Latest News
BETCONNECT SECURES FUNDING FROM INDUSTRY HEAVYWEIGHTS TO ACCELERATE GROWTH
BetConnect, the unique and disruptive exchange that has become one of the UK’s fastest-growing sports betting platforms, has secured funding from a consortium of heavy-hitting international investors. This pre-Series A round, validated by the backing of some of the industry’s most successful exponents, accordingly marks a significant milestone for the company, as it bids to expand its global footprint.
These influential industry figures comprise leading Australian sectoral specialist, Tom Waterhouse, CIO of Waterhouse VC; ex-Fox Bet CEO Robin Chhabra; and ex-Fox Bet Board Advisor and Grand Parade founder, Andy Clerkson. Yolo Investments, fronted by Tim Heath and fresh from winning Gaming Fund of the Year at this month’s Europe Gaming Awards, completes this formative funding round, bolstering re-investment from Candy Ventures whose support continues at every capital-raising stage.
The new financing will be used to accelerate BetConnect’s growth, both in the UK and internationally, supporting its technology and product roadmap over the next 12 months. Chhabra has also been appointed to the role of Strategic Business Advisor, leveraging his proven record of scaling businesses and leading some of the most consequential M&A deals at both William Hill and The Stars Group. His senior appointment underscores the company’s vision for the future.
Tom Waterhouse, CIO of Waterhouse VC, said: “BetConnect is at the forefront of a betting revolution that’s sweeping the industry. The Waterhouse VC Fund endeavours to generate capital growth by holding long-term strategic investments in companies that can reinvigorate tired thinking and disrupt the norm. The BetConnect model improves the experience for international customers, and can be flexibly adapted to accommodate blockchain assets and the inherent crypto benefits of better margins, lower transaction costs and faster withdrawals.”
Former Fox Bet CEO, Robin Chhabra, commented: “BetConnect has a genuinely innovative product that has been stress-tested in the UK’s ultra-competitive marketplace. Dan and his team offer a transformative vision and a super-agile platform which, combined with their ability to execute, sets BetConnect up for international expansion. For me, this investment constitutes an exciting strategic play in a company that has already laid the firm foundations to strike once exchange regulations do clearly coalesce across US states.”
Tim Heath, GP at Yolo Investments, added: “Yolo Investments has quickly gained a reputation as a natural home for early stage, high growth gaming businesses, and BetConnect absolutely fits the bill. The platform is already performing strongly in the UK, and with the backing of some of the biggest names in the industry, BetConnect is ready to take the next step. We plan to work closely with the BetConnect team, leveraging the Yolo Investments network, to help them along the way.”
Daniel Schreiber, Founder of BetConnect, concluded: “BetConnect’s growth over the last three years has been incredible and to have secured investment from such prominent industry leaders will accelerate this growth to the next level. The BetConnect platform already offers players the ability to choose from best odds from all major bookies. But this funding gives us the opportunity to develop new products and services to complement the core offering, keeping them all accessible and intuitive to the evolving demands of the end user. It also allows us to focus on a community-first approach which ensures that new developments will resonate with our users.”
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ELA Games
Neon Towers & Plenty of Thrill: ELA Games Unleashes New Winpot Game Joker Jam
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The studio releases its latest exciting addition to the Winpot series
ELA Games announces the release of its latest title, Joker Jam, a bold visual addition to the studio’s growing portfolio of strategic yet aesthetic games.
Set under the neon glow of a vibrant city, Joker Jam reimagines the classic Vegas aesthetic into a thrilling experience. Familiar symbols such as sevens and fruits adorn the reels while looming Winpot towers grow with each win. Joker Jam is a game for all players due to its engagingly strategic yet straightforward mechanics and high replay value.
Spoiler alert: the Joker Jam is available now in a seasonal holiday edition, featuring a limited-time winter-themed design. After the festive season, the game will revert to its original visual version.
The Newest Addition to the Winpot Series
Joker Jam is the latest addition to the Winpot series, adding a new visual angle to an already established product line. The Winpot Towers grow with each win, where the player can choose their own style of play to increase winnings. The 7 symbol charges up the Winpot Towers, with each Seven powering the tower with its own colour, with respective multipliers when you fill them to the top.
Joker Jam joins the family of Winpot games, which includes Joker Winpot, Zeus Winpot, and Rabbit Winpot Deluxe. This award-nominated trademark mechanic has demonstrated notable results for operators due to its fast-paced nature, giving players control over their gameplay by allowing them to decide when to cash out or continue.
Reimagining Classic Visuals With Thrilling Features
One of the most enticing aspects of Joker Jam is its visually rich animations and design, allowing players to immerse themselves in the game fully. To complement this, the game has various features to keep gameplay action-packed:
- Winpot Towers: Each 7 symbol fuels its matching colour tower, and players can choose to climb the Tower for bigger rewards or cash out when they want.
- Good Joker: This Joker boosts your run, jumping players’ progress up one level across all Towers instantly.
- Bad Joker: One appearance from the meddling Bad Joker resets all progress in the Towers.
The game’s familiar visuals that have been revamped with the studio’s signature art style, atmosphere, and high-stakes mechanics make Joker Jam both easy to pick up and hard to put down.
Marharyta Yerina, Managing Director, commented on the game’s release, “Joker Jam is an important addition to the Winpot series as we look to develop our trademark mechanic to continue its status as a must-have feature in casino lobbies. The game’s mix of enticing visuals and fast-paced gameplay drives growth for operators, which has quickly elevated it as one of the most replayable titles in our well-balanced portfolio. We look forward to seeing how the game performs on initial release and hope everyone enjoys it!”
Jam Under the Neon Lights Today
The Jokers are always looking to play. Are you ready to entertain them?
The post Neon Towers & Plenty of Thrill: ELA Games Unleashes New Winpot Game Joker Jam appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
SPOTLIGHT SPORTS GROUP RELEASES WORLD CUP 2026 BETTING OUTLOOK AS INDUSTRY PREPARES FOR SURGE IN FIRST TIME BETTORS
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New research reveals high intent to bet, major entry of first time bettors and rising demand for personalised, trusted content ahead of the biggest World Cup in history.
Spotlight has released its World Cup 2026 Betting Outlook, presenting new insights into how fans will watch, bet and engage across the expanded 48 team, 39 day tournament.
Key findings show major shifts in fan betting behaviour:
- 66% of planned bettors will be betting on the World Cup for the first time
- In the US this rises sharply to 90%, signalling significant entry of new bettors into the market
- 70% plan to place a bet, but only 7% feel confident doing so
- 44% say late night and early morning kick off times, particularly for UK fans, will push them toward more pre match betting
- 96% want personalised betting content tailored to their interests
- Social media is the least trusted source of betting insight
The research also highlights strong enthusiasm for the expanded tournament format itself, with 93% feeling positive about the 48 team structure and 86% planning to stay engaged throughout the full 39 day schedule.
Mark Langdon, Group Sports Director at Spotlight Sports Group, said: “The data shows that the 2026 World Cup will bring a huge wave of new and inexperienced bettors into the market. Operators that deliver simple onboarding, strong pre-match insight and personalised content will be best positioned to capture and engage this audience.”
The findings will be discussed in detail during Spotlight Sports Group’s SBC webinar Engaging Audiences During the 2026 World Cup on Thursday 4 December at 2pm GMT.
About the research
The survey gathered responses from 600 sports fans across the UK, US and LATAM.
The post SPOTLIGHT SPORTS GROUP RELEASES WORLD CUP 2026 BETTING OUTLOOK AS INDUSTRY PREPARES FOR SURGE IN FIRST TIME BETTORS appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Anton Ivannikov CPO at Playson
Playson debuts dynamic new feature in Tornado Power: Hold and Win
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Tornado Feature and dynamic Thunder Bonus Feature enrich both Main Game and Bonus play
Playson, the accomplished digital entertainment supplier, has unleashed a whirlwind of excitement with Tornado Power: Hold and Win, introducing a new Tornado Feature and enhanced payouts.
The 3×4, 10 payline slot features immersive visuals with old-school charm, as the untamed gameplay is further enhanced by a new Tornado Feature, which can be randomly triggered whenever a Thunder Bonus Symbol lands during the Main Game or Bonus Game.
Once active, multipliers of up to an impressive 20x may activate as well as Bonus Symbols to increase the likelihood of triggering the Thunder Bonus Feature or Hold and Win Bonus Game.
When both a Bonus Symbol and Thunder Bonus Symbol lands on the reels, the Thunder Bonus Feature comes into action. The feature collects the values of all Bonus Symbols in play, including four in-game Jackpot Symbols, before adding them to the winnings for the spin in the Main Game or Total Win in the Bonus Game.
Landing at least one Bonus Symbol on each reel grants access to the Hold and Win Bonus Game, where players benefit from only Bonus and Thunder Bonus symbols for the entirety of the round. In a striking twist to bonus play, up to four Thunder Bonus Collect symbols can land on the centre reel, further amplifying the win potential on offer.
Additional entry to the Bonus Game is also boosted by the Pile of Gold Feature. Any Bonus Symbols that land on the reels during the main game can randomly trigger the feature, which sees Bonus and Thunder Bonus Symbols added to the grid in quantity enough to activate the Bonus Game.
This latest release demonstrates Playson’s ability for developing unique mechanics that enhance player engagement based on data-driven insights.
Anton Ivannikov, CPO at Playson, said: “Tornado Power: Hold and Win showcases our commitment to elevating the Hold and Win experience with engagement-boosting mechanics that genuinely move the needle. The new Tornado Feature introduces a fresh layer of dynamism to gameplay, giving players more ways to interact with bonus elements and enjoy heightened win potential.
“It’s a strong reflection of our data-led approach to development, and we’re confident it will resonate across a variety of markets.”
The post Playson debuts dynamic new feature in Tornado Power: Hold and Win appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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