BGaming’s Charity Gala raised over €200,000 for DAR Bjorn, attracting more than 400 guests

For Lubov Stelmakh, Event Manager at BGaming, the relationship with DAR Bjorn began long before Charity Gala by BGaming, which was first held in May 2025. Having lived and worked in Malta for several years, and having done voluntary work at DAR Bjorn previously, for her, the personal touch of the organisation is what sets it apart.

"DAR Bjorn is not a large institution where people become numbers. You get to know the residents, their families, and the team caring for them," Ms Stelmakh explains.

"When I first visited DAR Bjorn as a volunteer, I was struck by the positivity of the people living there. Despite facing very difficult circumstances, many of them have an incredible sense of humour, resilience, and appreciation for everyday moments. That stayed with me," Ms Stelmakh recalls. Seeing the daily work behind their care, she adds, made her realise that even relatively small contributions can make a meaningful difference.

Throughout the planning of CharityGalas by BGaming, it was not any single story that stayed with her, but the people themselves. "You see how much they value not only the care they receive, but also the feeling that people haven't forgotten about them," she notes. “DAR Bjorn's new Respite Centre exists precisely because more people need help, and that knowledge kept the purpose of the Gala clear throughout the planning process.”

Organising an event of this scale is no small undertaking. "There are sponsors, guests, partners, logistics, entertainment, fundraising activities, and hundreds of details that need attention," she says, describing the challenge of balancing all of these elements at once. 

To keep the cause front and centre, the team measured every major decision against the same question: does this help grow more impact for DAR Bjorn? Fundraising mattered, she says, because it directly supports the centre, but the team also wanted guests to leave with a better understanding of the organisation and the people behind it.

“Bringing together hundreds of guests from different companies, backgrounds, and nationalities was one of the most rewarding parts of the evening. Malta is a very international place, especially within iGaming. People come from different countries, cultures, and companies, and often they don't have many opportunities to work together outside of business," she observes. At the Gala, she says, those differences became secondary, with everyone there to support the same cause.

Ms Stelmakh also believes the public should better appreciate the day-to-day realities behind DAR Bjorn's care. "The staff is not only providing medical support. They help residents maintain independence, dignity, and quality of life. It's demanding work, both physically and emotionally," she says, adding that neurological conditions affect entire families, not only the individuals living with them.

When the final fundraising figure was announced, the number itself was secondary, to the immense difference it would make to DAR Bjorn residents. "What I thought about was what those funds would become: medical equipment, new rooms, and better conditions for residents and their families," she says. "When you spend time at DAR Bjorn, you understand that these things are not abstract. They have a direct impact on people's daily lives."

The scale of support behind the initiative stood out to her just as much. The event raised over €200,000 and brought together more than 400 guests, representing the iGaming industry, the local business community, and wider Maltese society. The presence of Malta's Deputy Prime Minister, Ian Borg, Ms Stelmakh says, reinforced how widely the cause resonates across the country.

"That was probably the moment when I realised that Charity Gala by BGaming had become more than a fundraising event. It has become a way for different communities to come together and support a shared cause. So, the announcement felt less like the end of an event and more like the beginning of the next stage of support that those funds will help make possible," Ms Stelmakh concludes.