A leading solution provider to the iGaming industry, International Game Technology (IGT), has been awarded the gold medal rating from the leading sustainability ratings provider EcoVadis. The recognition follows the EcoVadis assessment of the level of sustainability of global companies and their operating practices to position the IGT among the top five percent of companies with the gold medal rating.

Sustainability Assessment

The sustainability assessment of the renowned rating provider indicated that the IGT exercised a particularly distinctive performance in the areas of environment, ethics, and procurement to boost its overall ratings and include the company in the leading group of sustainable companies.

Rating Criteria

The sustainability performance assessment was conducted under the EcoVadiscriteria focused on the categories of environment, labor and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement. The assessment was based on 21 benchmark distributed across the above categories to report the IGT performance in terms of sustainable practices representing the pillars of the company’s strategic operations. In assessing the IGT sustainability level, EcoVadis used these sustainability standards to evaluate environmental, social and ethical performance across more than 85,000 companies around the world.

Testimony of Commitment

The gold medal rating awarded to IGT represents another testimony of the iGaming provider’s commitment to sustainability of its operations. The recognition brings IGT in the group of reputable companies proven to operate in compliance with international norms and regulations to ensure legal adherence at all times. At the same time, the gold metal rating is the confirmation that IGT’s operations are in lieu with its internal corporate culture ensuring that the satisfaction and loyalty of its employees continue to drive the company forward.

Commenting on the prestigious rating, Wendy Montgomery, IGT SVP Marketing, Communications and Sustainability said: “Receiving a gold medal from EcoVadis validates IGT’s long-time commitment to continuously improving our ESG results and the effectiveness of our Sustainable Play initiatives. IGT will leverage the gold medal honor from EcoVadis as inspiration for enhanced sustainability innovation and performance, as we help contribute to a more sustainable future for our business and stakeholders.”

Gold Medal Rating Meeting International Standards

Business sustainability ratings used by EcoVadis in assessing global companies are based on international sustainability standards such as the Ten Principles of the UN Global Company, the International Labor Organisation conventions, the Global Reporting Initiative standards, and the ISO 26000 standard. The rating entity relies on these norms to produce analysis and reports after sourcing performance figures and data to provide a guide for possible improvement of the operating practices of the company concerned. The highest rating awarded to IGT represents the recognition of the company’s continued commitment to quality and sustainability.

Source: “IGT Earns Gold Medal from Leading Rating Agency EcoVadis”. European Gaming. February 19, 2024.

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Star Entertainment Group has completed the sale of its Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort Gold Coast property. Announced earlier this year, the sale saw the Australian casino and hospitality giant sell the property for AUD 192 million (roughly $128 million at the time of the announcement).

The sale of the property came amid regulatory headwinds that saw the company lose public trust and experience deterioration in operating conditions.

Grand Mirage Resort Gold Coast was purchased by the Karedis and Laundy families. Best known for their activity in Australia’s liquor and hospitality sectors, the families will thus be able to expand their portfolio with another major property.

The sale was officially closed on November 3, providing Star Entertainment with almost AUD $60 (approximately $39 million in USD) in net proceeds. For reference, Australian Wattle Development originally purchased the property for AUD 140 million in 2017.

The Group Is Yet to Recover from the Bell Review

The Star’s post-review hurdles are not over yet. In 2021, the NSW Independent Casino Commission appointed Adam Bell SC to review the company’s business in New South Wales. After months of investigation, the Bell review uncovered multiple violations.

The company had to pay hundreds of millions in fines, almost lost its license to conduct business in the state and was forced to implement remediation measures and do better. The fines and the public trust Star lost caused its business to decline.

The silver lining is that the company’s remediation process seems to be going well. At the end of August, the company reported that it has so far implemented 22 of the 30 Bell review recommendations. The struggling casino and hospitality giant reaffirmed its intentions to do follow the recommendations outlined in the review and fix its shortcomings.

In addition, the company was recently able to strike a tax relief deal in NSW. The concession on casino duty rates with the NSW government is expected to help Star get its finances under control.

In other news, Star Entertainment was recently criticized by professional poker players who accused the company of banning players without providing any justification. Considering WPT’s exclusive partnership with Star Entertainment, this caused trouble for some elite poker players.

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Ayr Racecourse has welcomed this ongoing commitment on behalf of the sportsbook and said that the Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup has reached a value of £180,000 ($235,000) and continues to be a perpetual source of excitement for fans.

Ayr Racecourse Finds Unfaltering Partner

The event has also grown in prominence and has been able to engage with fans of horse racing, not least thanks to the backing of the bookmaker. The venue also hosts the Gold Cup and Silver Cup, as well as the Bronze Cup, making it the only venue that keeps all three in the same place across the United Kingdom.

As to Virgin Bet’s actual commitment to the event, the sportsbook will be sponsoring the entire three-day Festival which will kick off on Thursday, September 21, and will also feature the Virgin Bet Kilkerran Cup. On Friday, the festival will then feature Virgin Bet Bronze Cup and the sportsbook will similarly sponsor the Saturday Gold Cup race as well.

Commenting on this opportunity, Ayr managing director David Brown has expressed his thanks to the new sponsor and the significance of this ongoing relationship with the bookmaker:

The Virgin Bet name will be associated with the entire 3-day Festival once again and, as well as the Ayr Gold Cup itself, another 8 key contests over the 3-days will be sponsored by Virgin Bet, including the prestigious Firth Of Clyde Stakes for 2-year-olds and the mile and a quarter Doonside Cup.

Virgin Bet marketing director Ric Leask was similarly excited about the event. He said that it was with great pleasure that his company was offering sponsorship for the event for a third consecutive year.

The Rising Star and Fixture in British Sports Betting

“Virgin Bet remains committed to being a leading player in the world of horse racing, and sponsoring this prestigious race demonstrates this,” Leask added. Virgin Bet is one of the newest sports betting companies in the United Kingdom. The company was launched in 2019 in the market, and it received accolades as “The Rising Star” from SBC 2021.

Virgin Bet works closely with LiveScore Group to deliver some of the best sports betting experiences. Just as well, the company continues to sponsor prominent racing and sports events.

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It’s time for another USMNT vs. Canada duel. Only three weeks after the Americans beat the Canadians 2-0 to claim the CONCACAF Nations League, the two meet again. This time, it’s in the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

It’s a different competition, and things are quite different now. The thing is that the biggest soccer stars from each country are not taking part in the 2023 Gold Cup. For instance, the USMNT is without such elite players as Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, and Folarin Balogun. Meanwhile, Canada is without its biggest superstar Alphonso Davies, as well as Jonathan David, Cyle Larin, and a few others.

Nevertheless, even without their best players, these two teams have made it to the Gold Cup quarterfinal. But which of these will end the journey at this stage? Let’s find out!

USMNT vs. Canada Odds

*Odds taken from FanDuel on Thursday, July 6, 2023.

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio
• Date: Sunday, July 9, 2023
• Time: 5:00 PM ET
• How to Watch: FOX Sports

USMNT’s Offense Has Been Killing It in Gold Cup 2023

After a relatively bleak performance in the opening round of the Gold Cup, in which they drew 1-1 with Jamaica, the Americans went on to blow out Saint Kitts & Nevis and Trinidad & Tobago. They won each of those games 6-0.

FC Dallas’ striker Jesus Ferreira was the standout player in both of those, scoring a hat-trick each time. The rest of the goals scored by the USMNT at the 2023 Gold Cup were the work of Djordje Mihailovic (two goals), Brandon Vazquez (two goals), Bryan Reynolds, Gianluca Busio, and Cade Cowell.

The Americans have been great at the back as well. They did concede a goal against Jamaica, but other than that, their goalie Matt Turner hasn’t been much busy. That’s no surprise knowing that he’s got some amazing defenders to protect him – Matt Miazga, Aaron Long, DeAndre Yedlin, and so on.

Luck’s Been on Canada’s Side So Far

The Canadians have made it to the quarterfinal of the Gold Cup but saying that they deserved it might not be 100% true. The thing is that they got to the knockout stage with a 1-2-1 record in the group phase. That’s kind of disappointing considering that they played in a relatively easy group.

They were -455 favorites against Guadeloupe in the first round, but the game finished with 2-2 on the scoreboard. In round 2, their 2023 Gold Cup odds were -167 to beat Guatemala, but the game finished with no goals on either end. Finally, in the third round, they got their first win of the tournament. They beat the +3300 underdog Cuba 4-2.

USMNT vs. Canada Prediction

Our prediction for this game is that the United States men’s national team will steamroll Canada. The Americans have been playing much better soccer than their northern neighbors so anything but a convincing win for the 2023 Gold Cup hosts would be a surprise.  

Pick: USMNT to win

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After a surprising 2-2 draw with Guadalupe in the first round of the 2023 Gold Cup, Canada is looking for its first win of the tournament. Canada was a -455 underdog ahead of that game, and something similar is the case ahead of the game with Guatemala on Saturday, July 1. At the moment of writing, John Herdman’s men are seen as -300 favorites.

Guatemala vs. Canada Odds

*Odds taken from Fan Duel on Thursday, June 29, 2023.

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas
• Date: Saturday, July 1, 2023
• Time: 10:00 PM ET
• How to Watch: Fox Sports (United States), Fubo (Canada)

Guatemala to Defend With All 11 Players

Guatemala is topping the Group D table with three points thanks to a win over Cuba in the first round of the 2023 Gold Cup. The final score was 1-0 for Luis Fernando Tena’s team, but it could’ve easily been a much bigger win. The thing is that the Guatemalans were creating chance by chance by chance throughout the game.

This time, they’ll almost certainly go all-in on the defense. If they failed to score more than one goal against Cuba, they probably won’t score more against Canada. Plus, considering that they’ve already got three points, their goal in Saturday’s game will probably be a draw, which would bring another point their way.

Canada Needs to Do Much Better This Time

It seems that the Canadians still aren’t over the 2-0 loss to the USMNT in the final of the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League. In the first game after the loss, they played 2-2 with Guadeloupe. It was an embarrassing result for Canada, although the fact is that coach Herdman did not bring Canada’s best players with him to the United States.