Andreas Fröhli wins EPT Malta charity poker tournament for Uganda School project
The European Poker Tour Malta charity poker tournament concluded on 10 October 2025, raising vital funds for the SiGMA Foundation‘s school project in Kasese, Uganda. Switzerland’s Andreas Fröhli emerged victorious in the €400 buy-in event, which brought together players from eight different countries around a cause that will impact hundreds of children through access to quality education.
The tournament, held at Casino Malta and licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority, saw players from across the iGaming industry compete for more than just prize money. With €100 from each entry and re-entry directed to the Foundation, alongside 50 per cent of all stack top-ups, the event channelled substantial resources towards constructing a three-classroom block facility scheduled to open in February 2026.
International final table
Fröhli secured first place, ahead of Japan’s Takushi Shiratori in second and Germany’s Dennis Stemmler in third. The remaining final table positions showcased the tournament’s diverse participation: Soraya Estrada Gonzalez (Andorra), Steinn Thanh Du Karlsson (Iceland), Michael Andrew Lech (United States), Anthony Potis (United States), Anna Colley (Sweden), Ivonne Montealegre Oviedo (Costa Rica), and England’s Amy Craven completed the top ten finishers.
Building futures through dignity
Jessie Busuttil, SiGMA Foundation Operations Manager, summarised the event’s significance: “I’m really excited to be here with this huge community. You guys are really brilliant, and I know that PokerStars have supported so many important causes around the world. So we’re really honoured as the SiGMA Foundation to be here and to be a beneficiary of this great event, this huge event with so many of you great people.”
The Kasese project goes well beyond basic infrastructure. As Busuttil explains, “It’s not just restoring their education, which is a basic need, but also a sense of dignity for these children. This tonight will be supporting the further extension of five years’ worth of classrooms, not only the educational infrastructure but kitchen facilities with a feeding programme and toilets – sanitary facilities as well – which coming into the pre-teens is very, very important for them.” The initiative also provides employment for local builders, contractors and teachers, ensuring long-lasting benefits to the community.
Expanding impact across Africa
Since its establishment in 2019, the SiGMA Foundation has deployed over €2 million across three continents, delivering projects that have directly impacted 8,824 lives. The Uganda school forms part of a broader partnership with 1xBet, with simultaneous classroom projects underway in Ethiopia.
Further strengthening its commitment, the Foundation will inaugurate the Kasese primary school for 300 children in February 2026, alongside new classrooms for the Kaffa Catholic Martyrs Elementary School in Bonga, Ethiopia.
SiGMA Foundation continues to champion education and empowerment. Supporters are encouraged to contribute directly to upcoming projects in Uganda and Ethiopia or to join the Foundation’s next humanitarian expedition to Mount Kilimanjaro in January 2026, turning play into purpose and building brighter futures worldwide.
