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Sports Micro Betting Provider Kero Gaming Announces Oversubscribed $2M Funding Round led by Happyhour.io

Published

3 years ago

November 17, 2022

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Kero Gaming announced today the closing of an oversubscribed $2 Million Seed 2 round, its second this year, with Happyhour.io, an early stage VC fund in the iGaming space, leading the round.

Tomash Devenishek, Founder and CEO, launched the company with a focus on providing the growing sports betting industry with new products to engage users through real-time, contextual micro bets, delivered via algorithms the company builds in-house. The Kero product heavily mirrors mechanics of casino style games with a ‘Tik-tok style’ betting experience whitelabeled for gaming operators that appeals to an audience of consumers looking for entertainment value vs risk trading.

“Modern day consumers don’t want to think too much and endlessly browse/calculate odds inside massive spreadsheets. They want instant gratification and low friction/effort type experiences. We are building a curated version of the sportsbook product that delivers contextual micro bets every 15-45 seconds, allowing users to bet on the most exciting thing that is happening in the game right now”.

He added “We were able to surpass our fundraising ambitions thanks to great strategic partners all of whom add value beyond capital. I am also proud that in this tough market we increased our post-money valuation by 60% doing so in only 10 months.”

HappyHour’s CEO Robin Reed said, “Kero is at the forefront of innovation in sports betting, and has a deep understanding of the customer and how they want to be entertained. As a strategic investor and lead in the current round, Happyhour is looking forward to working with Tomash and his team to bring this technology to casual bettors around the world.”

Other strategic investors from the gaming space echoed the enthusiasm for the 30 person company. Tim Heath, GP at Yolo Investments, another participant in the latest round, said: “Finding genuine innovation in the sports betting space is increasingly difficult, and that’s why we’ve been so impressed by Kero Gaming. Micro Betting has the potential to drive sportsbook growth over the coming years, and Kero’s algorithmic approach sets them apart from the others. We’ll be working closely with Tomash and the team to take this product to new audiences globally.”

Edward King, co-founder of Acies Investments, an early investor in Kero, added “Tomash has consistently exceeded expectations from our first investment in Kero. We are very pleased to further support him in this financing round as he continues to build the platform. Kero has the vision and capability to radically transform how fans engage and participate in sports entertainment.”

Traditional sports book products typically offer customers a lot of choice with complicated arrays of odds on bets for outcomes that may not take place for hours or sometimes days. Kero’s approach borrows heavily from mainstream entertainment platforms such as TikTok by removing complexity and curating highly contextual micro bets on outcomes that may happen in seconds or minutes.

The company initially productized its technology by working with pro sports teams across all American major leagues as a free to play fan engagement solution within their apps. Kero says that it will continue to focus on the free-to-play offering for pro sports while making heavy investments in scaling and growing its real money product for gaming operators.

Devenishek concluded “With this injection of capital and industry experience, we intend to continue focusing on our mission and bring about the next generation of sportsbook products even faster to markets like North America, Europe, LATAM and Asia”.

Betsson Group

Betsson Group Celebrates Multiple Wins; Jesper Svensson Takes Home GGA 2026 Executive of the Year

Published

42 minutes ago

January 26, 2026

Wladimir P.

betsson-group-celebrates-multiple-wins;-jesper-svensson-takes-home-gga-2026-executive-of-the-year

At the close of Day 1 of ICE 2026 in Barcelona, the Global Gaming Awards (GGA) took place, celebrating outstanding achievements across the gaming industry. The awards recognise excellence across the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region and remain one of the most prestigious honours in the sector due to their commitment to transparency and industry credibility.

Jesper Svensson, CEO of Betsson Group, was recognised as Executive of the Year, underscoring the impact of his leadership over the past year. What makes this accolade particularly significant is that it is determined by senior leaders from across the international gaming industry. Being selected by peers who understand the complexity of steering a large-scale, multinational operator highlights the respect Jesper commands and reinforces the influence he continues to have on the sector. This follows his Outstanding Contribution to Gaming award at the SiGMA Euro-Med Awards 2025.

Alongside Jesper’s individual recognition, Betsson Group was also honoured with multiple accolades at the Global Gaming Awards 2026:

Social Responsibility of the Year – Winner

Affiliate Programme of the Year – 1st Runner-Up

Sports Betting Operator of the Year – 2nd Runner-Up

These achievements build on Betsson Group’s strong performance in 2025 at the same awards, when the company also won Social Responsibility of the Year and was recognised as Runner-Up for Sports Betting Operator of the Year.

The Global Gaming Awards are widely regarded as a benchmark of excellence within the industry, supported by a respected voting panel composed of experienced executives from across the EMEA region and independently adjudicated by KPMG to maintain the highest standards of integrity.

The post Betsson Group Celebrates Multiple Wins; Jesper Svensson Takes Home GGA 2026 Executive of the Year appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

eSports

Esports World Cup 2026 Tickets on Sale Now

Published

42 minutes ago

January 26, 2026

Wladimir P.

esports-world-cup-2026-tickets-on-sale-now

First wave of tickets includes Early Bird passes, premium experiences and special travel offers ahead of seven-week competition for a record-breaking $75 million prize pool

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) officially opened tickets sales for the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC), the world’s largest esports event, set to return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 6 through August 23. The first wave of ticket options for fans is now live at esportsworldcup.com and through international ticketing partners Tixr (US and EU), Webook (Middle East and Saudi Arabia), Platinumlist (Middle East and India), and Damai (China), alongside special travel packages from Saudia Holidays available to first purchasers.

EWC 2026 will feature a record-breaking $75 million prize pool that reflects the evolution of the EWC as a premier sporting event and the anchor multi-title competition within the global esports ecosystem. Over 2,000 players representing more than 200 Clubs and over 100 countries will compete in Riyadh in the industry-leading cross-game Club Championship that is now a focal point of the esports calendar.

Limited-edition goodie bags for Weekly All-Access and Premium Tournament purchases contain a collector coin, trading card, aluminium water bottle, tote bag, T-shirt, fridge magnet, merch voucher, and a collectible pin.

Saudia Holidays, the travel division of Saudia Airlines, the Kingdom’s national carrier, now also offers an all-in-one Early Bird package to experience the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, including return flights, hand-picked hotels near the action, and a free All-Access Pass for the full duration of the stay, with one simple booking and no hidden fees.

Regular Tournament Passes and Daily Passes will be released in the next wave of sales.

The EWCF has officially confirmed the weekly schedule for EWC 2026, locking in seven weeks of world-class competition. Below is the schedule for each EWC tournament, sorted by week.

The post Esports World Cup 2026 Tickets on Sale Now appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

AI gaming platforms

BetConstruct AI Sets the Tone for 2026 iGaming with Harmony Choice Event in Barcelona

Published

3 days ago

January 23, 2026

Wladimir P.

betconstruct-ai-sets-the-tone-for-2026-igaming-with-harmony-choice-event-in-barcelona

BetConstruct AI defines a new era of iGaming at Harmony Choice in Barcelona

On January 17, BetConstruct AI officially ushered in the 2026 iGaming season with Harmony Choice, an exclusive industry gathering held in Barcelona just days ahead of ICE Barcelona. Hosted at one of the city’s most iconic venues, the event brought together senior industry leaders for an evening of strategic dialogue, collaboration, and high-level networking.

Designed to set the tone for the year ahead, Harmony Choice became the stage for a series of major announcements that highlight BetConstruct AI’s ambition to reshape the iGaming ecosystem through artificial intelligence and scalable technology.

Choice Gaming officially launched

Taking center stage, Vigen Badalyan, Co-founder of BetConstruct AI, announced the official launch of Choice Gaming. The platform has already demonstrated rapid adoption, going live on more than 1,000 websites at launch.

Looking ahead, BetConstruct AI revealed an ambitious growth plan, projecting integration across 5,000+ websites by the end of February. To reward early adopters, the company announced that every 51st integrator will receive the entire Choice Gaming slot portfolio free for one year.

KISS AI Live Casino debuts

Harmony Choice also marked the unveiling of KISS AI Live Casino, a groundbreaking live casino solution powered entirely by advanced artificial intelligence. Positioned as a next-generation product, KISS AI Live Casino aims to redefine player interaction and operational efficiency within live gaming environments.

To accelerate adoption, BetConstruct AI introduced a limited-time incentive: partners integrating KISS AI Live Casino by February 25 will receive the platform free for one year.

Faster scaling with Open API integration

Further streamlining partner onboarding, BetConstruct AI announced that Open API integration would be available on both BetConstruct AI and Choice Gaming websites starting January 19. The updated system enables online contract sign-offs, allowing operators to integrate products and scale operations faster and more efficiently.

Leadership insights and new product reveals

The evening also featured strategic insights from senior leadership across the group:

Vahagn Badalyan, CEO of Badalyan Brothers, reviewed recent milestones and unveiled two new live casino games from Creedroomz, reinforcing the group’s live casino offering.
Leonid Kirakosyan, CEO of BetConstruct AI, introduced Betting Mate, an AI-powered recommendation engine designed to enhance sportsbook engagement through personalized, data-driven betting suggestions.

Setting the benchmark for 2026

More than a networking event, Harmony Choice served as a clear statement of intent. By blending human creativity with artificial intelligence, BetConstruct AI demonstrated its commitment to equipping operators with flexible tools, advanced AI solutions, and diverse gaming portfolios.

As the industry turns its attention to ICE Barcelona 2026, BetConstruct AI has set a high benchmark for innovation, scalability, and strategic vision — positioning Harmony Choice as one of the defining moments at the start of the iGaming year.

The post BetConstruct AI Sets the Tone for 2026 iGaming with Harmony Choice Event in Barcelona appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.