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Sharplink Gaming Names Sports Tech Veteran Dave Abbott as Company’s New Chief Technology Officer

SharpLink Gaming Ltd., a pioneer of technology-driven sports fan activation and conversion solutions for the U.S. sports betting and iGaming industries, announced that Dave Abbott, former Managing Director of U.S. Sports Media at Sportradar, has been appointed as SharpLink’s new Chief Technology Officer, effectively immediately.
Building on his 20+ years of experience driving transformational innovation and platform growth for leading technology companies, Abbott brings SharpLink deep technical expertise in customer relationship management software, data integration and architecture and productization in the sports technology industry.
Rob Phythian, Co-Founder and CEO of SharpLink, stated, “Given Dave and my long and storied history of collaboration, partnership and teamwork, having worked together in the past to help put both SportsData and Sportradar U.S. on the map, I have first-hand knowledge of and appreciation for his vision, skill and ability to create and monetize bleeding-edge innovations and impactful solutions. A true technology visionary, Dave will be charged with inspiring and growing SharpLink’s engineering teams, driving forward our technology roadmap, and advancing our mission to be the provider-of-choice for game-changing technologies for fantasy sports and free-to-play gaming as well as hyper-localization of fan engagement.
Prior to joining SharpLink, Abbott spent more than eight years at Sportradar (Nasdaq:SRAD), serving first as Senior Vice President of Innovation and Technology and rising to Managing Director of U.S. Sports Media, where he focused on the growth and development of the company’s media strategy in the United States. Founded in 2001, Swiss-based Sportradar is a sports technology company serving over 1,700 sports federations, media outlets, betting operators and consumer platforms across 120 countries. Sportradar’s U.S.-based business traces its start to its 2014 acquisition of SportsData, a provider of sports-related live data and digital content co-founded by Abbott and Phythian in 2010. Following the acquisition, Abbott, Phythian and Tom Masterman, SharpLink’s recently named Vice President, Revenue and SportsData alumnus, joined Sportradar to establish and build the Company’s U.S. presence.
“The timing is ideal for ‘putting the band back together,'” said Abbott. “The notable success that Rob, Tom and I shared while working together at SportsData and Sportradar is a testament to our corresponding strengths, commitment to results, common core values and similar work ethics. I’m delighted to be reuniting with them and look forward to working closely with SharpLink’s highly talented team at this important evolutionary phase of the U.S. sports betting market. I have great confidence that SharpLink will prove to be our biggest success, yet.”
A frequent speaker at sports industry conferences and trade events, Abbott has also volunteered over the past several years as a mentor to CEOs of emerging software companies in association with the Minnesota Emerging Software Advisory. He earned his MBA in Finance from the University of St. Thomas – Opus College of Business and a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of Minnesota, Institute of Technology.
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IGT Wheel of Fortune Video Poker Makes Global Debut at Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas

International Game Technology PLC announced that it recently introduced its much-anticipated Wheel of Fortune Video Poker game in the world’s most prolific video poker market: Las Vegas, Nev. Guests of Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino (Downtown Grand) in Downtown Las Vegas became the first players in the world to enjoy legendary IGT multi-hand video poker paired with the puzzle-solving, wheel-spinning fun of Wheel of Fortune via IGT’s Wheel of Fortune Video Poker game.
“Becoming the first casino in the world to offer IGT’s Wheel of Fortune Video Poker was an exciting moment for Downtown Grand and one that generated palpable buzz and significant play on our gaming floor. For decades, our players have enjoyed IGT video poker and Wheel of Fortune slots, so combining the DNA of those two products to create something new is an exciting proposition for our players,” said Rick Coltor, Slots Manager at the Downtown Grand Las Vegas.
“Launching IGT Wheel of Fortune Video Poker in Las Vegas, the world’s largest video poker market, marked another important milestone in the rollout of our expanded Wheel of Fortune games portfolio. Our Wheel of Fortune Video Poker game delivers an ideal blend of proven multi-hand poker, jackpot excitement and the signature elements of Wheel of Fortune games that have propelled the theme’s success for more than 25 years,” said Nick Khin, IGT President, Global Gaming.
IGT’s Wheel of Fortune Video Poker is currently available on the CrystalCurve cabinet. Wheel of Fortune Video Poker incorporates the franchise’s famous puzzle-solving features and the iconic “Wheel Bonus” that has had players chanting “WHEEL-OF-FORTUNE!” for decades. The multi-hand poker game is available in triple-play, five-play and ten-play configurations and can award players 30,000, 50,000 or 100,000 credits, respectively, for a dealt royal flush.
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MLB Players Sign Licensing Agreement with PENN Entertainment

MLB Players Inc., a commercial affiliate of the Major League Baseball Players Association, and OneTeam Partners announced they’ve reached a licensing agreement with PENN Entertainment.
The agreement designates PENN’s sports betting platforms – ESPN BET in the U.S. and theScore BET in Canada – as Officially Licensed Sportsbooks of MLBPI.
PENN now has the rights to use MLB player names, images and likenesses on its sports betting platforms, marketing assets and promotional campaigns.
The deal also includes PENN’s retail sportsbook operations (32 retail sportsbooks at its casino properties, including 19 under the ESPN BET brand).
Last fall, FanDuel and MLBPI reached a similar licensing agreement after the MLB players’ union sued FanDuel and Underdog Fantasy in New York Supreme Court, accusing them of using the names and likeness of ballplayers on their players without permission.
”As baseball season gets underway, we’re excited to offer fans an enhanced betting experience that includes player likenesses, expanded wagering options and a more dynamic product. Partnering with MLB Players Inc. strengthens our connection to the league and its star players and creates additional opportunities to engage fans throughout the season,” said Jason Birney, Vice President of Operations at PENN Interactive.
OneTeam Partners specializes in commercializing group licensing rights for professional athlates, and is a joint venture between the NFL Players Association, MLB Players Association, Women’s National Basketball Players Association, MLS Players Association, and U.S. Women’s National Team Players Association.
“By integrating MLB player rights into PENN Entertainment’s platforms, this partnership brings fans closer to the game while unlocking new business opportunities in sports betting. It highlights the growing influence of players in shaping premium, fan-focused betting experiences while enhancing player NIL rights and widening distribution,” said Frank Arthofer, President of OneTeam Partners.
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Caesars Entertainment Debuts its First Live Dealer Studio Inside One of its Caesars Rewards Destinations

Caesars Entertainment Inc. announced the launch of its first branded, live dealer studio inside one of its world-class destinations made possible through its partnership with Evolution. The debut of the space inside Tropicana Atlantic City in New Jersey marks the second custom studio made for Caesars live dealer offerings on its online casino platforms following the launch of its first such studio in Pennsylvania earlier this year.
Players 21 and older on Caesars’ online gaming platforms Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino, and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino can now enjoy a live dealer experience on mobile that draws inspiration from table game play at the Las Vegas Strip’s most iconic casino, Caesars Palace.
“The opening of this branded studio at one of our Caesars Rewards destinations introduces the newest addition to our ever-expanding online gaming platforms. We’re always striving to marry the world-class experiences our players enjoy at our destinations with the online casino play they love,” said Matt Sunderland, Senior Vice President and Chief iGaming Officer at Caesars Digital.
The New Jersey studio features five blackjack tables, which includes a VIP-exclusive blackjack table, one baccarat table and one roulette table. The tables feature custom felts with imagery and branding from iconic Caesars destinations on the Las Vegas Strip including Caesars Palace & Horseshoe. The studio also caters to VIP players, much like Caesars Rewards destinations, with a VIP-exclusive blackjack table offering an authentic 1-to-1 live high-limit blackjack experience, that could previously only be found in a physical casino.
“Evolution is thrilled to open a second dedicated Caesars live dealer studio inside Tropicana Atlantic City. This studio was made possible through our close partnership with Caesars. Once fully operational, it will generate approximately two hundred job opportunities in Atlantic City. We’re very proud to see a concrete example of how iGaming helps to create jobs and develop the workforce in our local communities,” said Jacob Claesson, Chief Executive Officer of Evolution North America.
Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino, and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino are available on iOS, Android, and desktop for those 21 and older in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ontario, and West Virginia. Each platform offers a dynamic online casino experience with a range of unique Caesarsbranded games alongside hundreds of classic land-based casino favorites and core casino game mechanics, including high limit slots, private live dealer tables, linked progressive jackpots, variations of poker and roulette, and more.
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