THE KING OF THE SWING

Words by Rachel Zammit Cutajar Photography by Julia Boikova

Golf has long been known as the sport of the CEO, with more business deals occurring on the course than holes-in-one. On an island slap bang in the Mediterranean, it’s wonderful to escape the dusty, blistering heat and head over to the golf course for a few hours of greenery, fresh air, and relaxation, with a little bit of a competitive edge. And that’s just what the iGaming expat community did late in August as they fought it out to be crowned as the king of the swing in the Enteractive Cup at the Royal Malta Golf Club.

The Enteractive Cup mimics the famous Ryder Cup, where two teams of 12 players each – Europe and The Rest of the World – compete for the coveted title over three days. Andrew Foster, Chief Business Officer at Enteractive, is always on the lookout for the next big thing in the world of sports and came upon SPORTSvox, an expat community that played regular golf tournaments, organised by Neill Simpson.

“SPORTSvox started out as a WhatsApp group between two or three friends who wanted to play but not with enough frequency to justify joining the club. Two or three years ago we decided to take it a little further and open it up to the iGaming expat community with much success. Today there are a number of tournaments played throughout the season between March and December.”

This is how Andy was introduced to golfing in Malta and he saw an opportunity for Enteractive Gaming to create this tournament. Both Neill and Andy were on the winning Rest of the World team – Neill having been kicked off the European team as a result of Brexit. However, both agree that there is more to this tournament than simply winning a cup.

Benefits include living a healthier lifestyle and a great opportunity for networking. “During the tournament you meet people you do business with daily, however you’re meeting them at a different level on the course. At the end of a tournament day, we spend time in the bar, reminiscing about who spent most time in the trees and who had some good shots. By the end of the three-day tournament, you’ve taken home more than just a trophy, you’ve made three or four good friends you’ll stay in touch with for the rest of your stay in Malta, maybe even beyond. And that’s an important aspect in the expat community,” Andy said.

“A lot of the players are senior executives, so you find yourself on a level playing field with the decision makers of the industry. It’s a slow game that allows for conversation on and off the course which makes it a great place for networking,” Neill said. Enteractive took on this project because it resonates with their brand. “We believe that people involved in sport have a very good working ethos. They show commitment, discipline, high levels of participation and competitivity. In fact, even when we are hiring, we tend to go for people involved in sport as these are the qualities our employees need to excel in the industry,” Andy said. With the popularity of the Enteractive Cup constantly evolving, organisers had to run a separate qualification for this year’s event. In only its second year, the friendly rivalry between the teams is clear to see and many friendships have been made. With the Rest of the World team running out comfortable winners this time round by 15pts to 9pts the European side are going to be gunning for them when the event returns in 2022.

Enteractive increases active players for iGaming operator partners. Contact Andy Foster on andrew.foster@enteractive.com for more information.