Category: News

Adjusted gross revenue for February came to $17.0m, which represents 53.2% year-on-year growth but is a decrease from the figures posted in January. 

Basketball remains the most popular sport to bet on by some distance, up 29% from 2020 and drawing in $127.2m in wagers. That figure represents almost double what was spent on parlay bets, which totaled $66.4m.

Penn National Gaming’s Ameristar East Chicago and its DraftKings sportsbook proved to be the most successful, contributing 58% – $114.95m – of the total handle.

Read the full story on iGB North America

The novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has completely shifted the pattern of growth in the esports industry. Sports simulation titles have exploded thanks to the cancellation of major sports leagues, but online-only circuits have slowed esports’ trinity of Counter-Strike, League of Legends and Dota. The esports gambling industry has the most incentive to predict 2021’s trends. 

In addition to the audience shift, esports betting has also become more prevalent through the sponsorship of teams and tournaments. Betway has signed partnerships with event organisers, competitive squads and even individual Twitch streamers. Meanwhile, Nasdaq-listed esports data company Esports Entertainment Group (EEG) has connected the threads between the stock market, youth esports leagues and professional football. The betting industry has been hectic during the pandemic.

Partnerships and marketing

Betway and EEG represent two distinct approaches to the video game gambling industry. Betway has been firmly entrenched in traditional sports betting since 2006 but was also one of the first major betting sites to welcome esports. EEG has been a dedicated esports betting market provider since 2008, though they also have experience in the igaming industry.

Betway’s sponsorship of OGA Dota Pit Season 3 last October was likely a test run for a larger-scale partnership in the future. The gambling company also agreed a one-year deal with North American esports team Beastcoast, which fields players in Dota 2, VALORANT, Rainbow Six Siege and multiple fighting games, in 2020. These sponsorships put Betway’s name and logo in the direct vision of esports fans, many of whom consume Twitch or YouTube content produced by Beastcoast’s roster.

Betway has also been pushing the marketing envelope in the online era, with Esports Insider naming its BLAST Betway Breakout ad as one of the best campaigns of last year.

While Betway draws itself closer to the community, EEG is focused on the business side of gaming. It partnered with Oxygen Esports to create a digital AI-driven first-person shooter coach for youths looking to go pro and also made history by becoming the first official esports tournament host for the NFL. EEG noticed the boom in both academic and sports simulation titles. This move capitalises on the momentum of both. 

Elsewhere, the company has leveraged its status as the stock market’s esports darling to introduce options trading on its capital. EEG is looking to make the financial side of esports more popular with speculative investors.

Looking longer term

What this all indicates, of course, is that esports betting is now a normal part of the industry. Not long ago, esports betting sites marketed themselves through sheer coverage of titles. Now, they’re directly courting esports culture and looking to employ their data in tangential fields. Esports betting companies are currently looking for other areas where their data might be useful. That usually wraps back around to training, tournament hosting and strategic partnerships.

Betway and EEG are looking to the post-Covid era with renewed enthusiasm. Expect similar fan-centric engagement and closer integration with traditional sports in 2021. 

The critical areas of esports betting in 2021 will be partnerships, finance and closer integration with traditional sports. Esports betting is no longer a novelty and the early adopters of video game sportsbooks are now reaping the rewards of an organic esports base. As LAN tournaments begin to reappear, partnerships with tournament hosts and competitive teams will be a top priority. 

Esports is still in its honeymoon phase on the stock market, so expect betting sites to market themselves towards investors and potential gamblers. The explosion of sports simulation titles is a precursor to more partnerships between traditional and digital sports, while NFL or NBA partnerships are good news for casual fans, esports bookies and day traders alike.

Under the agreement, PlanetPay365 branding will feature on pitchside LED advertising hoardings inside the team’s Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino.

Branding will appear during the team’s next four home games at the stadium, including this weekend’s match against Inter Milan and the local derby game with Juventus on 4 April.

In addition, PlanetPay365 branding will feature on the club’s official television channel.

Torino currently occupies the final relegation place in the 2020-21 Serie A table, but are just two points behind Cagliari outside of the relegation zone.

As well as appearing in FanDuel advertising and TNT promotions, the 56-year-old nicknamed “the Jet” will also provide content for FanDuel’s social media channels.

Read the full story on iGB North America.

Skrill will become an official partner of the club, with its branding to feature on a range of surfaces inside the team’s Elland Road home stadium.

Leeds will also feature Skrill as a payment option on its official online clubshop.

In addition, Leeds and Skrill will work together to develop exclusive content for fans, with this to be promoted across the club’s website, mobile app and social media channels.

“Both of our brands have a strong and loyal fan base in the UK and internationally, and we look forward to rewarding our fans through this partnership,” Leeds chairman Andrea Radrizzani said.

Skrill chief executive at Paysafe, Lorenzo Pellegrino, added: “We already know from our football partnerships that fans enjoy the benefits of Skrill and that our service is very relevant to them.

“We will be making the most of this new relationship to add value to the club’s payment ecosystem and our own valued customer and partner base to make it a winning formula all round.”

Leeds also has a partnership in place with SBOTOP, with the online gambling operator serving as the team’s main front-of-shirt sponsor.

Football Index announced yesterday that it will suspend its platform and enter administration, with the Gambling Commission announcing it had suspended the operator’s licence this morning.

The move followed a sharp reduction in maximum dividends issued to players on the site, as the operator said it would not be sustainable in the long term without  a change.

 “Following the suspension of their operating licence by the Gambling Commission, we are immediately suspending BetIndex Ltd’s membership of the BGC while the details of the case are investigated,” the BGC said.

“As the standards body representing the regulated industry, our top priority is ensuring that the interests of BetIndex Ltd’s customers are protected.”

Though a Football Index spokesperson told iGB last week that its sponsorship deals with QPR and Nottingham Forest would continue as normal, QPR announced its deal with Football Index would end following the operator’s latest announcement.

“As a football club we entered into a one-year agreement with Football Index in good faith,” a QPR spokesperson said.

“In light of recent events, the front property of QPR’s home and away strips will no longer sport the Football Index logo.”

QPR have not yet revealed whether the club will carry another sponsor for the remainder of the season. Nottingham Forest could not be reached for comment about its own sponsorship arrangement with Football Index.

Image: Zakarie Faibis

Billed as an industry-first, the initiative will see BetMGM customers that use the sports wagering app while physically located inside Buffalo Wild Wings outlets gain access to a range of special offers and bets.

This will include curated boosts, bets and parlay bets, as well as a new ‘Blazin’ Bets’ in-app feature, in states where mobile sports betting is legal.

To support the venture, Buffalo Wild Wings has launched an in-bar channel in the form of ‘OT Odds Powered by BetMGM’, which will deliver sports betting content such as live game odds, as well as fantasy and betting advice.

In addition, BetMGM has upgraded the Buffalo Wild Wings’ Picks and Props free-to-play game, with players now having access to an updated parlay-style gameplay.

Read thre full story on iGB North America.

Following an inspection, the Authority found that the company had limited the amount of bets placed and winnings received by the player.

The inspection did not reveal any objective reasons for the operator’s decision to limit the player’s bets, the Supervisory Authority said.

The decision to issue a fine was based on Lithuania’s remote gaming regulations, which do not entitle the company to apply betting restrictions without finding a breach in regulations.

The regulator stated that the relationship between a customer and an operator may not be unreasonably uncertain, and a player therefore may not be restricted from participating in gambling without any objective grounds for the restrictions defined in the regulations.

This is the first fine imposed by the Gambling Supervisory Authority since Lithuania’s Gambling Act introduced the power to impose economic sanctions on operators.

The decision made by the regulator is not final and may be appealed in accordance with the procedure established in law.

In November last year, an employee of Cbet was fined €1,500 by a court after he was found to have breached national rules on advertising.

The employee was found to have breached rules introduced in November 2019, stating that gambling advertising was limited to only showing the name, trademarks and types of gambling an operator can offer.

 It is not permitted for advertising to feature any additional written, visual or audio content.

Oyegoke peaked at 986 in the ITF singles rankings, and Popoola was unranked as a player but the ITIA said she was purported to be working as a coach at a tournament at which Oyegoke played.

The sanctions relate to breaches to the 2019 Tennis Anti-Corruption Program, which occurred during a tournament the pair played in during the same year.

Clause D.1.e of the program states: “No Covered Person shall, directly or indirectly, solicit, facilitate, or conspire to solicit or facilitate any Player to not use his or her best efforts in any Event.”

Clause D.1.k states: “No Covered Person shall, directly or indirectly, solicit, facilitate, or conspire to solicit or facilitate any other person to contrive, attempt to contrive or conspire to contrive the outcome or any other aspect of any Event.”

Ms Popoola was also guilty of violating clause D.1.c – “No Covered Person shall, directly or indirectly, solicit, accept, or conspire to solicit or accept any money, benefit or Consideration for the provision of an accreditation to an Event (i) for the purpose of facilitating a commission of a Corruption Offense; or (ii) which leads, directly or indirectly, to the commission of a Corruption Offense.”

Both players both are permanently prohibited from playing in or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the governing bodies of tennis.

The ITIA rebranded earlier this year, having previously been known as the Tennis Integrity Unit.

The deal was first negotiated in February, with a letter of intent signed by both companies.

Spiffbet’s casino sales are expected to increase by up to 50% as a result – a figure determined by December 2020 and January 2021 results for the two operators.

“Finally, we are at the end of this deal and can focus on jointly developing Spiffbet’s casino operations,” said Manisol owner Johan Styren.

“Our team will now strengthen Spiffbet’s organization and I view the future development very positively. Now Manisol can increase the pace of the investments we have already begun with establishment in additional markets, both in and outside Europe,” Styren said.

Spiffbet will pay SEK19.1m (£1.6m/€1.9m/$2.2m), either in cash or newly issued shares, while it will also take on SEK10.9m worth of debt.

Spiffbet also plans to carry out a new share issue worth SEK41m.

Spiffbet CEO Henrik Svensson said: “Spiffbet has today taken a big step and become a player to be reckoned with in the gaming industry. 

“We have reached the size required to increase margins and growth. The acquisition of Manisol also opens the door to major acquisitions and structural deals in the future. The acquisition journey continues.”