Gaming

Gaming & iGaming trends for 2021

Published

5 years ago

May 28, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Gaming and iGaming industries exploded in 2020 as the pandemic has only reinforced the new edge entertainment trend. In times of massive uncertainty, the world turned to simulate reality games as a new way to connect and unwind.

According to Statista, today there are already more than 2.7 billion video gamers worldwide. The entire video gaming market is expected to be worth over $200 bln by 2023. As to iGaming, around 1.6 billion people gamble throughout the year, while the global online gambling market is anticipated to be valued at more than $92.9 bln by 2023.

Here we’re going to explore the impact of the pandemic in these domains, uncover new trends within the booming industries and learn what to expect for 2021.

Changes in the industries in the COVID times

Lloyd Richman, CEO of iBet Digital, thinks that since COVID-19 first hit, a lot of sportsbook bettors, who used to bet on a daily basis, started to look out for new things to bet on. “For sure, they were very unhappy, because almost all sports competitions had stopped at that moment. And this is why virtual sports have uplifted, as well as eSports”.

Lloyd briefly explained the difference between virtual sports and eSports.

“Virtual sports are predetermined or pre-recorded games architected by computer software. It’s very much a virtual video, that’s played out and then people can bet on that in real-time. Whereas in eSports people are competing against each other playing the likes of Counter-Strike or FIFA whether they’re playing individually or as teams. It’s streamed in real-time and viewers are able to bet on it the same way they do with sports.”

Will Mercer, venture director at Zag, a founder and CEO of Umaya Village, pointed out his favourite stats about eSports: “The entire of tennis as a sport can only support 300 full-time professional players, whereas League of Legends, which is just one of the many eSports, can support a thousand.”

At the end of 2020 Esports entertainment group acquired Lucky Dino for $30 mln, an online casino operator with its own proprietary casino platform. “You’ll probably see a lot more eSports levelling up with Sportsbook in 2021 because there’s a lot of money in that business”, says Lloyd Richman.

Poker also saw huge growth, in spite of the fact that just a few years ago, it was considered as a dying out product. Today poker products started to boom again across the whole industry. “People had time to kill while being stuck at home, sleeping patterns were changed and they were able to invest into things like 6-hours tournaments as opposed to quick Sit & Go games”, says Richman.

But all of this might change very quickly. “When poker was huge five years ago, eSports wasn’t really around. But today we’re seeing that virtual games are getting pushed a lot more. The same appeals to live casinos that boomed in the last few years. But all of it probably will go back into decline again, because the real sports are back”, noticed Lloyd.

From a technological perspective, there are several trends just coupling all together in an interesting way.

There’s a tremendous growth of the social media component in gaming. It became really important both in games and in-gaming infrastructure like Discord. “Gaming acts as the niche to hanging out and talking in comfort with your own communities and friends”, adds Vlad Beck, founder of Black Snow Games & co-founder of Sigma Software Group.

At the same time streaming has shown enormous growth compared to pre-pandemic. Twitch jumped from 9 billion hours watched in 2019 all the way to 17 billion in 2020. This is also accompanied by 5G getting up and running.

Casino in GTA V and the future of in-game experience

GTA V has sold over 110 million copies, making it one of the best-selling video games of all time, generating over $6 bln worth of revenue. In 2019 Rockstar released its Diamond Casino & Resort update, which lets players use real money to play its games. The casino’s chips can be purchased with in-game currency at a $1 to 1 chip ratio.

Richman believes that the full-time merging between online computer games and online casinos is happening right now. “It’s been happening, but very slowly. Rockstar released their Casino update six years after they released the original game.”

“In that week after they released the casino update, it was the most anticipated downloadable content (DLC) ever across PlayStation. They had more players playing GTA than they had in the previous six years”, emphasised Lloyd.

The audience wants to come on and play slots, walk up to blackjack people and watch virtual sports on horse racing. Rockstar merged into the casino and into gambling via creating slot games on an RPG computer game level. This is the accelerated change in gaming, and in the next 10-15 years merges like this are going to happen on a regular basis.

Gaming

Soft2Bet Introduces MEGA11, a Football Manager Experience Designed to Elevate Sportsbook Activity

Published

1 day ago

February 20, 2026

Wladimir P.

soft2bet-introduces-mega11,-a-football-manager-experience-designed-to-elevate-sportsbook-activity

Soft2Bet has revealed the debut of MEGA11, a football management game aimed at enhancing sportsbook interaction and improving player loyalty. Acknowledging that football manager and fantasy games rank among the most favored genres with the longest typical gameplay durations, MEGA11 provides a progression-oriented and captivating football manager experience focusing on fantasy league team construction, allowing players to tactically oversee their own teams and make important choices while competing in leagues and matches.

Users of sportsbooks are inherently used to waiting before making their next wager. That inactivity naturally leads to a decrease in daily engagement, even among bettors who are very focused on football. MEGA11 addresses this issue by providing users with a football management game seamlessly connected to the sportsbook experience. Rather than waiting for the upcoming kickoff, players can remain engaged by forming their team, modifying lineups, and battling in their personal matchups or leagues. This establishes a distinctive two-way interaction cycle, effortlessly integrating real-money wagering with social, engaging gameplay, transforming these calmer times into organized activity with defined objectives, advancement, and a motivation to come back.

MEGA11 is developed as an independent game featuring its own soft-currency system, without any direct links to sportsbook deposits or casino operations. The main experience is free-to-play, enabling players to advance at their own speed. For players seeking to advance quickly or enhance their team, MEGA11 provides optional purchases, such as more powerful player cards and boosters that speed up progress and offer a strategic advantage.

The engagement of the sportsbook is fueled by a straightforward, quantifiable mechanism. Each wager allows players to accumulate points that enhance their advancement in the football manager game. This advancement, consequently, activates sportsbook bonuses, actively encouraging ongoing involvement and strengthening consistent engagement. Advancement is organized via a five-level loyalty and gamification framework that reflects a football career trajectory: Beginner, Amateur, Professional, World Class, and Legend. The tiering aims to maintain motivation over time, providing a consistent feeling of progress that fosters longer-term retention instead of brief spurts of engagement.

The new engine enhances Soft2Bet’s larger MEGA portfolio, which currently features mechanics like MEGA Chance, MEGA Round, and MEGA Clawee. It further enhances Soft2Bet’s sportsbook offering with instant payouts, 24/7 support, and over 200 pre-match football markets, by introducing a perpetual football format designed to maintain fan engagement beyond the live match calendar.

The design of the product continues to prioritize player protection and compliance. MEGA11’s soft-currency, non-deposit model promotes secure and compliant interactions, emphasizing entertainment and advancement while adhering to responsible gaming standards in regulated regions.

Yoel Zuckerberg, CPO at Soft2Bet, stated: “MEGA11 is built to keep football fans engaged between matchdays, pairing a manager-style progression loop with a soft-currency model that supports compliant, long-term sportsbook loyalty. Football manager games are renowned for having the highest player immersion and longest session times in the industry. By bringing this experience to our partners, we are combining real betting with social gameplay to deliver authentic player experiences that resonate with fans and drive sustainable engagement.”

The introduction of MEGA11 enhances Soft2Bet’s emphasis on product-driven engagement, merging game design, loyalty strategies, and a robust regulatory framework to assist operators in achieving more reliable retention during the football season. The technology has received significant industry awards and is eliciting a strong positive reaction from players, confirming its influence on engagement and long-term value generation.

The post Soft2Bet Introduces MEGA11, a Football Manager Experience Designed to Elevate Sportsbook Activity appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Gaming

58% of respondents like the“warmy” archetype. Rocket Match by RocketPlay became “ Valentine’s Tinder in Gaming”.

Published

4 days ago

February 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

58%-of-respondents-like-the“warmy”-archetype-rocket-match-by-rocketplay-became-“-valentine’s-tinder-in-gaming”.

This Valentine’s, RocketPlay tested a playful idea: players who seek thrills in gaming don’t necessarily want intensity in everything — including relationships. Instead of asking users to pick a “perfect partner,” RocketPlay launched Rocket Match, a fast, flirty quiz that matches players with a vibe: Bold, Sunny, Dreamy, or Adventurous.

Early Results Flip the Stereotype

Around 58% of participants matched with the Sunny archetype — defined by warmth, charm, and easy-going fun. The experiment suggests that when it comes to Valentine’s, RocketPlay’s community prefers light-hearted connection over drama or high stakes.

What Rocket Match Is

Rocket Match is a Valentine’s matchmaking quiz built inside the RocketPlay Universe. Players answer five simple, no-wrong-answer questions and instantly discover their match vibe.

The goal: move away from typical Valentine’s content that swings between overly serious romance or clichéd tropes. Rocket Match keeps it flirty, playful, and moment-focused, letting players discover a vibe rather than a label.

The four vibes include:

Bold – confident, high-energy, loves bigger sparks
Sunny – easy-going, playful, social, effortlessly charming
Dreamy – soft, romantic, focused on atmosphere and emotion
Adventurous – playful risk-taker, spontaneous, curious

Community Insights from Rocket Match

The quiz quickly gained traction, with 7,000+ completions, revealing a strong preference: Sunny, the archetype defined by warmth, lightness, and charm.

Alex Martin, PR Lead at RocketPlay, said:

“What we liked most about Rocket Match is how clearly it captured the mood people actually want on Valentine’s. It wasn’t about labels or big statements — it was about light energy, easy chemistry, and a feel-good kind of connection. That’s the vibe we try to build across the brand: simple to join, fun in the moment, and positive without the drama.”

Why It Matters

Rocket Match was more than a Valentine’s gimmick. It offered a snapshot of what RocketPlay’s community enjoys most: light energy, playful interaction, and feel-good connections. By turning a pop-culture moment into a small experiment, RocketPlay gained insight into player preferences, informing how the brand continues to design engaging, fun, and positive experiences.

The post 58% of respondents like the“warmy” archetype. Rocket Match by RocketPlay became “ Valentine’s Tinder in Gaming”. appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Gaming

58% of respondents like the“warmy” archetype. Rocket Match by RocketPlay became “ Valentine’s Tinder in Gaming”.

Published

4 days ago

February 17, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

This Valentine’s, RocketPlay tested a simple idea: people who come to iGaming for thrill don’t necessarily want the same intensity in everything — including relationships. Instead of asking players to choose a “perfect partner,” we launched Rocket Match, a fast, playful quiz that matches players with a vibe — bold, sweet, dreamy, or adventurous.

Early results flipped the stereotype. Around 58% of participants matched with the same vibe — built around warmth, charm, and easy fun — suggesting that when it comes to Valentine’s, our community prefers light-hearted connection over drama or risk.

What Rocket Match is

Rocket Match is a Valentine’s matchmaking quiz built as a small cosmic adventure inside the gaming RocketPlay Universe. Players answer 5 light questions — no right or wrong answers — and instantly unlock a Rocket Match that compliments themself. The idea was simple: Valentine’s content online often swings between two extremes — overly serious romance or pure cliché. Rocket Match was created to do something different: keep it flirty, keep it playful, and let players discover a vibe that feels like a moment, not a label.

There were 4 vibes to match with:
Bold — confident, high-energy, loves a bigger spark and bolder choices.
Sunny — easy-going, lighthearted, funny, good communicator
Dreamy — softer, romantic, drawn to atmosphere and emotion.
Adventurous — playful risk-taker energy; spontaneous, curious, and always up for something new.

The lightweight Valentine’s experiment quickly gained traction, with 7,000+ players completing the quiz. The unexpected value came after: the answers revealed a clear preference in what players wanted Valentine’s to feel like — and that insight became the story.

Across responses, around 58% of participants landed on the same Rocket Match vibe — the “sunny” archetype. It’s defined by warmth, lightness, and easy charm: playful, social, and effortless to be around.

What it says about RocketPlay’s community

Rocket Match offered a clear read on the kind of Valentine’s energy players gravitate toward — and it’s lighter than the usual “high-stakes romance” stereotype. As Alex Martin, PR Lead, puts it: “What we liked most about Rocket Match is how clearly it captured the mood people actually want on Valentine’s. It wasn’t about labels or big statements — it was about light energy, easy chemistry, and a feel-good kind of connection. That’s the vibe we try to build across the brand: simple to join, fun in the moment, and positive without the drama.”

What started as a fun Valentine’s experiment quickly became a snapshot of what the community enjoys most: light energy, easy chemistry, and feel-good connection. Valentine’s was simply the right moment to test a playful, pop-culture format — and see what kind of “match” people gravitate toward.

The post 58% of respondents like the“warmy” archetype. Rocket Match by RocketPlay became “ Valentine’s Tinder in Gaming”. appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.