Industry News
Kutt Secures $1 Million+ in Funding and Surpasses 10,000 Users
Kutt, the leading social betting platform, announced that it closed the first quarter of 2024 with a successful fundraise of over $1 million and that it has surpassed the 10,000 user mark. The company also commissioned a study of 1000 bettors that clearly defines what social betting is and what users want — further cementing its ownership of the space.
“Betting has been a social activity for thousands of years, so it’s no surprise that consumers want the ability to facilitate and track wagers against their friends. If anything, bettors unquestionably prefer a more curated, social experience — they want to be part of a wider community and to be part of the conversation around sports, entertainment, and important events,” Sim Harmon, CEO and founder of Kutt, said.
While sports betting has boomed across the country since the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was overturned in 2018, established gambling companies have largely stuck to the tried-and-true format sportsbooks have been using for decades — traditional sports bets against the house. But consumer desire to experience more has increased as the betting industry has matured, with 82% of bettors interested in wagering directly against their friends and other individuals through a decentralized platform, according to Kutt’s recently commissioned survey.
The survey found that, in addition to Kutt’s traditional offerings, an overwhelming majority of bettors (80%) are interested in wagering on non-sporting events, with 77% wanting to bet on entertainment, 62% interested in wagering on politics, and 60% with a desire to bet on life events. Kutt allows users to wager with friends on any event with publicly verifiable results, making it the ultimate “put your money where your mouth is” destination for fans. The survey also shed light on some compelling aspects and trends among current bettors, including:
- A higher percentage of bettors surveyed placed a wager with a friend in the past year (61%) vs. a sportsbook (60%)
- More than half of U.S. bettors (54%) have betting group chats with friends
- A majority of U.S. bettors (60%) text their friends about the progress of a bet while watching a game.
Adding further validity to the findings of the survey and the demand for a real-money social betting experience is Kutt’s recent $1 million+ institutional fundraise, led by Lightning Capital, a firm that invests in digital assets and online communities. The investment will fuel initiatives aimed at growing the Kutt community, enhancing user experiences, and expanding betting markets.
“We look for emerging companies in high-growth industries to invest in. Kutt’s enthusiastic user base, rapidly growing partnership portfolio, and their differentiated product offering were very attractive to us. We are eager to help them continue to define and own the social betting space,” Jock Percy, General Partner at Lightning Capital, said.
Celia Verot
FDJ UNITED Announces Changes to its Executive Committee
FDJ UNITED makes changes to its Executive Committee, with the appointment of Pascal Chaffard as Chief Online Betting and Gaming Officer as well as Group Strategy and Operational Transformation Officer, and Celia Verot as General Secretary.
Currently Chief Financial Officer, Strategy and Performance leader, Pascal Chaffard is taking over as head of the Online Betting and Gaming business unit. Pascal Chaffard will also be responsible for the Group’s strategy and operational transformation.
As Chief Online Betting and Gaming Officer, Nils Andén has overseen Kindred’s integration into the Group since October 2024; he is leaving the company to pursue new projects.
The appointment of the new CFO will be announced at the end of the recruitment process currently under way.
In addition, Celia Verot, who joined FDJ UNITED in 2024 as Chief Regulatory Officer, was appointed General Secretary, General Counsel and Chief Regulatory Officer for the Group on 1 January.
The post FDJ UNITED Announces Changes to its Executive Committee appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Industry News
Novig Raises $75M Series B to Build a Trader-First Sports Prediction Market
Novig, the fastest growing sports trading platform in America, announced the close of a $75 million Series B round led by Pantera Capital, with participation from Multicoin Capital, Makers Fund, Edge Equity, and existing investors Forerunner, Perceptive Ventures, and NFX. The round brings Novig’s total capital raised to more than $105 million.
The funding follows a period of growth for the platform, which reported a 10x increase in trading volume during 2025. Novig’s annualized trading volume currently exceeds $4 billion.
Although sports account for the majority of activity on most prediction market platforms, those products are not built with sports traders in mind. Novig, by contrast, is built for sports fans, delivering a fair, transparent, and commission-free trading experience.
Since launch, the platform has rapidly emerged as the leading sports trading platform in the US, proving strong demand for a trader-first alternative to traditional sportsbooks. Novig has officially submitted its application to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to become a licensed Designated Contract Market (DCM), a critical milestone in its transition toward becoming a federally regulated exchange available in all 50 states.
Unlike sportsbooks that operate an against-the-house model, Novig operates a commission-free, peer-to-peer exchange where traders compete against one another on a level playing field. By eliminating the hidden “vig,” unfair odds, and punitive limits on winning players, Novig has built the industry’s most equitable sports prediction platform.
“Our mission is to democratize and financialize sports markets, and we’re proud of the fact that Novig users are 10 times more likely to win than on traditional sportsbooks,” said Jacob Fortinsky, Co-Founder and CEO of Novig.
“We chose to partner with the best crypto venture firms in the world to further accelerate our plans to make Novig the most efficient and liquid sports prediction market in the world. Others are using prediction market technology to financialize new markets with unproven demand. We leverage it to fix broken markets where demand already exists.”
“Novig is proving that prediction markets can fundamentally reshape sports betting by removing the exploitative middleman,” said Paul Veradittakit, Managing Partner at Pantera Capital.
“Their peer-to-peer exchange delivers what traditional sportsbooks can’t: better odds, fairer market structure, and alignment between platform success and user profitability. When 23% of users are profitable compared to 2% on traditional platforms, it’s clear this is a foundational change to the industry. We’re excited to lead this round and support Jacob, Kelechi, and the team as they build a sports prediction market that actually puts bettors first.”
“Novig combines the cultural heartbeat of sports with the transparency and efficiency of prediction markets. Most prediction market volume today is on sports, yet those platforms weren’t built with sports or sports bettors in mind. We are delivering a better exchange that is built by sports traders, for sports traders,” said Co-Founder and CTO Kelechi Ukah.
The new capital accelerates Novig’s next phase of growth, including onboarding more institutional liquidity. Novig will utilize the investment to deepen product innovation and growth loops, launching first-of-its-kind functionality that combines the best innovation of financial markets with the excitement of live sports.
To support its next phase of growth, Novig has expanded its team to more than 50 personnel, including operators, engineers, and traders focused on developing the platform’s prediction market infrastructure and transparency features.
The post Novig Raises $75M Series B to Build a Trader-First Sports Prediction Market appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Gaming Laboratories International
GLI Promotes Patrick Cottingham to Director of Client Services, North America
Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) has promoted Patrick Cottingham to Director of Client Services, North America. Previously, he served as Senior Manager of Client Services. Prior to commencing his career as an engineer with GLI, he served with the US Air Force.
Cottingham’s dedication to his clients was clearly evident both inside and outside of GLI. He transitioned to the Client Services team where he progressed and built a team laser focused on providing the very best customer service where his and his team’s clients have benefited from his engineering and gaming experience.
Ian Hughes, GLI Chief Revenue Officer, said: “We are thrilled to announce Patrick’s well-deserved promotion to Director of Client Services for North America. Patrick leads a team of dedicated and committed client services representatives who ensure our clients receive the best service during their compliance journey with GLI.”
The post GLI Promotes Patrick Cottingham to Director of Client Services, North America appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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