Interviews
Exclusive Q&A with Michael Hudson, CEO and Co-Founder of GameBake
We have here with us an entrepreneur who started out quite early in gaming.
Michael Hudson, CEO and Co-Founder of GameBake, talks here about a host of topics:
- His beginnings as a game developer, his quest to develop a ‘fair, transparent, platform agnostic solution” that allows seamless publishing of games across platforms;
- His instinct of “running away from the light” and looking for “fringe areas”;
- What game developers can expect from GameBake;
- And about the gaming industry across the globe.
This is a bit longer than our usual interviews. But it contains nuanced perspectives expressed in straightforward language that the whole industry should look up and take note.
Over to the interview now!
Q. To start off, tell us about your career. Our readers love to hear top entrepreneurs talk about themselves, especially someone who became one at the age of 13!
A. 13 definitely feels like a lifetime ago now! But yes, I started my career in the games industry at 13 although my life as an entrepreneur goes back a little further than that. Since day one, I’ve always tried to make money – some way, somehow, from car washing to selling sweets at school (the demand was there, with only “healthy” options available at lunch times!)
Like they are for many of us, games have always been of keen interest to me, but unlike most, I always wanted to find out what makes a game and how I could make my own. I think it’s those kinds of questions that I’ve always asked that lead me towards teaching myself how to first build websites to host flash games, and then how to actually build the games themselves.
I first started exploring game development with a tool called GameMaker which is still around today, albeit much more developed than when I started with it all those years ago. Eventually I transitioned to working with Flash and building games for websites such as Newgrounds, which eventually led me to the sponsorship/licensing model and how I made my first $200 licensing my first flash game. My next flash game made over $15,000 in fees and that is when I started to take things a little more seriously because big numbers were involved. Considering I had turned down King (yes, the same King that went on to develop the hit we all know and love) I was clearly starting to move towards developing my hobby into a legit business, in a very natural way.
Since then it has been a rollercoaster with ups, downs and many loops, but it has led me to where I am today, with an amazing team (and now, friends), where we can be part of and help build the future of the gaming industry.
Q. How and why did you co-found GameBake? And what does the name signify?
A. GameBake was born out of a genuine business need. As developers, we’ve learned that it’s best to knuckle down and focus on a single product, a single goal that we can all work hard on to achieve great things.
As developers under our previous studio name, we worked on many projects, from hyper-casual games (before that became an industry term) right down to free-to-play titles. This experience was amazing but always positioned us in a similar place. Our publishers wanted the games to be playable everywhere but we only had so much manpower and hours in the day to actually achieve the lofty goals being asked of us. Integrated 3, 4 or 5 SDKs is annoying enough, but having to do that plus integrate the tech of every single platform plus find new services that work on and with these platforms plus making a new specific version for each platform (and all of that with no centralised system to easily and efficiently track everything), well, it wasn’t great, let’s leave it at that.
GameBake was a product of all of this. Our internal struggles and frustrations that led us to seeing a need in the market that, not only we wanted to solve, but many others wanted a solution for, and that is why we pivoted away from a development studio to go all-in with our KILN technology that allows us to open up the whole gaming market to developers globally, no matter how big or small you are.
What does the name signify? Well, we were named Yello at the very start so GameBake was part of our development as we pushed forwards into new markets and started using better technology. GameBake itself doesn’t have a specific meaning behind it, but for us, it describes what we do in one word, which is: baking games with the technology needed for everybody to access new amazing platforms and markets globally.
Q. How exactly does GameBake work? What kind of support can a gaming developer and publisher expect from your company?
A. How the tech works behind the scenes is probably a question more for our amazing CTO, so maybe you’ll find out in the next interview! But the concept is pretty simple really:-
• Upload your APK to GameBake, the very same APK used for uploading to Google Play;
• Check the boxes for the services your game uses; E.g. GameAnalytics, Tenjin, or Firebase, Adjust and so on;
• Check which stores you want to deploy to, e.g. Huawei AppGallery;
• Job done! Our tech (called KILN) takes care of the rest and spits out a compiled version of your game with all the required tech needed to run on the chosen platforms you are looking to distribute to.
Of course, store pages need to be built for each platform and IDs from other services need to be swapped for new IDs from those services, but for the new platforms you go live on. We are working closely with most of the big industry players to try and automate as much of this as possible and we are well on our way to achieving this.
As for what to expect from GameBake, well I would say a fair, transparent, platform agnostic solution that works! If you want to use our tech to make getting to new platforms easier, but want to make partnerships with the platforms yourself (i.e. setup features yourself and so on), that is fine, we are able to facilitate this and will do all we can to provide what you need with who you need. If what you are looking for is a more hands-on approach from us, one where we setup all your games features, run the UA and more then we can also work with you like that as well.
For GameBake, flexibility is key as we see the technology and ecosystem we are building becoming a vital piece of the development puzzle that will enable easy and commercially viable ways to distribute and scale globally.
Q. Changing the status quo of game distribution is not just unglamorous but kind of swimming against the tide too. What motivated you to choose that path?
A. That is a great way of putting it, although I may go a step further and say it’s more like climbing up a waterfall. I have always been interested in the more fringe areas of any industry, especially within gaming. That may be because I can’t help but look at the potential of anything, but it could also be somewhat from necessity – as when launching our own games we never had huge marketing budgets to compete with so I and the team have had to look into areas that were cost effective.
Over the years, what I have found is that everybody always runs towards the light and it’s the ones running away from the light that are called crazy, but if everybody is standing around that light then it very quickly gets blocked. In short – the people running towards the light will find it very hard to find their way towards it. While those running away, and normally that’s in a different direction to everyone else, will normally find themselves in a niche but lucrative area that they can dominate. It’s only once that light starts burning brighter that others pay attention.
This is how I see distribution right now. The bright light is iOS and Google Play on mobile, with many other options, but all faded into the darkness. And now, the bright lights are glowing and the industry is starting to take notice of what is possible outside of the norm. Now it won’t be instantaneous, but we are seeing growth everyday and the more we all work together to open up these platforms and these markets, the greater the industry as a whole – and the more opportunity there will be for everybody globally to enter and become successful.
Q. What are the options available for games developers outside the duopoly of Google Play store and Apple Appstore as publishing platforms? Importantly, what are the attractions for the developers to opt for such off the beaten path destinations?
A. For those developing native games for mobile (Apps, basically) I would suggest looking into the alternative android market. I personally don’t like the word “alternative” as it gives off a vibe of these platforms being “lesser” than Google Play and this frankly isn’t the case, but we need to describe these stores somehow. These stores are low hanging fruit for most people, as if you can compile an APK, which you can, then you can deploy on these stores and the 100s of millions of users that they have.
Now, I’m not saying that this is an easy feat, or an approach that will guarantee success, far from it, but why you wouldn’t secure your brand and IP, and take advantage of these amazing platforms, makes no sense. To me, It’s a no brainer! Often, what we hear from the market is not that developers don’t want to distribute to these stores, but that they’re faced by complexities in being able to achieve this and in making it commercially viable. GameBake is fixing the headache faced by developers by providing an easy route to deploy to these stores, whilst providing the means to be able to leverage the services required in today’s industry to monetise and scale games effectively.
Outside of the App Stores, there are still a wealth of opportunities. In this space, you need to think carefully about the technology you are building your game in, because web distribution generally means HTML5 games, and for many this just isn’t an option. The opportunities on the web are amazing if approached in the right way, but it takes some time to port and for many it just isn’t worth the time and effort commercially.
The same goes for social/instant gaming platforms, such as Facebook, WeChat, Snap and many more. Your games need to be in HTML5 but more importantly, you need to think about how you approach each of these platforms. You can’t just launch a game and expect it to scale, you need to launch it under the platforms features and leverage them to really take advantage of what makes each of these platforms special.
For me, the opportunities are huge but the barrier to entry is also just as big with tons of awkward tech to integrate, porting games being required and the biggest barrier is the lack of services to allow you to properly scale your game but again, that is what we are here for and we are building. If you want to deploy to stores, port to HTML5, explore new markets and leverage your current service partners to do all of this, you can do – with GameBake.
Q. How can games profit from social media platforms like Facebook Gaming?
A. This is something I am asked a lot and the answer is simple because it is no different than a game on the App Store. If your game monetises via Facebook Ads, you can leverage Facebook Audience Network to monetise it, if done via purchases, then you can use the platforms payments system. Nothing drastic needs to change in how you monetise, I mean you don’t need to start asking for donations, because there is no other way.
I guess the real question here is ‘what are the best ways to monetise on social platforms such as Facebook?’. This is a difficult one to provide a rounded answer to that will please everybody but hopefully the below will help:-
• If you are leveraging IAPs then keep in mind that Apple “currently” stops payments being processed on these platforms if playing from an iOS device. We have all seen the recent news stories though so I expect this to change over the next 12 months opening iAPs up across platforms. Until then though, just keep this in mind.
• Hyper-Casual games have an advantage on social platforms as they have such a broad target audience which makes it “simpler” to make these games go viral. That being said, not all gameplay mechanics work and this must be considered when launching on a platform such as Facebook or Snap. Just because a game was a hit in the App Store, it doesn’t mean you can just throw the game as is on social platforms and expect it to work.
• When launching any game on social platforms, just think about how to leverage that platform’s features. For example, Facebook has a tournament mode that allows players to start tournaments that are playable directly from their timeline. With the right setup and design this can be used to get players sharing with friends which can create a viral UA channel to your game. Most social platforms have specific features like this and you need to leverage them to bring users to your game, keep them engaged and coming back and of course, then monetise them.
Q. What can be done to minimize the hurdles of finance and resource that game developers face while optimizing the games for different platforms? How near are we to a software alchemy that makes games publishing-ready for different platforms?
A. Of course I’m going to say that the time is right now – with GameBake! There are no integrations required, meaning access to all supported Android channels via a single upload. We are still working hard to make this even more simple so developers globally can focus on what’s important and that is creating amazing games. Also, HTML5 platforms still have a big barrier to entry for most but again, GameBake is working hard to solve this to provide a way for developers to easily access these platforms and deploy easily to them all.
There is never going to be a way for developers to not put in any work at all. Success comes from hard work and this still rings true when targeting new platforms, be that new app stores opr social platforms, you need to research and find out who the end users are downloading and playing your games on any given platform and then adapt what you do to engage (and of course monetise said users). There isn’t a solution to stop resources being required for game design, monetisation or user acquisition but, how we see it, these are the pieces of the puzzle that studios want to keep control of. It is the deployment that is a pain in the arse mixed with a lack of a real ecosystem, it makes it near impossible to even consider distribution outside of the core stores. This is what we want to and are solving, simplifying and improving the pieces of the puzzle that are needed for studios globally to take advantage of and focus their resources and efforts on creating, managing and scaling amazing games.
Q. How are the games you work with received and played outside the marquee markets of Europe and North America? Any significant development in Asia, Africa, Australia or South America?
A. It’s a hard question to answer as it is so different for every game and you need to tackle each game on a somewhat market by market basis. In general, a game that is enjoyed in the US is likely to be enjoyed in India as well, I mean we are all humans at the end of the day, the difference comes in when trying to find success at scale in specific markets and on specific platforms.
China is probably the best example to use here because the market is huge, but it is notoriously difficult to enter without properly understanding the intricacies of the market itself. By this I mean it isn’t just localising your games text that you need to think about, but how your game looks and plays, how it is distributed to players in the market and how you can monetise it. Markets, like China’s, have restrictions on games and you need to plan how you will tackle all of this to be able to enter.
China is an extreme case, but other markets do need similar considerations when it comes to localisation. But you also need to bear in mind that your distribution strategy for Apple and Google aren’t the number one everywhere. In India, for example, Google Play is big but there are many other platforms that open up 100s of millions of users. Iran is another market with restrictions in place, therefore Google Play does not work there, so working with local stores is your entry into a market of over 70 million. Russia is another market where you need to understand the local platforms and how players play games to really localise a game properly and effectively.
So going back to what I’d said at the start, a great game is a great game no matter where you launch in the world, but making a commercial success of that game in various markets requires some thought, planning and good execution.
Q. Asia perhaps deserves more focus as a gaming market. Which Asian countries do you reckon have the most potential market as games industry markets?
A. I completely agree, Asia is mostly forgotten by western developers and it’s a shame as the potential across the region is massive. China is the world’s biggest gaming market but that is the market everyone talks about so let’s put that to one side as it isn’t an easy nut to crack.
If I were to suggest markets that have the potential for most developers of casual games to grow in the coming months and years, I would look to a market such as Indonesia where the scale you can achieve in that market alone is huge. However, a lot of the time, it just isn’t commercially viable and therefore not thought about, but with the right knowledge and partners you can access more platforms that really open up a market like this and can turn what is a good market for Google Play games into a very strong one for those thinking outside of the box.
South Korea and Japan are both strong markets for specific genres but again, you need to really think about how you approach these markets. In general, Asia as a whole has amazing potential, as well as many other regions globally.
Q. Are tight regulations or lack of clear-cut regulations a bottleneck for growth of gaming outside Europe and North America? We’d love your insight into the role regulations play in the gaming industry’s growth.
A. Regulations always hinder growth, it is the nature of regulations but of course, sometimes they are necessary. China takes it to another level! I can’t even imagine how big that market would be right now if they didn’t have these tight regulations holding it back. I understand the reasons behind why the government has set them in place (although for “Children’s health” isn’t the real reason, in my opinion) but it is holding back the market’s growth which is a big shame.
I do see the need for regulation sometimes though, for example, to stop Apple and Google tightening their grip on the market and forcing us all into paying a huge tax on the games that have been worked on so hard to get them where they are. Therefore regulations can probably help the market grow in certain cases but overall, the less governments get involved in the industry the better for the industry’s growth in the coming years.
Q. And finally, how do you get your hair so beautiful?
A. It’s all natural
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Fana Colette Senior Social Media Manager at GameOn
Defining the Future of B2B Social in iGaming – Q&A with Fana Colette, Senior Social Media Manager at GameOn
Congratulations on becoming GameOn’s Senior Social Media Manager. What attracted you to this role in particular, and why now?
The first thing was the breadth and depth of GameOn’s client roster. The range of brands the team works with means you’re solving genuinely different problems week to week, which keeps the work sharp and exciting. The second was GameOn’s reputation within the industry. It’s a company that’s clearly built strong relationships and real credibility over a long period of time.
As for the timing, spending time consulting independently taught me a huge amount, particularly about the commercial side of running a business. I reached a point where I wanted to combine that entrepreneurial experience with the scale, support, and collaborative environment of a larger team. Joining GameOn gives me the opportunity to apply everything I’ve learned alongside people with deep industry expertise and the infrastructure to deliver at a high level.
You’ve grown social pages to tens of thousands of followers. What was the approach that made that possible, and what will you bring from that experience to GameOn?
My approach to growth has always been rooted in two things: a deep understanding of the audience and a clear commercial focus.
First, you have to keep the customer at the centre of everything. You need to be relentless about understanding who they are, what they care about, what frustrates them, what makes them engage, and ultimately what drives action. A lot of brands think they understand their audience, but very few truly do.
Secondly, you need to stay commercially minded at every stage. Running my own business sharpened that mindset significantly. Growth should always tie back to business outcomes. Engagement for the sake of engagement is a vanity metric. The real goal is building trust, brand affinity, and visibility that contributes to revenue and long-term growth.
That’s the mentality I’ll be bringing to GameOn: social strategies that are creative and engaging, but always aligned with measurable commercial impact.
Social media in iGaming has evolved significantly over the years. What trends are you seeing right now? Where do the biggest opportunities lie for B2B brands in particular?
Social media has changed faster in the last two or three years than it did in the decade before. In 2023, the idea of brands being represented by AI-generated influencers would have sounded ridiculous. Now it’s a genuine consideration for some businesses. The pace of change is something brands need to fully accept. What worked six months ago may already feel outdated.
What I’m seeing now is a clear shift away from generic, overly polished content towards more distinctive, personality-led communication. The brands performing best are the ones willing to stand out and develop a recognisable voice. Audiences are increasingly exposed to homogenous content, so if your competitor could post exactly the same thing as you, it’s probably time to rethink your strategy.
For B2B brands specifically, founder-led thought leadership on LinkedIn remains a huge opportunity. People still buy from people, and a credible founder voice often builds more trust than branded content alone ever can.
The second opportunity is understanding how younger audiences consume content. Gen Z professionals are now entering junior commercial and decision-influencing roles across iGaming, and their expectations around content are very different. If your B2B social presence feels outdated, overly corporate, or disconnected from modern platform behaviour, it simply won’t resonate.
A lot of iGaming companies struggle to make social work. What are the common mistakes you most often see, and how do you approach them differently?
One of the biggest mistakes is that brands play it too safe. Compliance is obviously critical in iGaming, but there’s often far more creative flexibility available than companies assume.
Another common issue is that social media gets treated as a secondary marketing channel rather than a core part of the wider commercial strategy. When that happens, content becomes inconsistent, reactive, and lacking in direction.
My approach is to treat social as a genuine driver of engagement, visibility, and business outcomes. That means being more intentional with content, more consistent in execution, and more willing to test, learn, and iterate.
I always start with a simple question: what is this content actually supposed to achieve, and how will we measure success? Once you answer that properly, the strategy becomes much clearer.
As you settle into the new role, what are you hoping to tackle first, and what does success look like for GameOn’s social offering over the next 12 months?
My first priority is understanding what we already have. That means conducting a proper audit across the client roster to identify what’s working, what isn’t, where the opportunities are, and where we can create quick wins.
Over the next 12 months, success for me would mean seeing social become a more central part of our clients’ growth strategies. I want to see stronger performance metrics, more distinctive brand voices, and clearer evidence of how social contributes to wider business objectives.
Ultimately, I’d love GameOn to become the first name people in iGaming think of when they’re serious about social media. Not just because we deliver strong results for existing clients, but because we’ve built the proof points, case studies, and standout work that naturally attracts the next wave of business.
There’s a real opportunity right now to define what great B2B social looks like in iGaming, and that’s the standard I want us to set.
The post Defining the Future of B2B Social in iGaming – Q&A with Fana Colette, Senior Social Media Manager at GameOn appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Andréa Curral
“No iGaming, marcas sólidas dependem de consistência, experiência e relacionamento de longo prazo”
Com uma trajetória construída em grandes grupos globais de mídia, entretenimento e varejo digital, Andréa Curral chega ao Grupo Esportes Gaming Brasil para ocupar o cargo de Diretora de Marketing em um momento estratégico para o mercado brasileiro de apostas regulamentadas.
Após passagens por empresas como Privalia, Discovery e Warner Bros., a executiva assume o desafio de fortalecer o posicionamento institucional e a estratégia de marca das operações Esportes da Sorte, Onabet e Lottu em um cenário cada vez mais competitivo, regulado e orientado por experiência do consumidor.
Em meio ao amadurecimento do setor de iGaming no Brasil, temas como branding, jogo responsável, aquisição eficiente, reputação e conexão cultural ganham relevância crescente para operadoras que buscam crescimento sustentável e diferenciação de longo prazo.
Nesta entrevista exclusiva ao Gaming Americas, Andréa Curral fala sobre como sua experiência em mercados tradicionais contribui para a construção de marcas mais sólidas no iGaming, o papel do marketing na promoção do jogo responsável, os desafios de equilibrar branding e performance em um ambiente altamente dinâmico e as estratégias do Grupo EGB para ampliar presença durante grandes eventos esportivos e manifestações culturais no país.
Andréa, você construiu uma trajetória sólida em gigantes globais de mercados tradicionais como Privalia, Discovery e Warner Bros.
Como essa experiência em branding e experiência do consumidor contribui hoje para sua atuação no iGaming com o Grupo EGB?
Andréa Curral – O principal aprendizado que trago de empresas de mídia, entretenimento e varejo digital é que marcas sólidas não se sustentam apenas em grandes campanhas, mas em consistência, experiência e construção de relacionamento no longo prazo. No iGaming, isso é ainda mais relevante, porque a relação com o usuário passa diretamente por confiança, clareza e segurança.
No Grupo EGB, buscamos aplicar uma visão integrada entre branding, performance e experiência do consumidor.
Isso significa tratar conteúdo como um ativo estratégico, trabalhar comunicação com lógica editorial e segmentação inteligente, além de utilizar métricas e tecnologia para melhorar continuamente a jornada do usuário.
Minha experiência em ambientes altamente competitivos também contribui para equilibrar crescimento, posicionamento institucional e eficiência operacional em um momento de amadurecimento importante para o mercado brasileiro.
Diante do atual momento de consolidação do mercado regulado no Brasil, quais são os principais focos e diretrizes da sua diretoria para o posicionamento institucional das marcas do grupo, Esportes da Sorte, Onabet e Lottu, dentro desse novo cenário?
O cenário atual exige marcas mais claras, operações mais eficientes e uma relação mais consistente com o público. Nossa estratégia está estruturada em três pilares principais: diferenciação de portfólio, experiência do usuário e construção de reputação.
Esportes da Sorte, Onabet e Lottu possuem posicionamentos distintos dentro do grupo, isso reduz a sobreposição e fortalece a identidade de cada operação. Mas um pilar comum a toda nossa empresa é o jogo responsável. É nossa responsabilidade garantir um ambiente controlado e saudável para a diversão.
Somos uma empresa com DNA brasileiro e nossos contratos de patrocínio vão além da exposição de mídia. Incentivamos a cultura nacional, gerando experiências relevantes, que conectam as marcas a territórios de grande relevância popular, como esporte, entretenimento e cultura.
Ao mesmo tempo, o aumento do custo de aquisição torna essencial uma operação integrada entre marketing, produto, atendimento e retenção, sempre alinhada às diretrizes de jogo responsável e à regulamentação vigente.
O Grupo EGB enfatiza o compromisso com o “jogo responsável”.
Como o marketing pode atuar de forma prática na educação do apostador e na promoção de bem-estar, transformando essa diretriz em comunicação efetiva para o público?
Para nós, jogo responsável não pode ser tratado apenas como uma obrigação regulatória ou uma mensagem complementar de comunicação. Ele precisa fazer parte da experiência do usuário, da operação e da construção de reputação da companhia.
O marketing tem um papel importante nesse processo ao comunicar com clareza, evitar promessas irreais e contribuir para uma relação mais consciente do usuário com o entretenimento.
Isso envolve reforçar mensagens sobre limites, autocontrole, pausas e transparência nas regras.
Também acreditamos que comunicação responsável ajuda a fortalecer um ambiente mais seguro e sustentável para todo o ecossistema. No longo prazo, confiança e reputação são ativos fundamentais para qualquer marca que queira crescer de forma consistente no setor.
Em termos de estratégia de crescimento, como você equilibra construção de marca de longo prazo (branding) com performance de curto prazo em um setor altamente dinâmico e competitivo como o iGaming?
Hoje Branding e performance trabalham em conjunto, de forma absolutamente integrada, para que os resultados de crescimento sustentável não dependam apenas de aquisição. Por isso, trabalhamos uma operação orientada por métricas, dados e otimização contínua, sem perder a visão estratégica de longo prazo.
A construção de marca passa por coerência, qualidade da experiência, clareza de comunicação e consistência na entrega. Esse mecanismo de relacionamento cria comunidade e reforça a confiança do usuário na marca.
A Copa do Mundo é um dos momentos mais disputados pela atenção do público.
Como o Esportes da Sorte está estruturando sua estratégia de mídia, conteúdo e transmissões oficiais para garantir presença forte e multiplataforma durante o torneio?
A Copa representa um dos maiores momentos de mobilização do entretenimento esportivo, então estruturamos uma estratégia multiplataforma que combina mídia, conteúdo e experiências presenciais.
O Esportes da Sorte fechou o patrocínio oficial das transmissões da Copa no SBT e na N Sports, garantindo presença em TV aberta, streaming, canais digitais e propriedades online das emissoras. Essa entrega amplia frequência e alcance de marca ao longo do torneio.
Mas entendemos que presença de mídia sozinha não é suficiente. Por isso, trabalhamos campanhas institucionais que conectam entretenimento, cultura popular e engajamento emocional.
“Torça como um Corinthiano”, por exemplo, usa a relação histórica da torcida do Corinthians com o clube para resgatar a conexão do brasileiro com a Seleção. Já “Convoque” aposta em humor, fantasia e linguagem digital para ampliar diálogo com diferentes públicos.
Tudo isso é desenvolvido mantendo o compromisso com comunicação responsável e alinhada às diretrizes do setor.
Dentro desse ecossistema de marca e entretenimento, quais serão os principais desdobramentos das ações de rua e patrocínios locais durante os períodos de grande consumo esportivo, como a Copa do Mundo?
Para os grandes eventos esportivos, nossa estratégia combina presença multiplataforma com experiências de proximidade junto ao público.
O objetivo é fazer com que as marcas do grupo estejam inseridas de forma orgânica na rotina e nos espaços de convivência dos torcedores, conectando entretenimento, conteúdo e experiência de marca.
Além da presença em mídia e transmissões oficiais, vamos trabalhar ativações proprietárias e ações presenciais em diferentes regiões do país, sempre buscando fortalecer relacionamento, engajamento e conexão cultural com o público.
Essa atuação também conversa diretamente com a visão do Grupo EGB de transformar patrocínios em plataformas contínuas de experiência e conteúdo, indo além da exposição tradicional e construindo relevância de longo prazo para as marcas.
Além do futebol, o Grupo EGB também investe em grandes manifestações culturais e eventos populares, como Carnaval e festivais regionais.
Como essas ativações se conectam à estratégia global de marca e à construção de presença no território brasileiro?
Nossa estratégia de marca está muito conectada à cultura popular e aos grandes territórios de mobilização do público brasileiro. O esporte é um pilar importante, mas não é o único.
Hoje o grupo apoia iniciativas de grande relevância nacional, como o Galo da Madrugada, o Festival de Parintins e o Carnaval em diferentes capitais brasileiras.
Essas propriedades ajudam a ampliar a presença nacional, fortalecer relacionamento com diferentes comunidades e criar conexões mais orgânicas com o público.
Mais do que exposição, buscamos desenvolver projetos de longo prazo que integrem conteúdo, experiência e ativação local. Isso permite que os patrocínios deixem de funcionar apenas como mídia tradicional e passem a operar como plataformas de relacionamento e construção institucional das marcas.
The post “No iGaming, marcas sólidas dependem de consistência, experiência e relacionamento de longo prazo” appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
2026 sports betting
For Sportradar, the 2026 World Cup is set to reshape acquisition and engagement in sports betting
With expectations of generating approximately US$ 50 billion in bets worldwide, the 2026 World Cup is already seen by the industry as the largest commercial event in the recent history of sports betting.
In an expanded tournament with 48 teams, 104 matches and a duration of 39 days across three different countries, Latin American operators are preparing to compete for attention, retention and conversion in an increasingly competitive environment driven by real-time data.
More than media volume or massive campaigns, experts point out that the competitive differentiator in the next World Cup will be the ability for personalization, automation and dynamic activation during the micro moments of the match.
Technologies based on artificial intelligence, live data and micro betting are already transforming the way operators approach acquisition and engagement in major international tournaments.
At the same time, regulatory advancement in Latin America and the maturation of bettor behavior are increasing pressure for more efficient, contextual campaigns aligned with local compliance requirements.
In this interview, Sportradar, represented by Rodrigo Cambiaghi, Senior Digital Advertising Sales Executive for Latin America, analyzes how operators can prepare for the 2026 World Cup, which strategies performed best in the Euro Cup and Copa América, the impact of real-time personalization and the challenges of executing regional campaigns in a fragmented regulatory landscape.
The estimated global betting volume for the 2026 World Cup is US$ 50 billion. What does this number represent in terms of real opportunity for Latin American operators, and what are the main risks for those who do not prepare?
Sportradar – The estimated US$ 50 billion betting volume during the 2026 World Cup shows the scale of the opportunity the tournament represents for Latin American operators.
We are talking about the largest attention and engagement event in the industry, in an edition that will feature 48 teams and 104 matches, creating more moments of connection with fans and more acquisition opportunities over 39 days of competition.
But the competitive differentiator will not lie solely in the size of media investment. The most prepared operators will be those capable of using data, technology and personalization to activate real-time campaigns aligned with the emotional context of the match.
Today, consumers expect more relevant experiences connected to what is happening on the field at that exact moment, whether it is a goal, a comeback or an outstanding individual performance.
At the same time, there is a significant risk for those who fail to prepare properly. Generic campaigns, relying only on bonuses or media volume, tend to lose efficiency in an extremely competitive environment.
Without robust real-time data infrastructure and continuous optimization capabilities, it becomes much more difficult to capture moments of highest betting intent and transform increased tournament traffic into sustainable long-term growth.
In the end, the 2026 World Cup should consolidate an important shift in the industry, where scale remains relevant, but technology, personalization and real-time execution become the true competitive differentiators.
You mention a “generalized sameness” in the market. What did the most successful operators at Euro 2024 and Copa América do differently in terms of advertising technology?
What we saw in Euro 2024 and Copa América was an important shift in approach.
The most successful operators moved away from broad and generic campaigns to adopt strategies much more driven by data, context and real-time fan behavior.
Instead of treating every minute of a match the same way, they began activating campaigns at moments of highest emotion and betting intent.
Advertising technology played a central role in this. Campaigns started using live data, automation and artificial intelligence to adjust messages, offers and creatives according to what was happening on the field.
A goal, a period of attacking pressure, an outstanding individual performance or even changes in match dynamics became triggers for dynamic campaign activation across multiple channels, including social, video, audio and programmatic.
The result was much more relevant and efficient communication. During Euro 2024 and Copa América, operators that combined branding, performance and moment-driven campaigns saw significant growth in deposits and a reduction in CPA, even in a highly competitive environment.
How do dynamic creative ads triggered by match moments actually work in practice — a goal, a corner, a shift in pace? Can you give a concrete example of a campaign?
Today, dynamic creative ads operate in a way that is closely connected to the logic of micro betting, which is precisely betting on fast and specific events within the match.
Instead of waiting for the final result of the game, fans interact with micro moments in real time, such as the next corner, the next shot on goal or whether a specific player will hit the target in the next play.
In practice, the technology monitors live match data and identifies moments of increased intensity or betting intent.
If a team starts applying heavy pressure, for example, the system can automatically activate campaigns related to the next corner, next shot on goal or other relevant offensive actions.
All of this happens within seconds, with personalized creatives being distributed across digital channels while the emotion of the play is still unfolding.
This model makes the experience much more contextual and relevant for the user. Instead of generic campaigns, fans receive messages aligned with the exact moment of the game and their own consumer behavior. It is precisely this combination of real-time data, automation and micro betting that is reshaping how operators approach acquisition and engagement during major sporting events.
The concept of “always on” is central to your approach. How do operators maintain relevance in the minutes between goals, when betting intent still exists but the peak moment has passed?
The “always on” concept is based on the understanding that fan engagement does not disappear between major match events.
Even when the game enters a period without goals, attention still exists in live statistics, anticipation of the next play, individual player performance and social media conversations. It is precisely in this interval that the most prepared operators are able to maintain relevance using real-time data and personalization.
In practice, this means activating campaigns and betting suggestions aligned with the current context of the game. If a team is applying more pressure, for example, users may receive offers related to the next corner, next shot on goal or other micro betting markets.
The focus shifts away from only the major event, such as a goal, and expands to include the entire dynamics of the match.
The key difference lies in the ability to transform live data into more relevant and continuous experiences. With automation, AI and behavior-driven campaigns, operators are able to keep users engaged throughout the entire match journey, not only during peak emotional moments.
The 2026 World Cup lasts 39 days and takes place across three countries. How should an operator structure its marketing budget to be agile enough to capitalize on unexpected outcomes without losing brand consistency?
In a tournament like the 2026 World Cup, flexibility becomes just as important as budget size. The most efficient operators do not work with a rigid plan from start to finish.
They structure campaigns capable of redistributing investment in real time, based on performance, audience behavior and narratives that emerge throughout the tournament.
This is especially important in a World Cup with 104 matches, multiple time zones and different markets involved.
Unexpected stories always emerge, such as surprise teams, viral players or matches that generate much higher-than-expected spikes. Prepared operators are able to react quickly to these moments, increasing presence in channels and campaigns that are performing best in that specific context.
At the same time, brand consistency remains fundamental. A common mistake is concentrating almost all investment solely on acquisition and immediate performance.
The strongest brands are able to balance awareness, acquisition and retention throughout the 39 days of competition, maintaining a clear identity while adjusting messaging, formats and campaign intensity as fan behavior evolves during the tournament.
What are the main differences between Latin American markets in terms of bettor behavior during major tournaments, and how does this affect campaign strategy?
Although football is a shared cultural element across Latin America, the region’s markets present very different levels of maturity, regulation and digital behavior.
In more mature markets, users already hold multiple accounts and have greater familiarity with live betting, making personalization, retention and user experience key factors. In newer markets, there is still a very strong focus on acquisition and awareness building.
We also see important differences in emotional fan behavior. During major tournaments, engagement tends to grow strongly as local teams progress in the competition.
This makes highly localized campaigns much more impactful than generic regional strategies. User behavior changes rapidly according to narrative, team performance and social media momentum at that moment.
For this reason, campaign strategy must be flexible and driven by real-time data. There is no single approach for the entire region.
The most efficient operators are able to adapt creatives, messaging, channels and even investment intensity based on the specific behavior of each market, maintaining cultural relevance and higher acquisition and retention efficiency.
The regulatory landscape in Latin America is fragmented. How can operators working across multiple markets run efficient campaigns without compromising local compliance?
Regulatory fragmentation is one of the main challenges in the industry today in Latin America, especially for operators working across multiple markets at the same time.
Each country has different rules regarding advertising, targeting, permitted channels and responsible communication, which requires campaigns to be much more adaptable and compliance-driven from the very beginning of planning.
In this scenario, technology and automation play a fundamental role. The most prepared operators work with platforms capable of applying market-specific restrictions in real time, adjusting targeting, formats, frequency and messaging according to local regulation. This allows operational efficiency without compromising compliance or regulatory safety.
At the same time, it is important to find a balance between standardization and local relevance. Regional strategy can be centralized in terms of brand, technology and data intelligence, but activation must respect the cultural and regulatory context of each country.
The most efficient campaigns today are precisely those that manage to combine regional scale with highly localized execution.
The post For Sportradar, the 2026 World Cup is set to reshape acquisition and engagement in sports betting appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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