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1xBet kick off ‘big plans for Africa’ with Nigerian licence acquisition
For football-focused Nigeria, the confirmation that one of the leading sports betting brands 1xBet has been granted a full National Licence in the country until 2024 is a major coup for players, operators and Nigerian sports clubs alike.
1xBet’s expansion plans across Africa have reached a fever pitch as the company prepares to bolster its position in Nigeria with a new license, new partnerships and an aim to “set new standards of betting culture” on the continent, according to the 1xBet team.
“We are well aware of Nigeria’s position as a renowned football-focused market,” they said. “In 2018 we signed a partnership agreement with the Nigeria Football Federation, the Nigeria national football team, as well as the Nigerian Premier League. In addition, we are official partners of the African Confederation of Football and the largest club tournaments of the continent. We have accumulated considerable experience while working with top football clubs such as Barcelona. Therefore, we not only offer Nigerian fans a wide range of betting options, but also a sense of involvement in the victories of their favorite teams. Football fans can be sure of 1xBet, where they always have a winning chance alongside their favorite clubs.”
As one of the leading operators now licensed in the country, 1xBet is keen to showcase how it will offer the Nigerian sports fans one of the widest lines of sports betting as well as odds on the world of cinema, music, politics and other areas of life. Commenting on how this new license will allow the brand to work more with local partners, the 1xBet team explained: “1xBet has decided to establish ourselves in Africa as we feel we have something valuable to offer the African betting market including players and affiliates. With over 1000 events offered daily across more than 60 sports, the 1xBet experience is an exciting world of betting enjoyment. We also have a great selection of online games. All this means that everyone can find viable options to make money. We want to give everyone who is legally able to place bets access to earning potential and look forward to finding interesting new partners in Nigeria with like-minded goals.”
The newly acquired National Licence by 1xBet has positioned the brand to legitimately operate in any part of the country, including in all the states and local government areas, broadening the company’s footprint across Africa. “In addition to Nigeria, on the African continent, we work in Ghana, Senegal, Uganda, DR Congo, Cameroon, Zambia, and Burundi. We have big plans for the region and consider Africa a very promising continent, where the number of fans of betting in general, and our company in particular, is constantly growing.”
Following headlines about betting on the continent in 2019, there is a renewed focus on responsible gaming across Africa, something which 1xBet is keen to drive forward with its unique position as one of the only full National Licence holders in Nigeria. “1xBet is a supporter of responsible betting,” the 1xBet team continued. “We comply with the laws of each country in which we operate. Given that our license to work in Nigeria is valid until 2024, in the next five years we want to set new standards of betting culture. We will teach fans that with 1xBet they play according to simple and understandable rules that must be observed.
“In addition to the financial regulatory body’s transaction limit in Nigeria, and our concerted efforts to drastically reduce gaming addiction, we have also implemented a spending limit on our platform to further promote responsible gaming. Also, we ensure regular 1xBet attendance at various seminars of the regulatory authorities on responsible gaming.”
1xBet will be commencing its meetings with regulators and operators from Nigeria and other African countries at ICE London 2020, where the 1xBet team will be attending a dedicated ICE Africa networking breakfast as well as exhibiting on the show floor and delivering its expansion strategy in full. “We have a strong presence in many countries spread over continents around the world, so there will be a lot to showcase at ICE London,” they said. In regards to Nigeria, we will be using our position as a National Licence holder to highlight the fact that we are a fully compliant brand in the sports betting industry.”
The 1xBet team concluded: “Our intention at ICE London 2020 is to promote 1xBet as an operator who brings their same level of established excellence to Nigeria as well as other African countries. We will also promote 1xBet’s wide range of betting options to the African market and beyond whilst sharing our vision for 2020 and what exciting upcoming events and industry related news we have to offer. The thrust of our message will be that by joining 1xBet you will always be riding the crest of a wave.”
The full 1xBet team will showcase its high odds, video streaming, in-house affiliate platform and portfolio of bonuses, live casino, branded slot games and more from Stand S3-250 at ICE London, ExCeL London, UK in February.
Brand Partnerships
Ronaldinho partners with CreedRoomz on football-themed live casino games
The former Brazil star visited CreedRoomz’ Yerevan studio as the supplier prepares Kickoff Roulette and Marble Cup.
Ronaldinho Gaúcho has partnered with live casino supplier CreedRoomz to develop two football-themed live games, Kickoff Roulette and Marble Cup. The company said the collaboration was officially unveiled in Yerevan, where Ronaldinho visited CreedRoomz’ headquarters and filming studios.
CreedRoomz said Ronaldinho toured the studio floor, met development and production teams, and took part in filming activity intended to integrate his on-screen presence into the live product.
According to the company, Kickoff Roulette is a live roulette title built around a football-stadium presentation and includes Ronaldinho-themed elements such as voiceovers. Marble Cup is positioned as a live game show in a football-themed studio environment, with gameplay designed around fast-paced rounds and betting options.
“It is amazing to be here. The incredible Yerevan energy and the warm welcome at the office have been fantastic. Stepping onto this digital pitch is a thrill because these are totally unique games. I am proud to be the ambassador for these games.” said Ronaldinho during the interview.
CreedRoomz said the timing is designed to align with increased football audience attention around major tournaments, with a focus on engagement and retention. No launch date, operator rollout plan, or market availability details were disclosed.
The post Ronaldinho partners with CreedRoomz on football-themed live casino games appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
eSports
Esports Foundation sets Esports World Cup 2026 venue at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles
Tickets go on sale May 29 for the seven-week Paris event running July 6 to August 23, with a $75 million prize pool across 25 competitions.
The Esports Foundation (EF) has confirmed Paris Expo Porte de Versailles as the venue for the Esports World Cup 2026, scheduled for July 06 through August 23 in Paris, France.
Ticket sales open Friday, May 29, 2026 via esportsworldcup.com/tickets. EF said the event will run for seven weeks and span 25 competitions, with more than 2,000 players from over 200 Clubs and more than 100 countries competing for a $75 million prize pool.
EF said Paris Expo Porte de Versailles will host competition arenas, broadcast operations, fan activations, and festival experiences. The organiser also pointed to the venue’s track record as the home of Paris Games Week since 2010 and as a site used during the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Ticketing includes Regular Tournament Passes and Premium Tournament Passes, alongside Daily Regular Tournament Passes. For select championship matches across VALORANT, League of Legends, Rocket League, and Counter-Strike 2, EF said “Final Day Seating Zones” will be split into Gold, Silver, and Bronze tiers.
The published schedule lists Week 1 events including VALORANT (July 9–12), ALGS Year 6 Split 1 Playoffs for Apex Legends (July 7–11), Dota 2 (July 7–12), and FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves (July 8–11), concluding in Week 7 with Counter-Strike 2 (August 19–23), Fortnite Reload Elite Series Championship (August 19–22), Trackmania (August 19–22), and CROSSFIRE (August 18–22).
The post Esports Foundation sets Esports World Cup 2026 venue at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Brazil
Optimove report reveals: 86% of Latam plan to bet on the FIFA World Cup 2026
An engaged, mobile-first audience represents one of the biggest revenue opportunities in the global sports betting market.
Optimove, the #1 player engagement platform for iGaming and sports betting operators, today released its LATAM 2026 World Cup Betting Intentions Report, revealing that 86% of Latin American bettors plan to place bets on the tournament.
The study was conducted by Optimove Insights, the company’s research and data analytics division.
The report positions Latin American audiences as mature, highly engaged, and mobile-focused bettors. The combination of strong interest, confidence, and continuous engagement, even after their national team is eliminated, creates a significant opportunity for the industry.
Among bettors planning to participate, 75% have already bet on a previous World Cup, including 20% who bet in both 2018 and 2022.
The remaining 25% will be betting on a World Cup for the first time, driven by the expansion of legal sports betting across the region.
At the same time, 94% describe themselves as moderately or highly confident in their betting knowledge, reinforcing that this is an experienced audience that expects precise and relevant communication.
The LATAM 2026 World Cup Betting Intentions Report is based on a survey of 882 bettors worldwide, conducted in early 2026, including 264 respondents from Latin America.
Research highlights
- High confidence and year-round engagement. 60% of Latin American bettors rate themselves as highly confident in their betting knowledge, while another 34% consider themselves moderately confident—totaling 94%. Additionally, 35% bet on football several times per week, and another 26% do so weekly.
- Strong loyalty to national teams. 90% support a favorite national team during the World Cup. When their team plays, 50% say they will definitely bet, and another 37% are very likely to bet. Even after elimination, 78% will continue betting.
- Live betting and multi-betting behavior. 77% plan to bet live during the tournament. For 33%, this is the preferred format, while 44% combine pre-match and live betting.
- Push notifications dominate communication. 38% prefer push notifications as their main communication channel, far ahead of email, which is preferred by only 14%.
- The World Cup as an engagement accelerator. 91% will continue betting on football after the tournament. Among their preferred destinations, 72% will move to the Copa Libertadores, 62% to the UEFA Champions League, and 34% to the Premier League.
- Use of multiple betting operators. 65% plan to use two or more platforms during the tournament. The main selection criteria are ease of use (59%), promotions (52%), and a trusted, familiar platform (46%).
“This is one of the most engaged sports betting audiences in the world. Nearly nine in ten Latin American bettors will follow the World Cup through betting and remain active year-round, mobile-first, and demanding personalization, not generic promotions.
Operators that succeed in LATAM will be those able to match this level of intensity with equally precise communication.
This is what Positionless Marketing enables,” said Optimove Founder and CEO Pini Yakuel.
To the full report here.

Optimove
Optimove is the creator of the Positionless Marketing concept and the #1 player engagement platform for iGaming and sports betting operators.
Positionless Marketing frees marketing teams from fixed-role limitations, empowering every marketer to execute any task instantly and independently.
Positionless Marketing has been proven to improve campaign efficiency by 88%, enabling marketing teams to drive more personalized engagement with existing customers.
For the second consecutive year, Optimove was named a Visionary in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Multichannel Marketing Hubs, recognized for its AI-driven decisioning, prescriptive insights, and ability to orchestrate thousands of real-time personalized campaigns across channels.
AI-driven marketing is a hallmark of Optimove’s leadership.
By embedding AI directly into its platform since 2012, Optimove helped establish today’s Positionless Marketing standard.
Its platform includes Optimove Engage and Orchestrate for cross-channel campaign decisioning and orchestration; Optimove Personalize, a digital personalization engine; and Optimove Gamify, a loyalty and gamification platform.
Today, its full AI-powered suite is at the forefront of enabling marketers to streamline workflows from insight to creation and optimization.
Optimove delivers industry- and use-case-specific solutions for leading consumer brands worldwide.
Optimove insights
Optimove Insights is Optimove’s analytics and research arm, dedicated to delivering valuable market insights and data-driven research to empower B2C businesses.
The post Optimove report reveals: 86% of Latam plan to bet on the FIFA World Cup 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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