Latest News

Sports and Gaming – Playing by a New Set of Rules

Published

6 years ago

August 17, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The pandemic has brought the sports industry to its knees but against the backdrop of global crisis, opportunities have arisen for others. While the sports business is set to lose as much as US$61.6 billion1 in missed revenues by the end of the year, the gaming sector, on the other hand, will generate revenues of $159.3 billion, a +9.3% year-on-year increase.2

Although largely driven by unforeseen circumstances, the pandemic has highlighted the large gulf in the prioritisation of fan experience between the two. As OZ Sports CEO Gudjon Gudjonsson explains, the sports industry has much to learn from gaming if it is to maintain and grow its global fanbase.

If there is one positive element to come out of this all for the sports industry, it is that leagues, federations and teams have had to rethink their way of doing business. The pandemic has accelerated innovation on various fronts. This is especially the case with the return of sport behind closed doors, with the need to remotely manage the production of leagues and make fans feel part of the live experience from the comfort of their homes.

The temporary state of the live sports sector, with limited or no fans in stadiums, has only amplified a bigger and more recognisable challenge. Pandemic or no pandemic, studies show that 90% of fans are unable to watch their favourite team in their home stadium due to factors such as location or finance.

At OZ Sports, what COVID-19 has taught us is that we need to accelerate our vision in making the fan experience more interactive and engaging. The new generation of fans expects to be able to share their experiences without geographical boundaries. OZ is keeping sports more relevant, broadening the fanbase by opening up the physical stadium.

This is where we have looked to gaming. The prioritisation of user engagement has seen games companies constantly explore new ways to deliver content to consumers. As a result, gaming platforms are becoming social networks in their own right and established social platforms are seizing this opportunity to invest further in games to maintain and grow their user database. Gaming is driving forward the reality of the metaverse – virtual social spaces that are always open, always on, and always expanding.

So, what does that mean for the sports industry? We are still in the early days of sports broadcasting, and there is a lot we can learn from gaming. Our thinking around the intersection of sports and gaming can be seen everywhere in the OZ Sports strategy. It’s in how we think, how we work, and how we innovate as a company. As a tech business with influential investors from the gaming industry, we foster a different culture than traditional sports broadcasting companies.

Our tech stack is ours, from end-to-end. We mostly leverage technologies on how we do sports production that has until now mostly belonged to gaming companies, which opens up a totally new world for us. At the core, we have our gaming engine, built on a robust machine learning software stack that analyses what is going on in the game, in real-time. From there we further develop our broadcasting technologies, with a layer for services like augmented graphics and avatars, to applications like tracking or a more intuitive replay system, to name but a few. This allows us to work differently as a team of innovators and compete more creatively as a company.

By embracing everything that the gaming industry is positively doing to engage with its fans, we see the world of sports broadcasting becoming far more interesting than it is today. Out of the pandemic, we will see new companies that have succeeded, and these new leaders will foster far more vibrant communities around live events. Gen Z will have emerged with different needs and the more popular short format of sports storytelling will continue to rise.

New exciting technologies will continue to surface in the market that better serve fans’ sports esteem. Use of avatars will be the everyday normal, by representing the digital you in the new metaverse. Fans will be able to instantly express their emotions in the moment of the game, wherever they may be in the world, empowering fans to communicate in ways that are difficult to accomplish in today’s world.

The future of live sport is an exciting one; by embracing gaming technologies OZ Sports will continue to innovate at this intersection. Sports broadcasting as we currently know it is about to change forever, and we’re excited to be at the forefront of that transformation!

Latest News

Microgaming launches football games StrikerX and SoccerX aimed at acquisition

Published

40 minutes ago

July 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

microgaming-launches-football-games-strikerx-and-soccerx-aimed-at-acquisition

Crash and instant win formats target fast onboarding, mobile play and low-friction mechanics, with RTP and max win figures disclosed for SoccerX.

Microgaming has launched two football-themed games, StrikerX and SoccerX, positioning them as “gateway” titles designed to support player acquisition for operators.

The supplier said the releases are built around quick-result gameplay and low-friction entry, with mechanics intended to be easy to pick up. StrikerX is a Crash game, while SoccerX is an Instant Win title, with both designed for fast loading and mobile performance, according to the company.

SoccerX is built around a penalty shootout format where players pick a shot and attempt to beat the keeper while progressing up a prize ladder. Microgaming said the ladder can be cashed out at any point or pushed further. The company lists the game’s RTP at 96.00% and a top win potential of up to 12,500x, and says players can choose their own volatility.

StrikerX allows players to place up to two bets in a single round, using different strategies at the same time, while “dynamic game events” increase the multiplier as play progresses, according to Microgaming. Its Ultimate Shot feature triggers at 100x and introduces bonus multipliers ranging from x1 to x100, with win potential of up to 10,000x.

A Microgaming spokesperson said: “Acquisition is not just about visibility, it is about removing friction. With SoccerX and StrikerX, the aim was to create games that are quick to load, quick to understand and easy to get into, which makes them very effective at opening the door to a wider portfolio. Football gives both titles an immediate hook, but the bigger value is in having formats that can bring in new audiences and still give them a reason to stay.”

The post Microgaming launches football games StrikerX and SoccerX aimed at acquisition appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Conferences

Gaming in Germany Conference sets Nov 10, 2026 date in Berlin, names first speakers

Published

40 minutes ago

July 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

gaming-in-germany-conference-sets-nov-10,-2026-date-in-berlin,-names-first-speakers

The 2026 Gaming in Germany Conference will take place on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at the DoubleTree Hilton Ku’damm in Berlin. The organisers have also announced the first confirmed speakers for the annual regulated iGaming-focused event.

Conference topics will include the ongoing evaluation of the 2021 State Gambling Treaty (GlüStv 2021), the “current & future permissibility of new products” including prediction betting, sweepstakes and eSports betting, and the future of remaining gambling monopolies in Germany and Austria. The programme also flags market re-regulation in Austria and “strategies for countering offshore offerings and to #ReclaimTheMarket for licensed operators.”

Confirmed speakers listed by the organiser include a senior GGL representative, Dr. Damir Boehm (CEO, Tipwin), Dr. Christian Piska (Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Vienna), Dr. Joerg Hofmann (Senior Partner, Melchers Law Firm), Vasiliki Panousi (Regulatory Affairs Senior Manager, Kaizen), Josh Hodgson (COO, H2 Gambling Capital), and Mohamed Messaoudi (Director, Digital Vault Product, Trust & Sign, Docaposte), among others.

Gaming in Germany founder Willem van Oort said: “I am extremely pleased with this year’s speaker lineup. We are undeniably bringing an impressive amount of expertise to the stage – including, of course, a significant amount of business and regulatory experience. Since we will be discussing, among other things, the outcome of the evaluation of the GlüStv 2021 – something that is highly relevant to the entire sector – I am very glad about the amount of thought leadership that we have managed to bring together so far.”

The organiser said registration is open and issued a call for additional speakers, specifically seeking expertise on business topics including media and marketing, affiliation, compliance and operations.

The post Gaming in Germany Conference sets Nov 10, 2026 date in Berlin, names first speakers appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Latest News

Highlight Games’ platform clears Italy’s ADM collaudo certification

Published

10 hours ago

July 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

highlight-games’-platform-clears-italy’s-adm-collaudo-certification

Company plans to roll out SOCCERBET with LALIGA archive footage on its own platform in Italian retail after the World Cup.

Highlight Games Limited said its proprietary platform has passed Italy’s ADM collaudo process, the technical certification required for gaming platforms. The company announced the approval on 14 July 2026 from London.

Following the conclusion of the World Cup, Highlight said it will launch its Spanish SOCCERBET product featuring archive LALIGA footage on its own platform across Italian retail channels. The company added that operators will transfer to Highlight’s platform over the months that follow.

The supplier said the certification allows it to deliver its content via its own “zero-cost streaming technology” in Italy and gives it control over its product roadmap in what it called its most important market.

Steven Holmes, CEO, Highlight Games said: ‘This is a huge moment for Highlight as we bring our video-based technology stack to the Italian market and join a select few who are able to offer an officially ADM certified platform. Italy is where SOCCERBET has proven itself time and again and passing the ADM collaudo means we can now deliver that content on our own platform, with our zero-cost streaming solution, exactly as it was designed to be experienced.

‘Owning the technology end to end means we control our own roadmap, resulting in faster launches, smoother integrations for our operator partners and a richer experience for players. Our products consistently perform at the top of the market wherever they are live, and with our platform now officially certified in Italy, we have everything in place to build on that momentum.’

The post Highlight Games’ platform clears Italy’s ADM collaudo certification appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.