.” Through the partnership, sports-related wishes in the US will be granted under the co-brand of Fanatics Make-A-Wish.
With more than 900 sports partnerships, exclusive contracts with thousands of top-tier athletes, and a brand that is focused on the sports fan, Fanatics is uniquely positioned to create once-in-a-lifetime experiences for wish kids and their families and elevate the broader sports-related vertical that Make-A- Wish is building. This includes supporting life-changing wishes around athlete meet-and-greets, Championship games, All-Star Weekends, Rookie Drafts, and the world’s premier, sought-after sporting events.
“Fanatics has been championing Make-A-Wish and its incredible efforts for many years, and this partnership will be an ongoing testament to the power of sports and the possibilities for children to heal through connections to their favorite teams and sports heroes. Fanatics’ relationships and access to thousands of athletes across all sports, a wide- ranging roster of preeminent partners, and expanding sports platform will all be leveraged to give these incredibly brave kids and their families the most memorable, once-in-a-lifetime experiences that we’re honored to deliver,” Orlando Ashford, said Chief People Officer at Fanatics, said.
In addition to supporting wish granting, Fanatics will make a $10 million contribution and provide Make- A-Wish with additional resources – including merchandise and production costs for external storytelling efforts – to build a comprehensive partnership over the next several years. These efforts will help create an even stronger sports vertical and close the gap in the number of sports wishes waiting to be granted, resulting in more children receiving their wishes sooner and Fanatics’ platform elevating the level of experiences offered.
“A critical illness upends childhood, bringing months, and sometimes years, of fear and traumatic stress into the lives of children and their families. Our partnership with Fanatics will help us create transformative experiences that will leave a lasting, positive impact long after the wish, often marking a turning point in a child’s treatment and recovery,” said Leslie Motter, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America.
The official partnership comes after many years of Fanatics’ support for Make-A-Wish, helping enhance wish kids’ experiences at sporting events, including most recently at the MLB All-Star Game in Seattle and upcoming at the 2023 World Series. Over the years, Fanatics has helped Make-A-Wish chapters elevate wish experiences by organizing meet-and-greets with athletes, providing premiere hospitality during sports events, and gifting wish kids licensed sports merchandise from their favorite teams and players.
In addition to wish-granting support, Orlando Ashford, Fanatics Chief People Officer, will join the Make- A-Wish America National Board of Directors with a focus on deepening our relationship and strengthening the organization’s sports vertical.
Latest News
Workers at Caesars Southern Indiana Casino Authorize Strike

More than 140 workers at Caesars Southern Indiana Hotel & Casino, represented by Teamsters Local 89 and Operating Engineers Local 399, have voted by a 98% margin to authorize a strike. The overwhelming vote is a direct response to management’s refusal to offer a fair contract.
“Our members are united and ready to fight for the strongest possible agreement. This vote sends a clear message — we will not back down. If management won’t negotiate in good faith, we’re prepared to take action,” said Avral Thompson, President of Local 89.
Caesars Southern Indiana, owned and operated by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), pulled in more than $240 million in revenue last year, making it one of the most profitable casinos in the state. Workers are demanding a contract that reflects their essential contributions to that success.
“I’ve worked at Caesars for over seven years, and we deserve a contract that values our hard work and dedication. No one wants to strike, but if management keeps disrespecting us at the bargaining table, we’re ready to demand what we’ve earned,” said Sandra Ramirez, a slot attendant at Caesars Southern Indiana and a member of Local 89.
After months of negotiations, management at Caesars Southern Indiana continues to refuse to offer fair retirement benefits and remains far apart on other key economic issues.
“At this point, the ball is entirely in management’s court. If Caesars faces a strike, management will have no one to blame but themselves for the fallout. We stand ready to back our members every step of the way,” said Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman.
Compliance Updates
VIP Play Obtains Interim West Virginia iGaming and Sports Wagering Management Service Provider Licenses

VIP Play Inc. announced the approval of its interim License in West Virginia for both Sports Wagering and iGaming managed services. This follows the recently announced market access partnership between VIP Play and Delaware North’s Wheeling Island Casino.
This milestone marks the company’s initial expansion beyond Tennessee, where it currently operates as a mobile Sports Wagering Operator. The interim License in West Virginia also adds iGaming to the company’s book of business, and allows VIP Play to participate in the rapidly expanding i-Gaming industry. VIP Play expects to begin serving West Virginia customers in the coming months.
Bruce Cassidy, VIP Play CEO & Chairman of the Board, said: “The acquisition of our interim Sports Wagering and i-Gaming License in West Virginia marks a significant milestone in our journey to expand, underscoring our commitment to provide innovative experiences to a wider audience. As we grow our presence, our dedication to excellence stands firm, and we’re excited to play a role in enriching West Virginia’s dynamic gaming community.”
Compliance Updates
QTech Games sharpens its LatAm focus with MINCETUR licence in Peru

New certification for emerging-markets leader arrives ahead of key industry summit in Sao Paulo and awards recognition
QTech Games, the leading game aggregator for emerging markets, has had its platform and games successfully approved for the Peruvian market, demonstrating that its premier B2B platform and all-encompassing content conforms to the latest legislative updates to enhance and regulate Peru’s local gaming environment.
Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Commerce and Tourism (MINCETUR) has now issued an online gaming licence to QTech Games, whereby all its platform products and games are now deemed legally permitted. This includes its new software service for retail, QTech Hybrid, which allows land-based partners to scale their operations online. QTech Hybrid simplifies transactions by enabling deposits, withdrawals and gameplay while allowing access to players both in-shop and on personal devices.
This breakthrough hybrid solution has quickly won clients and awards in the comparably fragmented African market (most recently in March for Best Innovation at AGE Lagos), and now promises to do likewise across LatAm, where QTech Games has already signed several major clients for both its aggregation platform and its QTech Hybrid solution. This activity has seen it again nominated for Best Aggregator at the SiGMA Americas Awards, which kickstart the SiGMA Americas summit (7-10 April) next week, as the igaming world converges on Sao Paulo for a must-attend conference in another of QTech Games’ “focus markets” for 2025.
Philip Doftvik, QTech Games’ CEO, said: “It’s fantastic to have certified our aggregation platform in Peru via MINCETUR – and I’m pleased to say we have more such approvals pending across the continent. We attended fantastic events in Rio and, more recently, SAGSE 2025 in Buenos Aires – and anticipate more of the same at SiGMA Americas in Sao Paulo next week, where we’re also thrilled to have been shortlisted for Best Aggregator at their LatAm Awards. Given the venue, Brazil will be dominating the discussion for many at SiGMA Sao Paulo. However, we’ll also be looking beyond Brazilian borders this year, and are already active in Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Paraguay. We know our QTech Hybrid solution will work very well wherever we put a pin on the LatAm map.”
QTech Games delegates will be present at five more LatAm summits in 2025, with SiGMA Americas (7 April) the next port of call – followed by GAT Expo Cartagena (28 April), SBC Americas (13 May), Peru Gaming Show (18 June) and GAT Expo Mexico (28 Aug).
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