Latest News

SportCast interview: The success of BetBuilder with Fortuna Entertainment Group (FEG) and across Europe

Published

4 years ago

January 27, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

OpenBet’s SportCast business continues to grow from strength to strength. In the US, many of the region’s leading US operators utilise its same-game parlay product as demand increases exponentially for this exciting form of betting.

However, the pioneers of the original and leading BetBuilder product remain fully focused on penetrating new markets across the globe, including Europe where it already holds a commanding position.

Recently, SportCast partnered with Fortuna Entertainment Group (FEG) in a move which significantly strengthens its presence in Central and Eastern Europe. We caught up with SportCast Managing Director Ryan Coombs to find out more about the innovative company’s products in Europe and its plans for the future.

How important is this deal with Fortuna in expanding both OpenBet’s and SportCast’s presence in Central Europe? How many operators in total do you supply your content to in this region?

Teaming up with an operator of the stature of Fortuna Entertainment Group (FEG) is a huge milestone for the business. The launch greatly increases our presence in Central and Eastern Europe where our products are firmly establishing themselves as cornerstones in the sportsbook offering.

It was clear from day one that we share an aligned vision in bringing premium engaging experiences to the market. We’re super excited to see the undoubted popularity of our product suite continue to grow with Fortuna’s customers.

How common are BetBuilder products in this region of Europe, and how can they elevate the betting experience across both retail and online?

SportCast’s vision is to remove the boundaries that exist when placing any bet a customer chooses. Our BetBuilder products facilitate this for sports fans within a single event. The popularity of BetBuilder in the region is growing daily, where our sports coverage and player market depth are particularly appealing to the next generation of consumers who demand a fully personalised experience.

We are constantly looking at ways to add more sports and markets to our offering as demand grows. Our products are designed to integrate seamlessly both online and in retail and have achieved huge success in both avenues around the world.

The deal with Fortuna includes a pre-built, quick-pick solution of BetBuilder – how does this version compare to the original and why is it appealing to certain operators?

The pre-built/quick pick BetBuilder solution is the perfect companion to the full BetBuilder solution – where a selection of the most popular BetBuilder bets are presented to the end user. Whilst browsing the selections, the product provides instant engagement that truly gets the creative juices flowing. This often results in the customer building their own story in the full BetBuilder solution.

Its engaging nature has led to pre-built bets being given prime real estate on the homepages of sportsbooks has been very successful for our partners.

Can you give us an insight into SportCast’s initial success with Fortuna? Have bettors appreciated this new type of betting experience?

We initially launched the pre-built BetBuilder bets product with Fortuna, which has been a great success so far. Adding the full BetBuilder solution completes the experience and we are greatly looking forward to seeing the results of both products interacting in tandem with each other.

Do you have any plans to further expand your product offering for the European market?

Absolutely, SportCast prides itself on staying ahead of the industry curve with its global coverage of sports and competitions. The demand and success of our products in the European market has seen us quickly move to shortly release further European competitions in the likes of Ice Hockey and Basketball, which we know will be hugely popular with our partners in the region. Finally, In-Play is the main focus for our team in the coming year, so watch this space!

eSports

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

Published

10 hours 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

17 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

17 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.