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Sergio Aguero: The history of the FA Cup meant it was always a special competition to play in

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Stake’s global representative, Sergio Aguero, reveals his memories of playing in the FA Cup, why it was a special competition for him to win, how Pep Guardiola will keep his players motivated against Peterborough in their fifth round tie, and what this side could achieve this season.

The FA Cup has an amazing history and I am proud to have won the competition 

The FA Cup was always one of my favourite competitions to play in because of its history and because of the many famous players and teams to have won it.

When I was living in Spain and here in Argentina, everyone knew about the competition and its history.

We came so close to winning the FA Cup in 2013 but were beaten by Wigan in the final. It was hard for us because we had a very good team, Carlos Tevez, Yaya Toure, David Silva, Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta all started that game.

But we were all very new to the club and it was only the start of our journey. I think we did okay in the end!

We were back at Wembley for my second FA Cup final in 2019 and that day went much better for us when we beat Watford.

We were so happy to win it and to be a part of FA Cup history was a very proud moment for me.

The tradition of the FA Cup is one of my favourite things about the competition, it was fun to meet Prince William to get my medal after the game and the celebrations with the fans afterwards was so special.

Everyone says that the FA Cup is magical and it is true, it was always really fun to play in and you felt proud to represent your team in the competition.

The day we played in the FA Cup was

always special because there was so much excitement in the team and the fans were always extra happy to see us play well.

Playing teams in lower divisions in the FA Cup is harder than you think, so Pep will have the City players focused ahead of the Peterborough match 

Not many people know how hard it is to play in the FA Cup. In England, you play a lot of matches and a lot of competitions, but as a player, it’s really exciting because you have the chance to try and win lots of different competitions, and winning finals is something that you are always proud of as a footballer, which means every game is important.

To get to the final you have to play against lots of different teams and some new ones that you might not have ever played against before. Playing against new teams and new players and at new stadiums is always hard because you don’t know 100% what you’re going to be playing against. We watch the teams in the Premier League and Champions League a lot and we all have friends and international teammates that play for them, but when you draw a team in the FA Cup that you don’t regularly get to play against or know too much about, it’s always a difficult experience.

When we played against a new team or a side in a different division, we were always expected to win, but it’s not as easy as that. Every manager always made sure the preparation for an FA Cup game was exactly the same. The training was the same, we worked hard on our jobs for the match and we went into the game knowing what we had to do, it made no difference if it was the final or first round.

This is exactly what Pep Guardiola will be doing with the team this week. Pep is a winner and he hates to lose, you don’t win the number of trophies he has without this attitude. He will be making sure the Manchester City players are ready for the game against Peterborough in the same way as if it was any other match.

There’s added pressure on Manchester City to win in the FA Cup and Peterborough will look to familiar tactics to beat them 

When you are the team in a higher league and you have to travel to a team in a league below you it is difficult because the crowd are always so excited that their team might cause an upset and get to beat a Premier League team! When you get to the ground you are quickly aware that everyone really wants you to lose – the fans let you know when you arrive. It’s not just the

home crowd that are extra excited to see you lose, but it is everyone watching at home also, we know this and try not to think about it and focus on our job for the day.

We played against Wigan, again, in 2018 in the Cup at their stadium and it was one of the hardest matches. They defended so well and frustrated us, we had all of the possession and so many chances, but they scored late and knocked us out, that’s how it is in knockout football. If Peterborough think that they can win then they should watch that game and do the same as Wigan did.

Peterborough will be tough for Manchester City because the team has just travelled to Portugal in the Champions League, had a tough game against Tottenham, then they’ll play away in the Premier League threes days before the match and then they have to play Manchester United after the FA Cup game, but the team has so many good players in every position and everyone is used to this way of playing now.

Manchester City are hungry to win every competition 

At Manchester City, we wanted to win everything, every match and every trophy, and that will always be the case at the club now. I think Manchester City are in a great place to win the Premier League again, they also have a good chance in the FA Cup and in the Champions League too, but this might be competitive, but I think it is possible that they win all three. Winning a treble like this would be a huge achievement and they have a team and manager that can do it this season.

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Kaizen Gaming takes two Latin America operator awards at SBC Awards Americas 2026

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Betano owner repeats wins for Sportsbook Operator of the Year and Casino Operator of the Year at the Fort Lauderdale ceremony on 10 June.

Kaizen Gaming has won both “Sportsbook Operator of the Year – Latin America” and “Casino Operator of the Year – Latin America” at the SBC Awards Americas 2026, repeating the double from last year. The ceremony was held on Wednesday, 10 June, during SBC Summit Americas in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The operator, which owns the Betano online sports betting and gaming brand, said the awards reflect its continued performance across Latin America. The company positioned Betano as a leading regional brand, citing market presence in Brazil and other South American markets including Argentina and Peru.

Christos Tzalavras, Kaizen Gaming’s Chief Product Officer, said: “We are very happy about this distinction, especially since it recognizes our focus on providing our customers with the best possible experience, both through our Sportsbook and our Casino offerings. And of course, it’s equally important that these awards concern the Latin American region, which has totally embraced us and to which we owe a large part of our success. With the World Cup now upon us, South America is a hugely strategic region for the industry, and we remain committed to setting new standards for innovation, trust, and customer experience.”

In the same announcement, Kaizen Gaming pointed to its sports marketing footprint in the region and wider international visibility ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026™. Betano has been named an Official Tournament Supporter for Europe and South America, and has also been announced as an Official Regional Sponsor of the Argentine National Football Team. The company is also an Official Partner of CONMEBOL, with the partnership beginning around CONMEBOL Copa America™2024 and continuing into subsequent competitions.

Kaizen Gaming also highlighted a recent acquisition aimed at product development. Earlier this year, it acquired GameplAI, a provider of AI-powered sports trading and analytics, which Kaizen said will be integrated into Betano to enhance sports trading, player markets and performance analytics.

The post Kaizen Gaming takes two Latin America operator awards at SBC Awards Americas 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Kaizen Gaming Repeats Double Latin America Operator Win at SBC Awards Americas 2026

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Dual honours with awards for both “Sportsbook Operator of the Year – Latin America” and “Casino Operator of the Year – Latin America”

 Kaizen Gaming, one of the world’s biggest GameTech companies and owner of the Betano online sports betting and gaming brand, has been named both “Sportsbook Operator of the Year – Latin America” and “Casino Operator of the Year – Latin America” for the second year running at the SBC Awards Americas 2026. The ceremony took place on Wednesday, 10 June, on the second day of the SBC Summit Americas at Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The repeat double award wins reinforce Betano’s position as a leading force in online betting and gaming across the region. Betano is arguably considered the no 1 igaming brand, with the biggest market share in Brazil, South America’s largest market, while it is also one of the market leaders in other South American countries, including Argentina and Peru.

Kaizen Gaming continues to set new benchmarks with customer experience at the core of its offering, underpinned by its proprietary technology, elite football partnerships, and ongoing product innovation. This includes a range of player-centric features, such as increasingly sophisticated AI-powered personalisation, trending content, enhanced in-play experiences and social functionality, alongside a wide selection of engaging rewards and offers.

Christos Tzalavras, Kaizen Gaming’s Chief Product Officer commented: “We are very happy about this distinction, especially since it recognizes our focus on providing our customers with the best possible experience, both through our Sportsbook and our Casino offerings. And of course, it’s equally important that these awards concern the Latin American region, which has totally embraced us and to which we owe a large part of our success. With the World Cup now upon us, South America is a hugely strategic region for the industry, and we remain committed to setting new standards for innovation, trust, and customer experience.”

The FIFA World Cup 2026™ is a significant moment for Betanο, which has been named an Official Tournament Supporter for Europe and South America. This will see Betano provide fans with many unique and exclusive opportunities to experience the excitement of the FIFA World Cup through exclusive fan activations, while also promoting responsible play through dedicated tools and 24/7 customer support.

Betano was also recently announced an Official Regional Sponsor of the Argentine National Football Team – the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ champions. At the same time, it remains the title sponsor of both Brazil’s top domestic competitions, Brasileirão Serie A and Copa Betano do Brazil, the Presenting Partner of the Argentine Liga Profesional de Fútbol and Copa Argentina, as well as the principal and front-of-shirt partner of top flight South American clubs, including Clube de Regatas do Flamengo and Club Atlético  River Plate. Furthermore, Kaizen Gaming is an Official Partner of CONMEBOL, with the partnership starting through the CONMEBOL Copa America™2024 and since then continuing with other tournaments including the CONMEBOL Copa América Femenina 2025™ and the CONMEBOL Liga de Naciones Femenina.

Additionally, Betano has an extensive Corporate Social Responsibility footprint in the region, supporting the work of organisations like FADeC (the Argentine Federation of Sports for the Blind), Fundación Empate (which supports the inclusion and development of people with Down syndrome in Argentina), Afroesporte (which empowers Black athletes in Brazil to develop their careers) and Fundação Laço Rosa (which supports women’s fight against breast cancer in Brazil).

Earlier this year, Kaizen Gaming also underscored its focus on customer-centric technology innovation with the acquisition of GameplAI, a provider of AI-powered sports trading and analytics. The deal enables the integration of GameplAI’s technology into Betano, enhancing capabilities across sports trading, player markets and performance analytics, for users globally.

The post Kaizen Gaming Repeats Double Latin America Operator Win at SBC Awards Americas 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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Ahmed Baker Chief Commercial Officer at Incentive Games

INCENTIVE GAMES GOES LIVE WITH BETMGM IN ONTARIO

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B2B games provider Incentive Games, through its real-money gaming division Incentive Studios, has partnered with BetMGM, a leading iGaming and sports betting operator, to launch four real-money titles in Ontario. BetMGM will be first to market with these titles in the province.

The partnership has seen four of Incentive Studios’ titles, Velocity, Mega Flight, Kicker and Squid Game Red Light Green Light Cashout, go live on the BetMGM platform, bringing the studio’s portfolio of crash and arcade experiences to players across the province.

As one of North America’s leading betting and gaming operators, BetMGM has built a strong reputation for delivering premium player experiences across regulated markets. Ontario remains a key market within its growth strategy, with a continued focus on high-quality content, innovation and responsible gambling.

The launch further strengthens Incentive Games’ position in North America and marks another important milestone in the company’s continued expansion across regulated gaming markets, building on its recent securing of licences in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Ontario.

Ahmed Baker, Chief Commercial Officer at Incentive Games, said, “We’re incredibly proud to be partnering with BetMGM and to see four of our real-money titles go live in Ontario. From the outset, it’s been clear that we share a strong focus on delivering engaging, high-quality player experiences, making this a natural collaboration for both teams. This launch marks an exciting milestone for Incentive Studios as we continue our expansion across regulated markets, and we look forward to growing our relationship with the BetMGM team.”

Rob Passerino, Director of Gaming, BetMGM said, “BetMGM is focused on delivering the best online casino experience possible. As crash and arcade-style games continue to see significant growth, Incentive Studios’ portfolio strengthens our ability to meet evolving player demand, especially in key markets like Ontario.”

The post INCENTIVE GAMES GOES LIVE WITH BETMGM IN ONTARIO appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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