Latest News

Sportsbet.io teams up with SportCaller for landmark FTP-crypto partnership

Published

5 years ago

May 5, 2021

George Miller

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Free-to-play specialist secures first cryptocurrency partnership with leading multi-currency sportsbook

SportCaller, the leading free-to-play (FTP) game provider, has announced its first cryptocurrency partnership with leading operator Sportsbet.io, the sports-betting subsidiary of Coingaming Group.

The new deal forms part of a deeper FTP framework with which to target both mature and emerging markets over the long-term, as Sportsbet.io bids to expand its progressive footprint into untapped territories. There, its multi-currency versatility, allied to SportCaller’s proven international scope and flair for localization, promises to drive diversified fan engagement around targeted free-to-play sports games.

Accordingly, the announcement also sees the launch of two exclusive games, 4-3-free and Bet free 6-6, built to reignite familiar FTP formats with innovative jackpots mechanics and new designs around mainstream sports from football and cricket. The first, 4-3-free, asks its players to win a realistic jackpot, or a range of attainable tier-two prizes, by answering a series of questions correctly. On the other hand, Bet free 6-6 adds a new twist to the popular Super 6 FTP format by posing a set of six predictions (e.g. correct score, or under/over goals) whereby players still earn points for consolation prizes, even if they only guess the match result correctly.

These exciting products hail from asports-agnostic series which allows Sportsbet.io to flexibly press engaging games into the service of any event, as elite sport battles with an uncertain timetable worldwide, delivering an agile light-touch marketing approach that provides education and entertainment for customers in both new and existing markets.

As the leading free-to-play supplier, SportCaller is dedicated to driving engagement through a range of games whose formats responsibly acquire and retain customers at low cost but also remain fully compliant as sports-betting regulation continues to coalesce across regions from LatAm to the Subcontinent. Its unique proprietary platform not only lets Sportsbet.io delineate its brand from its rivals via bespoke local games, but also offers a strategic solution which works territory-by-territory, educating uninitiated audiences with fully-integrated games that organically track underlying sportsbook markets, demystifying any technicalities or terminology in the process.

To underscore the point, SportCaller has now launched over 100 games across 47 countries and in 20 languages in Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, Australasia and North America (via multi-lingual). In the past 12 months, it has also rolled out 44 new games, doubling the total number of games offered across the previous three years.

Joe McCallum, Director of Sportsbook at Sportsbet.io, said: “SportCaller’s highly-focused, and collaborative approach to game-ideation, together with their consumer analysis from a host of worldwide data sets, gives them a competitive edge when it goes to both game-delivery and strategic planning. Whether it’s acquisition or retention-focused games, we now feel confident of keeping our players engaged with the Sportsbet.io brand in a fun, fast and fair way – enhancing the existing experience, and minimising churn, wherever we set our scene.

“Their new games embrace player-education and enhanced activity at their heart, and are already demonstrating their huge worth at a time when responsible engagement and retention rightly demand adaptable solutions. We look forward to extending this progressive partnership with more games across our other premium properties over the coming years.”

Cillian Barry, MD at SportCaller, added: “Coingaming and Sportsbet.io are led by some of the great innovators and disruptors in the sportsbook space, always striving for innovation and pushing the limits of new technology. So, we’re thrilled to align those values with our own, on a watershed journey into unexplored markets where both crypto and fiat currencies are vying for position.

“In this industry, sowing the seeds of global success is best achieved by coupling international ambition to local utility. After all, while some trends are universal, language, taste and specific sports-mad fanbases are invariably culturally-contingent. International fragmentation for game design and regional requirements (e.g. regulatory, or player-preference-based) only magnifies the importance of supplying a precise game UI at every turn, and in every country. Which is why SportCaller has developed peerless geo-location tools, allowing us to geo-target and partition between diverse territories with dexterity.

“I’m pleased to report that initial engagement has been incredibly positive, so we can’t wait to see how games like 4-3-free and Bet free 6-6 continue to perform across varied regions which, in some cases, represent new markets for us. The free-to-play vertical is clearly bringing the fun and familiarity for both new and regular customers.”

eSports

Esports Foundation names Faker Game Ambassador for EWC and ENC through 2028

Published

9 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

esports-foundation-names-faker-game-ambassador-for-ewc-and-enc-through-2028

Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok joins Cristiano Ronaldo and Magnus Carlsen in the Esports Foundation’s Ambassador Program.

The Esports Foundation (EF) has appointed Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok as a Game Ambassador for the Esports World Cup (EWC) and Esports Nations Cup (ENC) through 2028, the organization said on July 15, 2026 in a statement issued from Riyadh and Paris.

EF said Faker joins Cristiano Ronaldo, listed as the Foundation’s Global Ambassador, and Magnus Carlsen as part of the Esports Foundation Ambassador Program. The Foundation said Faker will represent “the perspective of esports players” across its international events, athlete initiatives, media engagements and leadership forums.

“You can’t talk about esports without mentioning Faker. He is the defining athlete of competitive gaming: a champion whose excellence, discipline and longevity have inspired an entire generation,” said Ralf Reichert, Chief Executive Officer of the Esports Foundation. “As our Game Ambassador, Faker represents something fundamental to the Ambassador Program: esports creates its own global sporting icons. Across EWC, ENC and NGSC, he will help ensure that the players who built this sport have a voice in shaping where it goes next.”

Faker said: “Competition has shaped my life, and I am proud to join the Esports Foundation as Game Ambassador. I want to continue competing for the biggest titles with T1 while representing the players and fans who have helped esports grow worldwide. Through the Esports World Cup, Esports Nations Cup and the Foundation’s wider platforms, I hope to inspire the next generation to pursue excellence, remain resilient and believe in how far competitive gaming can take them. There is still much more to achieve.”

EF highlighted Faker’s competitive record, describing him as a six-time League of Legends World Champion, EWC 2024 winner, two-time MSI champion and ten-time domestic champion with T1. The Foundation also said Faker became the first esports athlete to receive the Blue Dragon Medal in 2026, describing it as the Republic of Korea’s highest sporting honor awarded by President Lee Jae-myung.

The post Esports Foundation names Faker Game Ambassador for EWC and ENC through 2028 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Brand Partnerships

Midnite signs as Middlesbrough FC principal partner for 2026/27 season

Published

16 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

midnite-signs-as-middlesbrough-fc-principal-partner-for-2026/27-season

Midnite has agreed a partnership with Middlesbrough FC that will see the UK bookmaker become the club’s principal partner and front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2026/27 campaign, which Middlesbrough describes as its landmark 150th season.

The companies announced the deal alongside a fan activation at Riverside Stadium on Thursday, July 9, branded “This Season’s On Us”. The initiative offered supporters prizes including 2026/27 season tickets, 2026/27 shirts, match tickets, or a £25 club shop voucher, with fans required to answer Middlesbrough trivia and complete a football challenge.

Middlesbrough former players Craig Hignett and David Wheater attended the event, and, according to the company, took bonus attempts on behalf of participants who missed out.

Andrew Mook, Midnite’s Head of Brand Marketing, said:

“Middlesbrough have a storied history and we’re delighted to announce this partnership during such a monumental year with the club celebrating their 150th anniversary.

“It was great to see so many Middlesbrough fans at the “This Season’s On Us” activation, we hope they enjoyed taking part and meeting club legends, with David Wheater hitting top bins on several occasions and allowing fans to win big with season tickets.

“We can’t wait to get to Riverside Stadium in August to kick-off a new season and we’re excited to say that we have plenty of new and captivating campaigns planned.”

Lee Fryett, Middlesbrough FC Chief Commercial Officer, added:

“We’re delighted to welcome Midnite as our new Principal Partner.

“We’re looking forward to working closely with Midnite to develop engaging campaigns, content and unique experiences that bring our fans even closer to the club.

“We’re confident this partnership will provide real value for our supporters while supporting our ambitions both on and off the pitch.”

The post Midnite signs as Middlesbrough FC principal partner for 2026/27 season appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

AGCO

ThrillTech secures AGCO supplier licence for Ontario launch

Published

16 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

thrilltech-secures-agco-supplier-licence-for-ontario-launch

ThrillTech has been awarded a Gaming-Related Supplier licence by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), clearing the company to launch in Ontario’s regulated market.

The licence allows ThrillTech to deploy its opt-in side bet jackpots technology with regulated online casino, sports betting and lottery operators across the province.

Benjamin Bradtke, Co-Founder of ThrillTech, said: “Securing our AGCO licence is a major step in our mission to transform how jackpots are delivered at scale across regulated markets. This latest certification is testament to our robust technology and trusted compliance frameworks, allowing us to continue our global growth trajectory. We are thrilled to bring our proven, compliant jackpot technology to Ontario, empowering locally licensed operators to uplift revenue without cannibalising existing spend.”

The company said its “ThrillPots” mechanics sit as an independent, player-funded side bet and do not alter the underlying game’s return-to-player mathematics.

ThrillTech said the Ontario approval enables its existing multinational partners that also operate in the province to launch its side bet jackpots locally, while it also holds talks with potential new operator partners. The company lists its regulated footprint as including the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Romania, Malta, Gibraltar, Brazil and Peru.

The post ThrillTech secures AGCO supplier licence for Ontario launch appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.