Latest News

Betting Brands may Shift Focus from Sports to Casino Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Published

6 years ago

April 14, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

COVID-19 has shaken up the world. No one and no business has been left unaffected by the virus, and that includes the betting industry. Land-based casino and betting shops have especially felt the impact of the novel coronavirus, which has forced these establishments to close to help stop the spread of the disease. Even the biggest sports betting brands in the UK have suffered online and offline from the widescale suspension, postponement or cancellation of major sporting events.

There’s no question that as far as the gambling industry is concerned, brick and mortar betting shops and casinos have taken the hardest hit, with one of the worst cases being in Nevada, which shut down every casino on its famous Las Vegas strip back in mid-March. Nevada depends on tourism more than any other U.S. state and is used to catering to tens of millions of visitors annually. Unemployment rates are expected to go up by a minimum of 30% in the state, according to the Nevada Resort Association. This has left many to wonder and worry if Vegas’ big names like Wynn Resorts, MGM Resorts, and Sand Crop. will survive the virus’ economic impact, even with help from the financial relief plan.

That said, the closures caused by the coronavirus have been felt across the industry. For instance, the impact on big groups like GVC has resulted in the company taking steps to do what it can to alleviate the strain that has been placed on its operations. Like other companies, GVC has been working hard to lower costs and re-prioritize activity to preserve free cash while making sure its customers continue to be able to enjoy great experiences. Among these re-prioritisations has been reducing the amount spent on sports content, online sports marketing, and trading costs.

Photo source: Shutterstock

Even online Sportsbook is not Immune to Coronavirus

Naturally, the online gambling industry has a massive advantage over its land-based counterparts. No one needs to social distance online and gambling can be enjoyed safely from home 24/7 via a computer or mobile, whether one is self-isolating or in full quarantine. However, in spite of this fact, online sportsbooks continue to find it a challenge to make the most of the internet advantage.

With no active mainstream sports, online bookies have been forced to fill the void with more emphasis on the virtual world of sports, including animated versions of major horse races like the Grand National, which was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Virtual Grand National, like other virtual races, was a computer-simulated race. It included virtual spectators and virtual ambulances that followed the runners and riders around the courses.

Beyond virtual sports, digital bookmakers have also placed greater focus on eSports as well as other lesser known events. Still, even with the focus on these other events, all online bookmakers have seen a dramatic decline in depositors and increased churn rates because it is simply far too difficult to retain players when the major sports betting markets are at a standstill.

Many of the big name gambling operators have watched the value of their shares suffer from the COVID-19 outbreak. Some of these include:

William Hill shares have dropped by more than half since the 21st of February 2020
GVC Holdings (owner of Ladbrokes Coral) has seen a drop in share prices by more than 20%
Flutter Entertainment (owner of Paddy Power Betfair) has seen its share value tank by over 15%

Sportsbooks May Shift their Focus to Online Casinos

Online casinos, which offer online slots, virtual table, and card games, scratch cards, live casino games, etc. are in much better shape than their sportsbook cousins and that’s because they don’t depend on sports or other major events to continue carrying on with business as usual.

As such, many bookies that also offer a casino platform may consider cross-selling their online casino products to their existing sports betting customers in an attempt to recoup some of the money they’ve lost. This tactic could work as bored housebound punters, who previously focused solely on sports, can be keener to engage in casino entertainment until they can bet on their favorite football matches or horse races again.

Since March, COVID-19 has shut down most economies and sent more than a billion people into lockdown. Like many other businesses considered non-essential, land-based gambling establishments have closed their doors until the outbreak and restrictions ease. While only time will tell how well gambling operators will fare once the worst of the pandemic has run its course, for now, all they can do is focus on their online operations and survive as best they can. For some, online casinos could potentially provide the life raft they need to stay afloat.

Latest News

Game On N1 Sport Promo Is Live

Published

39 minutes ago

June 11, 2026

Wladimir P.

N1 Partners is launching N1 Sport Promo, a promo campaign for affiliates driving Sports Betting and Prediction Markets traffic.

The promotion covers the biggest sporting and esports events of the season, including the FIFA World Cup 2026, Wimbledon, Formula 1, UFC Freedom 250, and many other major events. The promo runs from June 10 to July 20, 2026.

During the campaign, affiliates can increase their CPA payouts based on the volume of qualified FTDs they deliver. The more quality players a partner brings, the higher his rate and total earnings become.

Why join N1 Sport Promo?

Every major sporting event attracts new audiences to the betting vertical, and summer 2026 offers multiple powerful growth drivers for affiliates.

Peak sports season.
The biggest sporting events of the year are perfect for scaling traffic and testing new funnels.
Growing payouts.
The more FTDs you generate, the higher your active CPA rate becomes.
Tier-1 GEOs.
The promo is available across Tier-1 markets with high potential and quality sports traffic.

N1 Partners team has compiled a guide covering key sporting events, June promotions, and expert recommendations for monetising Tier-1 sports traffic to help affiliates prepare for the upcoming sports season.

How does N1 Sport Promo work?

The mechanics are simple: the more quality FTDs an affiliate generates, the higher their CPA rate becomes.

SEO and PPC

Affiliates working with SEO and PPC traffic can increase their CPA rate with no limits.

Every 10 FTDs add an extra €50 to your current rate. There is no cap on CPA growth.

Example:

FTD	Rate	Revenue
1–10	€300	€3 000
11–20	€350	€3 500
21–30	€400	€4 000
31–40	€450	€4 500

FB, In-App, UAC, ASO, Email and SMS

A separate payout structure applies to affiliates working with Facebook, In-App, UAC, ASO, Email, and SMS traffic.

Every 30 FTDs increase your current CPA rate by €10. The maximum increase is €100 on top of the base rate.

Accordingly, the more successfully a campaign scales, the higher the final payout becomes.

Example:

FTD	Rate	Revenue
1–30	€100	€3 000
31–60	€110	€3 300
61–90	€120	€3 600
91–120	€130	€3 900

N1 Sport Promo terms

Registered N1 Partners affiliates are eligible to participate in N1 Sport Promo. Please contact your affiliate manager to join the promotion.

Not working with N1 Partners yet? Get in touch with the LeadGen team and join the promotion during the biggest sports period of the summer.

Main terms:

Sports betting and Prediction Markets traffic is allowed.
GEOs: Tier-1 (the list of available countries is provided by your manager).
CAP: 50 FTDs at campaign launch.
At least 60% of acquired players must place sports bets.
Traffic to crash games must not exceed 30% of total volume.
Incentivised traffic, fraud, and non-target GEOs are not eligible for the promotion.
N1 Partners reserves the right to recalculate or cancel FTDs in cases of fraudulent activity or violations of the promotion terms.
Payouts are processed according to the company’s standard payment schedule.

Detailed participation terms are available via the link.

Join N1 Sport Promo and turn the 2026 sports season into record-breaking results!

Join N1 Partners:

14+ casino and sportsbook brands with high Reg2Dep
10+ Tier-1 GEOs
CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55% + NNCO for top partners

Be number one with N1!

The post Game On N1 Sport Promo Is Live appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Latest News

Novusbet and TeApuesto scale omnichannel betting in Peru with 1,300-shop network

Published

39 minutes ago

June 11, 2026

Wladimir P.

novusbet-and-teapuesto-scale-omnichannel-betting-in-peru-with-1,300-shop-network

Novusbet and Peruvian operator TeApuesto are expanding a large-scale omnichannel betting operation in Peru, Novusbet said on 11 June 2026 in a release from Nicosia, Cyprus. The supplier said the deployment links a retail network of more than 1,300 shops—each with at least two terminals—to online, mobile, self-service terminals and back-office operations.

Novusbet said the TeApuesto operation processes more than 3 million sports and virtual tickets every month. The company positioned the project as an example of growing convergence between retail and digital betting in Peru, where shops remain central but customer expectations are shifting toward faster access, mobile use and digital payment options.

According to Novusbet, the focus is “not only about allowing players to access the same brand through different channels” but “creating continuity across the full player journey: from registration and betting activity to payments, ticket management, account interaction, information access and customer support.”

The company also pointed to local payment habits as a driver for product development, citing mobile money transfer services Yape and Plin as widely used in Peru. Novusbet said it has enhanced self-service and “omniconnected solutions” with payment options aligned with local usage patterns.

Novusbet said it will exhibit at Peru Gaming Show 2026 on June 17–18 at the Centro de Exposiciones Jockey in Lima.

The post Novusbet and TeApuesto scale omnichannel betting in Peru with 1,300-shop network appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Game Development

ICONIC21 releases Soccer World Championship slot built around penalty shootouts

Published

39 minutes ago

June 11, 2026

Wladimir P.

iconic21-releases-soccer-world-championship-slot-built-around-penalty-shootouts

ICONIC21 has released Soccer World Championship, a new multiplayer-driven slot themed around penalty shootouts. The game runs on a 5×5 grid with 15 paylines.

The title’s core mechanic is a Penalty symbol that becomes an Expanding Wild and triggers a duel between a Striker and a Goalkeeper. Each carries a multiplier between 2x and 100x, with the duel outcome determining which remains on the reel. ICONIC21 said multiple Expanding Wilds on the same payline combine their multipliers into a single win.

The game includes two bonus modes. Three Goalkeeper Bonus symbols trigger a Bonus Game featuring frequent Penalty symbols, where multipliers from Expanding WILDs build a global multiplier applied to all wins. Three Striker Bonus symbols instead activate a Bonus Game where Expanding WILDs lock as Sticky WILDs until the end of the feature.

Edvardas Sadovskis, Chief Product Officer at ICONIC21, said: “Football is the one sport where a single moment can decide everything, and that is exactly the feeling we set out to build a slot around.

“The penalty duel puts that tension at the heart of the base game, and the two bonus modes give players genuinely different ways for the match to play out. It’s a title with an instantly recognisable hook, strong seasonal reference and the kind of standout mechanic that earns its place in any operator’s lobby.”

The post ICONIC21 releases Soccer World Championship slot built around penalty shootouts appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.