Latest News
XSOLLA AND UKIE ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP AT GDC 2025 TO EMPOWER GAME DEVELOPERS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THROUGHOUT EMEA
Xsolla, a global leader in video game commerce, is proud to partner with UK Interactive Entertainment (Ukie), the United Kingdom’s industry trade body. This strategic collaboration names Xsolla as Ukie’s official monetization partner and exclusive programming sponsor, reinforcing their commitment to providing game developers with the tools, services, and solutions needed to succeed in today’s rapidly evolving gaming market.
The primary objective of this partnership is to create a new collaboration that delivers an exclusive programme, showcasing Xsolla’s unique strengths and capabilities for monetization and commercialization in games. By focusing on commercial excellence, the partnership aims to transform the long-term success of the UK video games industry, fostering sustainable growth and innovation. Additionally, the collaboration seeks to build confidence among government bodies, investors, and key stakeholders, demonstrating the UK’s potential as a global leader in the video games sector.
To achieve these objectives, Xsolla and Ukie will implement a series of targeted activations across the UK designed to support and empower game developers directly. One key initiative will be a programme of UK-wide activations, including bespoke workshops delivered through Ukie’s new Supercharged Sessions. As part of this effort, Ukie will manage and deliver two tailored workshops for Xsolla at two different game hubs across the UK, equipping developers with the knowledge and tools to maximize commercial success.
In addition to the UK-based initiatives, the partnership will include a strategic activation at Gamescom, one of the world’s largest gaming events. This presence will showcase Xsolla’s cutting-edge solutions, strengthen international connections, and reinforce the UK’s position as a global leader in game development. Throughout the year, Xsolla and Ukie will explore further opportunities to support the UK games industry through additional activations and community engagements.
“We are thrilled to partner with Ukie, a leading voice in the UK games industry,” said Chris Meredith, Senior Vice President of Business Development – EMEA at Xsolla. “This collaboration allows us to help UK-based developers unlock new revenue opportunities and streamline the monetization process. At Xsolla, we’re committed to providing a seamless, scalable experience for developers, and working with UKIE enables us to extend our support to a vibrant community of gaming professionals.”
Nick Poole, CEO at Ukie, added. “This partnership with Xsolla is an exciting development for our members. As the video game landscape continues to evolve, developers must have access to the best tools to support their financial growth. With Xsolla’s expertise in monetization and global payment solutions, Ukie members are strongly positioned to thrive in domestic and international markets.”
“In 2025, we are looking to partners in the industry to collaborate and help connect with video game developers of all sizes and from all regions around the world to provide distribution, monetization, and payment solutions to help developers create a successful gaming business,” Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Xsolla. “We remain committed to providing access and bringing opportunities together for the video game industry. We look forward to connecting and building a long-lasting relationship with Ukie and its member companies and individuals in the UK and beyond.”
Through this collaboration and partnership, Ukie and Xsolla will create custom programming, events, and opportunities for game developers to share the challenges and opportunities facing them in the growing video game industry. A full schedule of activities will be shared through Ukie and Xsolla in 2025 and beyond, as their mission is to bring opportunities together for the gaming industry and to help stimulate the growth of gaming businesses in the UK and Europe.
The post XSOLLA AND UKIE ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP AT GDC 2025 TO EMPOWER GAME DEVELOPERS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THROUGHOUT EMEA appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Aquisitions/Mergers
Sportradar Announces Agreement to Acquire IMG ARENA and Its Strategic Portfolio of Global Sports Betting Rights
Will Strengthen Company’s Global Offering for Most Bet Upon Sports Including Tennis, Soccer and Basketball
Expected to Accelerate Revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow Growth and Will Be Accretive to Adjusted EBITDA Margins
Sportradar Group AG, a leading global sports technology company focused on creating immersive experiences for sports fans and bettors, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. to acquire IMG ARENA and its global sports betting rights portfolio. IMG ARENA’s portfolio will enhance Sportradar’s content and product offering and further strengthen its strategic position as a leading content provider in the most bet upon global sports, including tennis, soccer and basketball.
Adding these betting rights to its content portfolio increases Sportradar’s depth and breadth in key global sports, expanding the Company’s content distribution and further fueling product development. With its highly scalable technology platform and extensive client network, Sportradar will seamlessly integrate and monetize these rights driving incremental value for clients, partners and shareholders.
Upon closing, the acquisition will provide a number of key benefits:
- Enhances margins: Immediately accretive to Sportradar’s adjusted EBITDA margins, aligning with our disciplined investment approach;
- Accelerates growth: Further accelerates Sportradar’s robust revenue, adjusted EBITDA and cash flow growth;
- Unique structure: Sportradar will not be required to pay any financial consideration; Transaction provides financial consideration totaling $225 million comprised of $125 million paid to Sportradar and up to $100 million cash prepayments made by Endeavor to certain of the sports rightsholders;
- Highly strategic portfolio: Basketball, soccer and tennis account for approximately 70% of the rights which are the top three most bet on global sports, complementing our existing sports portfolio.
This incoming portfolio of global betting rights comprises strategic relationships with over 70 rightsholders covering approximately 39,000 official data events and 30,000 streaming events across 14 global sports on six continents. Prominent global properties include Wimbledon, U.S. Open, Roland-Garros, Major League Soccer, EuroLeague basketball and PGA Tour. Combined with existing tennis rights, Sportradar will now hold betting rights to three of the four Grand Slams.
The unique structure of this transaction will further strengthen Sportradar’s already robust balance sheet and enhance its significant liquidity position, allowing for continued strategic investments and opportunities for incremental shareholder returns, including an anticipated acceleration on the pace of its existing buyback program.
Carsten Koerl, Chief Executive Officer of Sportradar, stated: “Sportradar’s success is driven by the breadth of its sports coverage, its broad product portfolio and leading technology, and its global distribution network. Given our proven track record of maximizing ROI through our global betting rights deals and our strengthened position across tennis, basketball and soccer, we are confident in our ability to realize the full economic potential of this portfolio. In addition, the unique structure of this transaction accelerates our revenue and cash flow profile and will be immediately accretive to our margins. The addition of these strategic rights will unlock new growth opportunities, enabling us to deliver exceptional value to our partners, clients and shareholders.”
The transaction is currently expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025, subject to receipt of regulatory approvals and satisfaction of closing conditions. UBS Swiss Financial Advisors is acting as exclusive financial advisor and Brandl Talos served as transaction counsel to Sportradar.
The post Sportradar Announces Agreement to Acquire IMG ARENA and Its Strategic Portfolio of Global Sports Betting Rights appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Ady Totah CEO and co-founder of LuckyStreak
The Evolving Live Dealer Landscape w/Ady Totah, CEO and co-founder of LuckyStreak
How has the live dealer landscape progressed over recent years?
Live dealer has become a core vertical in online gaming, now making up about a third of casino revenue. What’s interesting is that it’s driven by a relatively small number of studios. It’s a capital-intensive business with no guarantees, but if you get it right, the player loyalty is worth the investment.
The industry has evolved in key areas:
- Streaming and quality: HD is standard, but now latency, mobile optimization, and stability are the focus
- Game Variety: the core games – Blackjack, Roulette, and Baccarat – still dominate, but regional favorites like Teen Patti and Andar Bahar are gaining ground
- Gamification and engagement: jackpots, tournaments, and cash drops are making live dealer more interactive
- Customization: greenscreen technology has been a game-changer, allowing operators to brand and tailor their tables like never before
- Hybrid formats: live dealer is no longer just about table games; game shows, wheels, and interactive experiences are expanding the category
At its core, live dealer is about creating an immersive and social experience. That’s why innovation in engagement and customization continues to be a major growth driver.
With live casino being relatively new to some markets, such as the US, how do players interact with the vertical? How do player preferences differ across geos?
For players new to live dealer, the reaction is almost always ‘feels like a real casino!’ The human interaction and transparency make a big impact.
In the US, live dealer is being embraced quickly, especially in social and sweepstakes casinos. Players there are used to land-based casinos, so high-quality live games feel familiar. Blackjack is the dominant game by a wide margin.
Other parts of the world have different preferences. In Asia, there’s a strong preference for Teen Patti, Dragon Tiger, and Baccarat. Baccarat is also the top choice in Italy and much of Southeast Asia. In Turkey, Roulette is by far the most popular game, though we also see strong affinity toward Blackjack. In Europe, Blackjack leads, but Roulette is consistently strong, particularly in markets like India.
Across all markets, the common thread is that live dealer isn’t just about the game – it’s about the experience. Players want interaction, immersion, and trust in the gameplay.
What technologies resonate well with players, and conversely, what is lacking engagement?
Reliable streaming is the baseline expectation. It needs to work flawlessly, especially on mobile. From an operator’s perspective, greenscreen technology has been a game-changer. It allows for branded and localized environments without physical set builds, giving operators full control over their branding and user experience.
Gamification and promotional tools, such as cash drops, leaderboards, and jackpots, also drive engagement, particularly in social and sweepstakes gaming.
And what doesn’t work? Laggy or low-quality streams are killers. If the experience isn’t seamless, players leave instantly. And fake ‘live’ games, such as pre-recorded tables and AI dealers, miss the point of live casino. Players want real human interaction.
What is the most unexpected or disruptive trend you’ve seen in live casino development that you didn’t anticipate, and how has it shaped your approach?
One of the biggest surprises has been the rise of live dealer in social casinos and sweepstakes gaming. For a long time, social casinos were all about slots, but now we’re seeing massive demand for live dealer in that space. Players want the real casino atmosphere, even when they’re playing with virtual currency.
We’ve adapted to this by optimizing our live dealer games for sweepstakes casinos – adjusting the UI, adding engagement tools, and better game pacing to better fit the model. This shift has forced a change in the way we think about live gaming – not just as a real-money product, but as an entertainment experience that works across different models.
In which markets is live casino experiencing the most growth, and why?
Our core markets of Europe, CIS, and the Middle East continue to show strong, stable growth, with high retention rates among existing players. We’re also expanding into high-growth regions like Italy and Asia where Baccarat is driving adoption. In Africa and LatAm, growth is fueled by higher gambling activity and better internet access. And in Africa specifically, our adaptive streaming technology optimizes for lower bandwidth, making live dealer more accessible in this huge and emerging market.
And it’s not just about where live dealer is growing, it’s also about how it’s expanding into new verticals like social and hybrid models. For us it’s about being ready, agile, adaptive.
How do you expect the live dealer landscape to develop? Are there any emerging technologies that you believe will become game changers in this space?
AI gets a lot of attention, and while I don’t see it replacing human dealers, I do see it as a powerful tool for personalization.
We can expect to see AI-driven table recommendations which may suggest games based on player behavior data, as well as personalised and dynamic challenges and offers that adapt in real-time.
Beyond AI, greenscreen technology will continue to redefine the industry. It makes localization and branding far more cost-effective by allowing digitally generated studio environments. It unlocks innovation and imagination, and empowers operators to create unique and exclusive gaming experiences.
Live dealer is also starting to merge with other formats, so expect to see more game-show-style mechanics, interactive social elements, and even potential crossover with streaming platforms.
Final Thoughts?
Live dealer is no longer a niche product; it’s a dominant vertical in online gaming. The challenge now is differentiation.
At LuckyStreak, we’re focused on making live dealer more customizable, engaging, and adaptable. Whether it’s through branded tables, gamification, or expanding into new markets, the goal is to give operators more flexibility and players a better experience.
About LuckyStreak
LuckyStreak has been producing and streaming world-class live dealer online games since 2014. Launched and led by veterans of the land-based and online casino industry, they have a deep passion for entertainment, innovation and quality service, providing players with an unforgettable, unique and thrilling gaming experience, and impeccably delivered with an unwavering commitment to the highest levels of production, video streaming and reliability.
LuckyConnect was launched in 2017 and is the proprietary integration API for operators, connecting them to a library of over 4000 live dealer and third-party games from leading providers like Pragmatic Play, Yggdrasil, Ruby Play, PG Soft and Red Rake Gaming via seamless wallet API, and one-stop shop of critical services including invoicing, player management, reporting and billing, support centre and content management, with one fast and easy integration.
LuckyStreak products and services are built on a highly secure robust technical infrastructure: utilizing a microservices architecture developed using a cloud-native approach enabling high availability (99.9% uptime), security and flexibility; whilst our critical API technology is protected by symmetric encryption and secure server-to-server connections. Ensuring an optimal playing experience without compromising our service to our customers.
The post The Evolving Live Dealer Landscape w/Ady Totah, CEO and co-founder of LuckyStreak appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Conferences in Europe
Pioneering Compliance and Innovation: Atlaslive’s Strategy in the Evolving iGaming Landscape
HIPTHER, organizer of the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025, is excited to welcome Atlaslive, a cutting-edge iGaming platform provider, as the Badge & Bracelet Sponsor and key participant in this year’s event. In this exclusive interview, we speak with Lasha Kupatadze, Chief Product Officer at Atlaslive, to explore the company’s readiness for Brazil’s evolving regulatory landscape, its approach to industry certifications, responsible gambling, and the product innovations driving the future of iGaming.
Atlaslive has achieved the Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) certification for its iGaming Platform in Brazil. What were the most critical compliance requirements for entering Brazil’s newly regulated gaming market, and how does this certification position Atlaslive for long-term success in the region? What are your next strategic steps?
Entering Brazil’s newly regulated gaming market presented a unique set of compliance requirements that companies must navigate carefully. For Atlaslive, achieving the Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) certification was a significant milestone, as it demonstrates our commitment to maintaining high standards of fairness, security, and player protection.
Achieving this certification gives us a solid foundation for long-term success in Brazil. It not only enhances our credibility but also streamlines the regulatory approval process for entering the market. This positioning can help us attract investors and partners who prioritize ethical operations in their collaborations.
As we look to the future, our strategic focus will be on enhancing partnerships within the region. By fostering relationships with local payment processors and regulatory authorities, we can ensure a more seamless entry into the market. We also recognize the importance of creating a marketing strategy that resonates with Brazilian players, emphasizing responsible gaming and community engagement.
Furthermore, we plan to localize our game content to align with Brazilian culture, ensuring that we enhance the user experience. As we progress, continuous monitoring of compliance requirements will be vital to adapt to any regulatory changes. Investing in the technology behind our platform will also support our ability to scale and engage players effectively.
You have recently shared insights about how AI revolutionizes responsible gaming and player protection. Can you share Atlaslive’s perspective with our readers?
At Atlaslive, we see artificial intelligence as a real game-changer in ensuring player well-being. By using AI-driven analytics, we can detect potential risk behaviors early and proactively assist players who might need a break or additional support. We offer self-exclusion options, deposit limits, and other responsible gaming tools. Also we’ve found that these real-time insights help us personalize responsible gaming measures and gain genuine trust with our audience. We will continue leveraging AI-driven insights to make Atlaslive a safer and more enjoyable platform for players worldwide!
Responsible gambling and KYC compliance are growing priorities worldwide. How does Atlaslive integrate these crucial elements into its platform to ensure a secure and player-focused experience?
At Atlaslive, we understand that responsible gambling and Know Your Customer (KYC) compliance are not just regulatory necessities but essential elements in delivering a secure and player-focused experience. Our commitment to these priorities is seamlessly integrated into our platform, particularly as we tailor our solutions for the Brazilian market.
A key component of our KYC compliance strategy is a strategic partnership with Brazil’s leading identity verification technology provider. This partnership allows us to leverage advanced tools that meet the specific requirements of the Brazilian market. Utilizing document examination through Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and 3D facial identification, our partner provides comprehensive identity verification in fewer than 30 seconds. This innovation not only streamlines the registration process, reducing player registration time by an impressive 30%, but also significantly minimizes fraud risks and ensures strict adherence to Brazilian regulations.
In addition to our robust KYC services, we are devoted to promoting responsible gaming. Atlaslive has developed a suite of features designed to empower players to engage in gaming safely and responsibly. We offer customizable settings that allow users to set their own limits on deposits, wagers, and gaming sessions. Self-exclusion options and cool-off periods are also available, providing players with the tools they need to manage their gaming behavior effectively.
We additionally provide educational resources on our platform to inform players about the risks associated with gambling. Our customer support team is well-trained to identify signs of distress and offer appropriate guidance, ensuring that support is always available when needed.
Atlaslive is known for its adaptable and scalable platform. Can you share some of the latest product innovations and enhancements that set you apart in the competitive iGaming landscape?
At Atlaslive, we focus on developing a platform that seamlessly adapts to our partners’ evolving needs. That means we’re constantly refining everything—both the user-facing interface and the powerful backend behind it. Recently, we have prioritized real-time data analytics, enabling operators to swiftly identify player trends and adapt to engagement shifts seamlessly. We’ve also introduced flexible integrations, making it effortless for businesses to plug in third-party services while keeping everything running smoothly. On top of that, we’re unveiling personalization features that let operators fine-tune everything from lobby layouts to bonus offerings according to each player’s preferences. Altogether, these updates give our clients the agility and creativity they need to stay ahead in a market that never slows down!
At the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025, you’ll be speaking on the panel “Regulatory Crossroads: Lessons & Compliance Strategies from North America & LATAM.” Can you share a sneak peek of the key regulatory challenges and strategies you’ll be discussing with the audience?
During the panel, I’ll dive into how our platform is built to adapt to Brazil’s unique regulatory requirements, which can change quickly as legislation matures. I plan to highlight two core areas: first, how to navigate the nuanced compliance landscape to ensure operators are always a step ahead, and second, how technology-driven solutions—like real-time monitoring and reporting—make that possible. We’ll also touch on the importance of forging strong relationships with local authorities, so you can seamlessly enter and thrive in the market. When you boil it all down, a flexible, tech-savvy approach to compliance isn’t just about ticking boxes; it’s about protecting players, earning trust, and ultimately growing a strong brand in one of the world’s most dynamic iGaming arenas!
With Atlaslive at the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025, this year’s event promises invaluable insights into the future of iGaming and technology. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with industry leaders, gain exclusive market perspectives, and be part of the most dynamic gathering in the CEE region!
Join us on 25-26 March 2025 in Prague – Register now and explore the full agenda!
The post Pioneering Compliance and Innovation: Atlaslive’s Strategy in the Evolving iGaming Landscape appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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