Betsson Group Begins Search for New CEO

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Burnley FC’s principal front of shirt partner Spreadex is donating its front-of-shirt branding to the Alzheimer’s Society, in support of the club’s work with the charity, for the Clarets’ Carabao Cup fixture against Rochdale on Tuesday, 21^st September.

The initiative will see Burnley FC replace the Spreadex Sports logo with the logo of the Alzheimer’s Society, helping raise awareness of the leading dementia charity’s work on World Alzheimer’s Day.

The news follows Burnley’s third kit launch, which will see the club donate £5 to Alzheimer’s Society for every shirt sold – with the £5 amount per shirt being generously matched by Spreadex.

Burnley Football Club’s Head of Commercial Partnerships Ella Cummins said: “We’re delighted that we are able to highlight such a valuable cause through the front of shirt and would like to thank Spreadex for making this possible. For many of us, this is a cause close to our hearts, and as a club we are looking forward to working closely with Alzheimer’s Society over the coming year on some great initiatives.

“We will also be creating a raffle for the match-worn shirts and warmup t-shirts following the game with all money raised from the £5 raffle ticket going to support Alzheimer’s Society. We’re hopeful that through the third kit sales and the raffle, we will be able to raise a significant sum for the charity, supporting the invaluable work they do for those living with dementia.”

Alex Hyde-Smith, Director of Fundraising at Alzheimer’s Society said:  “We can’t thank Burnley FC enough for giving us this platform to have our logo front and centre on such a special day for us at Alzheimer’s Society, as well as generously donating proceeds of the third kit to our vital work. The last two years have been really tough for people affected by dementia but thanks to the generosity of Burnley FC, we can raise crucial funds and awareness of dementia and the support available, so no-one has to face dementia alone.

“As part of our Sport United Against Dementia campaign, we look forward to working more closely with the club, building on the fantastic work already being done to support people living with dementia in the local community.”

Spreadex CEO Dave MacKenzie said: “We are really pleased to be able to continue to support Burnley FC’s fantastic work in the community and its charitable activities. Donating our shirt sponsorship space was something we were keen to do to mark World Alzheimer’s Day and I hope this initiative with raise important awareness amongst football fans.”

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NOVOMATIC AG has renewed its G4 certification for player and youth protection according to the internationally recognised highest standards of the Global Gambling Guidance Group (G4).

Established by experts in the field of gambling addiction prevention and Responsible Gaming in 2003, the standards go far beyond local legal requirements and are thus internationally recognised as the most stringent in the field of player protection. NOVOMATIC was the first Austrian gaming company to be certified according to this standard.

NOVOMATIC Executive Board Member Johannes Gratzl explains the far reaching significance of high player and youth protection standards within the group: “Not only as an operator of international gaming venues, but also as a technology supplier exporting worldwide, the successful certification according to the highest international player protection standards is also a valuable recognition of NOVOMATIC’s great efforts in this important area.”

“With a new group wide player protection policy NOVOMATIC AG keeps improving and shows that responsible entertainment is at the core of their activities. These are well thought through, planned professionally and are monitored at central level,” Ynze Remmers, lead auditor of G4, said.

Not only NOVOMATIC AG, but also its subsidiaries with the highest turnover in Austria, Germany, Great Britain and the Netherlands are already G4-certified. This emphasises the full commitment and great importance of player and youth protection across the entire group.

The company’s compliance with the high standards for Responsible Gaming is audited every three years on the basis of around 100 criteria from all business areas. Since the international standards for Responsible Entertainment are constantly evolving in line with the latest scientific findings, recertification is required every three years.

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Betsson Group has confirmed the commencement of the process to find a replacement for long-time CEO and founder Pontus Lindwall.

The Board of Directors of Betsson said that Pontus Lindwall has completed the assignment “Back on Track,” which is the programme he was hired as CEO to implement in 2017. In the second quarter of 2021, Betsson reported its best quarter to date in terms of sales and earnings.

The Board believes that Betsson is ready for further renewal in order to meet the challenges in an international environment, more regulated markets and take advantage of new opportunities.

“Betsson has never been in a better position than today. We have built up a strong business, with competent employees and good finances. The Board’s assessment is that it is a good opportunity to make a change in the position of CEO,” Patrick Svensk, Chairman of the Board of Betsson, said.

Pontus Lindwall has led the development of Betsson and its predecessors for almost 25 years and is one of the industry’s leading profiles in digital gaming and gambling. Pontus Lindwall was appointed CEO of Betsson as early as 1998 and held that position until 2011, when he was elected Chairman of the Board. He took up his most recent assignment as CEO in 2017.

“Pontus Lindwall has played an invaluable role in Betsson’s successful development. When he took over as CEO in 2017, his mission was to strengthen the company’s position and create a solid platform for continued growth. That task has now been completed. We are grateful for all the good work Pontus Lindwall has done during these years and the strong foundation he has created for the future,” Patrick Svensk said.

Pontus Lindwall will remain as CEO until a new CEO has been appointed. Pontus Lindwall is entitled to twelve months’ severance pay from the time he leaves the company.