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Sports and Gaming – Playing by a New Set of Rules

Published

6 years ago

August 17, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The pandemic has brought the sports industry to its knees but against the backdrop of global crisis, opportunities have arisen for others. While the sports business is set to lose as much as US$61.6 billion1 in missed revenues by the end of the year, the gaming sector, on the other hand, will generate revenues of $159.3 billion, a +9.3% year-on-year increase.2

Although largely driven by unforeseen circumstances, the pandemic has highlighted the large gulf in the prioritisation of fan experience between the two. As OZ Sports CEO Gudjon Gudjonsson explains, the sports industry has much to learn from gaming if it is to maintain and grow its global fanbase.

If there is one positive element to come out of this all for the sports industry, it is that leagues, federations and teams have had to rethink their way of doing business. The pandemic has accelerated innovation on various fronts. This is especially the case with the return of sport behind closed doors, with the need to remotely manage the production of leagues and make fans feel part of the live experience from the comfort of their homes.

The temporary state of the live sports sector, with limited or no fans in stadiums, has only amplified a bigger and more recognisable challenge. Pandemic or no pandemic, studies show that 90% of fans are unable to watch their favourite team in their home stadium due to factors such as location or finance.

At OZ Sports, what COVID-19 has taught us is that we need to accelerate our vision in making the fan experience more interactive and engaging. The new generation of fans expects to be able to share their experiences without geographical boundaries. OZ is keeping sports more relevant, broadening the fanbase by opening up the physical stadium.

This is where we have looked to gaming. The prioritisation of user engagement has seen games companies constantly explore new ways to deliver content to consumers. As a result, gaming platforms are becoming social networks in their own right and established social platforms are seizing this opportunity to invest further in games to maintain and grow their user database. Gaming is driving forward the reality of the metaverse – virtual social spaces that are always open, always on, and always expanding.

So, what does that mean for the sports industry? We are still in the early days of sports broadcasting, and there is a lot we can learn from gaming. Our thinking around the intersection of sports and gaming can be seen everywhere in the OZ Sports strategy. It’s in how we think, how we work, and how we innovate as a company. As a tech business with influential investors from the gaming industry, we foster a different culture than traditional sports broadcasting companies.

Our tech stack is ours, from end-to-end. We mostly leverage technologies on how we do sports production that has until now mostly belonged to gaming companies, which opens up a totally new world for us. At the core, we have our gaming engine, built on a robust machine learning software stack that analyses what is going on in the game, in real-time. From there we further develop our broadcasting technologies, with a layer for services like augmented graphics and avatars, to applications like tracking or a more intuitive replay system, to name but a few. This allows us to work differently as a team of innovators and compete more creatively as a company.

By embracing everything that the gaming industry is positively doing to engage with its fans, we see the world of sports broadcasting becoming far more interesting than it is today. Out of the pandemic, we will see new companies that have succeeded, and these new leaders will foster far more vibrant communities around live events. Gen Z will have emerged with different needs and the more popular short format of sports storytelling will continue to rise.

New exciting technologies will continue to surface in the market that better serve fans’ sports esteem. Use of avatars will be the everyday normal, by representing the digital you in the new metaverse. Fans will be able to instantly express their emotions in the moment of the game, wherever they may be in the world, empowering fans to communicate in ways that are difficult to accomplish in today’s world.

The future of live sport is an exciting one; by embracing gaming technologies OZ Sports will continue to innovate at this intersection. Sports broadcasting as we currently know it is about to change forever, and we’re excited to be at the forefront of that transformation!

game releases

Greentube launches Cash Connection – Golden Sizzling Hot with guaranteed Winning Spins

Published

49 minutes ago

July 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

greentube-launches-cash-connection-–-golden-sizzling-hot-with-guaranteed-winning-spins

Greentube, the NOVOMATIC Interactive division, has launched Cash Connection – Golden Sizzling Hot on 14th July 2026. The new title extends the supplier’s Cash Connection series and introduces a gold-themed variant with updated bonus mechanics.

Cash Connection – Golden Sizzling Hot is played on a 5×3 grid with five win lines. Landing six or more disc symbols triggers a Lock & Spin feature, with access to four jackpots across the game and two bonus prizes. The Grand Jackpot can be triggered by landing 15 discs during the feature, which also ends the round.

Greentube said the Mini and Minor jackpots are tied to a separate Winning Spins feature. In this mode, played on a different set of reels without disc symbols, “every spin is a guaranteed win,” according to the company.

Richard Ganster, Director of Games Strategy and Games Portfolio Management at Greentube, said: “Cash Connection has grown into one of our most consistently popular game families, and Golden Sizzling Hot shows exactly why we keep coming back to expand it.

The Lock & Spin feature has always been a strong draw for players, but what really sets this edition apart is the guaranteed Winning Spins feature. Landing a Mini or Minor jackpot doesn’t just add a cash value; it opens the door to a round where every spin wins, and that’s a great incentive for players.

“Giving the game a golden makeover was about more than just a new look. It’s part of how we keep our most established franchises feeling fresh, and Golden Sizzling Hot is a great example of that balance between familiarity and evolution.”

The post Greentube launches Cash Connection – Golden Sizzling Hot with guaranteed Winning Spins appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

game-launch

Habanero releases Galaxy Babies slot with Black Hole Wild blocks

Published

49 minutes ago

July 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

habanero-releases-galaxy-babies-slot-with-black-hole-wild-blocks

Habanero has launched Galaxy Babies, a new 5×3 slot released on 14 July 2026, built around a Black Hole mechanic that randomly drops blocks of Wild symbols onto the reels.

The game runs on 25 paylines. In the base game, the Black Hole can appear at random and “warp in” Wild symbol blocks across the reels. Habanero said Wilds in the title are only triggered through the Black Hole feature.

A free spins mode triggers when three or more Scatter symbols land, with up to 50 free spins available and retriggers during the bonus round. In free spins, Habanero said the Black Hole “grows,” creating larger 3×3 and 4×4 Wild blocks.

Galaxy Babies also supports Habanero’s Jackpot Race, Buy Feature and Super Bet, which the supplier said gives operators options when configuring the game for different player preferences. The release follows recent titles including Happy Hatchlings, Nuwa Deluxe and Steampunk Plinko.

Toni Karapetrov, Head of Corporate Communications at Habanero, commented: “Galaxy Babies is a title with a lot of personality and a mechanic that delivers real impact. The Black Hole Wild is simple to understand but creates moments that feel genuinely exciting.

“It is a game that will appeal to a broad range of players, and we are looking forward to seeing how it performs across our operator network.”

The post Habanero releases Galaxy Babies slot with Black Hole Wild blocks appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

casino content

ICONIC21 distributes full casino portfolio via Blue Ocean Gaming

Published

49 minutes ago

July 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

iconic21-distributes-full-casino-portfolio-via-blue-ocean-gaming

ICONIC21 has signed a distribution agreement with Blue Ocean Gaming that makes the supplier’s full portfolio—live casino, slots and RNG titles—available through Blue Ocean Gaming’s operator network. The companies announced the deal on 14 July 2026.

Blue Ocean Gaming said it aggregates content from more than 140 providers and offers operators a catalogue of over 13,000 casino titles across categories including slots, live casino, virtual sports and sportsbook.

The integration includes ICONIC21’s live casino Gravity Series game-show formats, including Gravity Wheel. ICONIC21 said the title runs multipliers on every spin and includes four multiplier symbols—Saturn, Moon, Comet and Sun—with the Sun multiplier offering wins of up to 1,000x.

The agreement also covers ICONIC21 slots including Buffalo Wild Collection and Las Piggas, alongside RNG titles such as Chicken Run, Mines and Crash.

Alina Mihaela Popa, Chief Commercial Officer at ICONIC21, said: “Being distributed through a platform of this scale, alongside such a strong roster of providers, gives our content exceptional exposure and reach. What makes us proud is that our footprint keeps growing, and it keeps growing very quickly. Each new partnership is a reflection of our strength and potential, and Blue Ocean Gaming is a very meaningful addition to that journey.”

Dejan Jović , CEO at BlueOcean Gaming commented: “ICONIC21 is doing something truly exciting in the live casino space, raising the bar when it comes to player immersion and showmanship. Their ability to take classic table games and supercharge them with dynamic twists like the Gravity series adds a fantastic new layer of entertainment to GameHub. It’s exactly the kind of high-vibe, retention-driven content our operators look for to stand out in a crowded market, and we are thrilled to welcome them on board.”

The post ICONIC21 distributes full casino portfolio via Blue Ocean Gaming appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.