Latest News

BtoBet’s founder Alessandro Fried discusses vision, strategy and product innovations for 2021

Published

6 years ago

January 7, 2021

Zoltan Tundik

Reading Time: 3 minutes

2020 was hugely successful for BtoBet. What are the set targets for 2021?

Further consolidating our presence in those markets where we are already considered as market leaders, whilst seeking to strengthen our partner portfolio in mature and new markets must be the target we set for ourselves for this year. During 2020, despite all the challenges brought about by the novel coronavirus pandemic, we have not only continued strengthening our positions in markets, such as Africa and Latin America, announcing strategic partnerships that will reap substantial benefits for the company on the medium to long term, but we have also set out a clear vision to make a similar impact in more mature markets such as Europe, whilst setting our eyes on new opportunities.

Increasing our footprint on an international level has always been our intention from the very onset, and what the company has achieved in a relatively short period of time is testimony to the determination and talent within the company’s ranks to meet the set targets.

Furthermore, BtoBet’s acquisition by Aspire Global now puts us in the ideal position to be able to enter more complex market scenarios, such as Europe, which are highly characterised by an overwhelming level of regulation. Together we are able to meet the requirements of all operators requiring a technological partner serving the entire iGaming value chain, providing them with a cutting edge sports betting platform, and also all requirements from a content and services point of view. All this whilst adhering to the compliance requirements of the vast majority of regulated jurisdictions, keeping to a minimum the time-to-market.

Having said this, the overzealous regulation and over taxed market scenarios characterizing the European market have led to businesses turning towards the fresh, and new opportunities other emerging markets can offer them. And our strong presence in these markets, puts us at in an optimal position to assist those operators seeking to gain an advantageous position in these so-called emerging markets.

The past months have seen BtoBet very active in different markets, announcing key partnerships – such as Betfair and William Hill in Colombia, and Sports Lotteries LLC in Russia – and in the coming weeks we seek to maintain the momentum.

Any new products in the pipeline from BtoBet?

We are currently finalizing a string of new tools that are set to have a great impact for both operators and players.

The major trend today is that we live our lives on screens and this affects every aspect of our daily life. In order to stay current, especially in online gaming, you need to be disruptive. By producing a better product that incorporates the way people live, you can disrupt the space in an industry. Innovation is a constant objective of any company within the iGaming industry.

Having said that, whilst other industries especially the entertainment industry, have harnessed new technologies based on ML and AI in order to ameliorate the customer experience, the betting industry has yet to truly harness this form of disruptive technology. And this is what we have been working on for the past months… tools based on in-depth data analysis allowing operators to fully understand the different player demographics, psychographics and playing habits, ultimately enabling them to create enhanced, personalized experiences based on the individual player preferences and behaviours.

Whilst this will undoubtedly play a major role towards a player-centric UX, bookmakers will also be able to harness great benefits from the technology from an operational perspective. A primary example that comes to mind is that these tools are able to single out suspicious betting patterns and payments. And all these in an automated environment.

How disruptive was the coronavirus pandemic for the industry?

2020 was deeply marked by the global coronavirus outbreak. It has affected the industry in many ways, with many businesses – both B2C and B2B – having to re-dimension the traditional way of how they operate.

Luckily for us, we had been investing for quite some time in widening the content portfolio for all verticals, and simultaneously having had invested heavily on our platform in order to better assist those retail operators opting to start wholly or partially migrating their business to the digital channels in an interlinked environment.

Now the big question is will everything revert back to pre-Covid scenarios? In reality I don’t envision the development of widely available vaccines, which will mark the end of the pandemic, to prompt the industry to go back to the 2019 situation.

The pandemic has undoubtedly brought about a digitalisation reform, and this is reflected in all those industries which featured retail as part of their business model. Adults who have entered the digital age of wagering may shift some of their spending to more traditional forms of entertainment channels – namely retail casinos – but many of those adults will undoubtedly continue sharing their wallet with the digital channels. Does this mean that this is the end for the industry’s retail outlets? Definitely not, but I do expect the digitalisation of the industry to maintain its momentum.

eSports

Esports Foundation names Faker Game Ambassador for EWC and ENC through 2028

Published

47 minutes ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

esports-foundation-names-faker-game-ambassador-for-ewc-and-enc-through-2028

Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok joins Cristiano Ronaldo and Magnus Carlsen in the Esports Foundation’s Ambassador Program.

The Esports Foundation (EF) has appointed Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok as a Game Ambassador for the Esports World Cup (EWC) and Esports Nations Cup (ENC) through 2028, the organization said on July 15, 2026 in a statement issued from Riyadh and Paris.

EF said Faker joins Cristiano Ronaldo, listed as the Foundation’s Global Ambassador, and Magnus Carlsen as part of the Esports Foundation Ambassador Program. The Foundation said Faker will represent “the perspective of esports players” across its international events, athlete initiatives, media engagements and leadership forums.

“You can’t talk about esports without mentioning Faker. He is the defining athlete of competitive gaming: a champion whose excellence, discipline and longevity have inspired an entire generation,” said Ralf Reichert, Chief Executive Officer of the Esports Foundation. “As our Game Ambassador, Faker represents something fundamental to the Ambassador Program: esports creates its own global sporting icons. Across EWC, ENC and NGSC, he will help ensure that the players who built this sport have a voice in shaping where it goes next.”

Faker said: “Competition has shaped my life, and I am proud to join the Esports Foundation as Game Ambassador. I want to continue competing for the biggest titles with T1 while representing the players and fans who have helped esports grow worldwide. Through the Esports World Cup, Esports Nations Cup and the Foundation’s wider platforms, I hope to inspire the next generation to pursue excellence, remain resilient and believe in how far competitive gaming can take them. There is still much more to achieve.”

EF highlighted Faker’s competitive record, describing him as a six-time League of Legends World Champion, EWC 2024 winner, two-time MSI champion and ten-time domestic champion with T1. The Foundation also said Faker became the first esports athlete to receive the Blue Dragon Medal in 2026, describing it as the Republic of Korea’s highest sporting honor awarded by President Lee Jae-myung.

The post Esports Foundation names Faker Game Ambassador for EWC and ENC through 2028 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Brand Partnerships

Midnite signs as Middlesbrough FC principal partner for 2026/27 season

Published

8 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

midnite-signs-as-middlesbrough-fc-principal-partner-for-2026/27-season

Midnite has agreed a partnership with Middlesbrough FC that will see the UK bookmaker become the club’s principal partner and front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2026/27 campaign, which Middlesbrough describes as its landmark 150th season.

The companies announced the deal alongside a fan activation at Riverside Stadium on Thursday, July 9, branded “This Season’s On Us”. The initiative offered supporters prizes including 2026/27 season tickets, 2026/27 shirts, match tickets, or a £25 club shop voucher, with fans required to answer Middlesbrough trivia and complete a football challenge.

Middlesbrough former players Craig Hignett and David Wheater attended the event, and, according to the company, took bonus attempts on behalf of participants who missed out.

Andrew Mook, Midnite’s Head of Brand Marketing, said:

“Middlesbrough have a storied history and we’re delighted to announce this partnership during such a monumental year with the club celebrating their 150th anniversary.

“It was great to see so many Middlesbrough fans at the “This Season’s On Us” activation, we hope they enjoyed taking part and meeting club legends, with David Wheater hitting top bins on several occasions and allowing fans to win big with season tickets.

“We can’t wait to get to Riverside Stadium in August to kick-off a new season and we’re excited to say that we have plenty of new and captivating campaigns planned.”

Lee Fryett, Middlesbrough FC Chief Commercial Officer, added:

“We’re delighted to welcome Midnite as our new Principal Partner.

“We’re looking forward to working closely with Midnite to develop engaging campaigns, content and unique experiences that bring our fans even closer to the club.

“We’re confident this partnership will provide real value for our supporters while supporting our ambitions both on and off the pitch.”

The post Midnite signs as Middlesbrough FC principal partner for 2026/27 season appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

AGCO

ThrillTech secures AGCO supplier licence for Ontario launch

Published

8 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

thrilltech-secures-agco-supplier-licence-for-ontario-launch

ThrillTech has been awarded a Gaming-Related Supplier licence by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), clearing the company to launch in Ontario’s regulated market.

The licence allows ThrillTech to deploy its opt-in side bet jackpots technology with regulated online casino, sports betting and lottery operators across the province.

Benjamin Bradtke, Co-Founder of ThrillTech, said: “Securing our AGCO licence is a major step in our mission to transform how jackpots are delivered at scale across regulated markets. This latest certification is testament to our robust technology and trusted compliance frameworks, allowing us to continue our global growth trajectory. We are thrilled to bring our proven, compliant jackpot technology to Ontario, empowering locally licensed operators to uplift revenue without cannibalising existing spend.”

The company said its “ThrillPots” mechanics sit as an independent, player-funded side bet and do not alter the underlying game’s return-to-player mathematics.

ThrillTech said the Ontario approval enables its existing multinational partners that also operate in the province to launch its side bet jackpots locally, while it also holds talks with potential new operator partners. The company lists its regulated footprint as including the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Romania, Malta, Gibraltar, Brazil and Peru.

The post ThrillTech secures AGCO supplier licence for Ontario launch appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.