Microgaming Community Games Adopted by Manx Schools

Microgaming's PlayItForward initiative has launched yet another social project on the Isle of Man, where the casino software giant has its headquarters.

Microgaming launched Community Games, an annual sporting event for secondary students (aged 11 - 18) on the island, in a bid to encourage them to take part in active sports and become members of sports clubs.

It was announced this week that the event will become a permanent fixture on the school year calendar, with the next Community Games scheduled for June 2017. The first one ran this year and was a huge success among students.

The event will be known as the Microgaming Community Games and will receive marketing and financial backing from the online casino software provider.

Microgaming Plays It Forward

The head of Microgaming's PlayItForward initiative, Claire Coleman spoke about the sports initiative and said: "The inaugural Community Games was a great success and we are proud to see it in the school calendar again in 2017."

"This year we saw first-hand how much fun students had trying new sports in a relaxed and non-competitive environment. I have no doubt the 2017 event will be just as successful, if not more."

Microgaming's PlayItForward is a community-driven initiative that focuses on health, sport and education. It was launched in 2014 and has raised money for dozens of charities.

Upsurge in Student Participation

As part of the Community Games, students on the Isle of Man are encouraged to remain involved in one of the 10 featured sports (including girls' football, judo, rugby, snooker and swimming).

"Joining clubs offers young people many benefits," noted the Isle of Man's Minister for Education, Graham Creegan. "The health advantages of being active are clear but membership of a club can lead to lifelong friendships. It can open doors to officiating, coaching, sitting on committees and developing skills that give young people confidence and self-esteem to flourish away from sport."